Back in 2021 I launched my debut poetry book, the other body, and I’m delighted that the launch is now available to relive and enjoy on YouTube.
It’s always nerve-wracking launching a book, and given the Covid-19 pandemic things were even stranger. We decided to launch online and to my surprise it really worked. Somehow Luke and Sarah at Guillemot Press managed to make the event feel intimate and creative, even though it was on Zoom! Big thanks to them both, as well as my co-launchers Petals and Clarissa, and the live audience who made it such a fun event to be a part of. I had some beautiful questions to answer from the audience and it was a pleasure to present my work in this way.
You can watch the event below or here – I hope you enjoy!
I wrote the book over the course of several years from about 2015. In it I explore ecology and how we as humans relate to different beings, including compost heaps, snails and slime moulds, to name just a few. At the heart of the book is the titular sequence of short, playful lyrics, although during the event I also enjoyed reading a couple of the longer single poems, including a real tongue-twister.
Over the past nine months it has been really exciting to see readers engage with my work in book form for the first time. The launch event was definitely one of my favourite readings I’ve ever done – though it won’t be the last!
I hope you enjoy the video of me reading of some of the poems. the other body is available for purchase via Guillemot Press. If you’d prefer a signed copy, I have a few copies left so please contact me to let me know you’d like one. I can ship anywhere in the world. And stay tuned for my online store coming soon, where you can purchase my work and resources for writers… watch this space!
Flo Reynolds 