Our penultimate video for the Arachneversary. This is quite long, as all five writers contributed both thoughts and/or readings. We enjoyed it so much we’re thinking of doing it regularly. Featuring Joan Taylor-Rowan, Cassandra Passarelli, Katy Darby, Helen Morris and Sarah James.
Five by Five was one of our books celebrating the centenary of some women in the UK finally getting the vote. There’s nothing about voting in it, just women going about their (extr)ordinary lives.
Collateral damage from Covid-19 has been having to delay the publication of Zed and the Cormorants, by Clare Owen. It was a tough decision but, it turns out, the right one; and next year we will be able to put together a really strong campaign to support the book.
In the meantime, here is Clare reading her short story from An Outbreak of Peace, The Cormorant which was very much a calling card for Zed, sharing, as it does, a location and character names, although not characters, unless you count the cormorant!
To celebrate IDAHOBIT (INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, BIPHOBIA, INTERSEXISM & TRANSPHOBIA) here’s a poem from Cathy Bryant‘s collection, Erratics, published today!!
We are still working on avenue for the official launch, bt Cathy will be reading at Stirred Poetry at 3MT on Oldham Street in Manchester, on Monday 28th May.
Congratulations Cathy!
Shit People Say to Bisexuals
Cathy Bryant
You’re just greedy, aren’t you?
So when do you think you’ll make up your mind?
Are you a tourist?
When you’re going out with a man, what’s the difference
between you and a straight?
You’re straight really, aren’t you?
When you’re going out with a woman, what’s the difference
between you and a lesbian? You’re gay really, aren’t you?
Do you just want to fuck everybody?
Would you like a threesome? If so, does it have to be with
one of each?
Which is better, sex with a man or with a woman?
I want you to come to more gay events, to make you more gay.
Why not just be straight? After all, you can choose.
Is it just desperation?
Do you just think that no man will want you, but you want
to keep your options open?
Ah, I’m sorry to hear that – you can never settle down or get married, can you?
Well, everyone’s bisexual, aren’t they?
You’re doubly damned because you could choose not to sin.
You are so lucky not to have to deal with any of the
prejudices and preconceptions that we do.
You have it easiest of anyone, don’t you?
Here’s a snippet of Cherry Potts reading from The Dowry Blade at this week’s reading & writing workshop at Brompton Library. A segment from just past the middle of the book, and Killan finds himself in trouble.
Rebellion: Writing Fantasy, author talk and workshop
Author Cherry Potts reads from her new novel The Dowry Blade, and discusses ways of writing fantasy with an opportunity for a short writing exercise for the audience.
World building, weird logic and rule breaking at
Brompton Library
210 Old Brompton Road
London SW5 0BS
Thursday 14 April 18:30-19:45
Attending the London Book Fair? This event is on the final day and Brompton Library is one stop on the tube/overground away from Olympia, at West Brompton, then a short walk.
Here’s the video of Cherry Potts reading the ‘obligatory tavern scene’ from The Dowry Bladeat 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.
Shit People Say to Bisexuals
