Anthology Alert (13): A Pocket Full of Spring Fever

I have just received a copy of the second volume of A Pocket Full of Spring Fever, edited by Sue Kendrick, owner of Writelink. The small-format booklet contains the winning entries from the 2011 Spring Fever competition. My poem, 'Observations from the Hide', was awarded second prize and appears on p.14.

Seasonal Splash (7): Spring Fever (and amphibians)

The magnificent Priory remains, Mount Grace, Yorkshire ...

... with resident amphibian!

You may have seen my wasp bole in the previous post. These images above are also from Mount Grace.

I thought this was a Common Frog, but having lightened my photo a little, I think it is actually a Common Toad. I heard today that my poem, 'Observations from the Hide' (about toads back in Wales) had taken Second Place in the Writelink Spring Fever Competition.

Publications (3): Winter Warmers

The Mumbles Lighthouse: Swansea in the Snow, a year ago

I'm sitting here on a fine sunny afternoon, but there have been hard frosts in our neck of the woods. On an equally chilly note, I have just received the Winter Edition of Wendy Webb's 'TIPS for Writers', issue 80. The magnificent cats on the cover, painted by Kay Weeks, have the right idea and are curled up inside on their best cushions.

The city dogs in my poem, 'Ice Floe', are not so fortunate. My other poem in this number is also on a snowbound theme; 'Ötzi the Iceman', whose death has sparked so much archaeological controversy since his body was discovered. My light-hearted poem about Santa's unruly reindeer has been accepted for the Christmas edition of the online Writelink magazine, Writelinkers, edited by Maureen Vincent-Northam, David Robinson and Trevor Belshaw. My time as Writelink 'Writer of the Month' is drawing to a close - and as the snowy season is definitely not too far away, you might enjoy a peep at the Fenwick's Christmas window, in Newcastle, where I lived and studied many years ago ... 

... Meanwhile, a very Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the USA!

Seasonal Splash (4): Bonfire Wordle

A corner of our Bonfire Night WORDLE

I have made a 5th November Wordle, thanks to word contributions from fellow writers on the Writelink site. I have posted a corner above, but thought you might prefer to see the whole thing here ...

You can find out more about this strange date in our UK calendar if you follow this link. 

Animals and fireworks do not go together. Please follow the safety code suggested by organisations like the RSPCA.

Seals and Cetaceans (3): The Writing Process

I feel honoured to have been nominated

'Writer of the Month' 

on the Writelink site. 

I was asked to write a short piece about the writing process, and in particular about how I came to write 'The Wishing Woman of Seal Bay'. You can read my thoughts here in the Writelink Forum if you are interested.

Poetry Matters (16): Post-National Poetry Day WORDLE 2010

I thought you might like to see my National Poetry Day Wordle, posted on my Writelink blog here.