Paper Swans Press gets Best of British

Best of British is a daring title for an anthology in these post-Brexit days, but co-editors Sarah Miles and Jill Munro are a safe and experienced pair of hands.

“It’s a wonderful anthology of accessible, varied and memorable poems,” writes Costa poetry prize winner Jonathan Edwards. “These are poems for and about people as much as about place.”

The anthology includes work by Rebecca Bird, Claire Booker, Michael Brown, Claire Collison, Karen Izod, Sarah James, Angela Readman, Maggie Sawkins, Derek Sellen, Elisabeth Sennitt Clough, Paul Stephenson, Alison Stone, Alex Toms and Jules Whiting among others.

Subjects are wide and various, ranging from Viking museums, London rivers and stolen pavements, to citizenship tests, motorways and Scottish fish gutters.

Best of British was given a rousing launch at The George, Tunbridge Wells, with readings from Carole Bromley, Claire Collinson, Karen Izod, Ed Broom, Lawrence Wilson, Susan Evans, Claire Booker, Sue Spiers and Maggie Sawkins. 

To buy a copy, or find out more about the award-winning Paper Swans Press, please visit: Paper Swans Press

 

 

It’s Blue Friday for The Emma Press Anthology of The Sea

Who needs Black Friday? Let’s turn it into Blue Friday and fill our friends’ and family’s Christmas stockings with The Emma Press’s gloriously azure Anthology of the Sea?

The charmingly designed, pocket-sized book includes poems by Natalya Anderson, Claire Booker, Geraldine Clarkson, Katherine Gallagher, Rebecca Goss, Sarah Howe, Amy McCauley, Jacqueline Saphra, Claire Trevien and Sophie S. Wright. There’s also the first published poem by Brian Grant – a young Irish writer who is definitely one to watch.

From its elegant deep blue end-pages, to Emma Wright’s atmospheric pen and wash illustrations, The Anthology of the Sea has been beautifully gathered in by editor, Eve Lacey. She divides the book into four sections – Ashore, Adrift, Awash and Avast – and offers readers a rich diversity of subjects, from poems about sea creatures, loved ones lost at sea, the power of weather and waves, and the industrial flotsam of jetties, fish canning and lifeboats.

The anthology made quite a splash when it was launched last month in central London. The evening buzzed with some fantastic readings and a lively and appreciative audience. Readers included Jacqueline Saphra, Brian Grant, Geraldine Clarkson and myself.

                                                  

To find out more about the book and its poets please visit https://theemmapress.com/anthology-of-the-sea/

Ready to buy? Here’s a link to the webshop: https://theemmapress.com/shop/anthology-of-the-sea-paperback/

Stuck for a Stocking Filler? Make someone’s day with Poetry!

Only ten shopping days left to Christmas. But don’t despair! Salvation is only a brief mouse-click away.

Why not buy that poetry-loving, special someone a copy of Genius Floored: Notes While Waiting? All proceeds from the sale are donated to Caris Camden, which administers Camden cold-weather shelters for the homeless.

The anthology contains work by poetry big-hitters such as Fleur Adcock, Elaine Feinstein, Matthew Hollis, Fiona Sampson and George Szirtes, plus contributions from some of the many open-mic contributors at Lumen and Camden poetry evenings in London. These include Connie Bensley, Claire Booker, Greg Byrne, Nancy Charley, Annemarie Cooper, Gillian Henchley, Hilaire, Racheal Joseph and Caroline Vero.

Edited by award-winning poet, Ruth O’Callaghan, it’s an incredible snip at £4.99 per copy. To purchase a copy of Genius Floored:Notes While Waiting please click on the following link http://www.soaringpenguinpress.com

To find out more about Camden and Lumen poetry events check out:  http://www.camdenlumen.wordpress.com