Charming Men
Gigs, gigs, gigs. There was a time, ooh about 30 years ago, when I’d be out at gigs two or three times a week. Lockdown aside, I can count on…
Tuesday’s Gig
What to wear? What will I wear?! As the days count down to a spoken word gig, I find myself having what I call a “Clothes Faff.” I used to…
Making History
I love the BBC TV series Art That Made Us. It’s currently showing on BBC2 and is a co-production with The Open University. The series covers 1500 years and presents…
Proper Poets
Hard to believe it’s a whopping 37 years since I wrote my first “proper” poem. I was 15 and on holiday in Northern Ireland. “The Troubles” were ongoing so the…
Morpeth Book Festival
This time next week I’ll be limbering up and enjoying my usual clothes faff ahead of an afternoon gig in Morpeth. I’m delighted to be part of the Morpeth Book…
Clockwork Magpies
Way back in November 2017 Emma Whitehall read from her work in progress at Pure Fiction, a regularish evening event dedicated to fiction I’d started the previous year. November 2017’s…
Sending Messages
The New Year’s only just begun and so far I have found two messages. I see them as New Year gifts to a curious soul. What do they mean? I…
Comes Howling
Last Friday the North East coast of Britain experienced the raw power of nature and felt the effects of the climate emergency. Storm Arwen put rampant consumerism in its place…