Some Christmas Fun!

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all readers of this blog!

Here's a light-hearted Christmas holiday game for you to play, if you do that sort of thing, called WHICH FANTASY/SCI-FI CHARACTER ARE YOU? I found it today whilst researching a fantasy fiction short story I've been considering. It's amusing, takes a couple of minutes and you can play it by clicking on this link:

By the way, I am apparently Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek.

"Make it so!'

Fantastic Weekend

I'll be dropping into the Tin Angel tonight for the launch of SHERB, new writing from Coventry, published by the Heaventree Press. For those able to make it too, that's the Tin Angel bar on Medieval Spon Street, Coventry, and the event kicks off at about 8.30pm for 9pm, I should imagine. Here's the official stuff ...

SHERB: new urban writing from Coventry: edited by Jonathan Morley and Anthony Owen, and including poems by Jane Commane, Colin Dick, Jane Holland, Barry Patterson, George Ttoouli, Claire King and Michael McKimm, with photographs of the River Sherbourne by Jane Commane and cover artwork by Paul Blakemore

and then on Wednesday night, I'm pleased to report that I'll be joining a cast of top coffee-sipping poets at Starbucks, Martineau Place, right in the heart of central Birmingham. I was asked to perform there by their new poet in residence, Roy McFarlane, and I'm even going to drag my husband along on this occasion, who rarely comes to hear me read. But I don't fancy driving back from Birmingham alone, late in the evening, with the caffeine jitters ...

In completely unrelated news, I've just spent a fantastic weekend away from home and all the dreary responsibilities that children bring, seeing my poetry publishers at Salt just outside Cambridge and also spending a large number of smokey disreputable hours at WTs and Mickey Flynns in Cambridge itself, which are both pool halls. I prefer WTs personally, as it boasts snooker tables as well as American tables for 8 and 9-ball pool, and also because it just feels right on the skin, at least before night falls and the kids roll in: a darkened hall in the afternoon, that sepulchral hush and the occasional click-thud of balls, hidden away up a flight of creaking stairs from the shopping streets ... mmm, like coming home ... and there at the bar, oblivious to the pool tables, an earnest young man reading a book on Quantum Psychology. Only in a city like Cambridge, huh?

New Readings!

For those who take an interest in such things, I'll be reading from BOUDICCA & CO. several times next week.

The first of these occasions will be on Tuesday 5th December at Night Blue Fruit, a poetry event at the Tin Angel in Coventry, with open mic slots available for those who might like to turn up and read their own. I like this venue so much I've actually written a long poem about it, entitled NIGHT BLUE FRUIT AT THE TIN ANGEL, part of which found its way onto this blog the day after I wrote it, I seem to recall, way back in late 2005 when this blog was very new indeed. It was one of my first ever posts.

Then I'll be headlining at Starbucks Poetry Night in Martineau Place, Birmingham, on Wednesday 6th December. This will be the first time I've ever read in a coffee bar. Poetry & Pints, yes. Hundreds of times, in fact. But I think Coffee & Couplets is a first!

Finally, I may also be reading on Thursday 7th December at a special dinner & poetry event in Stoneleigh Village Hall, which is near Coventry. However, this gig has not been confirmed, as the lady who invited me to read about three months ago has not been back in touch about the details. Sheila, if you're reading this, perhaps you could drop me an email?

Copies of BOUDICCA & CO should be available at each of these readings.

In completely unrelated news, I've just got hold of the PUMP IT UP! workout on DVD and tried it today. A full hour and twenty minutes of dance aerobics from warm up to chill down, with some incredibly hard work in between. At one stage my face was glowing bright red and I was worried I might not actually survive the attempt. Not aching too much tonight -- but perhaps in the morning the full extent of my foolishness will be revealed!