Reading projects
Adventures in reading newsletter
I write a monthly essay taking in reading, libraries, and the many joys and curiosities of books. Find the archive and subscribe here, and follow my Adventures in Reading.
National Centre for Writing Book Club
In 2020 I started the NCW Book Club. Open to all, the Book Club is a chance to meet at the National Centre for Writing over tea and biscuits to discuss some of the best works in contemporary literature. We explore short stories, novels, non-fiction, poetry, and works in translation, making these informal and friendly sessions the perfect way to meet like-minded readers and to discover exciting new reads. We’ll always choose books that are easy to find in the library and bookshops. Our list of books to date is as follows:
- February 2020: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori (Granta, 2018).
- May 2020: A Line Made by Walking by Sara Baume (Heinemann, 2017). You can book your place here and join the discussion.
Breaking News reading group
Breaking News is a supportive current affairs reading group in which we meet to break out of our bubbles and overcome news fatigue in a friendly and inclusive environment and with a spirit of shared curiosity. At each meeting, we explore a range of viewpoints and sources to empower us as active readers and citizens.
I started Breaking News out of a feeling that the prevailing media discourse didn’t represent the way I wanted to engage in current affairs. I wanted a respectful but inquisitive environment to share the experience of staying up to date with the news in an empowering, communal way. The purpose of Breaking News has always been to get outside of ‘the bubble’, and encounter other viewpoints with curiosity, rather than the knee-jerk retreats into entrenched positions that can leave us feeling divided, disempowered and overwhelmed.
All are welcome and you can find out more about the next event by emailing breakingnewsnorwich [at] gmail [dot] com.
Visual arts
My visual art focuses on the book form and site-specific intervention, integrating textiles, collage and use of natural materials. I love to mix visual and textual forms and making books is the perfect medium in which to explore this. I continue to explore photography and sound to document my work.
My book art has been exhibited in joint exhibitions at Norwich Millennium Library and Farnham Maltings. My textiles have been displayed as part of group exhibitions at the Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch, and others.
I had the very great pleasure of studying fibre preparation, hand-spinning and -weaving with the late Carole Keats at Willow Close Studio, Hampshire.
Publishing
Between the years 2012-2014 I founded and edited Kumquat Poetry webzine. In 2013 the wonderful poet Megan Pattie joined me as co-editor, until the zine had to close in 2014. You can see the Kumquat archive still – we published so many wonderful poets, and these poems still absolutely deserve to be read.
Here you can find Megan Pattie’s website.
Collaboration
Collaboration is really important to my work. In the past I’ve worked on collaborative projects in poetry, publishing, events, and more.
If you’d like to collaborate or work with me on a project, please contact me here or on Twitter.
