1 Night Only: Dreams of May in London

Back by popular acclaim!  I suppose that really is true. So many people have asked when my one-woman show, Dreams of May, might be produced again that I've found a way to stage another performance of it — the first in London for over 5 years!  I hope all of you in the vicinity can come along and see it. Here are the details:

When    Wednesday, 19 June 2013    7.30 pm

Where   Theatre Delicatessen

35 Marylebone High Street W1

Nearest tubes:  Regent's Park (5 minute walk), Baker Street (7 minute walk)

Starring  Catherine Harvey  

I'm thrilled that Catherine is able to do this performance. She was the person I first trained with, via The Poetry Society's project that put actors and poets together, to learn how to recite my work in public. And it was during those initial lessons with her that I hatched the idea of creating this poetry play. Catherine's long line of credits includes work at The National Theatre, The Finborough Theatre, The Soho Theatre, The Arcola and The Bush. She has appeared in such films as Oscar and Lucinda, and has been seen on the telly in Emmerdale, Casualty, Red Dwarf and many others.  

Besides being the writer of the play, this performance will be the first time I have ever directed it, as well. Again, I'm lucky to be in Catherine's experienced and capable hands. 

Tickets are set at £10 and are available from the box office or on-line. 

There will be a talk back with Catherine and I after the show, and of course, there is a bar for drinks before and after. 

Hope to see you there!

A Keats Celebration

One of the wonders of living in London is the enormous amount of literary events that are on offer. Here is one that I knew nothing about until I read about it on Michelle McGrane's terrific poetry blog, Peony Moon.  And shame on me for not knowing about it sooner.

But, in any case, there will be a weeklong festival of poetry vaguely associated with the works and influence of Keats, held between 24 May and 2 June, at the poet's house in Hampstead. You can read about it on Michelle's site, and you can see the line up of events, readings and workshops below. One highlight will definitely be the reading by winners of this year's National Poetry Competition! And do not forget the booking information:

 
Free and paid events must all be booked in advance unless otherwise stated.
 
Phone 020 7332 3868 or email 
 
If you book a space and then can’t come, please let the festival organisers know so they can offer the place to somebody else.
 
Keats Foundation members receive £2 off each event. Membership costs from £25.
 
Keats House is situated at Keats Grove, Hampstead,
London, NW3 2RR. 

Friday 24 May


Poetry Appreciation Group
2-3.30pm
Workshop
Free

Led by Ken Page of the Keats House team, the group meets regularly at Keats House to read and discuss works by established poets. In keeping with the theme of the festival, this week’s theme is Bodies.


Disabled Genius: Alexander Pope – Poet, Satirist, Scourge
and Wit
2.30-3.30pm
Talk
Free

Join Colin Pinney to discover the life of ‘The Little Nightingale’, as Sir Joshua Reynolds called him, from his childhood in Windsor Forest to the coffee houses of eighteenth-century London – the age of Swift’sGulliver’s Travels and John Gay’s Beggars’ Opera.


Keats, Cobbett and Cottage Gardens –
Fine Words Buttering Parsnips
4-6pm
Talk
£7
Caroline Holmes

Keats’s poetry timelessly evokes the fecund beauty of cottage gardens. Cobbett’s political rant ‘Cottage Economy’ decries potatoes and tea whilst praising maize and homebrew. Caroline Holmes explores both in a talk which will culminate amongst the blossoms and borders of Keats House garden. A Chelsea Fringe event.


The Poetry Parnassus Postscript: Crossing Continents
6.30-8.30pm
Reading
£5

A myriad of global voices – from the Performance poetry of Mexico’s Rocío Cerón to the Caribbean-inflected, UK-influenced work of Malika Booker and Karen McCarthy-Woolf; from the British-Iranian sensibilities of Mimi Khalvati to the poetry of Antipodean writer Cath Drake, via the lyrical works of Armenia’s Poet Laureate, Razmik Davoyan. A night of continental shifts through the power of the word. In association with Speaking Volumes Live Literature Productions.



Saturday 25 May


Bitter-Sweet
10.30am-1.30pm
Workshop
£10

Explore writing using all the senses, especially smell, with Cherry Potts, short story writer, novelist and owner of Arachne Press. If you have a scent that means a lot to you, bring it with you! For fiction writers and poets with all levels of experience.


Lovers’ Lies, and Weird Lies
3-4pm
Reading
£5

Focusing (loosely!) on Keats’ involvement with science, medicine and nature, Arachne Press brings you stories of the Garden of Eden, conversations with tadpoles, a meeting of minds across disciplines and love, repression and an old-fashioned approach to doctoring. Writings by Tania Hershman, Cherry Potts, Bobbie Darbyshire and Tom McKay.


The Lyric Self
10.30am-1.30pm
Workshop
£10

Find and channel your lyric self with Dante Micheaux. The lyric poem is a text of emotion and thought, expressed directly from the poet to the reader. Participants will compare examples of Anglophone lyric poetry and create a poem of their own.


Chinese Calligraphy
2-4pm
Workshop
Free, drop-in
Family friendly

Try your hand at the art of Chinese calligraphy with Jing He. This drop-in workshop is suitable for adults and families. No booking necessary – just come along and enjoy.


House History
2-4pm
Workshop
£10

Nick Barratt, genealogical consultant for Who Do You Think You Are?, will lead a practical workshop showing how to trace the history of a property, from first steps to detailed archival research covering maps, land surveys, occupancy records, manorial documents and associated historic sources.


Shelley, Byron and the Allegra Story
6.30-8.30pm
Performance
£5

Susan Brandt’s docu-play is about the love-affair of Lord Byron and Claire Clairmont (Mary Shelley’s step-sister), and their daughter, Allegra. In this dramatized Reading, Claire narrates the heart-rending story using the characters’ actual letters and journals, revealing Byron to be other than the lovable rogue we usually see.



Sunday 26 May


Words and Music: Playing Poetry
2-4pm
Performance
Free

An afternoon of classic and contemporary poetry spoken, sung and harmonized with musical accompaniment. Presented by MA Music Theatre students of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in association with Spread the Word, an Arts Council funded charity supporting new writing in London, and the Keats House Poets.


The Ode
2-4pm
Workshop
Free

Join Foyle Young Poets, Flora de Falbe, David Carey, Sarah Fletcher and Alex Hartley to explore the timelessness and evolution of the ode form. Read authors as diverse as Catullus, Neruda and Keats, and create your own odes through a variety of writing exercises.


Foyle Young Poets
4.30-6pm
Reading & open mic
Free

Workshop participants will read odes written during the afternoon’s workshop, to be followed by an open mic session.


flamingofeather Poetry and Dance
5.30-7.30pm
Reading & performance
Free

Reading by winners of the flamingofeather poetry competition and the judges, Mimi Khalvati and Peter Daniels. Plus Performance by 55+ Sage Dance Company, directed by former Royal Ballet soloist Simon Rice.



Monday 27 May


Keats in Hampstead
11am-1.30pm
Guided walk
£8/£6 concessions

Follow the story of Keats’s life in this walk with readings from some of his best-loved poems. Starting at Hampstead tube, we will stroll through old Hampstead, visit the Vale of Health, dip into the Heath and finish at Keats House. Please wear comfortable shoes.


All the Fish in the Sea
10.30-12.30pm
Workshop
Free
Family friendly

Create sparkling foil fish with artist Jennifer Conroy and frame them in a beautiful seascape to take home. Suitable for families with children aged four and upwards.


Jewellery Masterclass
2-4pm
Workshop
£7, includes materials

Create your own exquisite, hand-crafted jewellery from recycled paper with artist Jennifer Conroy using a range of innovative cutting, folding and origami techniques. For adults, including beginners.



Tuesday 28 May


Drama Fun for Families
10.30am-1.30pm and 2-5pm
Workshop
Free
Family friendly

The Bunbury Banter Theatre Company will be running two audio drama workshops for families. Working on two different Keats poems, we will make discoveries, have fun and leave with lots of interesting recorded audio material, which afterwards will be edited and put on the web for the world to hear.


Anonymity & the Prizewinning Poem
6.30-9pm
Reading
£5

Patricia McCarthy, Jane Draycott and Pascale Petit are top winners in this year’s National Poetry Competition, chosen from over 13,000 anonymous entries. They read together here for the first time, and discuss the liberations of anonymity, exploring how poems can escape their authors. Presented by the Poetry Society.



Wednesday 29 May


Volunteering at Keats House
11am-12.30pm
Drop-in info session
Free

Join us for a cup of tea and find out how you could meet new people and learn new skills by volunteering at Keats House. This drop-in info session is open to anyone aged 18 or over; no previous experience is required. No booking necessary.


Introduction to Calligraphy
1.30-4pm
Workshop
£7, includes materials

Explore the beautiful art of calligraphy using quills, nibs and pens with Cherrell Avery, calligrapher on the film Bright Star. Learn the beauty of the written word and discover how lettering styles are used to convey the emotion of the words to great effect. For adult beginners.


The Poet Next Door
6.30-8pm
Talk
£5

Prize-winning biographer Lyndall Gordon will talk about the explosive and visionary character of Emily Dickinson, the poems she shared with her confidante next door, and the medical secret that kept her secluded in her father’s house. Presented by the Poetry Society.



Thursday 30 May


Feltmaking Demonstration
1-3.30pm
Drop-in demonstration

Discover the beautiful tradition of feltmaking. During this demonstration felt artist, Avigail Ochert will show you how to transform merino fleece into beautiful artwork using nothing more than soap, water and elbow grease. No booking necessary.


Felt Workshop
3.30-5.30pm
Workshop
Free
Family friendly

Come and make a unique and beautiful hand felted bag. During this workshop you will learn how to draw with wool and create a beautiful felted bag which you can take away with you. This workshop is suitable for children aged five plus with parents or carers supporting their children.


Creative Writing – Between the Lines
2-5pm
Workshop
£10

In a session aimed at the curiously minded, you will be gently encouraged to leave your comfort zone and explore writing a story from multiple points of view using forms such as poetry and letter writing. For beginners upwards. With Anjan Saha, Visiting Writer at Keats House 2012.

International Voices with Parnussus Poets & Guests
6.30pm-9pm
Reading
£5

In 2012 Poetry Parnassus gathered poets from every Olympic nation to read at the Southbank. In 2013 some of the Parnussus Poets will be reunited alongside British counterparts to present the history of the world through their stories and “found” poetry. There will be live calligraphy and music to make for a truly sumptuous event. Hosted by Anjan Saha. Countries represented to include St. Kitts, Bermuda, Grenada, India and the UK. Curated by London Literature Lounge.



Friday 31 May


Illustrating the Immortal Bird
10.30am-1pm
Workshop
£10, includes materials

Join artist Maggie Nightingale for a fun, immersive, experience focusing on Keats’s famous ‘Ode to a Nightingale’, written under a tree here at Keats House. The group will explore the grounds, consider how poets have represented their work visually, and contribute to mixed-media illustration to Keats’s poem. Adults at all levels welcome.


Getting Started in Life Writing
2-5pm
Workshop
Free

Everyone has a unique voice and experience. Join Andrea Watts in an afternoon of exercises to get your memory and writing muscles working. This course is ideal for beginners looking for fun, practical skills and inspiration to keep writing.


The Day the Grass Came – and Unmade Roads
6.30-9pm
Reading
£5

Muswell Press poets Leo Aylen and Alan Franks honour Keats through their recent collections. Aylen performs his acclaimed theatrical poetry, with scenes from Brixton tube station to Vesuvius erupting, whilst  Times columnist Franks ‘A modern day Sydney Carter’ delivers ‘poetry of great musicality’ (Jo Shapcott).



Saturday 1 June


‘The Silent Mysteries of Earth’
10.30am-1.30pm
Workshop
£10

Join Rommi Smith for an outdoor creative writing workshop. Together, we’ll take morning tea in the garden, tuning into Keats’ House’s beautiful garden space, as both muse and inspiration. We’ll explore the magic of seeing things from different perspectives and techniques for imbuing the everyday with the extraordinary.


Volunteering at Keats House
11am-12.30pm
Drop-in info session
Free

Join us for a cup of tea and find out how you could meet new people and learn new skills by volunteering at Keats House. This drop-in info session is open to anyone aged 18 or over; no previous experience is required. No booking necessary.


Wild Writing
2-5pm
Workshop
£10

Cath Drake invites poetry and prose writers of all levels to stretch beyond the predictable, re-invent the ordinary, sneak into the surreal, flirt with freefall and have fun taking your writing to unexpected places. Put aside the editor and critic and let your creativity fly. 


Momentum
6.30-8.30pm
Reading
£5

Discover the joys of collaboration as Cath Drake hosts poets Kayo Chingonyi, Jocelyn Page, Saradha Soobrayen and Jacqueline Saphra. Some are part of online collaborative group, The Vineyard; others meet regularly, mentored by Mimi Khalvati.



Sunday 2 June


George the Dragon
1-5pm
Installation
Free
Family friendly

George is a giant mechanical dragon. Rarely rolled out due to his great age and cantankerous nature, this marvel of grime and grease is a hand cranked mechanical wonder. Keith Moore invites the fearless and curious to step forward, turn the handles and bring George to life. Drop-in, no booking necessary.


Keats Youth Poets Forum
1.30-3.30pm
Reading & open mic
Free

The Keats House Poets are back for another chilled-out afternoon of poetry and spoken word. Open mic, plus performances from headliner Anthony Anaxagorou, with Raymond Antrobus, Simon Mole, Deanna Rodger, Dean Atta, Laila Sumpton, Sonority Turner and Kaamil Ahmed. Arrive early to grab an open mic slot.


Austentation
3-4.30pm
Performance
Free

Regency musicians Frank Underwood and Angela Mayorga play romantic guitar and other stringed instruments of the period and Gillian Tunley supplies vocals and regency percussion, all in the costume of Jane Austen’s day. Suitable for all ages.


Strange Tracks
3-4.30pm
Reading
Free

Celebrate the changing face of Modern Poetry in Translation with Chris Beckett, poet and translator of Ethopian poetry, Frances Leviston, whose first collection Public Dream was shortlisted for the TS Elliot Prize, and Fiona Sze-Lorrain, poet and translator from Chinese.


Here We Go Round the Mulberry Tree
5-7pm
Reading
Free

Join us to celebrate the launch of the 2012 Keats Anthology. John Hegley and anthology poets will read work written in 2012 during the festival and other workshops during John’s residency.





 

3. From Contract to Shelf: The Headshot

Over the past couple of months I've written a few posts about various aspects of preparing for the publication of my next novel. It dawns on me that some might be interested in having me put this all together in some coherent fashion, so I decided to create this on-going segment of my blog which I'm calling From Contract to Shelf.

It's hard to believe that this next book will be my fifth (sixth if you consider the 1st and 2nd editions of Dreams of May as two separate publications -- but who's counting?) And this publishing industry is changing so quickly that I find each publication to be a different sort of experience each time. So here we go, in an organised fashion. So far we have:
     1. Preparing to Publish
     2. What is a Book Rep?

And now...The Headshot.

Some publishers like to have a photo of the author on the book jacket. Others don't, and mine doesn't. But regardless, it's still important to have a couple of photos of yourself which you can easily and quickly use for various publicity efforts, and that includes the social media stuff like Facebook and Twitter that most of us do anyway. Your face is your calling card in many ways, and many readers will remember that face before they remember your name, so it needs to work for you.  I had a set of head shots professionally taken back in 2008 for the publication of my first novel, Tangled Roots. I must have used those photos a million times. But recently, I was meeting someone for the first time and they said they looked at my website so they could recognise me. "But, gee, you don't really look like that, do you?" Gulp. Well, we all change over time, don't we? And although I'd like to think I don't look that much different from the me of five years ago, well...let's face it...So I recently had a new batch of photos taken (by the way, I should say it is far from necessary to have these done professionally. If you have someone able to do it for you for free, even better. ) But booking the time and showing up with your hair combed is only part of it, I realised. I had to ask the questions, what do I want to portray? Do I want to look serious and deep? Fun and accessible? Ethereal and poetic? Do I want to look like I'm not really doing this and I don't really care? And what do I want to wear? Something new? Something that will fade into the background? Something I've been photographed in before so as to provide some sort of branding continuum? I found these very hard to answer, and one reason why paying a professional to do it was helpful. I used a photographer who does a lot of head shots -- mostly for actors -- and I knew that he would tell me truthfully what was working and what wasn't. And he did. He helped me answer those questions, and by so doing, helped me to think about who I am as a writer and what I am trying to accomplish. By the way, if you're in the market, he is Nicholas Andrews and he's great fun. (Fun is important, I think, because most of us hate having our photos taken and that's probably why our photos so often come out looking miserable -- at least mine often do.)

So now I have a group of ten photos, two of which I'll use most of the time, the others I'll have waiting in the wings as needed. But really, two is probably all  you need. Two images, that is, because in this day and age you need them each to be in different formats. I now have each image in  High Resolution, Low Resolution, and Web appropriate (I don't know what that's called). And I have each in both colour and black and white. Different formats go for different media. And when the time comes, I'll be putting them up as my profile picture on my Facebook Author page (which, I should say, is separate from my regular friends' page), my Twitter profile, Linked In profile and any other internet site that demands a profile page. I will also be using them on my website -- an issue which will get a post of its own in a few weeks. And then, when newspapers, bloggers etc ask me for photos (as I pray they will), I'll have some easily to hand. And here they are. Not all ten, but three which I'll be using most regularly, I think.