Poetry reading and interview at Boogaloo radio's the Existential Blues Show 08 Aug 2017

John Paul Pryor invited me to read some of my poems and pick some of my favourite songs for his weekly radio show, that airs from 5.30pm-7.30pm on Boogaloo Radio.

Althought I've done radio interviews and readings before this was my first live one and it was great fun. My friend and fellow poet Greta Bellamacina also came along and read some of her poems and played some songs that were special to her.

I read Ocean, that I wrote on the 15th February 2016, at the kitchen table. I also read Fifth Circle Of Hell that will be in my third collection. And I spoke for the first time about what that poem means to me, and what inspired it.

My first song was Killing Floor by Howlin' Wolf, it was the first Howlin Wolf song I ever heard when I was 20 and partly for that reason it is one of my favourites. My second song was Francoise Hardy's Je N'Attend Plus Personne, elegant, wistful lyrics juxtaposed against the grinding fuzz box guitar effects.

My friend greta Bellamacina also came along to read some of her poems and played some songs that were special to her, one of which she dedicated to her husband. I loved chatting with John Paul and Greta about life, love, time, the blues and together we all had a good chemistry on air.

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Poetry reading at The Pear Tree in Bloom event in Battersea Park 25 May 2017

Tuppence Creative director Alexandra Dover organised an event by the lake in Battersea Park to celebrate the Chelsea Flower Show and raise awareness and aid for the important research of insect life. Tickets were available to the public and gifted free to Chelsea Pensioners. Alexandra asked me to come read a few poems. It's actually the first outdoors reading I've done and it was very atmospheric. A hazy, heady summer evening. I read Paper Tigers and Euphoric Kiss on the stage next to the boating lake in Battersea Park.

Opera singers Skye Vocal performed. The actor Matt Barber read Henry James. There was also a live beehive on display, to raise awareness of the importance bees in our environment and all money raised by ticket sales was donated to RHS Science.

​Poetry reading at Berl's Poetry, Brooklyn, New York, USA 27 Apr 2017

Berl's Poetry is a fabulous independent Bookshop devoted solely to poetry. A family owned business its run by Jared White and Farrah Field.

Starting at 7.30pm the event was streamed live on Facebook which was a new one for me, but a lovely addition to our real living, breathing audience seated before us.

Lauren Hilger commenced reading with fascinating poems from her book 'Lady Be Good'. I really enjoyed listening to her work and was really interesting in hearing the context in which she'd written the poems.

After Chris Campanioni shared some brand new poems with us. They were pretty epic, humorous and poignant at the same time.

After I performed work from both my collections, and a lot of new poems to. I really enjoyed performing and it was great to see new faces, people from New York I was meeting for the first time and also familiar friendly faces I've connected with at other poetry readings.

A big thank you to Jared and our friends at Berl's for putting together a really special night, I look forward to the next one.

Rocking Underground - The Third Edition 27 Apr 2017

So much has happened since I wrote the poems in Rocking Underground. It's surreal and magical that it is now in its third edition. Thank you so much to everyone who had bought and enjoyed these poems. It's moving to hear your feedback. I'm very pleased to say the third edition is now available, so head to the Shop section to acquire a copy.

Poetry reading at Bowery Poetry, New York 23 Apr 2017

We arrived in New York in the afternoon, later than anticipated. After a restorative bath and meal we headed down to Bowery Poetry at 7:45pm. I signed to take part in the open mic and the show kicked off at 8.30pm. Everyone sits with everyone else it's a really friendly atmosphere. Mason Granger hosted the night beautifully, introducing each open mic poet. At the end of the first half, Mason introduced Safia Elhillo the featured poet of the night. Poised, still, strong, Sofia's first poem affected me the most. It was what I needed to hear and sometimes God puts you in front of what you need. In the interval I bought Safia's book The January Children. Then I was the first poet to perform in the second half, I read my poem The Fifth Circle Of Hell, which will be in my third collection.

That night I heard some amazing poetry. And in the car on my way home, the first song on the radio was Eddie Cochran C'mon Everbody started playing, which captured the evening perfectly.

Poetry reading at Wellesley College, Massachusetts 21 Apr 2017

Listening to Joni Mitchell's album Hejira in London, packing my suitcase, it still didn't feel real. But listening to Hejira in my hotel room in Massachusetts it made me smile, because then it felt real. It's a huge honour to be invited to read at Wellesley College, founded in 1870, it's a women's liberal arts college. The honour for me was all the more special because I'd been invited by Dr. Dan Chiasson, who I meet in Paris in July 2016, whilst I was there, launching my second collection The Lock And The Key.

I respect Dan deeply for his work, his ethics and the way he lives and embraces life. My reading was held at 4.30pm at the Zeta Alpha house on campus at Wellesley. Dan had encouraged me to read as many poems as I wanted. So I did a 40 minute set, reading extensively from my first two collections. I also read new poems like Fifth Circle of Hell and Armistice Day, and some poems so new I'd never read them.

Before my reading Dr.Chiasson gave me the following introduction:

I was deeply moved by Dan's introduction and the response from the women at the college. It was a pleasure to hear such positive, lovely, inspiring interpretations of my work from the students. It was great to be able to spend time with them after the reading, along with other professors and writers. A special thanks to Dan for this incredible honour, to Lisa Easley for her hard work, and all the amazing ladies at Wellesley College that I got to meet. And angels that emerged.

Whilst in Massachusetts I was able to go and pay my respects to one of my favourite writers in Lowell.

​Poetry reading at Atlantis Bookshop, London 12 Apr 2017

I was really happy to organise another poetry reading with Atlantis after the last reading I gave there. It was intimate and filled with fascinating people. I performed poems from The Lock And The Key and Rocking Underground. I had planned on reading four new poems but ended up reading six. I had the two extra with me and I wanted them to be infused with the energy of last night. And everybody was really listening. You can see the set list from last night, the poem Fifth Circle of Hell, I performed for the first time at Atlantis in September 2016. The two additional poems I read were called Scorpio and Take Your Shoes Off To See The Doctor.

I'm so grateful to Geraldine and Bali for the opportunity to read there again. They're amazing ladies, and I believe it's so important to support independent booksellers such as Atlantis, that nurture and support independent artists and writers as well. Atlantis is in its 95th year this year!

I'm looking forward to organising my next reading with them.

Portrait by Artist Jeanie Laub 10 Apr 2017

I connected with the artist Jeanie Laub last year. She is someone who lives and breathes her aesthetic, works hard and is an accomplished artist, having had work exhibited at the iconic Royal Academy summer exhibition in London. She drew her interpretation of my poem Ocean, a study in pencil, which was unexpected and beautiful.

I have been a study of some of her oil paintings. One which was inspired by a photo taken of me in Marrakesh, that was exhibited at Jeanie's last exhibition at the Doubtfire Gallery in Edinburgh. I attempted to buy the painting but it sold in the first ten minutes of the private view. So I was very pleased to be able to buy this second portrait. It looked great in photos, but its presence in real life is incredible. It's vast and the way the light catches it, makes me stop and look each time I walk past. It reminds me of a symbolist painting.

I'm honoured to have been painted by Jeanie Laub, who is just as elegant and unique as her work, her work I'm so proud to have on my wall.

​Poetry reading at the RoseMary Branch Theatre for New Word Order 08 Apr 2017

I was asked to be the headline performer for a new poetry event: New Word Order.

Held on the second Saturday of each month, it promises to be a really engaging night and I loved taking part. It's located at the award winning RoseMary Branch theatre, I was excited as soon as I arrived, the whole interior has character, history and charm. The company behind the night are Bourne West, who are Nell King and and Jon Stephenson.

They succeeded in curating a fabulous night that mixed featured poets like myself, Max Rinehart, Abi Unwin Smith and Nell King. They also had open mic, and in the second half it was challenge the poet! Audience members were encouraged to write out a subject, simile and a word to rhyme with in the first half, the poets wrote something in the interval and then delivered the results in the second half Mock The Week style, running up to the mic.

A hauntingly lovely two piece band called For Freda performed in the first and second half, I loved the combination of their guitar, violin and voice. I gave a 20 minute performance featuring work from Rocking Underground, The Lock And The Key and also four new poems.

It felt really good to share them with an audience, to give them life in a theatre. After the reading I was filled with joy, to be surrounded by positive, creative people, coming together, getting to share my work and hearing work that was hilarious, disarming, satirical and also touched on love and death, and politics.

I wish Bourne West luck, and I'm looking forward to the next New Word Order.

Poetry reading for the London launch of Constellation Magazine, The Garrison, London Bridge, London 15 Mar 2017

Along with Rosalind Jana and Greta Bellamacina, I gave a poetry reading for the launch of Constellation Magazine. I had a great night, chatting with friends, making new ones, sharing our progress on our work. It was intimate and engaging and inspiring, all at the same time. Just like some of my favourite female friendships. I went home feeling very grateful indeed.

Constellation Magazine 03 Mar 2017

I was honoured to be featured in the first inaugural issue of Constellation Magazine, founded by Jaclyn Bethany and Olivia Aylmer, an online publication to celebrate and showcase established and emerging female creative talent from across the globe. The photo shoot for the piece was shot by photographer Jessie Lily Adams, and it was such a nice experience to be photographed by her.

The interview for the piece was thought provoking asking what it's like to be a young women in the arts today, etc, many questions I hadn't really stopped to ask my self. I guess we don't really assess ourselves on our gender whilst going about our work and daily lives. Even if others do. I prefer to let my work speak for itself. Essentially, women needn't apologise or explain or justify themselves.

It's a pleasure to be in Constellation Magazine, alongside women I respect and admire, like Andrea Riseborough and Sophie Kennedy Clarke. And some ladies who have become friends like Rosalind Jana, Chloe Primrose, Sadie Brown and Greta Bellamacina.

Poetry Reading at The Troubadour, Coffee House Poetry, Brompton Road, London 20 Feb 2017

"You don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows.."

The theme of tonight's poetry reading, which saw around fifty of us gather in the basement of The Troubadour, was weather. I read my new poem The Fifth Circle Of Hell. It was great to read it, the last night of this season. It was wonderful to hear journalist Mark Huband read his poetry again.

We also heard Katarina Grabowski read for the first time, which was very moving. Thank you to Anne-Marie Fyfe for inviting me and curating such an eclectic, vibrant mix of poets.