NB: there will be no meeting in December 2011
Thursday 24 November
Marian Eason
Marian Eason was born in Birmingham in 1950 and came to live on a farm in Gloucestershire at the age of one.
Her book, The Deaf Doctor, depicts the 15 years following the Second World War and chronicles the life and times of her father, the deaf doctor of the title. It looks at his war service as a doctor, some of it spent in the Far East, as well as his early career as a farmer.
Seen through the eyes of a small girl living on a remote Cotswold hill farm it is an elegy for a lost era and a social comment on the tough times endured by people who were damaged by the upheavals caused by the war.
Thursday 27 October
Inspired by art?
Dr Tulp Demonstrating the Anatomy of the Arm
- a painting by Rembrandt
How ridiculous!
It was never meant to end this way.
I was caught – yes
convicted – yes
imprisoned – again yes.
But the execution was a bit harsh.
Still - you do the crime etcetera.
It’s this bit I really object to,
lying here,
naked,
surrounded by weirdoes.
Not to mention Dr Tulip,
shivering with desire,
using a knife.
Something a little different this month.
Taking inspiration from the Cheltenham Literature Festival, New Brewery Arts has invited us to step into the world of people who take inspiration from something as simple as the alphabet and individual words or from the depth of feeling expressed in poetry and literature.
We will have the opportunity to view the art works on show in the Only Words exhibition in the company of one of the artists and to discover how literature, poetry, arts and crafts influence each other.
You are encouraged to bring in any poetry or prose you have written inspired by a work of art or craft to read for the usual open mic session.
Thursday 29 September
Cristina Newton
Spanish-born Cristina (Navazo-Eguía) Newton first published two full-length collections, La Frontera and Rutas de Largo Recorrido, in her native language, with work also included in five anthologies.
She now lives in Britain, where she is learning her second poetic language. Some of her English poems have appeared in journals and found a place on the shortlists and longlists of Strokestown, Bridport and Aesthetica.
Recently she organised the Battered Moon Poetry Competition linked to the Swindon Literature Festival. She is involved in adult education, community radio, flamenco singing and raising her three very lively children.
Thursday 28 July 2011
Midsummer Madness - Party in the theatre
7-10pm
£5 entry
Poetry and prose, raffle prizes and lucky dip
Music from special guest - Keith Thompson
Keith is a professional musician with may years of performing experience. He recently appeared at the prestigious Postonja Blues Festival with Ten Years After and Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes; in Poland alongside Jeremy Spencer (Fleetwood Mac) and at festivals in Lancashire, Swanage, Banbury Upton and the Gloucester Blues Festival. His guitar work can be heard on several albums and as incidental music on television. He recently recorded an album of acoustic roots material, "Steel Strings and Bruised Reed".
See the photos on our Midsummer Madness page.
30 June
Tricia Wastvedt
Tricia Wastvedt is a novelist and freelance editor. She teaches creative writing at Bath SpaUniversity, and her first novel, 'The River', was long-listed for the Orange Prize.
Her second novel, 'The German Boy', is published by Penguin this year.
Orphaned by the war and traumatised by the last vicious battles of the Hitler Youth, Stefan brings with him to England only a few meagre possessions. Among them is a portrait of a girl with long copper hair by a young painter called Michael Ross - and with it comes the memory of her life between the wars, a time both painful and precious.
Spanning decades and generations, 'The German Boy' tells the moving story of two families entangled by love and friendship, divided by prejudice and war, and a brief encounter between a woman and a man that touched each of their lives forever.
26 May
Jarek Adams
Jarek Adams was born and raised in South Wales and started her professional career as an actress, but the writing bug was always in her and eventually drew her towards playwriting.
Fate took her along the path of writing science theatre for primary schools, but inside she yearned to write for adults.
After moving to Gloucester about ten years ago, she and her husband (writer Andrew Thorn) both decided to start working on novels.
‘Bitter Roots' is Jarek’s second novel, and is a dark, modern Gothic story set on Corfu. It is currently available as an ebook on Amazon, where it has received excellent feedback and reached No.49 in the Contemporary Romance chart, making it a best seller.
28 April
Simone Mansell Broome
Simone is a poet, writer and performer whose work has featured in many anthologies, magazines and pamphlets. She was one of two Welsh heat winners of the Radio 4 performance poetry slam in 2009. She lives in Wales where she co-runs the
Ceridwen Centre.
Simone was born in West Wales and spent her early childhood in Tenby. She studied English & American Literature at Sussex, taught English, EFL and Speech & Drama in colleges, schools and language schools. She worked for over ten years at the fluffy end of business, in marketing, PR and event management.
Simone now lives on an organic farm in Carmarthenshire, co-running a centre for groups, workshops and courses - Ceridwen. Since 2006, she’s been successful in poetry competitions, published in anthologies and magazines, broadcast on BBC Radio 4, Radio Wales, performed widely in Wales and England, won poetry slams and represented Wales in BBC Radio 4’s performance poetry competition.
She also organises ‘Word Up’ in Cardigan, leads workshops, writes commission poems, is involved in Tenby Arts Festival and has produced three collections: a pamphlet in 2008 – ‘Not exactly getting anywhere but…’, a slim volume in 2009 - ‘Juice of the Lemon’ and her first full-length book, ‘Cardiff Bay Lunch’, published by Lapwing in 2010.
www.simonemb.com www.ceridwencentre.co.uk www.welshgreenweddings.co.uk
31 March
Sue Gibbs and Arthur Cunynghame
Sue Gibbs lived in Rhodesia (subsequently Zimbabwe) for more than 20 years and experienced the changes brought about by a guerrilla bush war and the first wave of Robert Mugabe's excesses that, eventually, resulted in her leaving with her family to make a new life in England.
Her autobiography, The Call of the Litany Bird, has been published by Arthur Cunynghame’s publishing company.
Sue's book is an account of the challenges she faced during the bush wars whilst attempting to maintain a safe environment for her family. She documents how difficult it was to shield her children from the atrocities going on around them when news came in time and again of friends and acquaintances who had been injured or killed during violent attacks on their homes.
Arthur Cunynghame spent 18 years as a wine merchant, followed by 17 years as a cheesemonger. He now runs the publishing company, Loose Chippings.
He is a member of The Society of Authors and The Independent Publishers Guild.
Arthur has made a number of TV and Radio appearances including Newsnight, The Today Programme, Richard & Judy, Sky News, You & Yours and Farming Today.