Entrance to The Hurst This year I was unable to spend time in Iona on Roselle Angwin's Writing Retreat. I've written elsewhere about the benefits of spending time away from home in the company of other poets and on the beautiful island Iona. The repair to my elbow...

Rest, relaxation and recovery. A few days ago I spent time with my husband walking and relaxing in Derbyshire. We'd cancelled a weekend away in March because I'd broken my elbow and after 3 months I was looking forward rediscovering favourite walks. Previously we've...

Unusually for me in January 2023 I decided to make specific targets with my writing. 1. Submit Making Good to an agent or publisher  2. Find ways of promoting A Time for Peace (published in 2016) 3. Complete 1st draft a a new novel, Kaleidoscope. With that in mind I...

Heart After Dorianne Laux  Heart rattles rolls into long grass under an apple tree Heart thumps bang bang bang slips slippery as a cucumber Heart is not/cannot/not even when it snows Heart is dark darker bright brighter brightening light Heart switches on switches off...

                A Gentle Childhood  My mother stands at the kitchen sink. She smells of bubbles, of rainbows, of hot hot water. I pick up the puppy’s red ball and roll it to the door of the garden. ‘Don’t…’ she begins. In the...

Unexpected  Maud opened the front door. Billy was mowing the lawn.   She carefully lifted her rollaton walker over the step. Behind her   Radio 4. News at One. Headlines over. In her tracksuit pocket:- her purse   credit card, out-of-date driving...