Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Poets Take a Swipe at Hallmark
Award winning poets Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball have teamed up to produce a book of love poetry which is anything but syrupy. The poems explore love from a variety of angles, and offers mature, deep, reflective sentiment for those who want to say something a little richer, a little deeper than simply "I love you."
According to Joyce Mishaan, Associated Content Producer, "It’s a rough world and it’s easy to look around and feel that love is nothing more than a hopeless cliché." Cherished Pulse moves beyond those clichés, and explores real love -- the kind of love that may take many years to build. No pussyfooting. No excuses. It's a sensual, beautiful book which can be read again and again.
Of the collection, Howard-Johnson, author of This is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, and a poetry collection Tracings, says : "I think there is a market for stuff that doesn't look and feel like Hallmark. I can never find a Hallmark that reads what I'd like to say."
The chapbook is a miracle made possible by the net; the two poets hail from different continents, Ball from Australia and Howard-Johnson from California, USA.
Cherished Pulse, a book of unconventional love poetry, is offered as an e-book, and costs less than a single paper card. It may be printed, and can be combined with a rose or a piece of jewelry for a superb gift.
Magdalena Ball is the author of the poetry collection Quark Soup and her novel Sleep Before Evening is due for publication early in 2007.
Cherished Pulse also has original paintings by artist Vicki Thomas. For more information on Cherished Pulse, visit http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/cherishedpulse.htmor contact maggieball@compulsivereader.com
Learn more about Ball at http://www.compulsivereader.com/
Find information on Howard-Johnson at http://carolynhoward-johnson.com and on Thomas at http://www.vickithomasartist.com/
According to Joyce Mishaan, Associated Content Producer, "It’s a rough world and it’s easy to look around and feel that love is nothing more than a hopeless cliché." Cherished Pulse moves beyond those clichés, and explores real love -- the kind of love that may take many years to build. No pussyfooting. No excuses. It's a sensual, beautiful book which can be read again and again.
Of the collection, Howard-Johnson, author of This is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, and a poetry collection Tracings, says : "I think there is a market for stuff that doesn't look and feel like Hallmark. I can never find a Hallmark that reads what I'd like to say."
The chapbook is a miracle made possible by the net; the two poets hail from different continents, Ball from Australia and Howard-Johnson from California, USA.
Cherished Pulse, a book of unconventional love poetry, is offered as an e-book, and costs less than a single paper card. It may be printed, and can be combined with a rose or a piece of jewelry for a superb gift.
Magdalena Ball is the author of the poetry collection Quark Soup and her novel Sleep Before Evening is due for publication early in 2007.
Cherished Pulse also has original paintings by artist Vicki Thomas. For more information on Cherished Pulse, visit http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/cherishedpulse.htmor contact maggieball@compulsivereader.com
Learn more about Ball at http://www.compulsivereader.com/
Find information on Howard-Johnson at http://carolynhoward-johnson.com and on Thomas at http://www.vickithomasartist.com/
Sunday, November 26, 2006
National Centre a Major Boost for Australian Poetry
Australia is set to get its first national poetry centre thanks to the support of Australian copyright management company, Copyright Agency Limited (CAL).
CAL is providing an initial sum of $140,800 to assist the Poetry Australia Foundation in establishing the Australian Poetry Centre at historic Glenfern, East St Kilda.
CAL is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation, whose role is to provide a bridge between creators and users of copyright material.
"For the first time, poetry will have a fully professional organisation, enabling it to take its rightful place among the major art forms," said Ron Pretty AM, Director, Poetry Australia Foundation.
"You only need to look at the popularity of poetry readings, writing courses and competitions to see just how big poetry is in Australia."
"The interest and energy in Australian poetry is there. What the Australian Poetry Centre will do is focus and co-ordinate that energy to further stimulate the growth of, and interest in, Australian poetry here and overseas."
The centre will coordinate a series of programs including organising tours, workshops and promotional activities for Australian poetry, and forging links with overseas poetry organisations and other writing organisations within Australia. The centre will also work to improve the teaching of poetry in schools and tertiary institutions and assist in the publication of Australian poetry by developing a national system of distribution.
CAL Chair Brian Johns says the centre will pay particular attention to the needs of poetry organisations in regional areas throughout Australia.
"This will be a national centre, built to serve the interests of all established and budding Australian poets - from the bush to the urban poet," said Brian Johns.
A Director will be appointed to run the centre with the assistance of a Board of Management headed by leading Australian poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe in early 2007.
Courtesy of the Poetry Australia Foundation website <http://www.poetryaustraliafoundation.org.au/index.html>.
CAL is providing an initial sum of $140,800 to assist the Poetry Australia Foundation in establishing the Australian Poetry Centre at historic Glenfern, East St Kilda.
CAL is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation, whose role is to provide a bridge between creators and users of copyright material.
"For the first time, poetry will have a fully professional organisation, enabling it to take its rightful place among the major art forms," said Ron Pretty AM, Director, Poetry Australia Foundation.
"You only need to look at the popularity of poetry readings, writing courses and competitions to see just how big poetry is in Australia."
"The interest and energy in Australian poetry is there. What the Australian Poetry Centre will do is focus and co-ordinate that energy to further stimulate the growth of, and interest in, Australian poetry here and overseas."
The centre will coordinate a series of programs including organising tours, workshops and promotional activities for Australian poetry, and forging links with overseas poetry organisations and other writing organisations within Australia. The centre will also work to improve the teaching of poetry in schools and tertiary institutions and assist in the publication of Australian poetry by developing a national system of distribution.
CAL Chair Brian Johns says the centre will pay particular attention to the needs of poetry organisations in regional areas throughout Australia.
"This will be a national centre, built to serve the interests of all established and budding Australian poets - from the bush to the urban poet," said Brian Johns.
A Director will be appointed to run the centre with the assistance of a Board of Management headed by leading Australian poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe in early 2007.
Courtesy of the Poetry Australia Foundation website <http://www.poetryaustraliafoundation.org.au/index.html>.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Poetry Reading
Laurie Duggan Poetry reading
6 December 2006 6:30 pm-7:30 pm
MCAS - Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, The Australia Centre, Cnr Strand & Melbourne Place, London WC2B 4LG
Web site: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/humanities/menzies/events/seminars.html#Dec
Contact: Dr Catherine Kevin Tel 44 (0) 20 7557 7161 - Catherine.Kevin@kcl.ac.uk
6 December 2006 6:30 pm-7:30 pm
MCAS - Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, The Australia Centre, Cnr Strand & Melbourne Place, London WC2B 4LG
Web site: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/humanities/menzies/events/seminars.html#Dec
Contact: Dr Catherine Kevin Tel 44 (0) 20 7557 7161 - Catherine.Kevin@kcl.ac.uk
A Poetry Launch
You are invited to join us to celebrate the launch of the PostPressed Spring 2006 poetry list
Friday 24 November 2006
6.30 for 7pm
Red Chamber Parliament House
Cnr George and Alice Streets Brisbane
Tim Collins Along the Lip's Edge
'Collins has considerable descriptive powers and an originality of viewpoint not unlike some of the English Martian poets Š a striking denseness of imagery and ingenuity of observation Š' Geoff Page
Liz Hall-Downs My Arthritic Heart
'A good part of this collection is about the poets' struggle with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis that when coupled with poverty and inhumanity is a hard call.' Coral Hull
John Knight big man catching a small wave
'This is a tender collection of graceful haiku ever hopeful in their sadness and their joy'
Jeff Harpeng
Willie Bach Picking mangoes that are still green'
'Willy 'speaks from the wound' - he writes very angry, passionate lines that he hopes will make us all stop and consider the full implications of war.' Drew Hutton will read a selection of poetry from the book
Wendy Morgan Tiding Us Over
'The intellectual and the physical worlds interleave in a satisfying way: ideas and images ripple across each other and take on new forms.' Susan Hampton
and
Cathouse Creek
roots-blues-mountain music
Kim Downs - guitar & vocals
Liz Hall-Downs - vocals and bush bass
Gary Nunn - piano accordion and vocals
wine, nibbles, tea and coffee RSVP 3254 2056
(Courtesy Queensland Writing <http://queenslandwriting.blogspot.com/>
Friday 24 November 2006
6.30 for 7pm
Red Chamber Parliament House
Cnr George and Alice Streets Brisbane
Tim Collins Along the Lip's Edge
'Collins has considerable descriptive powers and an originality of viewpoint not unlike some of the English Martian poets Š a striking denseness of imagery and ingenuity of observation Š' Geoff Page
Liz Hall-Downs My Arthritic Heart
'A good part of this collection is about the poets' struggle with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis that when coupled with poverty and inhumanity is a hard call.' Coral Hull
John Knight big man catching a small wave
'This is a tender collection of graceful haiku ever hopeful in their sadness and their joy'
Jeff Harpeng
Willie Bach Picking mangoes that are still green'
'Willy 'speaks from the wound' - he writes very angry, passionate lines that he hopes will make us all stop and consider the full implications of war.' Drew Hutton will read a selection of poetry from the book
Wendy Morgan Tiding Us Over
'The intellectual and the physical worlds interleave in a satisfying way: ideas and images ripple across each other and take on new forms.' Susan Hampton
and
Cathouse Creek
roots-blues-mountain music
Kim Downs - guitar & vocals
Liz Hall-Downs - vocals and bush bass
Gary Nunn - piano accordion and vocals
wine, nibbles, tea and coffee RSVP 3254 2056
(Courtesy Queensland Writing <http://queenslandwriting.blogspot.com/>
