Poetry reading in English

I will be reading from my new collection, Falstaff's Gut, in Pietilä Sali, Metso library, Tampere on Friday 10 October at 18.00 with Sue Guiney, Noel Duffy and Donald Adamson.

We will read for about an hour after which we hope to answer questions and generally chat with the audience.

The event will be in English and entry is free.

Falstaff's Gut hits the world

I'm very pleased to announce the publication of my new poetry collection, Falstaff's Gut.

I'm going to be launching the collection at Metso library, Tampere, Finland on Friday 10 October at 18.00 at a poetry reading event with fellow Ward Wood poets, Sue Guiney and Noel Duffy, and Donald Adamson. Anyone in Tampere at that time is very welcome. The event takes place in the Pietilä Sali and is free. This event is free and will be entirely in English.

And then, the same four writers will be following up this event with a reading of poetry and prose at Pispala library, Tahmelankatu 14 (on the bus route 25) on Saturday 11 October at 15.00. The programme will be completely different to the Friday event. The Pispala event is free, and there will be a free glass of sparkling wine after the reading and the chance to chat with the writers. This event will be almost entirely in English, but with a few poems read in Finnish translation.

Books by all four authors will be on sale at both events. Falstaff's Gut can also be obtained from the publishers:
www.wardwoodpublishing.co.uk

from Amazon in both paper and Kindle versions,

from Book Depository

and from Akateeminen Kirjakauppa, but I think you may have to order it, which I understand can be quite slow.

Reading in Shrewsbury

I will be reading from my new novel, Arthur's Eventful Weekend, on Saturday 28th June, at Pengwern Books, Fish Street, Shrewsbury. It's right in the middle of the old town. The doors open at 18.30 for a 19.00 start. Copies of the new novel as well as my earlier novel, The Finn's Tale, and my poetry collection, Midas Touch, will be on sale. An entry fee of £3 will be charged to cover the cost of refreshments, which includes wine. I will read a few passages from the novel and say something about the structure of the book and the writing process, and will answer questions at the end. The reading will end at about 20.00.

If you're in the Shrewsbury area, I'd love to see you at the reading.

There will be a launch for my new novel, Arthur's Eventful Weekend, in Tampere, Finland on Friday 9 May at 18.30 in the International Meeting Place (Kansainvälinnen Kohtauspaikka) at Suvantokatu 13; just off Rautatienkatu, near the Russian Orthodox Church. The launch is being organised by the Tampere branch of the Finnish-British Society but everyone is welcome. Entry is free.


I will talk a little bit about the writing of the novel, read a few short passages and answer any questions. This part will last about 40 minutes. And then we shall 'wet the baby's head', as the saying is, with some glasses of sparkling wine. I always enjoy these events, especially chatting with everyone with glass in hand.

The new novel, and others of my books, will be available at wonderfully advantageous prices, but there's no obligation to buy.

Arthur's Eventful Weekend

My new novel, Arthur's Eventful Weekend, is now published and available.

It's a first person narrative and I have to say that I enjoyed creating the character of the narrator. He is an odd chap. Surely, each reader will form their own opinion about him. If the historical King Arthur had been born in 1960 (about) would he have been like my Arthur? Maybe, maybe not, but my narrator gets into some situations that parallel events in the Arthurian legends. After a visit to his aging mother in a retirement home, a remark she makes starts him wondering if his father was really his father. So begins a stock-taking review of his life so far. His relationship with his wife is tense, but he scarcely seems aware of it. And then there's the memory that won't give him any peace: the worst thing he ever did.

But I mustn't give the game away.

Here's the cover:

Poetry Reading in Pispala Library

We had a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon for our poetry reading in Pispala library and the beautiful early spring weather seemed to set the tone and atmosphere of the whole event. Donald Adamson and I read Finnish-themed poems from our own collections, mainly in English but with some translated into Finnish. Donald also read from his translations of Lassi Nummi's poetry. We had a lovely audience who were most generous in their appreciation and with whom it was a great pleasure to chat after the reading and enjoy a glass of sparkling wine.

Pispala library is a perfect venue for such an event; it's intimate, cosy and has a charm of its own. And our hosts on the occasion, Anne Rasmussen and Jyri Lehtimäki, provided us with excellent support and made us feel most welcome. A big thank you to both of them. We're already making plans for another event in the autumn.

Here's Donald reading from From Coiled Roots:

And myself reading mainly from Midas Touch, plus some new poems:

Poetry Event in Tampere April 5

Poetry event in Tampere on Saturday April 5 at 15.00 - 16.30.

I'm reading with Donald Adamson in Pispala library, Tahmelankatu 14 (take bus number 25). Free entry.

We're reading mainly in English from our own work, but there will be some poems in Finnish with English translations and the English text of some poems will be projected on a screen. We plan to adjourn to the pub across the road after the event for a drink and a chat. If you're in the area, come along. If you're a poet, bring along a couple of poems.