Poeting at the Lit and Phil, Newcastle

I have a new pamphlet coming out next week. It's called ˜ and ►, which you might think stands for circle and triangle or you might know stands for record and play. A couple of poems in the collection have those old fashioned tape recorders in em and I just liked it. 

Anyway - I've left Facebook until they get a handle on all those dodgy rape and domestic violence pages so I'm just using this post to let you know about the launch event at the Lit and Phil on Wednesday 17th April at 7pm. (It's free and there will probably be wine, there always is when there's poeting going on). It's a joint launch (a jaunt?) with the poet Ric Hool whose work I'm very excited to hear. Although that does mean that I have the usual doubts about how my work will hold up in comparison... Never mind though, eh? So, there you have it. If you're in the toon next Wednesday and you fancy a spot of poetry please pop along.   

http://www.redsquirrelpress.com/SquirrelEvent.html

Chapbooks and Comedowns

I appear to be experiencing a massive comedown... I’ve had a fantastic week and if my brain functioned in a normal way I would still be enjoying the fact that I’ve registered for university and will begin my Creative Writing MA at Newcastle University on Tuesday, the fact that I had a wonderful time catching up with loads of old friends in Nottingham last week, the fact that the launch of my chapbook at the Lit & Phil went really, really well along, the fact that my daughters, my husband, my family and my friends are all immensely proud of me... but it doesn’t, and I’m not. Hopefully when I wake up in the morning my mood will lift...

I guess the main problem is that as soon as anything good enters the past I’m already aware that I need to move on to the next thing. It’s not enough to get on to an MA, I have to work really bloody hard to make sure that I get the best out of it and I suppose that’s probably at the root of why I’m feeling so drained... I wonder if I have the energy...

On the other hand... maybe I should just remember that last year I really had cause to feel terrified about the future and that compared to spending the last weekend in May wondering if my husband would survive three emergency operations all this is a doddle.