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Wednesday 12 September 2012

Spoken, Speaker, Blogged

Spoken in Stapleford
This week is morphing into an eventful one. Not only all of the normal family dramas, but the opportunity to renew acquaintances, old and new.

Today I was at the Spoken Word at the Old Cross in Stapleford, just off the A52, near Nottingham. The event is ably hosted by Richard Young, a raconteur and storyteller of considerable flair, who tonight tried his hand at being the Tommy Cooper of the word, just when you thought the whole tale had died in chaos you realise that this was all part of the presentation.

Richard's co-host, Dave Wood, is also a storyteller, presenting slice of life tales that twist suddenly at the end. Where there are tales and poems you will often find Dwane Reads, whose poetry is used to describe similarly radge scenarios.

I wasn't taking notes of names, but other performers included Terri and Ray Jolland and special guest Jackie Brewster, who I first met recently at the NAWG festival of writing in Nottingham. Jackie's quality shone through her ten minute spot of two flash fiction pieces and three poems - the latter inspired by her sister's art reflecting on their childhood.

All in all this was an evening with a spark of something different and special, fun with an edge, quality with a smile.

Bemused in Bakewell
Tomorrow I'm off to Bakewell to meet up with my old friends from Writers in the Peak. In the past I have read against them, in the Write Off competition and read with them, at Bakewell festival. This time I am going to read to them and present a workshop on taking the everyday and making it special, called Senses and Sensibility. at least that's what I think I'm doing. Secretary Mid seemed a little hazy on the detail, but I'm primed for anything. 

Blogging
I'm also writing this up on a new blogger app on my iPad, so the entire piece is an experiment of sorts. Please let me know what you think.

Bye for now.


Sunday 9 September 2012

A long break and a wild Fizz

My excuse is that I'm too busy doing things to write about them. My writing time tends to be spent on  poetry. Who wants to know about me, anyway?

But maybe I'm wrong, so I'll try to keep the blog underway in future.

This weekend I spent half a day at Polesworth Abbey for a Fizz event connected to Mal Dewhirst's Poetry at Dig the Abbey.

The day was bright and hot, and I managed to get some halfway decent photos.
I only managed to get to two of the workshops Mal ran, but my tutor for the second was Maeve Clarke, whose style suited me well.

Pictures are here