Northern Poetry Showcase and Roadshow

 Hello!

 I had an enjoyable night performing at the Northern Poetry Showcase and Roadshow at York St John University. I was invited as one of the five 2017-18 New North Poets, and read three of my poems to an attentive audience. 

 It has been a whirlwind year since I won my Northern Writers' Award. I have been mentored by Clare Pollard, attended two writing retreats , been published in GASP, and felt my poems strengthen. The Showcase was a cosy and fun way to celebrate the journey we New North Poets have been on.

 Thank you to the Poetry School, New Writing North, and everyone else who has supported my writing.

 Liz x

Speak!

 Hello!

 Last night I visited Speak!, one of the last of the big Mancunian spoken word nights I hadn't yet been to. It was a different atmosphere to what I had experienced at other nights, with more people, louder music, and generally, for me, a more intense vibe.

 However new it felt, I threw myself into my set, performing my poems. The crowd were into it, with laughter in the right places, and I got some good feedback afterwards. The other acts were diverse and interesting, and I was glad I decided to give Speak! a go.

 Liz x

Manchester Literature Festival - On stories and snow

 Hello!

 Just letting you know that you can now read my piece "On stories and snow", commissioned for Manchester Literature Festival, online at The National Literacy Trust. It was a joy to write this piece, and to perform it at the Take Ten event at Manchester Central Library.

 I hope you enjoy discovering how reading has shaped my life.

 Liz x

Flim Nite - Pan's Labyrinth

 Hello!

 I had been hoping to get involved with Flim Nite, a cinema-inspired performance night, since I first learnt about it. My fellow New North Poet Jasmine Chatfield, is one of the organisers, and it sounded intriguing.

 When I heard that they would be taking on Pan's Labyrinth, I just had to be there - I studied this film for my Spanish A-Level, and it is one of my all-time favourites. It was so lovely to be welcomed there to read my poetry. I wrote two poems, a sonnet and a ghazal, especially for the occasion.

 The large audience at the Three Minute Theatre were warm and listened intently, and it was a great experience. It was fascinating to see and hear how the other performers interpreted the film.

 I hope to return to Flim Nite in the future, and look forward to seeing what films they have lined up for us to revisit and respond to.

 Liz x

Stirred - Underworld

 Hello!

 You may remember that I performed at feminist poetry night Stirred back in July, when the theme was "Pirates and Adventurers". It was a lovely experience, and I was delighted to return this month, to an event themed "Underworld".

 I read some new poems, and the audience was, like last time, very warm and receptive. I enjoyed hearing everybody else's work - there was a real range of styles in both content and delivery; some loving, some gentle, some dramatic.

 The chat in the breaks, and the general vibe, was so cosy and relaxed, and I left feeling very fulfilled. I am looking forward to doing more poetry performances, at Stirred and beyond.

 Liz x

(In)sane Manchester

 Hello!

 I was very happy to perform some of my poems at (In)sane, an event to raise awareness of mental health issues and wellbeing. It was one of the longer performance slots I've done, and I enjoyed reading a range of poems, as well as sharing some of the stories behind them.

 It was lovely seeing and hearing all the other amazing work - visual art, sound pieces, performances and more. They also had delicious cake!

 Overall, it was a really nice event and I look forward to doing more readings in the future.

 Liz x

Manchester Literature Festival - Take Ten

 Hello!

Photograph by Steve Dearden

 I was delighted to be commissioned to write and perform a piece on the subject of reading for the Take Ten event at Manchester Literature Festival 2018. 

 I read "On stories and snow" at Manchester Central Library, to an audience including pupils from local schools, teachers, writers and the Lord Mayor of Manchester.

 It was a really lovely experience, and I look forward to doing more work like this in the future.

 Liz x

Coast to Coast to Coast - Launch and What you are made of

 Hello!

 I am very happy to have a poem, "What you are made of", in Issue 4 of Coast to Coast to Coast, which is edited by Maria Isakova Bennett and Michael Brown.

 This journal is like nothing else I have encountered: it is small and delicate and the cover of every copy is individually hand-stitched by Maria. Each copy is stunning and is its own piece of art, which is very cool.

 It has been a dream of mine to make it into the journal, and it is wonderful to have been chosen. I was invited to read at the launch, in a historic house in Liverpool. It was a great night, and I met some lovely people.

 Musician Nick Branton also responded to the poetry read, and hearing music inspired by my work, and by others' I had just heard, was fascinating, and something different and special.

 My copy of Coast to Coast to Coast is something I will always treasure, and I am very proud and happy to be part of such an unusual and beautiful project.

 Liz x

LGBT Foundation - Tell It Like It Is

 Hello!

 I had a great evening of performance and fun at Tell It Like It Is, an event organised by LGBT Foundation before Manchester Pride. 

 I read my poetry to a really lovely and warm audience. I also made a scrapbook, and met some new people as well as catching up with friends.

 I'm glad I went - it was cosy and relaxed, and hopefully it might lead to some more nice things happening. Watch this space!

 Liz x

Stirred - Pirates and Adventurers

 Hello!

 I had a great first visit to the Mancunian feminist spoken word night Stirred, which this month had the theme of Pirates and Adventurers. 

 I read some of my poems - about women and about the sea - and enjoyed hearing the amazing work of the other performers. I met Kate Garrett and Amy Kinsman - writers I knew online through the journals we edit (Foxglove, Picaroon, Riggwelter) - in person, and they were lovely. 

 I also met some new people, and the event had a cosy and welcoming vibe. I am very glad I made the journey - one complicated by train issues and weather - to the Three Minute Theatre.

 I look forward to attending, and reading at, more spoken word events, in Manchester and beyond.

 Liz x

Global Health Poetry Competition

 Hello!

The Top Three: Me, Toreh O'Garro and Anna Nelson

 I took part in this year's Global Health Poetry Competition, run by Manchester Global Health Society.

 I was delighted to be told that I was in the Top Ten, and invited to read my poem "Perpignan sestina" - inspired by my time living in France - at the awards ceremony at Chapter One Books in the Northern Quarter.

 I was then even more delighted to be told I had won Second Prize. I am so happy that the judges - Dr Sarah Collins, Enam Haque and Joy France - enjoyed my poem, and the ceremony was lovely. I heard some amazing poetry.

 The winning poems will be released in an e-book soon, so watch this space! Overall, this was a really nice and fun thing to happen in the middle of all of my university work and deadlines. I'm very glad I entered the competition.

 Liz x

Verbose - Coming of Age

 Hello!

 I'm very happy to have had the opportunity to read a set of my poems at Verbose, a wonderful spoken word night at the Fallow Cafe in Manchester. 

 The theme of the evening was "Coming of Age" and it was intriguing hearing how each performer put their on spin on it. My poems were all inspired by travel, as I feel my time living, working and studying in France and Spain was a coming-of-age for me.

 I look forward to reading at more spoken word events in Manchester and beyond.

 Liz x

Women on Top at the LGBT Foundation

 Hello!

 I was very happy and honoured to be chosen to take part in the Women on Top night at the LGBT Foundation in Manchester, part of the Sugar and Spice weekend celebrating International Women's Day.

 I enjoyed reading a selection of my poems and got some lovely feedback. Seeing the other acts - poets, comedians and musicians - was also wonderful. Overall, it was a great night and I hope to continue sharing my poetry through readings.

 Liz x

News - November and December 2017

 Hello! Happy New Year!

 November and December 2017 saw me settled back in Manchester, working on my Masters and taking part in numerous writing groups and events.

 I had poetry published in several magazines: "Orbits" and "Gold" in Sincerely Magazine, "Salamanca" and "Peaches" in The Cluny MCR, and "The cows" in Riggwelter Press. I attended The Cluny MCR's launch, which was a fun night.

 I also attended the launch of the anthology Introduction X: The Poetry Business Book of New Poets at Manchester Central Library. I read a number of my poems, which was a great experience.

 I took part in Writing Squad workshops with Andrew McMillan and Malika Booker, which were really useful and enjoyable.

 I completed my first year as editor of the Word Life section of Now Then Manchester with two special issues. November's was a flash fiction special, and December's was a collaboration with Manchester Creative Writing Society. I have more big plans for Word Life, so watch this space!

 Thanks for reading - look out for my general 2017 review, which is coming up soon.

 Have a wonderful 2018.

 Liz x

Introduction X Launch

 Hello!

 I mentioned that I have three poems in Introduction X: The Poetry Business Book of New Poets, and on 14th December I attended the launch of the anthology at Manchester Central Library.

 I read a number of my poems, some from the anthology and some others from my travels in France and Spain. It was a wonderful event and it was lovely to be able to share my work in such a special space.

 I hope to do many more poetry readings. Thanks to everyone who has supported me this year.

 Liz x