Hitchin Winter Festival 2024

 

Hello Cambridge Poetry Magazine!

The first 'episode' of the brand new Cambridge Poetry Magazine was launched in Cambridge on Saturday 7th December.

J.S. is delighted to have five new poems included within its many pages, alongside the work of some superb poets.

You can check out the free pdf version via the magazine's website and eventually there will be a printed version to purchase.

Have a Nice but Naughty Christmas!

Tickets are selling fast for the Christmas 'Naughty & Nice' fiction & poetry readings at Hitchin Library on Thursday, 19th December at 6.30pm.

Four local authors (including J.S.), mulled cider and panettone in the run-up to Christmas. What's not to like?

J.S. will be providing a festive sandwich of nice and naughty, poetry and story telling - expect Christmas adorned poems and adult humour as J.S. explores some Christmas traditions and you discover how the fairy got on top of the Christmas tree!

There will also be a range of books to buy for cash if you are stuck for last minute or additional Christmas presents. Remember, one of the easiest objects to wrap is a book.

You can buy your tickets here.

100 Subtexts - 4 New Poems

 The latest edition of 100subtexts is now live and J.S. has four, brand new poems in it:

• Coming To The Castle
• Like Sand Through an Hourglass
• Advancing Backwards Round the Circulade of Nezignan L'Eveque
• Building Blocks

For further details go to: https://100subtextsmagazine.blogspot.com/2024/11/new-issue-out-today.html#more

To buy a copy go here: https://payhip.com/b/Ga6nD?fbclid=IwY2xjawGxwExleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHciPxX8IRQ6BqyNVHOCvvvCmdz3aN1Y19DS7XG7hy16t28o2vtycnoADXg_aem_8wt8mdSJz3RCD3wTkH0zQg

Review Round Up

J.S. Watts casts her eye over three recently published poetry pamphlets and two third full collections. You can read her thoughts on all five publications, as written for The High Window,  here.

Why Are Sharks Like London Buses?

Well, if I'm honest, the similarity between real sharks and the No. 83 to Golders Green is minimal, but Lit Shark Magazine issues do what London buses do - they travel together.

Having recently had a story in issue no 7 of Lit Shark, The Spooky (Teeth) Edition, J.S. is fortunate to have one of her well loved poems in issue no 8, The Shark Week Edition.

The poem is Gull. It was first published in The Seventh Quarry and you can read it here in issue 8 of Lit Shark

A Belated Toothy Halloween Grin

J.S.'s darkly humorous Halloween tale, Everyday Ghosts (first published by Dark Fire Fiction in August 2019) has been resurrected for issue 7 of Lit Shark's post-Halloween special - The Spooky (Teeth) Edition. With so much spooky content, this really is a publication to sink your teeth into...

The paperback copy is at the printers, but if you can't wait, you can download a PDF version from the Lit Shark website

              

Best Books of 2024?

So, it's October. Halloween is on its way and websites, magazines and literary organisations are already preparing their best-of lists for 2024.

J.S. has produced her most enjoyed reads in 2024 (well, the first nine months of 2024, to be precise) list for Shepherd. You can read about her three favourite reads here, though the photo below may give you a clue.

Ornamenting Bloodlust

Do you like your fiction dark and adult? J.S.'s short story Ornament is included in the new horror anthology from Black Hare Press, Bloodlust.

It's due out in February 2025, but if anticipation's your thing, you can pre-order a copy here: https://books2read.com/BHP-BloodLust

Barkway Literary Festival - How To Get Published

Barkway Literary Festival is taking place on Saturday, 5th October in Barkway, North Hertfordshire and J.S. Watts will be taking part in a meet the authors event at 4pm that day, focusing on How to Get Published.

Chaired by bestselling author Alex Prior, this event shares the secrets behind How to Get Published. More of a conversation between the authors than a workshop, you'll hear from four authors in detail about their personal publishing journeys before the event opens up to a led discussion and questions from the audience. This is a unique opportunity to get insider tips, inspiration and information on ways to realise your own publishing dreams or, maybe, just satisfy your curiosity. It's also likely to be a very entertaining afternoon.

The four authors are Alex Prior, Kate Moore, Damien O'Dell and, of course, J.S.Watts.

Why not come along and join in their conversation? You never know what might be said and you'll want be there to hear it. Click here for further information and ticket details.

Royston Arts Festival 2024 - Local Writers' Book Fair

 

Saturday 28th September 2024, 11:00am - 4:00pm, Royston Masonic Hall, 2 Jepps Lane, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 9AP. 

J.S will be there from 11am to 4pm, so come along to have a chat and maybe buy a book (or three). She will be giving fifteen minute readings from a selection of her books at both 1.30pm and 3pm, so you are also welcome to just come along to have a listen. The event is free to enter.

If you want check out the many other authors taking part in the fair, this is a list of the Book Fair readings on the day and there will also be other authors and their books present at the fair.

Festivals in North Hertfordshire - Autumn 2024

Royston Arts Festival is taking place this year from 20th September to 5th October 2024. There are lots of fantastic activities, including a concert by the acclaimed folk duo Megson. You really should check out the events programme.

J.S. is involved in a Royston Arts Festival event and is appearing in an event at the affiliated Barkway Literary Festival on 5th October. Here's a summary of the details:

Local Writers' Book Fair - Royston Arts Festival Saturday 28th September, 11:00am - 4:00pm, Royston Masonic Hall, 2 Jepps Lane, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 9AP, UK. J.S will be there from 11am to 4pm, so come along to have a chat and maybe buy a book. She will be giving a fifteen minute reading from a selection of her books at 1.30pm and 3pm, so you are also welcome to just come along to have a listen. The event is free to enter.

Workshop in the Pavillion: How to Get Published - Barkway Literary Festival Saturday 5th October, starting at 4pm in The Pavilion, Barkway Recreational Ground, Barkway, author Alex Prior will be in conversation with writers Kate Moore, Damien O'Dell and J.S. discussing ways of getting your work published. N.B. This is a paid, ticketed event.

Click on the Events Page for this website for a further summary and a link to buy tickets for the Barkway Literary Festival.

Reviews Through a High Window

In this latest reviews section of 'The High Window' J.S. reviews 'for the birds', the  "very now" debut poetry collection by Dublin based, Ukrainian poet Victoria Melkovska. 

You can read J.S.'s and other reviews for free by clicking here.

More Poems, morphrog

J.S. is chuffed to have five poems in issue 29 of morphrog. They even describe her as an "intriguing writer", which she is determined to take as a compliment (they have chosen to publish five of her poems, after all).

The poems in question are:

• Waiting Time
• Making My Bed
• Not a Paper Doll Poem
• Peepshow
• Gridiron Flow

You can read J.S.'s poems for free (along with the stunning work from the issue's other contributors) by clicking here for the landing page or going directly here for J.S.'s poems.

Social Once More

Sssh, I don't want to say this too loudly in case the gremlins wake up again, but I think my Facebook page is working once more.

The Facebook page devoted to my writing is at  https://www.facebook.com/J.S.Watts.page. 

If you want to hear my news, big stuff will be published on this website, but it's worth checking out the Facebook page for day to day chat.

Social Media Blues

You may know that I have a Facebook page devoted to my writing. You may even know that it is at https://www.facebook.com/J.S.Watts.page. What you probably won't know, because I can't post on the page to tell you, is that the Facebook gremlins have determined that my heavy duty upload schedule of one post a day (sometimes) is too much and won't let me post anything further to my newsfeed. I have reported the problem, but Facebook gremlins are laid back critters.

So, if you want to hear my news, for the time being the best bet is via this website. Also, if you happen to stop by my Facebook page and wonder why it seems inactive, it's not that I've given up, it's just that the Facebook gremlins are having a prolonged afternoon nap, once a day, every day, for as long as they fancy.

JS Watts: Lycanthropist live at 'Word Habit', Sudbury, Suffolk, 12th May 2024.

Summer Come Early

Yes, it is only May, but the Summer Issue of the always fascinating The High Window, has been published. Expect a collection of fine poetry and prose, including a review of Fiona Sinclair's Dining With the Dead by J.S.Watts.

High Window Reviews

In the latest batch of reviews from The High Window, J.S.Watts highlights the "raw and exposed" poems of The Invisible Worm by Hannah Stone. You can read her review of the poetry collection and other reviews in the latest High Window release by clicking here

May Time Activities

 J.S. has a number of creative events coming up in May:  

• Word Habit on 12th May
• Festival of Ideas on 18th May
• Herts Book Festival on 19th May

You can find further details about all of them over on the Events Page of this website.

You can see the poster for Word Habit below in a previous post on this page.

If you want know more about J.S.'s event at the University of Hertfordshire's Festival of Ideas read on:

Tomorrow and What Comes After - A reading with poet J.S. Watts

"Be entranced and inspired by poetry from J.S. Watts.

Join poet J.S. Watts as she weaves the fantastical with the literary in this glowing, multi-faceted reading of her poetry. There will also be a Q&A session after the reading.

Watts’ poetry, novels, short stories and non-fiction have appeared in numerous publications in the UK and around the world. Her works have been broadcast on the BBC and independent radio.

Her books include poetry collections, "Cats and Other Myths", "Years Ago You Coloured Me" and "Underword", and her multi-award nominated SF themed poetry pamphlet, "Songs of Steelyard Sue", all published by Lapwing Publications. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Arts"

Extract from the University of Hertfordshire's website

If you want to book tickets for Tomorrow and What Comes After go here.

Poetry on Toasted Cheese

J.S. Watts has five poems in the March issue (volume 24: Issue 1) of Toasted Cheese Literary Journal. Click on the links to read:

Ghost on My Finger

Epiphany While Clearing the Lounge

Dancing With Ghosts

Legend

One More Film in the Story 

 

 

 

April Words

 J.S. will be reading two or three poems at this lively Hitchin event. To book your tickets go to the Shout or Whisper website and pay what you feel.

From March to May

 Yes, it's still only March, but there's no harm in thinking ahead to May.

Season of the Dead - dissected.

The horror e-zine Dissections has published its March 2024 issue. Amongst its selection of contents you can find a new, short, dark story by J.S. Watts, Season of the Dead.

It's an infectious tale. As its roots lie in the 2020 pandemic, if you are triggered by stories of Covid or the pandemic, you might want to approach it cautiously.

Two Crows on World Book Day

To celebrate World Book Day (Thursday, 7th March 2024), here's J.S. reading the poem Two Crows from her most recent book, Underword.

A High Window Overlooking Spring

Feel free to take a look at the reviews section of the spring edition of the online High Window. In it, J.S.
Watts reviews Nocturne by Jodie Hollander, which she describes as a "powerful and resonant collection". 

Browse the entire online magazine to read some strong and striking poetry. It's "bloomin' lovely".

Matisse a Vence

J.S.Watts briefly talking about, and reading, her poem "Matisse a Vence" from her poetry collection Underword.

New Year - New Photo

Hello and welcome to 2024. May it be a good twelve months for you.

To welcome in the New Year this website has a new background photo. Here it is in full, uncluttered by website text.