| Links |
| Arc Publications:
arcpublications.co.uk |
| Salt Publishing:
saltpublishing.com |
| Buy the books:
amazon.co.uk |
| Sample workshops:
poetrysociety.org.uk applesandsnakes.org |
| The Poetry Zone:
poetryzone.co.uk |
| Arvon Foundation:
arvonfoundation.org |
| Reviews/quotes |
| ‘a true original … she has a genuine gift,’
Jane Yeh, Poetry Review |
| ‘a wonderful collection,’
Jon Snow |
| ‘a voice refusing to be pinned down,’
Moniza Alvi |
| ‘a great sense of humour, an ear for what life sounds like,’
Helen Dunmore |
| ‘weird, interesting and humorous poems that will bear repeated visits,’
Roger Stevens, Poetry Zone website |
| ‘a McGough-like flair for idiomatic surrealism,’
Michael Thorn, TES |
| ‘I very much enjoyed reading your collection of children’s poetry,’
Estelle Morris |
| Home | Poetry | Children's Poetry | Short Stories | Radio | Dates |
Dates
2010January 1stAppointed Writer-in-Residence with the borough of Lewisham, based in the attic at the newly refurbished Forest Hill Library. January 12th Republished Now You See Me, Now You ... is selected by the Poetry Book Society as one of the two top choices for the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf, Spring Term 2010. January 20th Able Writers' Day at Monks Orchard Primary School, Shirley, Croydon January 27th Able Writers' Day at Brentwood School, Essex. February 9th Able Writers' Day in St Adrian's R.C.P. School, St Albans. February 11th Poetry reading with Lance Lee and Roy Batt at Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, Waterlow Park, London N6 5HG, 8-10pm. 020-8348-8716. £5/£3. Nearest tube: Archway. February 24th and March 3rd Visits to Royston Primary School, Penge, London SE20 March 1st Visit to Darrick Wood Senior School, Orpington, Kent March 4th Book signing at Royston Primary School, Penge, SE20, World Book Day Book Fair, 3.30-4pm. March 11th Readings at Batheaston Primary School for Bath Literature Festival. March 13th Keats House - children's event - reading and workshop, 10.30am. Keats Grove, Hampstead, London NW3 2RR Tel: 020-7332-3868 April 6th Publication of new children's poetry collection 'The Humpback's Wail' illustrated by Paul Bommer. April 24th Launch of 'The Humpback's Wail' at the gorgeous Grade II listed Georgian Manor House Library which stands in an award winning park.(The Baring Room, Manor House Library, 34 Old Road, Lee, London SE13 5SY - Hither Green overland British Rail) 2 - 4pm. Performance, signing and refreshments. Free event but please book places beforehand - ask for Manor House Library when you dial 0208-852-0357. May 14th Kingston Readers' Festival: Poetry reading with Todd Swift, 1pm, Kingston Museum, Fairfield Road, Kingston-upon-Thames KT1 2PS. £8 (£5 under 18s) am Readings at Canbury School, Kingston Hill June 3rd Children's poetry performance at the Hay Festival, reading from new collection 'The Humpback's Wail'. Details tbc June 9th Reading for Loose Muse at Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX, 8pm, £5/£4. Nearest tube: Covent Garden. June 30th Poetry reading at Oxford University for the Creative Writing Summer School at Rewley House, Wellington Square, 6-7pm. September 1st-30th Residency with Shetland Arts on the Shetland Islands. 2009January 28thRide the Word reading from Family Connections at Borders, 203-207 Oxford St, London W1D 2LE 7.00 - 9.15 pm with Jay Merill, Chris McCabe, Vincent De Souza, Kathryn Simmonds, plus featured small press - tall-lighthouse. Free. February 11th, 12th, 13th Poetry commission and workshops for the Can I Have A Word? literacy project at the Barbican Centre, working with 16 year 5 classes from local schools on Chinese animated film Feeling of Water and Mountain by Te Wei of the Shanghai Animation Studio. February 16th - 21st Arvon residential course at Totleigh Barton, Devon, with Sixth Form, Hayes School. Co-tutor Malachy Doyle, guest Andy Brown. February 24th Poem 'Sky High' on Poetry Pie, episode 7, Cbeebies, 4.55pm. Also on their website. March 2nd Reading at the launch of Magma 43, Troubadour Coffee House, 263-267 Old Brompton Road, London SW5. Guest readers Glyn Maxwell and John Stammers. Nearest tube Earl's Court. £6 (£5 concessions). March 3rd Visit to West Lodge First School, Pinner, Middlesex. March 6th Visit to Thomas’s Prep School, Fulham, London SW6. March 10th Visit to St Michael’s East Wickham C of E School, Welling, Kent. March 11th Poem 'Sky High' on Poetry Pie, episode 18, Cbeebies, 4.55pm. Also on their website. March 13th Visit to Our Lady of the Visitation Primary School, Greenford, Middlesex. March 16th Attending the unveiling of a plaque for Robert Browning at Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College, Jerningham Road, New Cross Gate, London SE14 5NY. 1.30pm. Free public event. March 19th Attending CBeebies Poetry Pie screening and celebration at the Pudsey Room, BBC Television Centre, Shepherd's Bush. March 24th Able Writers (National Education Trust) visit to Manor Farm School, Hazelmere, Buckinghamshire. April 15th Publication date of second adult poetry collection I’ll Dress One Night As You, Salt Publishing. April 29th Launch of I'll Dress One Night As You at 7pm, The Rose, 35 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7LT. 020-7735-3723. Music by the Tinpots www.tinpots.com Nearest tube: Vauxhall. From Vauxhall tube take the Albert Embankment exit, walk passed MI5 (the cream and green building) and you'll see The Rose on the right. Upstairs room, bar, all welcome. May 5th Attending the reopening of the Grade II listed Manor House Library, Old Road, Lee SE13, after extensive refurbishment. May 6th Short story Just One of the Girls read on BBC R4 by Phyllida Nash at 3.30pm. One of three stories about '21st Century Family Life'. May 9th Local launch, reading and signing of I'll Dress One Night As You, 2.30pm, Manor House Library (newly refurbished and re-opened!), Old Road, Lee, London SE13 5SY. 020-8314-9614. Free. May 14th Meeting with Adopt an Author (Basildon) team at the British Library. May 30th Signing of 'I'll Dress One Night As You' and all other books, 11.30-12.30am at the lovely Kirkdale Bookshop, 272 Kirkdale, Sydenham, London SE26 4RS. June 1st and 2nd Book week visit to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Kingston upon Thames. June 24th Reading from 'I'll Dress One Night As You' at the Yumchaa Cafe, 45 Berwick Street, Soho, London W1 for the Ride the Word series; with Vincent de Souza, Sue Hubbard, Richard Bardsley and Jay Merrill. Free event, nearest tubes Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. 7-9pm. July 4th Reading with Ronnie McGrath and John Hegley for the Sydenham Arts Festival. Sydenham Girls School, 8-10pm, £9 & £7 concessions. July 23rd Inaugural poetry reading at the newly refurbished Clitheroe Castle Moor Lane, Clitheroe BB7 1BA. No charge, but as it's being held in the cafe attendees are kindly being asked if they'd like to eat/drink something in the cafe beforehand. The cafe opens at 6pm, the evening begins with a local poet at 7.30pm, then I'll give two twenty minute readings, with an interval. More details about the Castle Museum and the cafe at www.lancashire.gov.uk/clitheroecastlemuseum September 26th Poetry reading (for adults) for Southwark Libraries poetry festival Rhyme and Reason 6 - 7.30pm. Dulwich Library, 368 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8NB. Tel: 020-7525-2000 
October 5th Visit to Lady Eleanor Holles School, Hampton, Middlesex. November 8th National Poetry Day! Chrissie will be reading and talking about a new poem 'The Return of the Wildman of Orford' on BBC Radio Suffolk at around 2.15pm. The East Anglian Daily Times will also feature details of the poem and the broadcast. November 12th Able Writers' Day at St Thomas's Primary School, Sevenoaks, Kent November 19th World Toilet Day and launch of Bards in the Bog pamphlet of poems (Shetland Library www.shetland-library.gov.uk) selected by Jen Hadfield; includes When I travelled from the Country to the City by Chrissie Gittins. All proceeds to www.worldtoiletday.com November 26th Able Writers' Day at Sacred Heart School, Battersea  Printable version of page
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