Wigtown poetry competition 2016

Hooray! The Wigtown Poetry Competition has been launched. With a prize fund of over £2500 it's worth considering entering (or maybe you already have!).

This year there are 3 great judges: John Glenday - Main Category, Catriona Lexy Campbell - Scottish Gaelic Category and Sheila Templeton - Scots Category. Closing date for entries is Friday 27th May 2016.

You can find more information here www.wigtownbookfestival.com/poetry-competition or here
www.facebook.com/WigtownPoetryComp

Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards Showcase 29th January 2015 Edinburgh, Scotland

This is the last event of the year for the New Writers 2014. Including p&g's Bridget Khursheed. And as we have had a sneak preview, we can vouch it will be a good night out.

You are promised the hottest new writing talent in Scotland performing their work: Scottish Book Trust New Writer Awards identify and help to develop the authors of some of the most affecting, exciting and engaging new writing in Scotland. Awardees are selected from hundreds of entries by writers including Liz Lochhead and John Glenday.

This event takes place at The Jam House: doors open: 7pm; showcase: 7.30–9.00 pm. Only £2 - nice price for all this!

You can get tickets here http://www.thejamhouse.com/edinburgh/live-music/event/3490/scottish-book-trust-celebrates-the-new-writers-awards--january-2015.htm and find out about the latest group of new writers here http://scottishbooktrust.com/writing/scottish-book-trust-training-awards/new-writers-awards

Back from travels...and all the gossip

Glad to say that I am back from various destinations and working hard on my first collection The exact colour of snow. (And that was what has been keeping things quiet in October btw!)

Lots to share:

• An excellent reading by John Glenday and Zaffar Kunial at the Scottish Poetry Library. Zaffar's Faber new poets series' work is a great delight and John has a new book due next year - judging by what he read last week that too will be a must-read.
• Scott's treasures reading coming up on the 18th November - http://www.scottsabbotsford.com/event-registration/?ee=44 - more on why you should attend coming soon
• Please consider purchasing the anthology The Journey http://www.lulu.com/shop/maggie-mcgeary/the-journey/ebook/product-21874462.html in aid of Marie Curie - more on what and why to follow
• Gerry Loose launches Fault Line in Edinburgh this Tuesday 4th November - I will be attending and reporting back
• And finally bit of a new look planned for the p&g magazine site - also coming soon - it has changed to an upgraded server if you have been looking and wondering why?

Zaffar Kunial and John Glenday @ByLeavesWeLive 23rd November 2014 Edinburgh

Looking forward to this event this evening - Zaffar Kunial and John Glenday at the Scottish Poetry Library should prove oddly complementary. Edinburgh is in fine autumnal colour with a grey sky and I fancy there'll be a ghost or two gathering later tonight...along with myself trudging up after work in Easter Road.

I recommend it! Nice combination was a p&g idea.

You can find more here http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/connect/events/zaffar-kunial-and-john-glenday and John Glenday blogs here http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/connect/blog/thursday-post-measuring-belonging-distance-and-love

Zaffar Kunial and John Glenday reading Edinburgh 23rd October 2014

A grand night out in the company of the two poets - topping my current want-to-hear list - courtesy of the Scottish Poetry Library and The Wordsworth Trust (at which Kunial is currently Poet-in-Residence). And as suggested by poetandgeek.com.

Zaffar Kunial is also a Faber New Poet for 2014. John Glenday needs little introduction: his collections Undark and Grain were Poetry Book Society Recommendations. (btw when is someone going to republish his excellent The Apple Ghost?)

This event takes place at 6.30pm at the Scottish Poetry Library - found at 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DT. And you need to book a ticket. Price is £5/£4 (concessions) - this intriguing meeting of poets will be well worth it!

You can find more here and book http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/connect/events/zaffar-kunial-and-john-glenday.

Clamjamfry

I would like to recommend that poets have a clamjamfy; a celebration and a fine thing. And gather an audience of poets. And let us know about it.

The one in Biggar was a one-off; here in the picture are Douglas Dunn and Gerry Cambridge. Don't be mislead by Dunn's beard; he read with wit, and vitriol discarding age like an old cloak on the floor. And the bill didn't stop there; John Glenday, Vicki Feaver, Helena Nelson (reading her own and Tom Duddy's work), Andrew McCallum, Chris Powici, Alan Riach, Jennifer Copley and Alan Sclater all gathered by Richie McCaffery.

I will review the event more fully in the Eildon Tree.

Poets reading to poets always adds a little oxygen to the atmosphere.