Lively send off for summer

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New faces and old, so to speak, made for a lively Saturday evening at Verbalise, the Brewery Arts Centre's spoken word evening in the Warehouse Gallery. The event was compered by multi-talented organiser, Ann Wilson (whose imaginative poetry book, Straight Bananas, has raised hundreds of pounds for Multiple Sclerosis). Ann, who has considerable experience keeping authors under control, this evening welcomed writers:

Harriet Fraser, Kate Davis, Mark Trepte, Jonathan Humble, Gavin Wilshaw, John Scott, Luke Brown, Matthew Watley and Bob Fahey. I was there, too, in case you hadn't guessed.

I read a short chapter (Red Fox) from my novel TERMINAL FIVE. It was the chapter where main character, Josi Devlin, conspires with colleague, Caitlin, to spike her sexist boss's drink at the firm's fancy dress Christmas party.

Performances which stuck in my mind came from Matthew Watley whose raunchy contributions should have come with ear covers; and from Bob Fahey who read from his three books: The Gardens of Ailana, Entertaining Naked People and The Mourning After. John Scott and Luke Brown, great short story writers, kept everyone riveted with their original offerings, while Harriet Fraser waxed lyrical about 'meadows' and Mark Trepte encouraged audience participation to 'help him out' with the nondescript chorus of his song.

No more Verbalise until September.