On Saturday 2 March the inaugural Cambrian Mountains Society poetry competition prize giving took place at Pontrhydfendigaid. I read my poem 'Day trip to the mountains', which was highly commended.
It’s been a real delight to be part of the Nightingale & Sparrow team for the last couple of years. As of the end of 2023 I will be stepped down from the managing editor role. It has been a privilege to read the poetry submissions, as well as manage the team, correspond with submitees, and oversee production. Wishing the best of luck to Juliette and the team, when they come back after their hiatus.
I'm very excited that I will be the guest editor for Black Bough Poetry's next edition, there was a one day submission window, on Tuesday 4th July. Entry was by tweeting one brand new imagistic poem, 20 lines max. to @toptweettuesday and @marcellenewbold on Twitter. Poems are unpublished but could be a previous @TopTweetTuesday poem.
Its here, our Spring 2023 edition, 'Sakura'. This issue is extra special as we are publishing sisters, who were both anonymously accepted for the issue, one for fiction and one for visual art.
Nightingale & Sparrow, Issue XVI – starlight is now available on line, and in print via Amazon. Cover by Rachel Coyne. A note from EIC Juliette Sebock:
‘In our call for submissions, we prompted submitters with the following: “What do you see when you look up at the night sky? From astrology and lullabies to planetariums and Taylor Swift lyrics, we want to see your poems, stories, essays, and art that come face-to-face with the cosmos. Give us space; give us skies; give us starlight.’
Nightingale & Sparrow, Issue XIV – poetry is now available on line, and in print via Amazon. Cover by Karen Pierce Gonzalez. A note from EIC Juliette Sebock:
‘This quarterly theme is one that holds a special place in my heart. Poetry is where I got my own start in the literary world (feel free to check out Mistakes Were Made at your favourite bookseller for a trip in that Delorean). Poetry is the form I turn to when life is at its darkest and at its brightest.’
I was delighted when Eli Horan, EIC of Animal Press invited me to be the inaugural guest editor for Feral: a Journal of Poetry and Art. I have known the Animal Heart Press family since I was published in their 'From the Ashes: An International Anthology of Womxn’s Poetry back in 2019'. Since then, I have seen them grow with the birth of Femme Salve Books, and of course Feral: A Journal of Poetry and Art, with interest and affection.
I’m delighted that I have recently started working with Nightingale & Sparrow, an online magazine and print publisher, as a Poetry Editor and now appear on their masthead. The multi-talented Juliette Sebock has been incredibly welcoming, and I have already had the opportunity to review some very fine pieces with the global team.
Nightingale and Sparrow’s Issue VI – Melody is now ready to order for doorstep delivery or to read online. It was such a joy reading for this issue, although a somewhat illusive brief, we were spoilt for choice with 90 poetry submissions.
Nightingale and Sparrow’s Issue VII – Schoolhouse is now ready to order for doorstep delivery or to read online. Gorgeous cover to this cathartic issue. Extract from Juliette’s introduction: