Poetry

Inspired by former colleague and award winning East London poet Meryl Pugh, performance poet Aoife Mannix and many more spoken word artists on the current scene, I have begun to experiment with words and create some work - poetry, dialogue and more...

I'm not sure where this creative adventure will lead - and isn't that just the beauty of creating?!

abc def ghi jkl mno pqr stu vwx y & z

Trilogy: Second, First (and maybe Third)

I have just read Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Prisionero del Cielo prior to reading La Sombra del Viento - and I want to advocate reading / viewing trilogies in the incorrect order!


I started to read Shadow of the Wind a few years ago and found myself lacking in motivation to continue as the tale progressed.  I suspected, at the time, that Zafón's original tale may have got 'lost in translation'.  Finally, several years later, I bought the Spanish language version of the two books and have been inspired and intrigued...and now intend to read the first book second :-)

It is interesting to compare Zafón's writing of teen literature to these more recently produced tomes.  Marina and El Palacio de la Medianoche are gripping tales and keep the reader's interest, but the difference in language is remarkable.  The adult novels are full of idiom, cultural reference and a certain humour, which are all omitted from the teen works.

My current interest in creative writing has led me to notice these differences in the use of language and I am inspired to think more about tone, register and use of such techniques and possibly explore these in my own (as yet unwritten) writing...

 

Work Life Balance

Having fun planning decor for new house and teaching languages at present - but leaving little time for actually producing the creative artwork that I have in mind!

Thermostat Control by Mary Pullen Deacon ©

Still, better too many plans than no plans...surely??!!

I went to Write Night last evening and joined in a collaborative and inspiring session.  I am really pleased as I wrote a scene of dialogue which I am happy with and feel is veering towards the surreal (my current aim).  Thanks for a super session, Emma!

Latitude

Following a wonderful weekend in the forest at the festival of Latitude in Suffolk, I want to share my discoveries with you...(before I accidentally delete the 'notes from Latitude' from my mobile phone!)

Spoken word artists:
Catherine Smith (amusing and a little risqué!)
William Letford (clever, varied and highly innovative)
Caroline Bird (inspiring, fast paced and diverse)

Literary guests:
Tracey Thorn (great to hear about the years before I discovered her way back in the late '80s)

Dance:
Roció Molina (expressive, dramatic, emotional and gripping)

Music performers:
Bloc Party (super laser show)
King Creosote (poetic)
Everything Everything (great dance numbers)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (loved her outfit...and that is all...)
Kraftwerk (super synth and entertaining show with need for 3D glasses)
Alison Balsam (wonderful, dramatic and ceremonial brass)
Laura Mvula
Stealing Sheep (super lively, enthusiastic, enthralling)

Comedy performers:
Nina Conti and puppets (intelligent, innovative and hilarious)

For more information about the Latitude festival click here.