Dead Good Poets Society – January 2009 Diary

Tuesday 6th @ 7.30pm – 10.30pm. Wirral Words @ The Scouse House, 3 Oliver Lane, Birkenhead Contact malpoet@hotmail.co.uk for more details.

Wednesday 7th @ 8pm – DEAD GOOD POETS SOCIETY OPEN FLOOR. 24 spaces of five minutes for you to perform your own poetry. New poets always welcome as are new audience members! A warm and supportive welcome guaranteed. The 3rd Room, Everyman Bistro, Hope Street, Liverpool. Arrive early to book a performance slot. £3 / £2

Saturday 10th: 2-4pm – DEAD GOOD POETS SOCIETY POETRY READING GROUP. This month, after the last session’s high jinks of sherry, mince-pies and sestinas, we shall be looking at Pantoums. No poetic experience required, just a sense of enquiry. The Hornby Room, Liverpool Central Library, Liverpool. Refreshments provided. Free.

Thursday 15th @ 6.30pm – Susan Bassnett is the author of more than 20 books, including the poetry collection Exchanging Lives. She will be reading from her work and answering questions at Manchester Metropolitan University. MMU Geoffrey Manton Building, Lecture Theatre 7 (opposite the Commonwealth Aquatics Centre on Oxford Road, Manchester). Contact: James Draper: +44 (0) 161 247 1787; j.draper@mmu.ac.uk
Website: www.mmu.ac.uk/english/writingschool

Friday 16th: 7.30pm-9.30pm – Manky Poets presents Michael Schmidt OBE, Professor of Poetry at University of Glasgow, Founder of Carcanet Press, reads from his poetry of the past 40 years. Chorlton Library, Manchester Road, Chorlton, M21 9PN. £2 / £1

Saturday 17th: 11am-1pm – Words Over the Water with Janine Pinion. You’re invited to bring a poem on a theme you connect with New, January, Winter or Beginnings – or any other interpretation you wish to make. Darkness, Birth, Janus looking both ways, Resolutions – just a few examples. Bring a poem from a favourite or new-to-you poet. We usually look at Modern poets (from the past 80 years) but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Room A, Bebington Library, Bebington, Wirral. Everyone welcome, refreshments provided. A donation of £1 would be appreciated to cover costs and refreshments.

Sunday 18th @ 8pm – The famous Write Out Loud Read Around. Poetry open mic with a friendly and relaxed vibe. The Gypsy’s Tent, Bolton. Check out www.writeoutloud.net for more details.

Wednesday 21st @ 8pm – DEAD GOOD POETS SOCIETY GUEST NIGHT. Tonight we celebrate the lauch of Orbis 145 – The Liverpool Edition, with readings from contributors including Ade Jackson, Gladys Mary Coles, Carole Baldock, Colin Salmon, Colin Watts and more. The 3rd Room, Everyman Bistro, Hope Street, Liverpool. £3 / £2

Thursday 22nd @ 7pm – The Launch night of Liverpool Poetry Café @ the Bluecoat, with Catherine Marcangeli, Derryn Rees Jones, Michael Murphy & John Redmond. Tickets free from The Bluecoat, School Lane, Liverpool.

Saturday 24th – See OPPORTUNITIES! (And don’t miss out!)

Monday 26th: 7.30pm-9.30pm – Riverside Writers. January’s writing project is to create a poem or short story (any length, any genre) on the theme of a paper bag rolling along a road. Who is looking at the bag? Who dropped it? What is inside it? What is its significance? West Kirby Library, Wirral.

If anyone would prefer to share some other piece of their own writing, such as a chapter from a novel or another on-going project, then this is fine too!

Monday 26th: 7.30pm-10.30pm – Poets & Mash is a Pan of Scouse! Rip-roaring poetic palaver with John Leyland, Gerry Potter, and Jackie Hagan, all Liverpool-bred , but now on the Dark Side (Manchester!) Your Maitre D’ for the evening is the divine Dominic Berry. Venue: Matt and Phreds, Tibb Street, Manchester

Thursday 29th @ 7.30pm – Open Mic Poetry with music from Dennis Conroy. Compered by the inimitable Brian Wake. Southport Arts Centre, Lord Street, Southport. Free.

OPPORTUNITIES

TOP TIPS FOR WRITERS

* * * Would you like to find out details of publishing opportunities, performance venues, workshops and courses?
For FREE friendly on-the-spot appraisal and advice bring examples of your writing – stories, poems, scripts – to The Writing Advice Desk at
Childwall Library, Childwall Road, Liverpool 15 6YG.
Poet and short story writer Dinesh Allirajah will be at the Writing Advice Desk at
Childwall Library from 5.30 to 7.30pm on Wednesday 7th January, 4th February and 4th March 2009.
Dinesh Allirajah founder member of Asian Voices, Asian Lives. Dinesh has featured on BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC TV’s Network East and on Radio Four’s Loose Ends. His short story The Prisoners was broadcast on BBC Radio Four. Dinesh has also been guest on British Council tours in Bangladesh and Nigeria. He currently teaches creative writing at University of Central Lancashire.
Publications include A Manner of Speaking (Spike, 2004)
For further information contact WINDOWS PROJECT 0151 709 3688

* * * The Poetry School comes to Liverpool! Saturday, 24th January 2009:10:30am – 4:30pm The Bluecoat, Liverpool. £45/£35 concessions (Bursaries available from The Poetry School. See their website for details).
“No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost
Poems may be accurate and deeply felt, but unless there is an element of surprise, they won’t lift off the page and live. Through exercises and experiments, you’ll catch yourselves by surprise and reveal truths you didn’t know you knew. Jean Sprackland’s own work is grounded in ordinary emotions and settings, shot through with an extraordinary imagination. Please note that places are limited and bookings for this workshop need to be made through The Poetry School. Contact Julia Bird, Co-ordinator, The Poetry School, 81 Lambeth Walk, London SE11 6DX or programme@poetryschool.com

* * * The The Red 7 will be published in 2009. This quality literary magazine publishes emerging writers alongside established writers such as Dave Eggers, Roger McGough, Greta Stoddart, Sophie Hannah, Benjamin Zephaniah and more. Please send: Poetry – up to 40 lines / Prose- up to 750 words – Flash Fiction particularly welcome. Email your submission to inthered7@hotmail.co.uk Closing date: 31st January 2009