Category Archives: Blog

Gorse, Whin, Furze – a shared love in Irish, Ulster Scots, Scots & English

Blog, Poetry

Recently I had a poem about gorse on the Pendemic.ie site which describes itself as, ‘Not a literary magazine for ordinary times, but journaling the extraordinary.’ in these COVID-19 times. My poem describes the gorse that flowers copiously in Ireland in Spring.

I had many  responses on Twitter, sharing a love of gorse and of poetry inspired by it, old and new.  I’d like to bring some of them together here to share that pleasure further, as a simple record. This is a mere fraction of the gorse-related poetry one might find. Continue reading Gorse, Whin, Furze – a shared love in Irish, Ulster Scots, Scots & English →

Poem for Nedim Türfent – PEN International on Poetry Day

Blog, Poetry, Portfolio, PortfolioPrint

Nedim Türfent, Kurdish-Turkish, journalist

Nedim Türfent is serving an eight-year-and-nine- month prison sentence on trumped-up terrorism charges following an unfair trial, during which scores of witnesses said they had been tortured into testifying against him. He spent almost two years in solitary confinement in harrowing detention conditions. Determined to keep writing, he started composing poetry while detained. (PEN International) Continue reading Poem for Nedim Türfent – PEN International on Poetry Day →

Online Festival promos NORTH STAR by N. Irish Women Writers

Blog, Poetry, PortfolioPrint

Once again the dynamic group of women writers, Women Aloud Northern Ireland have demonstrated their vitality and commitment by using the global lockdown to fuel a powerhouse of literary creativity.

The writers of WANI are publishing North Star – an Anthology of Literature by Northern Irish Women.

I’m delighted to have 2 poems in the book.

Not content with merely print, they are also staging an online literary festival, bringing their sparkling storytelling to audiences they would usually be entertaining through workshops, readings and other events, were it not for the worldwide restrictions on their movements.

The Facebook Live Weekend Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26th, using the social media platform’s live facility to bring a diverse programme of fiction, prose and poetry to audiences in their homes with members reading live at 11am, 3pm and 8.30pm on both days. Continue reading Online Festival promos NORTH STAR by N. Irish Women Writers →

Poem in Wales Arts Review Digithon

Blog, Poetry, Portfolio, PortfolioPrint

I was delighted to take part on Sunday 29th March in

https://www.walesartsreview.org/digithon-lit-arcade-poets/

Poetry In The Arcades is a project which puts poetry onto the walls in one of the busiest areas in Wales’s capital city – its network of Victorian and Edwardian shopping arcades which are a distinctive feature of Cardiff, the ‘City of Arcades‘.

The project commissioned several poets to write poems and later launched a competition to elicit more poems on the theme. The winning poem will be put on display. Continue reading Poem in Wales Arts Review Digithon →

1 of 100 Women of Wales on Twitter

Blog, Portfolio, PortfolioPrint

For #IWD2020, the writers of Wales Arts Review have nominated 100 women of Wales who we think you should be following on Twitter (if you’re not already). Here is a list of women who will keep you informed, entertained and inspired on social media’s premier platform.

I’m delighted to be included in this list, although it’s immediately evident how many more ‘followable’ women there are than such a list can contain! But, for me, this is one way of encountering some women outside my own field of activity and I find it a broadening and enriching read.

https://www.walesartsreview.org/iwd2020-100-women-of-wales-on-twitter-2/

First draft of novel completed

Blog, Prose

I’ve finished the first draft of my novel, Thorn. I have to set it aside for a while to get some perspective on it, so I’d like to mark this milestone by saying thank you for the help and kindness I have received during the research and writing. I am looking forward to thanking everyone properly – inside the covers of the published book – and perhaps anything less than an exhaustive set of thanks risks making someone feel left out, nonetheless I want to express my gratitude in a ‘big picture’ way at this point. Continue reading First draft of novel completed →

My Pitching for Creatives Workshop

Blog

I really enjoyed giving this one-day hands-on Pitching Skills workshop in Cardiff on 6th February for CULT Cymru. It was inspiring to encounter the passion people brought to their projects and to be in the same room as so much imagination and dedication. And I felt that each of us was so pleased to see our colleagues’ work develop in its clarity and focus.

In the workshop there are sessions on Pitch Theory, Content, Design and Delivery with an hour of preparation time before lunch. Each participant has the chance to deliver a 3-minute verbal pitch twice. Feedback is given on each delivery and one-to-one attention is offered to help focus the pitch content and design. Continue reading My Pitching for Creatives Workshop →

BAFTA Cymru win for Green Bay Media

Awards, Blog, Portfolio, PortfolioTelevision, Prose, Television

At the BAFTA  Cymru Awards in Cardiff on 13th October, Velindre, Hospital of Hope, a series following patients through treatment for cancer, won the Award for Best Factual Series.

Commissioned by ITV Wales, the series was made by Green Bay Media and was the company’s final production prior to joining forces with Wildflame Productions Continue reading BAFTA Cymru win for Green Bay Media →