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Just a quick reminder that tonight is the launch of NIGHT TRAIN 5 (an anthology of the best of University of Kent’s student work) in Canterbury, at the Gulbenkian Theatre.
Time: 6.30 pm
Tickets: £8 (£7 concs) INCLUDING a copy of the book, a glass of wine, and very, very fab music by jazz duo Frances Knight and reknown saxophonist Paul Booth.
AND loads of student readings: 16 poems, six short short fictions, two short stories….
It’s good stuff: I’ve read it. Because I’m co-MC-ing along with one of the editors, Andrew McGuinness (a fine fiction writer in his own right, by the by, more later I’m sure).
Be there or be…uh, left standing at the station?
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Now might be a good time to mention that not only does M dance, but son E danced for years, and yes, I do and have done for many more years. Ballet. Not sure why I feel the need to mention this, except that in last 24 hours I’ve encountered three people who either know me through dancing or ‘heard’ that I danced — something in the air maybe: coffee with Karen and Sarah (both dancers); chance meeting with Suzanne (dancer) at the school play last night, and now this morning Wonderful Builder just getting going before the rain started bucketing…. ‘Seems there are many strings to your bow,’ he said (enigmatically). He’d heard it from the wife of the man he plays squash with. Heavens, I say. So I’ll set the record straight: no, not professionally, but yes, for 35 years, some of them pretty seriously.
How’s that blueblog, which links here through “Patricia Debney Mainly Talks Dancing”? Good enough for TV?
Today is a rainy day, and it’s Tuesday. Although yesterday was rainy too — more on that later. Anyway this morning M had her Grade 1 ballet exam. All well. I had the very peculiar experience of peeping through the skinniest little gap between two doors, and seeing her beaming face as she petit jete-ed, hands on hips, then chassee-ed across the room, her arm rising to the diagonal as she went. For most other things she was out of my line of vision, but her shiny slicked back hair and sheer delight will stay with me for quite a while!
Last night I had what turned out to be the real pleasure of going to a ‘bulk’ bluechrome reading at the Poetry Cafe. Trains being what they are, I missed the first reader Mike Hogan, but settled down to enjoy Leah Fritz, Ruth O’Callaghan, and finally Nigel McLoughlin. I was particularly taken by Nigel’s work, and bought his new book, Dissonances, which I read cover to cover on the way home. With great enjoyment, I must say.
Oh, and it rained. The whole trip. While I was walking around London. No umbrella and a wool coat. Bleh.
If you’re interested in more bluechrome happenings, a good way to find out about them is by joining the wonderful world of bluechrome on facebook. A great stable of writers there — and entertaining to boot.
