Pictures Within Words

The electrifying Authors Electric have generously provided J.S.Watts with a guest spot in which she can write about anything she chooses (as long as it's about writing). She's chosen to talk about painting and visual art!

If you want to find out what she had to say on the subject, particularly in relation to her new poetry collection, "Years Ago You Coloured Me" and her novel, "A Darker Moon", click here

Ink Stains On My Pillow

Death. A permanent end. Termination of life. Some embrace death as if reuniting with a long-missing old friend. Others fear it, try to outwit it, hide from it. And then there are those who are fascinated by it, mesmerized by it, chasing it down, taunting it, challenging it. In Ink Stains, Volume 1, eight authors explore death in all its facets in a collection of short stories that range from fantastical to gritty to supernaturally creepy. Join them in a journey through the darker side of fiction. Ink Stains, Volume 1 features stories by Michelle K. Bujnowski , Eddie Cantrell, John S. McFarland, Steph Minns, A. O’Neal Tamela J. Ritter, Aaron Vlek, and J. S. Watts

Ink Stains is a new dark fiction literary anthology from Dark Alley Press. Available in paperback and kindle editions.

Amazon.com
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Official Launch - Years Ago You Coloured Me

Yes, it's been a month-long launch, but the official launch event and reading for Years Ago You Coloured Me is here and it's tomorrow.

Allographic are delighted to present a delicious array of spoken word - storytelling, poetry, and improvised theatre - in aid of the "Once Upon A Time", a Collaborating Cambridge Art Exhibition, and "In Other Words", the forthcoming Fringe Festival for Cambridge, plus Allographic are also incredibly excited to be hosting the book launch of poet and author J.S Watts!

Tomorrow night's line up includes the fantastic Fay Roberts, Uppahar Subba and Tim Knight, Jack Bateman, Abi Palmer and, of course, J.S.Watts.

Full details of the evening, which is taking place at the Cambridge Art Salon, 1 Thrifts Walk, Cambridge, CB4 1NR, can be found here

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Allographic Featuring J.S.Watts

Just a reminder that Allographic will be playing host to J.S.Watts this coming Sunday, 27th March, for the unofficial pre-launch of her latest book, along with a chance to hear her mesmerising voice performing some of her work in person.

So, what’s Allographic Open Mic then? It’s a simple concept really - a nice function room at the top of a pleasant bistro (CB2 in Cambridge); a stage, a microphone, a bunch of lovely people, and some words. And free snacks! Entry is free, but they take a donation (i.e. pay as you like). Doors are at 6:30pm and the gig kicks off at 7pm.

Bring your poems, stories, dramatic monologues (or duologues!), improv, hip hop, and anything else that fits the bill of spoken word. At 2pm there'll be a workshop on exploring surrealism in your poetry ("What does your writing taste like?") with Emma Ormond: https://www.facebook.com/events/1584929518492280/

The main event starts at 7pm and the venue is CB2 Bistro, Norfolk Street, Cambridge, CB1 2LD.

Pre-Launch Video - Blue Eggshell Moment

Prior to the official preview and launch readings of her new poetry collection, Years Ago You Coloured Me, which take place on Sunday 27th March and Tuesday 29th March respectively in Cambridge (see the Events Page for further details), J.S. has recorded a couple of videos of her reading from Years Ago You Coloured Me.

The first video was J.S. reading the title poem of the collection, Years Ago You Coloured Me. You can view the video here

The second of these videos is J.S. reading the poem Blue Eggshell Moment from the collection - Years Ago You Coloured Me.

More Books in a Bookshop

Delighted to announce that Heffers of Cambridge will be stocking “Years Ago You Coloured Me”.

Anyone in the Cambridge area will therefore be able to buy a copy of J.S.’s new poetry collection whilst supporting their local bookshop.

Pre-Launch Video - Years Ago You Coloured Me

Prior to the official preview and launch readings of her new poetry collection, Years Ago You Coloured Me, which take place on Sunday 27th March and Tuesday 29th March respectively in Cambridge (see the Events Page for further details), J.S. has recorded a couple of videos of her reading from Years Ago You Coloured Me.

The first of these videos is J.S. reading the title poem from the collection - Years Ago You Coloured Me.

A Colourful Launch and Radio Podcast

J.S. Watts had a lovely time talking to Suzie Thorpe on Cambridge 105 last Saturday morning about the launch of her new book, Years Ago You Coloured Me, and plans for a Cambridge Literary Fringe Festival in June.

If you missed the live radio broadcast, shame on you, but never fear.  You can listen to the podcast of the interview here. It starts at approximately 01:09:55 into the week's highlights of the Best of the Guests on Cambridge 105 Daytime.

Here's the link:  http://cambridge105.fm/best-of-the-guests-07-03-2016/

Bookmarking Witchlight And Other Books

J.S.Watts was interviewed last month by novelist Menna Van Praag for the Cambridge 105 literary programme Bookmark.

The interview about J.S.'s writing, including Witchlight, A Darker Moon and Years Ago You Coloured Me, was broadcast yesterday at 1pm as part of a larger Bookmark programme. The podcast for yesterday's programme is now available online for your listening pleasure. 

Angela Clarke is in the studio talking to presenter Leigh Chambers about her debut novel and J.S.Watts is on, about 15.04 minutes into the programme, talking about her writing in general and especially Witchlight. You can listen to the podcast by clicking here . Go on. You know you want to.

Broadcasts Like Buses

J.S. had a lovely time talking to Suzie Thorpe on Cambridge 105 this morning about Years Ago You Coloured Me. Rumour has it that her Bookmark interview for the same radio station might also have been on air this afternoon, but this morning's broadcast words and the radio station's written words on Facebook and their website were strangely divergent on the matter.

An investigation of Cambridge 105's schedule for the day has, however, unearthed the fact that J.S.'s Bookmark interview about Witchlight, A Darker Moon and Years Ago You Coloured Me was scheduled to be broadcast today at 1pm as part of the Bookmark programme. Who knew?

It seems that radio interviews are indeed like buses: nothing for ages and then two come along together.

We are hoping that one or both interviews were recorded for podcast purposes and will be available for your further listening pleasure. If they are, we will post them here in due course. Check back over the next week or so to see...

Colouring Cambridge 105

Tune in to Cambridge 105 tomorrow morning, just before 11.30am, to hear J.S. Watts talking to Suzie Thorpe about the launch of her new poetry collection, Years Ago You Coloured Me.

Years Ago You Coloured Me - Launch and Preview Readings

To celebrate the launch of J.S.'s new poetry collection, "Years Ago You Coloured Me", which was released at the beginning of this month, there are going to be a variety of events and "occurrences" taking place across March.

The wonderful Cambridge-based Allographic is helping to give the book a grand start with two (not one, but two) events at which J.S. will read from her new collection. 

The first preview event is on Sunday, 27th March, when J.S. will be the guest poet at the monthly Allographic evening held at CB2, Norfolk Street, Cambridge. The evening kicks off at 7pm and there will be open mic slots as well as J.S.'s reading. Why not bring one of your own poems along?

The second event is on Tuesday, 29th March, beginning around 6pm, at the Cambridge Art Salon Gallery, 1 Thrifts Walk, Cambridge. This is going to be a joint fund raiser for the Cambridge Literary Fringe Festival, "In Other Words", and the official launch reading for "Years Ago You Coloured Me", with plenty of opportunity to buy J.S.'s new book (hint, hint), plus there will be a variety of other fine poets performing alongside J.S.

There is no entrance fee for either of these evenings, but donations will be sought and appreciated.

Hope to see you at one or both of these events!

International Women's Day Issue

Issue 42 of literary magazine A New Ulster is available NOW. It's March and this edition celebrates International Women's Day. There are over a hundred pages of poetry and prose in celebration of women, including three poems from J.S.Watts.

There are also some wonderful words from the likes of Peter O'Neil, Marie Maxwell and Eithne Lannon.

You can read the magazine online for FREE.

Years Ago You Coloured Me - The Launch

It's March and J.S.Watts' brand new poetry collection, Years Ago You Coloured Me, is out from Lapwing Publications. Cue fanfare of French Horns and a month long launch!

Years Ago You Coloured Me (ISBN 978-1-910855-15-7) is a poetry collection echoing with things, times, places and people lost and not quite lost, as well as those never lost while memory lingers. These are poems of influence and resonance, both past and current, capturing personal and broader histories, and the shadows that sometimes follow. What is history, after all, if not selective, recorded memories? The past tells stories as we choose to recall them. The personal is there, plus the wider matters that shaped it. We have only to remember to remember. That is an art.

Included amongst the poems in the collection are: Bonedancing, which was shortlisted for the 2008 Wells Literary Festival International Poetry Competition; Green Rushes, nominated for a 2011 Pushcart Prize and View From Sheep Field Barn, Much Hadham, which won won third prize in the Yeovil Literary Prize for Poetry 2015.

You can see full details over on the Books page of this website (just scroll down to the Poetry section of the page) and needless to say, you can buy the book on Amazon and from this website, as well as from the publisher, Lapwing Publications, and selected stockists.

To celebrate the launch, there will be a variety of events and "occurrences" taking place across March, including several opportunities to hear J.S. read from her new collection. Check back regularly for further details, including news of the end of March launch event and a special, pre-launch event preview reading.