All Blogposts

  • Opportunities for Young Writers

    Opportunities for Young Writers

    As I’m Writer in Residence at St Gregory’s Catholic College this year, I’m keeping this page updated with a  list of competitions and organisations which might be of interest to writers of school age – 5 to 18.  Please add further suggestions in the comments section. Writing competitions now open:   The Betjeman Poetry Prize… Read more

  • In which I’m packing for Greenbelt

    In which I’m packing for Greenbelt

    All of my family, husband, daughter, son, son’s girlfriend, and me, are off to Greenbelt this weekend for the first time, and we’re all taking wellies and waterproofs and layers and a torch, as we’ve been advised by more experienced festival-goers than us.   I’m looking forward to reading with Nancy Campbell, Sasha Dugdale and… Read more

  • Primers Poets reading in Trowbridge

    Primers Poets reading in Trowbridge

    Save the date and come to Trowbridge!  Poets Cynthia Miller, Marvin Thompson and Ben Bransfield will be reading at Drawing Projects UK on Saturday 30 September, 2-4pm.  Tickets are £5 and available here. New Voices in Poetry selected by Jacob Sam-La Rose and Jane Commane The three poets, selected by Jacob Sam-La Rose and Jane… Read more

  • Too tired to blog

    Too tired to blog

    There are a few things I’d like to tell you but I can hardly keep my eyes open, even at just gone nine in the evening.  I did a three hour walk this morning with my husband and daughter and I can still feel all of my muscles tingling.  It was meant to take “about… Read more

  • In which I send off a poem 

    In which I send off a poem 

    This week, I’ve spent a lot of time working on one poem for a competition.  I sent it off yesterday, Saturday, one day before the deadline. I don’t know what’s made me enter more competitions this year, it’s not something I’ve ever done excessively, preferring instead to send my poems to magazines.  I suppose I… Read more

  • #WeekendCoffeeShare: In which I’m not going on holiday

    #WeekendCoffeeShare: In which I’m not going on holiday

    If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’ve been in London for a few days, with my teenage children (hardly children any more but that’s for another post) seeing family (lots of family) and two very good, longtime friends. I’d tell you the weather was warm, sunny even, actually hot, and I wore dresses… Read more