I Don't Call Myself a Poet: a grumpy interview

Poetry: the days when the pen is mightier than the Mac

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I was recently interviewed by Emine Ahmet on a website of interviews with contemporary British poets: I Don't Call Myself A Poet.

For some reason, lost in the mists of time, I was in a particularly cynical and terse mood the day I was interviewed, and it shows in my responses. Another day might have seen me more inclined to my natural charm and joie de vivre, ho ho. But alas, I am instead doomed to go down - in the history of this website at least - as a grumpy old bag.

My favourite Q&A from the interview:

What keeps you writing and sharing your work with a society that seems to be listening less each day?
 
Stupidity and egotism, I expect.

Read more of this poetry interview at I Don't Call Myself A Poet.

Interview on The Camarillo Review

Epicentre

It feels odd to step back into the world of poetry, my time is so constantly wrapped up in prose fiction. But I was interviewed recently by Sean Colletti for The Camarillo Review.

This interview was largely in connection with my recent work as editor of Epicentre. (The poetry magazine is on summer break, by the way, so please don't send me work for it!)

Anyway, the interview is here on The Camarillo Review. Here's an extract:

"The main time to listen to advice is if you feel uncertain yourself, and what an editor or fellow poet says seems to make sense. Sometimes you can be too close to your work to see the flaws or their solutions. But at the same time, I’m not a big fan of listening to other people (as my husband would tell you). If you want to write what everyone else is writing, go ahead and take classes, join groups, seek advice from fellow practitioners. Because in general the advice you get will push you in the direction of homogenising your work. And that kills originality.

Yes, I know that seems to be giving a carte blanche to every crackpot who thinks their work is wonderful when it isn’t. But so what? As long as they don’t send their work to me, I’m fine with it."

In the Loop on Radio Wildfire

I was interviewed a few weeks back by Dave Reeves on Birmingham's Radio Wildfire and, as promised, here's a link to the Loop - i.e. edited highlights of their monthly broadcast, playing continuously online - and some further information about the June show, which you can read below.

Enjoy!

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The Loop has been updated on Radio Wildfire. Now playing 24/7 a completely new mix of poetry, story, spoken word and music.

The longest days of summer are with us, and here at Radio Wildfire we've The Loop to fill the longing of your daze. There's a brand new, never-before-heard, track from Wolverhampton singer-songwriter Chris Rowley; and an absolutely exclusive performance of his poetry from Derrick D, until now better known as a spoken word DJ – something that is guaranteed to start changing: excellent stuff. There's chat with and poetry from Warwick Poet Laureate Jane Holland, one-time professional snooker player and star of baize and screen, recorded here live in our studio. And we've programmed in previews from a reading with musical accompaniment from Julie Boden, privately recorded live on 6 June 2007; and from Richard Rathwell's intriguing cd/booklet combination Ultraeye - both of which we'll be featuring more fully in forthcoming live transmissions. There's more poetry from Brendan Hawthorne, musing on the hair raising topic of Perm Mutation; from Purple Patch's Geoff Stevens; and from the pen of Mardin Ibrahim with accompaniment by Zirak Hamad on Kurdish violin. Other music comes from multim-instrumentalist Manni; and in the shape of a previously unheard ranted squeezebox blues when The Wooden Horse of Dr Troy bellows The Slow Drip of The Blues.

And to bring even more solace to your solstice celebrations we've seasonal drama in the shape of an extract from The Elves Pantomime by Kate Sharp, one of the Crystal Clear Creators collective – 'Seasonal,' we hear you cry, 'But panto season is behind you!' 'Oh no it isn't,' we reply, it's a permanent pantomime here at Radio Wildfire.

Log on and linger where the literature loops – by going to www.radiowildfire.com and clicking on The Loop. The Loop will play online continuously for the next month, except during our live broadcast on July 7th 2008, starting at 8.00pm UK time with a full programme of pre-recorded tracks, live studio guests and conversation.

Interview on Radio Wildire - coming up on Monday 2nd June

Radio Wildfire - this Monday, June 2nd

A Message from Radio Wildfire:

It's the middle of the year, midsummer is on the doorstep, and the UK so wet that only a digital Wildfire can rage across the land. And that is just what will happen on Monday 2nd June when Radio Wildfire's live June transmission takes place. This month we're pleased to welcome into the studio the current Warwick Poet Laureate, the irrepressible Jane Holland; bringing summer warmth to the frets will be Wolverhampton based guitarist and singer songwriter Chris Rowley; and, carrying his sunny demeanour to the mike, spoken word DJ Derrick D. Plus, we've got some spoken word and music from cd that we'll guarantee that you've never heard before.

Jane Holland has been a professional snooker player, a literary magazine editor, a novelist and is now Warwick Poet Laureate. Her first novel, Kissing the Pink, was published by Sceptre in 1999, her poetry collection, 'Boudicca & Co.', was published by Salt in 2006, and her next book of poems, Camper Van Blues, is due out in October 2008. With interests which include astrology and American pool, Jane is always bursting with life and good humour – and excellent poetry.

Guitarist and songwriter Chris Rowley's latest cd features collaborations with those well known lyricists Shakespeare and Tennyson, but with them both being otherwise engaged he'll be alone in the studio talking about his songwriting and playing live.

And finally, needing little introduction to Radio Wildfire audiences is, Derrick D. A DJ with a weekly FM programme concentrating on spoken word which he presents alongside a genre-defying musical selection he'll be joining us in the studio with a few select words of his own.

Plus, as always, there'll be an eclectic mix of spoken word and music, comedy, storytelling, poetry, song and aural art, taken from cd and from our own expanding archive. So start celebrating midsummer early by taking your laptop into the garden and getting into festival mood by listening to us in the rain, or just turn on your computer and listen in comfort. Whichever you choose -

Join us: Monday 2nd June 8.00-10.00 pm UK time at www.radiowildfire.com

Light Verse, Hot Gossip and Tongues of Flame … at RadioWildfire.com. And to keep your interest smouldering between live shows there's the constant transmission we call The Loop. Listen in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.radiowildfire.com – here to wildfire your imagination.

WHAT IS RADIO WILDFIRE?
Radio Wildfire is an independent online radio station which blends spoken word, poetry, performance literature, comedy, storytelling, short stories and more with a novel selection of word/music fusion and an eclectic mix of musical styles. www.radiowildfire.com broadcasts live 8.00-10.00pm on the first Monday of every month.