Books
New poem
‘A bird i catch || to eat’
Second prize in the Mslexia Poetry Contest,
Read it in the print version of
Mslexia, no.93.
‘Language flies around the page … and
finally lands as a small bird.’
— Judge Pascale Petit
On Instagram
Check out this new podcast complete with poem prompt from me. @poetrynonstop in the UK discusses my collection Sign Language for the Death of Reason and how to address difficult experiences through poetry. You can buy my book at The Book Hive in Norwich or @booksactually or @kinokuniya_singapore. The interviewer is poet @patrickwiddess who has recently shared about his late-adult diagnosis of autism. #podcast #poetry #mentalhealth @bebravemycaptain @expressing_through_salummy @uealdc
At last night’s Ako Caine Prize for African writers’ shortlist celebration at the National Writers Centre in Norwich. (Salma Yusof, Linda Temienor-Vincent, Benjamina, me and Chisom😁) Great to meet the shortlisters, & other writers including @LiTemienor who took this new photo. Olivia Tuck @expressing_through_salummy @WritersCentre National Centre for Writing #norwich #caineprze #writing Ldc Uea
Plus I met a fellow New Zealander, talented scriptwriter Jonathan Massey from Tauranga, who happily was also running the bar. #kiwi
The shortlist:
* ‘Collector of Memories' by Joshua Chizoma (Nigeria) published in Afritondo Prize Anthology, Afritondo, Nigeria, (2021).
* Read ‘Collector of Memories’ here�
* ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ by Nana-Ama Danquah (Ghana) published in Accra Noir, Akashic Books, USA, (2020)/ Cassava Republic Press, UK and the Commonwealth (2020).
* Read ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ here�
* ‘A Double-Edged Inheritance' by Hannah Giorgis (Ethiopia) published in Addis Ababa Noir, Akashic Books, USA, (2020)/ Cassava Republic Press, UK and the Commonwealth (2020).
* Read ‘A Double-Edged Inheritance’ here�
* ‘Five Years Next Sunday’ by Idza Luhumyo (Kenya) co-published in Disruption: New Short Fiction From Africa by Catalyst Press/Short Story Day Africa, Kenya/South Africa, (2020).
* Read ‘Five Years Next Sunday‘ here�
* ‘The Labadi Sunshine Bar' by Billie McTernan (Ghana) published in Accra Noir, Akashic Books, USA, (2020)/Cassava Republic Press, UK and the Commonwealth (2020).
* Read ‘The Labadi Sunshine Bar’ here
Nice review of brilliant NZ poet Tayi Tibble in the UK's Guardian (see below). I was lucky enough to be in Tayi's class in the MA in Creative Writing 2017 at IIML, Victoria University of Wellington. Was writing a memoir (Loss Adjustment) at the time, but the poets in the class were a huge influence - and I'm now doing an MA in Poetry at UEA. The review also includes Caroline Bird, so Tayi is in amazing company. #poetry @bebravemycaptain @sophiepoetry @sam_duckor_jones @_claireoloughlin @cyrilsingstheblues @uealdc Here's the review:https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jul/01/the-best-recent-poetry-review-roundup
Gorgeous cover, yeah?! Available for pre-order, this anthology includes a poem by me, End Notes. It's compiled by the Creative Writing Society of the University of East Anglia, UK. My thanks to Egg Box Publishing.
End Notes is informed by Singapore poet Hamid Roslan's parsetreeforestfire, and by feedback from fellow MA students Oliver Shrouder, Ella Finch, and Olivia Tuck among others about Tara Bergin's Notes from the Arboretum, & Nabokov's Pale Fire.
It looks at personal, linguistic, and sovereign state identity, and the tension between creative and academic writing. #poetry @ueacws @uealdc @bebravemycaptain @elsiefinch_99 @oshrouder @oliverxhancock @expressing_through_salummy @eneidaescribe @marbledmayhem @theherbariumprints
Order it at: https://www.eggboxpublishing.com/shop
Nice to get a mention in the latest e-zine of The Poetry Society. #poetry #signlanguageforthedeathofreason #amwriting
Ethos Books writers in the UK. Burmese writer Ko Ko Thett gave a wonderful workshop on poetry and trauma that I was fortunate to attend at the UK’s national writers’ centre today. He is the author of Picking off new Shoots will not stop the Spring; & I am the author of Loss Adjustment - both published by Ethos Books, Singapore. @writerscentre @mekongreview @ethosbooks @hughespeg #LossAdjustment #poetry #cityofliterature
With Portuguese creative writing professor Dr Manuel Portela (who is also a specialist in translating Pessoa) & Irish poet Sal Sinclair at Silves, Faro, Portugal. Manuel is setting up a new CW course. https://www.uc.pt/fluc/ensino/2ciclo/flyers_2021_22/escrita_creativa.pdf
At the Cambridge Spring Literary Festival @camlitfest today, after having a book signed by UK poet laureate Simon Armitrage. There the great man is behind me! i was with poet & UEA PhD student Viv Kemp. Simon read a new poem - on the Ukraine. Stunning. And was kind enough to chat with me about a special poem of his that means alot to me. Other photo shows Viv with poet Katrina Scoffin, who is doing an MA in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths. #poetry #poetlaureate #simonarmitage @vivmkemp @uealdc
Extracts of mosswood, thyme ... and Loss Adjustment. My book on life and loss is part of this wonderful Aesop Women's Library collection in Singapore.
Especially pleased to be between Notes after Tarawih and The Orchid Folios. Thank you!
Ethos on their site explain how the library works: 'Just some of our books available at the Aesop Women's Library ✨ From tomorrow (20th April) until the 24th, head down to the Aesop MBS and VivoCity stores to bask in Aesop's signature scents while you browse the shelves packed with local and Southeast Asian literature. Pick one complimentary book to take home with you and savour in your own time, no purchase required.'
#AesopWomensLibrary
@ethosbooks @nurhappening @mokzining #books #poetry
On April 14 wherever you are in the world it is the 8th anniversary of the death of Victoria McLeod, mine and Malcolm’s only child, aged 17. Skye is one of Vic’s middle names & she always wanted to visit there. I am here now, & today (the 14th in the UK) i will visit near Dunvegan, ancestral seat of the McLeods. Her late grandfather Jack was at one point head of the South Island Nz clan association. Thanks to those who lit candles -and sent photos including @bebravemycaptain - RIP, my shining light & reason for living. RIP Vic’s beloved grandma, Sheila.@malpixo @shazzm @muunez #poetry #LossAdjustment #signlanguageforthedeathofreason #pleasestaymovementsg @lifemattersnz
At London Book Fair with @jacarandaliteraryagency, writer @kavitha.m.rao & and UEA students including @byadrija Adrija Ghosh; @expressing_through_salummy Salma Yusuf; @bebravemycaptain Olivia Tuck; @oshrouder Oliver Shrouder #LBF22 #books Pic: @oliverxhancock @litsocuea @ueacws @londonbookfair
Honoured to be a part of #anankemag's #womeninliteraturefestival . Many great discussions are lined up. Join me on April 1 at 12.45 pm UK time (singapore 7.45pm, NZ 12.45am next day) for a panel on "Globalisation of the English Language & Linguistic Identity", including friend and Singaporean writer Akshita Nanda @akshitan. Later, at 3.15pm Uk, singapore 10.15) I'm in a conversation about Women translating genders, social structure, hegemony. #WLF2022 #AnankeWLF2022 #lossadjustment @ayshabaqirauthor @ethosbooks @awapress @uealdc
Go to #anankeWLF2022 on twitter or to their website for links for livestream etc:
http://anankewlf.com/
Part of a poetry lightbox event curated by dear poet friend Sarah Scott in Wellington, New Zealand. This piece is by Tessa Scott, who writes: ‘For the next 3 weeks, you can wander down to the corner of Arthur & Cuba in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington and visit my hybrid poem/image "the flowering woman, or, Daphne in Te Aro" in the Thistle Hall Lightbox 🎉 I’m so grateful to poet and curator extraordinaire Sarah Scott @theherbariumprints for the opportunity.’
#poetry #wellington
https://www.thistlehall.org.nz/lightbox
Last Poet Standing event went so well. Poet alex russell @alexrussellisok has my book Sign Language for the Death of Reason like a baby wallaby in his pouch. With UEA poet Olivia Tuck @bebravemycaptain. Tx to organiser @ollywatsonpoet for a great evening at The Last Pub Standing #signlanguageforthedeathofreason #poetry #norwich Raised £30 for Ukraine poets & also got a mention for #LossAdjustment Open mic-ers from UEA were fantastic @uealdc @perlakantarjian
Delighted to announce that I am runner-up in the UK’s Mslexia Poetry Contest, judged by Pascale Petit, with a poem set in Singapore and the Philippines about intergenerational and intercultural trauma. Workshopped at the University of East Anglia MA in Creative Writing. Grateful to amazing tutor Sophie Robinson @sophiepoetry & my classmates including @vivmkemp @gabriellelanegriot @trissiecoleshaw @hetty.writes @sarahcrowe65 @evediariden & many others. also @ethosbooks & @awapress #LossAdjustment #signlanguageforthedeathofreason #poetry
https://twitter.com/mslexia/status/1498633751340924930?s=21
Pleased to announce that the world Chinese translation rights to my memoir, Loss Adjustment, published by Ethos Books Singapore, have been sold to Beijing Guangchen in a deal brokered by Grayhawk Literary Agency. Made it into PublishersMarketplace. Many thanks to the rights team @ethosbooks including @suningk & @arinalycia. Victoria' story continues to go out into the world. @malpixo @shazzm @uealdc @marbledmayhem @sophiepoetry #memoir #booksofinstagram #nonfiction #singlit #nzsocietyofauthors #societyofauthors
'Open Borders hopes to bond the local-migrant and international community through storytelling.' Pleased to be in this Migrant Writers of Singapore event on Sunday, 3pm Singapore time, UK 7am, NZ 4am Monday. With Mynul Islam, Loh Kah Seng, and Jo Ann Dumlao & hosted by Ellen Lavilla. I'll read from my story in Call and Response 2. #migrantwriters #storytelling #LossAdjustment @migrantwritersofsingapore @nzsocietyofauthors @uealdc @vdguev @riniki_chakravarty_marwein @marbledmayhem @amrakajona_zakir @bad.ri.ya @decolonisehum @eneidaescribe
'We are more in touch dead than alive'.
A reader of Loss Adjustment sent this photo from her living room in Singapore, you can just see the kingfisher. She also sent the beautiful poem below. I am sharing as she gave me permission, and perhaps someone out there might need to read this:
Dear Linda, I was working from home this week with our living room view ahead of me and I saw a kingfisher and was reminded of Victoria. Later that night I couldn’t sleep and penned this down. It’s not edited or refined but I wanted to share it with you as another reminder that your daughter’s legacy lives on. She’s touched me without even knowing me. Sending love! X Sharah
I saw a kingfisher today and thought of you,
It was fast, and vivid, and brilliant blue.
It’s funny, how our lives ran parallel;
Same age, same land, same dance class,
And yet we never said so much as hi.
Equally shy.
You are in the sky but you keep me grounded -
Remind me of what could have been.
We are more in touch dead than alive.
I was dead once, but even in my grave you reminded me that I was not alone.
I’m still struggling to find our place, earthbound.
But when I do, I’ll speak to you.
Until I see you again,
Blue brushing against green,
You are more alive than ever,
In reality and dreams.
#LossAdjustment @ethosbooks @awapress #MentalHealthAwareness #signlanguageforthedeathofreason
#poetry @ueacws
Sign Language for the Death of Reason is top of the list from @bebravemycaptain. Thanks so much, Olivia Tuck. #poetry. Get it from @thebookhive or @kinokuniya_singapore or @unitybookswgtn or @universitybookshopotago https://www.instagram.com/bebravemycaptain/p/CYPiyeAMbsB/?utm_medium=copy_link
I write about suicide prevention. But what about my own mental health? Immersing yourself in a harrowing subject such as suicide takes its own toll as a writer. Singapore arts site ArtsEquator understands. There's a terrific review (Link below) up on books (including mine, Loss Adjustment) on the local mental health scene that also discusses some recent panels featuring editors, publishers, and writers and how to support ourselves in this difficult field. Honoured that LA is featured among these books and that they are doing good work in the world. @artsequator @ethosbooks @val.lim.lee
#LossAdjustment #pleasestaymovement #suicideprevention #samaritans #mentalhealth #writers
https://artsequator.com/singapore-literary-mental-health/