Enjoying The Nightwork
Seeking tranquility today and to get myself in the right frame of mind for The Nightwork pamphlet launch this evening. After running through what I had intended to read, I felt the Kenny pipes rasping somewhat as my throat has been sore for a few days. I drank loads of water, however, and this seemed to do the trick and it was much improved by the evening, and Beth suggested emergency remedies of steam baths etc. if it got serious.
Like the literary Titan I am, I spent my afternoon waiting for a small roofer, who arrived late and sporting many tattoos of boxers and a humorous hinge in the crease of his arm. Making a meal of the work, he clambered about on the roof and hammered at the lead flashing and did other apparently helpful things 'for nothing'. These he described in tiresome detail. He relieved me of a decent chunk of cash, but did not receive the tip he also requested. Worse, he garbled and looked at his son when he was talking to me so I could only undersand part of what he was going on about anyway. This business Porlocked the afternoon and put me in a poor mood. Luckily I had Beth and John there so I could vent a bit.
Lorraine home a little after five, and we strolled up the hill to and caught a train to Lewes for the Telltale press launch this evening. (A night on the tiles?) Arrived at The Hive and Robin and her husband Nick, Lorraine and I faffed about moving chairs, and getting the room ready.
Very happy with how things went. The room was full and I was delighted that Mark, Carol, Melissa and her boyf Henry were able to come, Mark and Carol forgoing their usual Wednesday evening Tango session. Also Antony Mair came from Hastings too.
Robin set up the evening with an introduction to Telltale, then I read for 15 minutes or so. Although a wee bit rusty, I soon got into it, and felt that I had done well enough. Apart from a newish poem Chrononaut, I read exclusively from the pamphlet. Many of these poems I had not read publicly before but none of them failed in performance. What helped was how attentive and supportive the audience was. I then introduced the excellent Catherine Smith, who I'd just met, but had learned more about on the internet. She had a lovely way of reading and her poems were very well received.
A bit of a break then, for an opportunity to buy poetry (the pamphlets sold well to our captive audience) and to sip some bubbly. Then Robin read confidently, and her poetry is excellent. I wrapped up the inaugural Telltale press evening by thanking everyone and suggested we all repair to the Lewes Arms.
Then to the pub where one of our audience, Stephen Bone, whose pamphlet is out soon, had bought us bottles of bubbly to celebrate. Chatted to Charlotte and Stephen and many others in what was a hugely enjoyable hour or so of altogethery spirit, Robin and I mightily relieved that the evening had gone off so well. An opportunity to talk to lots of poets there too, as Lewes is a hotbed of writers. Good to get to know Catherine better too, as she is part of the Telltale team. This business with Robin is turning out excellently, and seems in some ways to have come from nowhere. But it is interesting when you meet people with can-do attitudes, how together you can make great strides.
Down the hill to the station, then home on the train with my lovely wife, who had help, organised, supported and was generally the tops. I do have to congratulate myself for my own brilliance every now and then for marrying Lorraine.
Having only eaten a banana since lunch, I bought a small Ace Pizza. However, not only are we going to move away from its magnetic field soon, but they have ludicrously hiked their prices so this may be the last Ace Pizza I ever eat.
And so to bed, after a great evening.
Below Lorraine took some iPhone snaps of me while I was at it. Sporting a Richard FlemingTM white shirt. The reading was filmed, so perhaps some of it will appear on the internet soon.
Like the literary Titan I am, I spent my afternoon waiting for a small roofer, who arrived late and sporting many tattoos of boxers and a humorous hinge in the crease of his arm. Making a meal of the work, he clambered about on the roof and hammered at the lead flashing and did other apparently helpful things 'for nothing'. These he described in tiresome detail. He relieved me of a decent chunk of cash, but did not receive the tip he also requested. Worse, he garbled and looked at his son when he was talking to me so I could only undersand part of what he was going on about anyway. This business Porlocked the afternoon and put me in a poor mood. Luckily I had Beth and John there so I could vent a bit.
Lorraine home a little after five, and we strolled up the hill to and caught a train to Lewes for the Telltale press launch this evening. (A night on the tiles?) Arrived at The Hive and Robin and her husband Nick, Lorraine and I faffed about moving chairs, and getting the room ready.
Very happy with how things went. The room was full and I was delighted that Mark, Carol, Melissa and her boyf Henry were able to come, Mark and Carol forgoing their usual Wednesday evening Tango session. Also Antony Mair came from Hastings too.
Robin set up the evening with an introduction to Telltale, then I read for 15 minutes or so. Although a wee bit rusty, I soon got into it, and felt that I had done well enough. Apart from a newish poem Chrononaut, I read exclusively from the pamphlet. Many of these poems I had not read publicly before but none of them failed in performance. What helped was how attentive and supportive the audience was. I then introduced the excellent Catherine Smith, who I'd just met, but had learned more about on the internet. She had a lovely way of reading and her poems were very well received.
A bit of a break then, for an opportunity to buy poetry (the pamphlets sold well to our captive audience) and to sip some bubbly. Then Robin read confidently, and her poetry is excellent. I wrapped up the inaugural Telltale press evening by thanking everyone and suggested we all repair to the Lewes Arms.
Then to the pub where one of our audience, Stephen Bone, whose pamphlet is out soon, had bought us bottles of bubbly to celebrate. Chatted to Charlotte and Stephen and many others in what was a hugely enjoyable hour or so of altogethery spirit, Robin and I mightily relieved that the evening had gone off so well. An opportunity to talk to lots of poets there too, as Lewes is a hotbed of writers. Good to get to know Catherine better too, as she is part of the Telltale team. This business with Robin is turning out excellently, and seems in some ways to have come from nowhere. But it is interesting when you meet people with can-do attitudes, how together you can make great strides.
Down the hill to the station, then home on the train with my lovely wife, who had help, organised, supported and was generally the tops. I do have to congratulate myself for my own brilliance every now and then for marrying Lorraine.
Having only eaten a banana since lunch, I bought a small Ace Pizza. However, not only are we going to move away from its magnetic field soon, but they have ludicrously hiked their prices so this may be the last Ace Pizza I ever eat.
And so to bed, after a great evening.
Below Lorraine took some iPhone snaps of me while I was at it. Sporting a Richard FlemingTM white shirt. The reading was filmed, so perhaps some of it will appear on the internet soon.
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