Compasses Reading Suffolk and The Fens

Swapping Words

J.S. is delighted to be returning to Stamford's Poetry Swaps on Wednesday 20th March as the headline act. She's also rather looking forward to hearing Sally Mitchell, who is on the bill with her.

Poetry Swaps is Stamford's regular poetry-exchange every second month where top poets from the town and the surrounding area are invited to present their poetry. Come and enjoy a drink while you listen or bring your own poems to read. There is an open mic opportunity at the start of the evening.

The event is taking place at The Cellar Bar, Stamford Arts Centre starting at 8pm. Entry is FREE.

Questions I Don't Like Answering Part V

It's early March and time, once again, for the next guest post in the series I'm writing for Meier Writers.

Most writers will tell you there are questions they don’t like having to answer: often they are the ones we get asked the most. I'm writing an occasional series of lighthearted blog posts looking at some of my “oh no, not again!” questions and exploring why I, personally, don’t enjoy having to respond to them.

This month sees the fifth question in the series, the compound: “What do you do? A writer? No, what do you really do?” You can read my multiple responses to this challenging question by clicking here

Jenny

Over on The Reaper's website there is an opportunity to read Jenny, the short story by J.S. Watts that won third prize in The Wells International Literary Festival in 2009.

When a little girl shares a house with an elderly man, he finds both worry and comfort.

Click Here To Read...

Oral Starscapes

Shoreline of Infinity has brought out episode one of the Shoreline of Infinity podcast Soundwave.

In the opening episode there is superior science fiction from across the art forms: with spoken word linked by death and starlight.

There is the haunting and poignant story The Starchitect, written by Barry Charmon and narrated by Sue Gyford.

That’s followed by sci-fi poetry in the form of the deceptive Starscape by J.S. Watts, narrated by Debbie Cannon.

Sonic Space makes its debut, hosted by RJ Bayley, in which he's interviewing the award winning author Anne Charnock.

Japanese SF inspired music ends the podcast with one of the giants of symphonic metal.

You can hear it all here or here (if you'd like to read a bit more about it too.)

Teaching Creative Writing

J.S. has been talking to Kerry Hammerton about why teaching creative writing matters. Check out what she has to say over on Kerry Hammerton's blog.