Bradford on Avon’s reading series, Words & Ears continues to offer a popular combination of open mic and strong guest poets, this month featuring Charles Lauder Jr and Jennifer McGowan, plus, for the first time, a guest MC.
The event, on Thursday March 30th, will be hosted by poet Stephen Payne, whose latest collection Pattern Beyond Chance from HappenStance Press has been enthusiastically received by reviewers (see, for instance, Alison Hill’s review in Booksmoke, here http://booksmoke.co.uk/pattern-beyond-chance-by-stephen-payne/?doing_wp_cron=1488540100.6855869293212890625000 ).
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The two guest poets will offer an interesting mix of voices. Charles G Lauder Jr was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and has lived in the UK since 2000. His poems have appeared internationally and his pamphlet Bleeds was published in 2012 by Crystal Clear Creators. More recently he was highly commended in the 2015 Poetry Society Stanza Competition. He is the assistant editor of The Interpreter’s House, and his pamphlet Camouflaged Beasts will be published by Black Light Engine Room in 2017.
Jennifer A. McGowan obtained her MA and PhD from the University of Wales. Despite being certified as disabled at age 16 with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, she has published poetry and prose in many magazines and anthologies on both sides of the Atlantic, including Pank and The Rialto. She won the Geoff Stevens Memorial Prize 2014, which led to her first full collection, The Weight of Coming Home, being published by Indigo Dreams. She has also been commended in the YorkMix poetry competition and Highly Commended in the prestigious Torbay Poetry Competition and the Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition amongst others. Life in Captivity and Sounding, her pamphlets, are available through Finishing Line Press. Her website, with more poetry and examples of her mediaeval calligraphy, can be found at http://www.jenniferamcgowan.com
The event will also feature open mic contributions from Paris Lit Up, a group of writers, musicians, artists and performers from Paris, currently on tour in the UK. And of course the open mic is just that – open – for poems from anyone on the night, with no need to book. Come and join us with a poem to share, or simply bring yourself to listen.
Entry: £3 on the door.
Time: 7.30pm – 10pm
Place: The Coach House, The Swan, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire BA15 1LN. Free parking.