happy #lesbiandayofvisibility

It just so happens that today is Lesbian Day of Visibility. What a great day to be publishing Kate Foley‘s new poetry collection, A Gift of Rivers.

A Gift of Rivers charts meeting, marriage and migration, in an extended love letter to Kate’s wife Tonnie.

Kate Foley with Tonnie at the Amsterdam launch of The Don’t Touch Garden

Now, I didn’t know that today was Lesbian Day of Visibility when I planned the publication date, sometimes things just happen like that. But why not get visible in your local bookshop by going in and asking for this lovely book?

Although I am wearing my A Gift of Rivers T-shirt to celebrate, there are no events planned for today, having already done a reading at Gay’s the Word

(more videos available on YouTube!)

and the launch is 1st May 7pm at Waterstone’s Amsterdam. Everyone welcome.

Other readings in the UK are in the offing and details will follow shortly.

Happy publication day, Kate!

Kate Foley & Cherry Potts reading at Gay’s the Word – Video

We had a great evening at Gay’s the Word – thank you to Uli & Jim – and despite Kate’s determination to walk out of shot, we have some video – where it got silly, with just a sleeve on show, there’s audio instead.

Here’s Cherry reading a bit about family from The Dowry Blade, chosen specially to link with Kate’s themes, and not read elsewhere.

and audio of the other section read

Here’s Kate reading a varied selection of poems from The Don’t Touch Garden

Blue Glass, Empty Pram:

Oral History:

My Father Counting Sheep:

The Elephant Aunts:

 

and here, reading an abridged version of the long title poem.

continued off camera…

#Outcome for International Women’s Month

Last month: LGBT History, this month International women’s Month – that’s a whole 1/6th of the year dedicated to me!

Seriously though, we are still looking for more women from the lesbian, bi and trans communities to get involved in Outcome. I am determined that the book will be properly representative or the people around me. Tom has a deadline of 1st April to get the balance right (conveniently at the end of International Women’s Month) I’ve been hijacking my own book launch events for The Dowry Blade to go on about Outcome, and I think I’ve sent an email or a Facebook or Twitter hint to every single one of my lesbian friends suggesting immortality is a click of the shutter away, but if I missed someone I’m sorry! Stand up with your sisters… Contact me!

This isn’t about celebrity, or some weird media construct of beauty, okay? It’s about who we really are, and it’s important! Every one of us is unique and amazing and has a story to tell. A number of people have said – but I don’t have a picture of myself as a child. Initially that stalled us, but we’ve thought it through – If there is a story behind that, tell it, we still want you involved.

The Crowd fund has only 2 days to run, expiring around 2pm this Thursday, and we are still getting a steady drip of pledges through. Feel free to help out! Pre-order a copy of the book, invite yourself to the launch in October, or get yourself a badge or a set of postcards, every little helps and is appreciated.

Here are just a few of the magnificent lesbians who are already involved.

 

Clapham launch of The Dowry Blade

Recordings of author Cherry Potts reading from The Dowry Blade, a lesbian epic fantasy of the strength and limitations of love and loyalty between friends, lovers, kin, strangers and enemies.

Our main character, Brede, arrives in the city, and finds it a threatening place

The obligatory scene in a tavern, which in the writing, which was done entirely for entertainment, discovered something important about a relatively minor character, and changed the course of the book…

An emotionally tense scene on a roof at night.

Thanks to Clapham Books for hosting. We may post some of the Q&A with a very chatty audience later, it’ll take a bit of editing!

 

Video of The Dowry Blade launch event Lewisham Library

Video

Here’s the video of Cherry Potts reading the ‘obligatory tavern scene’ from The Dowry Blade at Lewisham Library on Wednesday

Lewisham Libraries have been good friends to us, and provided a buffet and everything! There are more videos to come, and sound files from the event at Clapham Books on Thursday.

If you like what you see here, head over to our events page for details of more readings in March and April, in Beckenham (Thursday 3rd March, that’s next week) , Kings Cross (Gays the Word 24th March), Earls Court ( Brompton Library 14th April) and Hastings (Polari on Sea)…

or to our SHOP to buy a copy, or to your local bookshop, of course.

 

 

Goodreads Giveaway… The Dowry Blade 25th Feb

The Dowry Blade bookmark cropCan’t get to one of the launch events? Here’s anther way to celebrate.

We are running a giveaway on Goodreads from 25th February (publication day) to 25th March to celebrate the publication of The Dowry Blade

(I’m not 100% certain you can see this link before 25th, I can because I created it, so don’t panic if you follow it and can’t see anything, just try again on 25th!)

There are only 10 copies available so if you want one you’ll have to be quick.

Goodreads randomly select from whomever applies, and the hope is that you will provide a review when you’ve read it, although of course, no one is going to twist your arm!

 

Launching The Dowry Blade in Clapham

Our lovely friends at Clapham Books are hosting a publication day event for
The Dowry Blade our first adult novel, by Cherry Potts.

Join us at 

Clapham Books

26 The Pavement, Clapham Common, SW4 0JA

7:30 – 9pm on Thursday 25th February

for reading, signed copies of the book and discussion,

Free!

The Dowry Blade FRONT Cover final

The Dowry Blade is a lesbian epic fantasy of the strength and limitations of love and loyalty in a time of war and danger: between friends, lovers, kin, strangers– and enemies.

 

Launching The Dowry Blade in Lewisham

Our lovely friends at Lewisham Library are hosting a just-pre-publication event for The Dowry Blade our first adult novel, by Cherry Potts.

Join us at Lewisham Library 199-201 Lewisham High Street SE13 6LG

6:30 – 8pm on Wednesday 24th February

(the day before publication)

Free!

for readings, discussion,

modestly reduced pre-publication pricing on (signed) copies of the book,

and I believe there will be refreshments, which may include cakes!

The Dowry Blade FRONT Cover final

The Dowry Blade is a lesbian epic fantasy of the strength and limitations of love and loyalty in a time of war and danger: between friends, lovers, kin, strangers– and enemies.

Suitable for anyone over the age of fourteen.

Review copies of The Dowry Blade for professional reviewers

So, we are experimenting with new ways to market our books, Our forthcoming title, The Dowry Blade by Cherry Potts (February 2016) is on NetGalley, a review site for librarians, bookshop owners, book bloggers and professional reviewers. If that is YOU, you can download an unproofed review PDF here.

The Dowry Blade FRONT Cover final

LGBT History Month reading: Ealing Library

A specialist night out: Arachne Press writers Cherry Potts and Paula Read will be reading from their own stories and (with help from  actors Sarah Feathers, Adam Ganne and Gloria Sanders stories by Jessica Lott and Catherine Sharpe) with a Lesbian or Gay content, from all three Arachne Press collections: All Change at Canonbury from Stations, Leaving from London Lies and Mirror, Tasting Flight and Dara from Lovers’ Lies.

Ealing Central Library
103 Ealing Broadway Centre,
The Broadway,
W5 5JY

7th February 2013 6.15-7.30