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

Strix - Kiwi fruit

 Hello!

 I am delighted that my poem "Kiwi fruit" has been published in Issue #4 of Strix, a really beautiful print journal.

 I hope you enjoy my writing.

 Liz x

Now Then - Word Life 56 and Raspberries

 Hello!

 I have been Editor of the Word Life section of Now Then Manchester for a year and a half now, and something I have been wanting to do is to curate an issue devoted to showcasing LGBTQ+ writing.

 I waited because I hoped to make as many people as possible aware of Word Life, so they knew to submit their work. I also reached out to people who may not usually share their writing through magazines, through getting in touch with the LGBT Foundation, who helped spread the word. 

 

 Now, after a lot of work, Issue 56 is now here, and I am very proud and happy. It features my poem "Raspberries" as well as writing by Emily Cave, Naomi Sampson, Frankie Blaus, Jasmine Taylor, Caitlin Johnson, Roma Havers and Leah Johnson.

 As always, the page also has listings for literary events and workshops in Manchester, so if you live locally, perhaps you could try something new or practise a skill.

 I hope you enjoy July's Word Life.

 Liz x

Celebrating Change - Blue butterflies

 Hello!

 I'm very happy that Celebrating Change has published my poem "Blue butterflies". Thank you to guest editor Degna Stone for her lovely introduction to it.

 It is wonderful to be part of this special year-long project exploring change. I hope you enjoy my writing.

 Liz x

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

Now Then - Word Life 55 and Sara

 Hello!

 Issue 55 of Now Then Manchester has arrived. As usual, I curated Word Life and this month I chose the theme of "Nature". My poem "Sara" features, as well as work by Caitlin Johnson, Peter Burrows, Ann Christine Tabaka and Joan McNerney. 

 There are also listings for all kinds of literary events in and around Manchester. 

 I hope you enjoy June's issue.

 Liz x

The Poetry Business New Poets Prize

 Hello!

 It is lovely and very encouraging to learn that I was shortlisted for The Poetry Business's 2017/18 New Poets Prize. I look forward to entering more competitions in the future.

 Congratulations to the winners!

 Liz x

Students' Union Awards 2018

 Hello!

 You may remember my article "What I learnt from starting a literary journal", which I wrote for The Mancunion. In it, I tell the story of how I founded and developed Foxglove Journal, and I encourage readers to follow their own dreams.

 I am very happy that the article was shortlisted for Best Article, in the Media Awards section of the 2018 Students' Union Awards.

 I was also shortlisted for Best Placard in the Communities Awards section, with the placard I made for the Reclaim the Night march. You can see its two sides above. It sadly disappeared after the march - if you have any idea where it could be, please let me know.

 Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted or a winner at the Awards. For me this was a great way to celebrate my six years of studying at the University of Manchester, writing for The Mancunion and taking part in community projects.

 Thanks to everyone who has supported my writing, art and other creative missions. I am very excited to see what the future will hold.

 Liz x

Irisi - Four poems

 Hello!

 I'm happy to announce that four of my poems - "How you arrived", "Scattered", "Portrait" and "Lucy" - have been published in Irisi. The photo of palm trees is also mine, and was taken in Vigo. 

 I hope you enjoy my work.

 Liz x

Now Then - Word Life 54 and Oranges

 Hello!

 May's issue of Now Then Manchester is here, and I enjoyed curating the Word Life section. This month I chose the theme of "Friendship".

 My poem "Oranges" features, along with pieces from Kristi Rose, Hannah Downs, Glen Sorestad, Nasima Begum, Jake Ormrod, Karen Dennison, Paul Waring and Kersten Christianson.

 There are also listings for literary events and workshops around Manchester. If you live in the area perhaps you will find one you like, or something new to try.

 I hope you enjoy Issue 54.

 Liz x

The Cardiff Review - Before breakfast

 Hello!

 I am very happy that my poem "Before breakfast" has been chosen for publication in The Cardiff Review. It will be in the Spring 2018 issue, which is also their first Queer Issue and is now available to pre-order.

 I hope you enjoy it.

 Liz x

News - March and April 2018

 Hello!

 March and April were slightly surreal months this year, starting very cold and ending very warm. In Manchester we seemed to switch overnight from snow and ice to sun and blossoms.

 I worked hard towards my degree and celebrated my twenty-fourth birthday and Earth Day. I tried new baking and film clubs, enjoyed the LGBT Foundation's Sugar and Spice Festival, and I feel I grew a lot. I also saw some writing milestones and achievements.

 I performed at Verbose, a monthly spoken word night in Manchester, and read some of my poems at the Women on Top event at the LGBT Foundation. My poem "Soap" was featured in Open Mind Manchester's Mind Full of Art exhibition and anthology.

 I won Second Prize in Manchester Global Health Society's 2018 Global Health Poetry Competition, and read my poem, "Perpignan sestina", at the awards ceremony. My article "What I learnt from starting a literary journal" was nominated for the Mancunion's Article of the Year.

 I took part in my second residential at Highgreen Arts in Northumberland, part of my prize for being chosen as a New North Poet at the 2017 Northern Writers' Awards. I was mentored by Clare Pollard and did a workshop with Antony Dunn, and overall, it was a lovely weekend.

 I reviewed Niall Horan at the 02 Apollo for The Mancunion and Peter Bognanni's novel Things I'm Seeing Without You for Cuckoo Review. I continue to curate Word Life: March's issue had the theme of "Hope" and April's the theme of "Travel", with the latter featuring my poem "In Cambridge".

 My flash piece "Maybe/Things to work on" was published in Visual Verse, and I had a poem accepted by the beautiful hand-stitched journal Coast to Coast to Coast. I reached 100,000 page views on my travel blog, Neither here nor there.

 With summer on its way, hopefully there are even more exciting times to come.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x

Mind Full of Art

 Hello!

 I was very happy to have my poem "Soap" chosen for inclusion in Open Mind Manchester's Mind Full of Art project. The poem was featured in an exhibition on mental health and wellbeing at the University of Manchester, as well as in the Mind Full of Art anthology.

 Our mental health is so important, and all too often in today's society it is neglected. Helping to raise awareness about it was an honour.

 Liz x

The Open Mouse - Urania

 Hello!

 My poem "Urania" has been published at The Open Mouse. It was inspired by my visit to Lyon while I was living in Avignon.

 I hope you enjoy it.

 Liz x

Second Highgreen Arts residential

 Hello!

 As a winner of the New North Poets Prize at last year's Northern Writers' Awards, I was invited to take part in two residentials at Highgreen Arts, in rural Northumberland. The first residential was in September; the second was last week. I had a really enjoyable and memorable time there.

 Highgreen is an elegant and comfy old manor house. The five New North Poets and our mentor, Clare Pollard, spent many an hour sitting around the fire doing writing activities and discussing and reading poetry. We also had a full-day workshop with the poet Antony Dunn, which was very useful.

 I walked a lot, and found the local nature calming and inspiring. We enjoyed delicious veggie food and divine desserts - apple crumble, chocolate brownie, poached pear. We had lightning one night, which in the total darkness of the countryside was very dramatic. I would later write a poem about it.

 Overall, it was a lovely weekend in great company. I hope to do more residentials in the future.

 Liz x

Visual Verse - Maybe/Things to work on

 Hello!

 My flash fiction piece "Maybe" has been published by Visual Verse. This month writers were challenged to respond to the above image by Anthony Intraversato. 

 As there is another piece named "Maybe" on the site, for IT purposes mine was re-titled as "Things to work on".

 I hope you enjoy my writing.

 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

Now Then - Word Life 53 and In Cambridge

 Hello!

 Issue 53 of Now Then Manchester is here, and as always I enjoyed putting together the Word Life section. This month we have listings for a wide range of events in Manchester, from spoken word to theatre to comedy.

 We also have a diverse set of poems on the theme of "Travel", from Ray Ball, Peter Burrows, Lisa Reily, Glen Sorestad and John Grey. My own villanelle "In Cambridge", which was first published in Picaroon Poetry, also appears.

 I hope you enjoy this month's Word Life.

 Liz x

The Mancunion - Niall Horan

 Hello!

 My review of ex-One Directioner Niall Horan's folksy and uplifting gig at the O2 Apollo has been published in The Mancunion.

 I hope you enjoy it.

 Liz x