New news:
Alongside Phil Thomas ( a very good man indeed), I'll be the new creative editor at the reluanched Asylum - Magazine for Democratic Psychiatry. It's new, it's exciting and whether you're interested in critical perspectives on mental health, or whether you want to read some fantastic poetry, prose and other creative reflections from new and old writers grappling with psychiatry and other forms of madness, you should check it out. And feel free to send in your stuff for consideration.
New-ish news:
I had a poem published Carol Ann Duffy's collection of new war poetry - it was probably the hardest poem I ever had to write.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jul/25/war-poetry-carol-ann-duffy
Relatively new news:
If you haven't heard (maybe you have been asleep for a very long time and haven't heard yet that Carol Ann Duffy is the new-ish poet laureate. In which case, you won't have heard the more exciting news (for me) that she gave me a mention in her speech to the nation! Thankyou ma'am (forelock tug).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/may/02/carol-ann-duffy-poet-laureate
Slightly older news:
I have gone over to the other side!
Yes, I have only gone and started writing prose!!!! 'Six Women Poets' - Anne Caldwell, River Wolton, Nell Farrell, Char March, Suzanne Batty and myself - have put together on a collection of prose pieces on the theme of the relationship between mothers and daughters. You can read more about "Some Girls' Mothers" and order your copy on http://www.route-online.com/routev7/default.asp?idno=400
"Some Girls' Mothers" was officially launched at a sell-out event in Chesterfield on March 5th. You can watch a recording of me doing my performance-thing on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLB1WdRM9p8
And what's more - I wrote a play! "That's not the way to do it" follows the structure of a traditional Punch and Judy show to critically examine the concept of personality disorder. I've been working with the very excellent Shoestring Theatre company http://www.shoestringtheatre.org.uk/, who recently performed "That's not the way to do it", as 'a work in progress' to rapturous audiences in Leeds' Carriageworks on January 30th ....
But I haven't turned my back on poetry entirely - my favourite poem by me, "You", featured in the fantastic "Hundred Poems While You Wait" project, which aims to bring poetry into hospitals http://bp1.blogger.com/_07C5XWX_XiQ/SBx6iMG_gII/AAAAAAAAAeI/OF2cT_ClPYo/s1600-h/B15S1_You.jpg
I was speechless with excitement when my poem "About the Arguments" was read live from the Latitude Festival on Radio Four's "Poetry Please!"
I officially became an "older woman" when my poems "Cave Rescue" and "This Poem has Nothing to do with Me" were published in "A Twist of Malice" (Grey Hen Press, 2008) http://greyhenpress.com/book.php?id=3 Which goes to prove that you're only as young as you feel.
Finally, I've had a non-fiction piece published in "Writing the Self", edited by John Killick and Myra Scheider and featuring writing by great authors including Pascale Petit and Penelope Shuttle. It will be published by Continuum later this year and can pre-ordered at
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Writing-Your-Self-Transforming-Personal/dp/1847062520
And as usual I'm busy working at harm-ed, which is going from strength to strength. You can read all about us on our new and improved website at