news blog

On Tuesday 8 October, 7.30pm I will be talking poetry, place and publishing as part of Rhiwbeina Hyb's Author Series. Tickets are available here on or the night. 

In exciting news, Karen Pierce Gonzalez's and my hybrid micro pamphlet has won Hedgehog Press' Little Black Book competition. Publication due in Autumn this year.  Karen and I had great fun collaborating on this 4 poem and 4 collage micro pamphlet. Titled 'City Companions' the work isn't ekphratic but companion pieces, exploring 4 City districts.

We have started receiving some wonderful testimonials, and will have a launch date very soon. Thanks to Mark at Hedgehog Press, and of course Karen, who is a very accomplished poet, as well at artist, more on her work can be found here:  https://karenpiercegonzalez.blogspot.com/.

We were joint winners, on this final round of LLB with Carmella de Keyser. Congrats to Carmella @carmellapoetry.

More details soon!

The Broken Spine new Coffeehouse podcast episode 2 is now live, and my poem 'first date, again' in included, alongside 9 other fabulous poets. Alan Parry expertly hosts and reads the poems, which can be heard here. The Broken Spine Coffeehouse Podcast.

I'm really pleased have a Byron inspired poem 'This forest, a confidant' in a new online poetry collection. The poem focuses on themes within Byron’s poetry of confession, rebellion, nature and the pursuit of freedom. The last couplet references his enduring love of correspondence. Read it here.

From Gothic Keats Press:

Two hundred years ago today, 16 July 1824, the one and only Lord Byron was buried in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. We are remembering him today by publishing a collection of poetry in his honour. Read these beautiful and wonderfully Byronic poems here.

Delighted to have made it to the longlist for the Outspoken Press Emerging Poets Scheme 24-25, many thanks to Anthony Anaxagorou and Sandeep Parmar. It's a year long scheme with two writers from 'The North' and two others. Best of luck to the recipients.

Fabulous poetry weekend in Wales. 

Lake swimming and writing near Builth Wells, and the epic Black Bough Poetry Party in Neath.

I've started a new notebook, for a new project, centered around my practice as an architect, which is VERY EXCITING as well.

Its been a very busy month attending works shops and book launches for talented friends!  

Taz Rahman and Zoe Brigley from Seren held a joint night at Tiger Bay Poetry in Cardiff Bay, reading from their most recent collections and holding an interview section which I always enjoy.

Jonathan Edwards was feature poet at the 100th Murenger poetry night in Newport, hosted by the unmatchable Alan Roderick.

As part of #These3Streams Festival the lovely Mab Jones held her 'bog witch' book launch, which is a prose collection about wetlands, witchcraft and memoir, which was fantastic. Followed by a very calming writing workshop by the wonderful Clare Potter at a nearby church. 

And Jen Feroze launch of 'Tiny Bright Thorns' from Nine Pens with Mary Ford Neal guest reading,

I was asked to contribute a reading to Damien B Donnelly's fabulous 'Eat the Storms' podcast, for the last episode of Season 8, which was an interview with Black Bough's Matthew MC Smith. Ten poets previous published by Black Bough - either in the Deep Time Series, Christmas & winter, Freedom Rapture or other issues contributed a poem.

I read 'Precious' from Deep Time, which was Pushcart nominated.  I most recently worked with Black Bough as their guest editor for the 'In flight' edition in Spring 2024. I was also a 'Silver branch' feature writer in 2022. 

This episode, and all others available here: Eat the Storms. I recommend a listen!

Its a bit of a way off yet, but really pleased to be on Cardiff Library Service authors talk programme this year, with a poetry talk and reading in early October, at my nearest library Rhiwbeina Hyb. 

More details to follow.

Wonderful evening at the online launch of Black Bough's 'In flight' edition, which I guest edited.  It was lovely to host over 30 poets who read their poems from the anthology and the open as mic as well.  I shared the selection process, talked emerging themes, companion artwork, flight, and poetry in the time of global conflict.  

Thanks to Matthew MC Smith for arranging and intro-ing. 

The Spring '24 edition 'In flight' from Black Bough is now ready for print. It has been a pleasure picking the poems and guest editing this edition, the call out was via #toptweettuesday, and Black Bough online open mic events, mid last year.

The title of the anthology came from the cover artist Emma Connolly and the series the cover image was chosen from.

'Guest edited by Welsh writer Marcelle Newbold, featuring illustrations by Emma Connolly and poems by Gillian Clarke, Mark Antony Owen, Sarah Connor and Saraswati Nagpal, and a whole host of stellar talents, Black Bough Poetry's imagist poetry edition 'In flight' features stunningly nuanced, vivid poems.'

'In flight' will be released on Sunday 14th April via Amazon. 

Folk Heart Press, are running a series of Ekphrastic poems, related to folk art. My poem 'small requests' features in Folk Art 3 alongside two other poets. The image was a blue painted, half glazed door decorated with flowers. 

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. 

Over the past couple of months I have been working on editing a competition anthology for the Society, which includes background to the prize, judges comments and of course the winning, highly commended and longlist poems. Cover illustration by the talented Lowri Bowden. The anthology is pocket size and available to purchase from cambrian-mountains.co.uk.

It was a lovely afternoon, and wonderful to hear poems in English and Welsh, and lively discussion about poetry in Wales. 

Cardiff Writers' Circle have asked me to adjudicate and host their 2024 Poetry Competition. Following a 'hint and tips' session for poetry competitions that I ran for members, closing date for entries is 12 February, with an in person prize giving 11 March. 

I'm excited to read the entries, and looking forward to a fun evening in March. This prize is possible due to the support of Literature Wales.

Exciting news, I have placed 'Highly commended' in the Cambrian Mountains Society's poetry competition, with my poem 'Day trip to the Mountains', about visiting my father. The mountains: the Beacons, Eryri and surrounds, and elsewhere were all special places to him, from his scout days onwards.

Looking forward to attending the price giving on 2 March - and a day trip to the mountains.

Delighted to have a poem 'After dinner' in the Black Bough Christmas Winter edition. Once again its a gorgeous print edition, with illustrations from Emma Bissonnet.

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.

Issue Seven of the online Propel magazine, conceived by Anthony Anaxagorou is out now. Link here. Each issue is guest edited, my poem 'radiator bleed key' was selected by Pascal Petit for Issue Seven. I have been a long term fan of Pascal's work, and am very grateful to be one of 20 poems within this issue. Pascals introduction is here, extract below:

'The trawl through the thousands of poems from almost four hundred entries took weeks. I read slowly, hoping not to miss a stunner, alert to new ways of making a poem. If there was any doubt in my mind I stopped and read it again as open-mindedly and attentively as I could.... I had to go by instinct – when I reread, if a poem gave me a pleasurable feeling of recognition, I sensed that here was something special. I’d switch into learning mode. What new world is this writer creating? Why does the imagery and tone feel like a good friend? Even if that friend is having a hard time, I wanted their company.

My twenty selections are an eclectic bunch and I admire them all. There are three long poems interspersed by one-pagers and shorts. Very short poems are hard to write well – I admit I was on the lookout for these, and was amply rewarded.'

Wonderful writing weekend away at St Davids, West Wales. Swam in the sea everyday, despite the drizzle, and walked the coastal path from St Non’s Well. 

Workshops facilitated by the generous Claire Syder, fantastic company too.

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. 

The edition will include an invited guest poet, and also poems from Black Bough's open mic attendees, launch date early Spring 2024.  

The talented Emma Connolly, a Cardiff based artist, will be providing the cover art, and the title of the edition, which I can't wait to share.

A joyous evening last night at Clwb Y Bont in Pontypridd - a mixture of poetry and music, and a few local ciders - including an impromptu collaboration between Ben on guitar, and Pete on his harmonica.  

Thanks to Sion Tomos Owen, Mike Jenkins, Pete Akinwunmi, Nick McGaughey, Mary Kaye, Ben Wildsmith & Rob Cullen who also performed, and Rob who hosted 'Voices on the Bridge'. I did a 15 minutes set including a couple of new poems about everyday objects, the poem 'Returning' which was illustrated for the 'Walking Home' anthology, and of course a couple of losing Dad poems.  

Thanks to Susie for the photos.

The super poet Karen Pierce Gonzalez from Folk Heart Press has invited me to be the featured poet a North Bay Poetics online session, talking about prose poetry, process, and I'll be reading a few poems too.  There is an open mic section and two fellow Welsh poets will be joining, Lesley James @feetpetite, and Kath Hill. Really looking forward to it. 

Voices on the Bridge, run by Rob Cullen will be hosting a poetry night at Clwb y Bont in Pontypridd, on Thursday 20th July starting at 8pm.

I'll be reading alongside Mike Jenkins, Pete Akinwunmi, Sion Tomos Owen, Nick McGaughey, Mary Kaye, Leigh Manley, Ben Wildsmith & Rob Cullen.

Hope to see you there.

A new poetry night has started in Cardiff Bay 'Tiger Bay Poetry' at the Casablanca Cafe in Mount Stuart Square, hosted by Natasha Gauthier. The inaugural night featured Taz Rahman, Wendy Allen and Gareth Writer-Davies. It was a wonderful evening and I read  a couple of poems at the open mic - including a mother / kraken reflection.

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A great day in Swansea for Matthew M. C. Smith's, editor at Black Bough Poetry, book launch in the local tap room. 'The Keeper of Aeons' is published by The Broken Spine.  Matt read and introduced his new collection, and the open mic included Lauren Thomas, Ivor Daniel, myself and Polly Oliver among others, as well as Matt Gilbert, whose latest collection 'Street Sailing' is published by Black Bough.

So much fun to meet online poetry friends 'in real life', and hear them read. 

I read a couple of my poems from the Ty Newydd writing retreat a couple of months ago, themed around inheritance, and mermaids! 

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I’ve just completed a commission for a poem for a wedding. A gift from the sister of the groom. What a joyous time I’ve had researching pottery and floristry (their passions) and their personalities & bond. A privilege, wonderful !

In a couple of weeks time, on Wednesday 14 June, starting at 7.30pm I will be headlining at the regular Murenger Poetry Night, in Newport. Hosted in a 19th Century pub, my 2x 20 minute sets will be followed by Open Mic sessions - sign ups available on the night. Its always a relaxed, friendly, poetry filled night. Thanks to Alan Roderick for the invite.

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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.

Exciting news today. I have been accepted on the Spring Masterclass 2023 at Ty Newydd Writing Centre, run by Literature Wales. This year the class is hosted by Gillian Clarke and Carol Ann Duffy (2 previous poet laureates). One of twelve poets, I will be taking part in the week long residential, at the end of May. Time to stock up on new notepads!