News - May and June 2018

 Hello!

 Well, to say the last couple of months have been hectic is an understatement. However, I succeeded in submitting all of my essays and translations, got my degree (an Integrated Professional Masters in Languages, in French and Spanish) and will be graduating this month!

 I have also been working on my writing and other creative projects, and some exciting things have happened, with more on the horizon. 

 I was shortlisted for The Poetry Business's 2017/18 New Poets Prize, and shortlisted in two categories for the 2018 Students' Union Awards: Best Article (for the piece I wrote for The Mancunion about how I founded Foxglove Journal), and Best Placard.

 I have had poetry published in The Open Mouse ("Urania"), The Cardiff Review ("Before breakfast"), Now Then ("Oranges" and "Sara") and Irisi ("How you arrived", "Scattered", "Portrait" and "Lucy"). 

 I was part of Open Mind Manchester's Mind Full of Art project to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing; my poem "Soap" appeared in the exhibition and the anthology.

 I have continued to edit the Word Life section of Now Then Manchester; May's issue had the theme of "Friendship" and June's the theme of "Nature".

 I have added some posts to my travel blog, Neither Here Nor There, so feel free to have a read and share my adventures in Galicia. Foxglove Journal is also going strong; have a look if you fancy some poetry and prose.

 I am now looking forward to a summer of creativity - I have work coming up in Strix, The Lampeter Review, Coast to Coast to Coast, Novelty, Marble Poetry, Confingo, Far Off Places, the Young Identity Anthology and the New North Poets Anthology. I hope to do some poetry readings, too.

 Thanks for reading, and following my writing journey.

 Liz x

News - September and October 2017

 Hello!

 I am back from my year in France and Spain and am getting stuck into my Masters. It is lovely being back in Manchester - I can review local gigs for The Mancunion and be a Digital Reporter for Manchester Literature Festival. I have also been involved in some creative projects around the city and with The Writing Squad.

 Firstly, I want to tell you about some publications I have been a part of. Two of my poems, "Bartók's Dance Suite and sour" and "Green Flash", were published in The Compass, and my poem "Serpentine" appeared in Planet Slop. My flash piece "Stuff and sales" was published in both Visual Verse and Creative Review.

 My poem "Anatomy" appeared in Papaya Press's What She Knew zine, and my "Things that are inexplicably similar" was chosen for the 2017 Peeking Cat Poetry Anthology. Three of my poems, "Old rain", "Eden" and "Going", were published in Introduction X: The Poetry Business Book of New Poets.

 It has also been good to see some projects I have edited for coming to fruition, such as The Rebirth Issue of Miracle Magazine, for which I was Head Poetry Editor. September's Word Life had the theme of "Family"; October's, the theme of "Memories".

 We celebrated one year of Foxglove Journal, my online venue for poetry and fiction. I am very proud of all that the Journal has achieved. I also did an interview with Peeking Cat Poetry, and have a snazzy new profile on The Writing Squad's site. I hope you enjoy learning more about my writing.

 I reviewed several books for Cuckoo Review: Tender Earth by Sita Brahmachari, Songs About Us by Chris Russell and The Secret Cooking Club: Confetti & Cake by Laurel Remington. I also wrote a piece on Indigo Girls' 1994 album Swamp Ophelia for The Mancunion.

 I reviewed Honey G and Gabrielle Aplin for The Mancunion, and Roddy Doyle for Manchester Literature Festival's Chapter and Verse Blog.

 Finally, I took part in a writing residency in Northumberland, as part of my prize for being announced as a New North Poet in the Northern Writers' Awards. It was a great weekend and the countryside was truly beautiful. I enjoyed getting to know the other four winning poets.

 So, I had a productive two months. Here's to a fun, creative winter.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x