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

Now Then - Word Life 60

 Hello!

 November's issue of Now Then Manchester - our sixtieth! - is here, and for Word Life I set the theme of "Gifts". I received a huge number of submissions, probably more than for any previous issue.

 The final selection includes writing by J V Birch, Margaret King, Fee Thomas, Gerry Sikazwe, Lynn White, John Grey, Anna Maria Dall'Olio, Andrew Nowell, Sarah Hulme, Kristi Rose, Joan McNerney and Laura Potts. The "Gifts" prompt is interpreted in many different and fascinating ways.

 We also have the usual listings for literary events in and around Manchester.

 I hope you enjoy Issue 60!

 Liz x

Confingo - Oyster

 Hello!

 I am very happy that my poem "Oyster" has been published in Confingo 10, the autumn/winter 2018 issue. It is wonderful to see my work in this elegant Mancunian print journal.

 I hope you enjoy my poem.

 Liz x

Visual Verse - Leaving Manchester

 Hello!

 Visual Verse have been celebrating their fifth birthday with a competition, and I was delighted to be one of the writers chosen to be published first in November's issue. 

 My poem "Leaving Manchester" was a response to the above image by Hannah Coulson, but also inspired by my many trips in and out of the city that has become my home over the last six years. Leaving always feels bittersweet, but I know I will never stay away for too long.

 I hope you enjoy my writing. Feel free to also look at my Visual Verse archive to see all the pieces I have had published on the site since 2015.

 Liz x

News - September and October 2018

 Hello!

 Since my last news post, autumn has arrived in the north of England, and the weather has transformed. It is very cold, but some lovely things have brought me moments of warmth. So much has happened in my writing and creative projects, and I am looking forward to sharing it with you.

 Firstly, in terms of performance and spoken word, I was commissioned to create a special piece of writing for Manchester Literature Festival's Take Ten event, at Manchester Central Library. This was an incredible opportunity, and I really enjoyed writing and performing "On stories and snow".

 I also performed a set at (In)sane, a really nice, chilled event to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing, and I enjoyed reading at the ever-lovely feminist poetry night Stirred.

 In terms of the written word, GASP, the anthology of the New North Poets, was released. Four of my poems featured: "Blood ghazal", "León", "Pilot" and "Missing Leo", and our mentor, Clare Pollard, wrote a lovely introduction, praising the "conjuring of place" in my work.

 The year of mentoring following my Northern Writers' Awards win was so important to me as a writer, and this anthology was a way of celebrating our progress as New North Poets. I am very proud of it.

 I have also had poems published by other brilliant publications: "Things that can fly" appeared in Culture Matters, "Things that make me happy" in Scrittura Magazine, "Dogteeth" in Severine, "Dragon" in The Poetry Village and "An L-shaped room" in Here Comes Everyone.

 My prose also had a chance to shine, with my short story "Australia" published in The Lampeter Review, and my flash fiction piece "The time of harps" in Visual Verse.

 I enjoyed another year as a Digital Reporter for Manchester Literature Festival, reviewing two very powerful events. Firstly, I listened to Michael Morpurgo's words on the environment and conservation at Manchester Cathedral.

 I then visited the Whitworth Art Gallery to hear Rommi Smith and Dave Evans responding to the exhibition "Bodies of Colour" through the media of spoken word and piano, respectively. Issues tackled included sexism, homophobia and racism, but there was also a strong sense of hope.

 As usual, I curated the Word Life section of Now Then Manchester, and really enjoyed putting together two very different issues - September's had the more serious theme of "Messages", while October's was more fun, with poems surrounding "Animals".

 That being said, a quite solemn poem of mine, "Requiem", about whales, featured in October's issue. I hope you enjoy both months' sets of writing.

 I took part in a fun Writing Squad workshop with Stevie Ronnie on making books and presenting written work in new ways, and have enjoyed my continued participation in spoken word group Young Identity.

 I have also been chosen as a Digital Reporter at HOME, Manchester, which is very exciting! I look forward to a year of masterclasses and opportunities.

 Thanks for following my creative journey, and watch this space to see where it goes next.

 Liz x

Tales From the Forest - Noelle

 Hello!

Image by Lar Ó Duinn

 I'm pleased to announce that Tales From the Forest have published my fiction piece "Noelle" in Issue Nine, which has the theme of "Limits". 

 I hope you enjoy reading this story, which tells of of a young skater constantly forced to push her limits, the respite she finds in nature, and the darkness that pressure and stress can lead 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

Here Comes Everyone - An L-shaped room

 Hello!

 I am very happy that my poem "An L-shaped room" has been published by Here Comes Everyone, as part of a series on the theme of "Rituals".

 I hope you enjoy my writing.

 Liz x

MLF18: Rommi Smith and Dave Evans

 Hello!

 It was a great honour to be invited to attend and review Rommi Smith and Dave Evans' event at Whitworth Art Gallery as part of Manchester Literature Festival. The pair responded to the exhibition "Bodies of Colour", Smith through spoken word, Evans through music.

 I attended a Writing Squad performance masterclass with Rommi a year or so ago, and she really inspired and encouraged me, so seeing her again was lovely. The evening was extremely powerful and moving. I hope you enjoy my review for Chapter & Verse.

 As with every year, I've enjoyed being a Digital Reporter for the Festival, and hope to be able to do it again in the future.

 Liz x

The Poetry Village - Dragon

 Hello!

Image by David Coldwell

 I am delighted to see my poem "Dragon" published at The Poetry Village, accompanied by a beautiful piece of art by Editor David Coldwell. 

 This is the second of my Chinese Zodiac poems to be published this week, after "Dogteeth" appeared in Severine. I hope you are enjoying this series - you can also read "Sheepgoat" and "Rooster" online.

 Liz x

Severine - Dogteeth

 Hello!

 I am very happy to have a poem, "Dogteeth", in Issue Six of Severine, which has the theme of "Wild". 

 Issue Four of Severine was one of my first publications, back in 2016, so it is lovely to see my work between the pages of this elegant journal once again.

 I hope you enjoy my writing.

 Liz x

MLF18: Michael Morpurgo

 Hello!

 I am very happy to once again be a Digital Reporter for Manchester Literature Festival. My first event this year was Michael Morpurgo's Castlefield Sermon at Manchester Cathedral. 

 It was incredible hearing one of my favourite authors speak on something he is passionate about: nature and the environment. I reviewed the magical night for Chapter & Verse - I hope you enjoy it. 

 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

Now Then - Word Life 59 and Requiem

 Hello!

 For October's issue of Now Then Manchester's Word Life section, I set the theme of "Animals". It was such fun to edit! In the work submitted, I encountered all kinds of critters, from a goat to ravens to a spider to a cat.

 The final selection of work includes poetry from Glen Sorestad, Ann Christine Tabaka, Peter Burrows, Kersten Christianson, Ion Corcos and Roger Bloor, as well as my own poem "Requiem", which first appeared in The Fat Damsel back in 2016, and is inspired by whales.

 You can also find details of literary events and workshops that are happening in and around Manchester this month.

 I hope you enjoy the issue.

 Liz x

GASP by the New North Poets

 Hello!

 As you may know, I was announced as a New North Poet at the 2017 Northern Writers' Awards, which was one of my proudest achievements. 

 Part of the prize was working with The Poetry School, Clare Pollard and the other four fabulous winners - Jasmine, Maria, Michael and Rosa - to create an anthology. GASP is now here, and is free to read online. 

 I hope you enjoy my four poems: "Blood ghazal", "León", "Pilot" and "Missing Leo". If "León" and "Missing Leo" inspire you to learn more about my travels in Spain, check out my travel blog posts on León and Salamanca.

 Thank you to everyone who has supported my writing.

 Liz x

Scrittura Magazine - Things that make me happy

 Hello!

 My poem "Things that make me happy" has been published in Issue 13 of Scrittura Magazine - something that has made me very happy indeed! It is partly inspired by my time living in Avignon, which you can read more about on my travel blog.

 Scrittura is beautifully designed, and it is wonderful to see my work there.

 I hope you enjoy my poem.

 Liz x

Visual Verse - The time of harps

 Hello!

 I took up September's Visual Verse challenge, which was to respond to the above image by Penny Byrne. My fiction piece "The time of harps", about emptying a room, identities and the past, present and future, has been published on the site.

 I hope you enjoy my writing.

 

 Liz x

Culture Matters - Things that can fly

 Hello!

 My poem "Things that can fly" has been published by Culture Matters. It is inspired by the history of coal mining in my hometown of Wigan and many of the nearby areas, as well as by nature, different generations and the passing of time.

 I hope you enjoy it.

 Liz x

Now Then - Word Life 58

 Hello!

 September's issue of Now Then Manchester has arrived, and I enjoyed curating the Word Life section. I set this month's theme as "Messages" and received a variety of responses, some quirky, some moving. 

 I hope you enjoy the pieces I chose: fiction from Anne Sheppard, and poems from Kieran Egan, Lisa Reily, Peter Burrows, Antony Owen, Ann Christine Tabaka, Joan McNerney, Glen Sorestad and Ion Corcos.

 There are also listings for literary events in and around Manchester this month. There are quite a few, from the Northern Quarter to Levenshulme to Stretford to Salford. Hopefully if you live in the area you will find something for you.

 Enjoy Issue 58!

 Liz x