I got so caught up in Solstice shorts, I forgot to post these! Thought I’d done it because I’d done snippets on Twitter.
A very successful outing to Manchester Blackwells, with authors travelling in from Newcastle, London and Ynys Mon, and some locals!
Thanks to everyone at Blackwells for making us so welcome (good luck with the move!)
and to the audience for making it such an excellent evening, and buying books!
Mantz Yorke
Ness Owen
Rebecca Skipwith
Sarah Tait
Lily Peters
Lily Peters was born and raised in south-east London and Normandy. After studying French and Spanish at Durham University she moved to Newcastle and became a secondary school teacher of modern foreign languages. Despite only recently completing her MEd, Lily is about to embark on a MA in Creative Writing.
Lily’s story for An Outbreak of Peace is The Spider Plant by my Bed
Lily will be reading an extract from the story at the Manchester Launch THIS FRIDAY 6.30 at Blackwells. free tickets here.
Rebecca Skipwith is an editor and charity worker, currently working with people with learning difficulties and survivors of violence. She practised writing with Literary Kitchen and has written stories that have been longlisted by the New Writer and performed by Liars’ League.
Rebecca’s story for An Outbreak of Peace is Surplus Women
Rebecca will be reading an extract from the story at the Manchester Launch THIS FRIDAY 6.30 at Blackwells. free tickets here.
Author Katy Darby reads from her short story, Canary Girl, at the launch of An Outbreak of Peace, an anthology of stories and poems in response to the end of WWI at Housmans Radical Bookshop
Next launch event Blackwells Manchester 30th November
Author Clare Owen reads from her short story, The Cormorant, at the launch of An Outbreak of Peace, an anthology of stories and poems in response to the end of WWI at Housmans Radical Bookshop
Next launch event Blackwells Manchester 30th November
Author CB Droege reads his short story, Sown, at the launch of An Outbreak of Peace, an anthology of stories and poems in response to the end of WWI at Housmans Radical Bookshop
In shops today, in time for the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, An Outbreak of Peace, stories and poems in response to the end of WWI.
A collection of work from writers all over the world, and both sides of the conflict.
The brief was ‘no trenches’ and for the stories and poems to address, grief, relief and hope not vengeance, hatred or triumphalism. We were deeply moved and impressed by what we were sent, and picking the best of those for this book has been a particular pleasure.
You can order the book from us direct in our web shop (post free), or come to one of the launches –
The official publication date for this anthology of new short stories and poems in response to the end of WWI, An Outbreak of Peace is the 8th November, but we are having the launch party on
Wednesday 14th, at Housmans radical bookshop, 5 Caledonian Road, N1 9DX,
with readings from Clare Owen, CB Droege, Katy Darby, Chantal Heaven (fiction);
Karen Ankers, Valerie Bence, Peter Kenny, Sarah Tait (poetry).
There will also be a poppy-seed cake, and other, liquid, refreshments.
£3 on the door, redeemable against purchase of the book. (It would help our pre-event nerves if you let us know you are coming)
As our authors are spread all over the globe, we are trying to give as many of them as possible an opportunity to celebrate the launch in person. We can’t afford to jaunt off to the US and Australia, or even Germany or France, but we can manage Manchester!
Northern fans of poetry and short fiction are invited to join us at Blackwells, Manchester. Near Arthur Lewis Building, The University of Manchester Bridgeford Street, M13 9PL
on 30th November at 6.30pm
There will be readings from
Rebecca Skipwith, Lily Peters, (fiction)
Ness Owen, Sarah Tait, Mantz Yorke, and Valerie Bence, (poetry)
and cake and liquid refreshment.
Tickets are free. https://bit.ly/2CQcuVT
And finally, for now, a reading
by Clare Owen of her story from the collection, The Cormorant,
at Lost in Books, Quay Street, Lostwithiel, PL22 0BS
on 16th November 2018 6pm
One of my favourite moments in the book production process – running sheets.
An Outbreak of Peace our response to the up coming centenary of the end of WWI is in shops on 8th November, and launches at Housmans, London on Wednesday 14th, and Blackwells, Manchester on the 30th November, with readings, cake and liquid refreshments.
You can pre-order a copy direct from us NOW, we should have our advance copies by the end of next week, or early the following week, for those of you who can’t wait.
It’s official!
Cathy Bryant’s collection Erratics is being launched at Manchester Blackwells on 28th June at 6.30. Huge thank you to David and team for hosting. tickets (free) on eventbrite
here’s a little taster…
Erratics
The hills and stones are drunker than us.
Someone spilled a thousand rolls of green velvet
at a party of rocks. We walk over them
and through the glissading stream with our
clompy boots and tupperware.
We’re mushroom hunting on the fells.
It’s like trying to spot a bird in a blizzard.
You have to tune in. There! Look!
Tiny freckles on the hill’s skin.
We boil, fry, make tea to get them down.
Our stomachs fizz as new perceptions kick in.
Otherworld. More dimensions than usual,
but how many is usual? Can’t remember.
There is no word in the world for that colour.
The standing stones are having a laugh.
New eyes open. We cry with pleasure
when the sun sets like concrete.
Later, someone is snoring Mendelssohn.
The stars are edible and slightly acidic.
The fire ambers then greys. In the morning
the miserable comedown is just the return
of normality, and the fact that the stones
have once more fallen silent, standing
sober and still.