Friday 20 June 2014

Valley Press Friday Digest, #8

After last week's excitement, a more standard and humble post for you today. If you want to properly get your 'weekly blog feature' fix, check out the first installment of Emma's 'Poem Club'; but if you must hear from me, read on...

  • The Bridlington Poetry Festival, which I have been warbling on about for the last two weeks, has now come and gone - it was really excellent, of course, and all the readers (especially those affiliated with VP) did a wonderful job. I have singularly failed to get a decent photo of any of the events - I will post my best effort below, a shot of John Wedgwood Clarke reading from Ghost Pot. Fortunately there was a proper photographer there too, so some good snaps may emerge of the other readers in time.
 
  • Last time I discussed the festival, I mentioned how one of my Wendy Cope books had already been signed by her, twenty-eight years ago, possibly precluding further personalisation - but as it turned out, she was happy to write something for me in 2014 as well. Here's the result of that:
 


  • We're nearly done already, but I do have two interesting links for you - first, an in-depth interview with the above-pictured Mr. Clarke about his new pamphlet In Between. It's fascinating stuff, though they have slyly avoided mentioning or linking to the book! Fortunately you won't find me making that mistake. Then, I was delighted to find Opera di Cera listed on the Poetry Society's 'What to read this summer' list - follow that link for a great little review by long-time VP friend Ian Stuart, who calls OdC 'a sort of Milk Wood from hell', one of the best and pithiest descriptions of the book so far.  See you next week for more news.

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