Isabelle Charlotte Kenyon's Blog, page 3

Poets of the future: Introducing Anne Walsh Donnelly

I am pleased to announce that in May 2019, I will be publishing the open- hearted, beautifully weaved debut chapbook, of Anne Walsh Donnelly: 'The Woman With An Owl Tattoo'. I was hooked by Anne's storytelling by the first poem of the collection and by the third, I said, 'I have to publish this', out loud. Anne's story of coming out in her 50s and finding a new life in that realisation, is both universal and empowering, to anyone who has ever struggled with their sexuality and their identity. Anne speaks about the collection:This collection is a culmination of two years’ work both personally and creatively. The poems draw heavily on the journey I've taken from being a separated single mother of two who thought she was only attracted to men to realising and accepting that I am attracted to women. In this collection, I have blended fact with fiction to show the struggles of a woman who comes out to herself and others at the age of fifty and the joy of being with another woman sexually.It's an important story to tell and I hope it will resonate with readers. Not just those who are gay or are struggling with that fact but also those who have friends or family who are gay. I want to show the struggle one can encounter in accepting one’s sexual orientation but also the joy of discovering your true self and the exhilaration of taking the risk of revealing that to the world.I am delighted that Fly on the Wall Poetry Press has given me this opportunity to share this chapter of my life. If it helps even one person with their struggle and gives them hope I will be happy. About Anne:Anne Walsh Donnelly lives in the west of Ireland. She is a single mother of two amazing teenagers. She works as a Student Services Officer in a third-level college and writes in her spare time. Her work has been published in several literary outlets including The Irish Times, Crannog, Boyne Berries, The Blue Nib, Cold Coffee Stand, Ariel, Heart and Humanity, Inside the Bell Jar, Please Hear What I’m Not Saying and Star82 Review. Her short stories have been shortlisted in competitions such as the Over The Edge New Writer of the Year Award (2014, 2016), Fish International Prize (2015) and the RTE Radio One Frances Mac Manus competition (2014, 2015). Her poems were highly commended in the Over The Edge New Writer of the Year Award (2017 & 2018). She won the Spring 2018 Blue Nib poetry chapbook competition and also the 2018 Over the Edge Fiction Slam. She was also nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2018.'The Woman With An Owl Tattoo' is expected to be published on May 30, 2019 with preorders opening in March. It's safe to say, you should all be excited...

The dream world of 'Ghost Arson’, by Bart Smock

‘Ghost Arson’, by Bart Smock, reads like a dream world, which the reader is invited to piece together. For Bart, these visions are old news: ‘I saw nothing fantastic’ but as his readers, we are given insights into his deepest thoughts.‘A Gun Goes off in a Dream I Don’t Have Anymore’ is a poem which dismisses an idea, before it has time to develop. The reader is left playing catch up, answering questions about what ‘darkness’ this poem refers to. Certainly, imagery of God and religion is a key theme in this collection. Bart suggests that we are cloned apes and our unoriginality has disappointed our creator:‘as spotless as the dog left it, the baby’s room has come tomean today. above a different dog, people ask us what we’rehaving. we do our jigsaw of darkness. clone the ape thatcreated god’s boredom.’There is certainly an unhappy relationship with faith and the concept of God, ‘I have never seen an attractive god.’ The lack of capitalisation of ‘God’ suggests a lack of disregard for the title.Fatherhood is also explored - but it’s not all fun and games, with several black dogs hanging over:‘a father has these dogs:death, sound, & ageism.’and we get a hint that Bart’s childhood was troubled: ‘four poundsof my birthwere missing’.Above all, it is the shared vulnerability in this collection which draws the reader in:‘Askingcan I missmy bodywith yoursour bloodthe loneliestbone’.Despite Smock’s cryptic style of writing, I was able to get an insight into many parts of his life and his deepest thoughts. Pre-orders can be made via paypal to ghostarson@gmail.com or by using link:PayPal.Me/ghostarson***all copies will be signedor one can send a check to:Barton Smock 5155 Hatfield DriveColumbus, OH 43232https://www.facebook.com/KungFuTreacheryPress/

Poets of the future: Introducing Elisabeth Horan

I am excited to say that in May 2019, I will be publishing a chapbook by Elisabeth Horan: 'Bad Mummy/Stay Mummy', which explores her experiences of Postpartum depression. Lis has a unique voice and an important story to tell: listen.Elisabeth sheds some light on 'Bad Mummy/Stay Mummy':So, my very first publication, ever, was at The Feminist Wire, in October, 2016. To my humble delight and awe, they accepted “Wellbutrin in my Brain” and “Stay Mommy”, as they felt this was important work to share with others suffering with mental illness and specifically, PPD. I’d like to show you all, as I’m still so proud of it -The Feminist WireThat said, this chap has also been looking for its home since then… it took Isabelle and Fly on the Wall, to see that these poems want to help others… and want to let them know --- you are not alone… in your pain. Not alone. This collection is of poems I wrote when I was starting my poetry career in earnest following the birth of my second son. He was a challenging baby, sure and cried and was “colicky”, whatever that means… I did not sleep well for 3 years. That didn’t help things. But I also think that like in the moment of the pregnancy and birth, something in my brain chemically went off. I lost myself. I became so incredibly depressed and detached and fragmented I could hardly function. Yet I had a baby and a two year old to care for. I was alone. I was misunderstood. My social anxiety was taken for oddness and bitchery. I lost many friends. I almost succumbed. (Hospitalized, running away, suicide, all things which floated nastily about). I went on meds got therapy and held on for dear life (I had nipples to pump). I am better now. I wrote this so that other mums may never feel as alone and hopeless and misunderstood as I did. Hang on. I love you. Your children love you. With the right help, it may never go completely away (I struggle every day)... but it can ease and you can survive it. My many great thanks to Isabelle for letting me finally share this message with the world. It’s a dream come true and greatly cathartic for little old me. All love, ElisabethI asked Lis which writers inspire her...Plath. I understand her. The full length of this is my tribute to her and me talking in her kitchen before her suicide. I understand what it is to love your children but also feel like a horrible mother and want to die. Bad. I know. But the illness of PPD does terrible things in the mind.Dickinson. The elegance and subtlety and passion and pain. I want to do that too. Frost. If there was ever a poet who taught me to hear rhythm in my head it was Frost. I think he writes like the gaits of a horse… the walk, the trot the canter, the gallop. Always in control of the craft. Think of “Stopping by Woods”, the most cadenced equine canter I’ve ever known. So, I like to think if I could combine these three and borrow a bit of their essence, I would have the courage to plumb deep into the darkness of my mind; the restraint and elegance of an Amherst winter, and the craft, the craft to hold it all tightly wound together ---I also am awed by all of the poets working every day…publishing, dreaming. Putting it all out there. I am inspired by the courage and tenacity and brilliance of all these poets writing alongside me… on twitter and fb and paper. Deep love and respect and gratitude to you all. Who is Elisabeth Horan, you ask?Elisabeth Horan is an imperfect creature from Vermont advocating for animals, children and those suffering alone and in pain - especially those ostracized by disability and mental illness. She is a regular contributor at Mojave He(art), TERSE. Journal, Milk + Beans, Feminine Collective, and Rhythm & Bones Lit. Elisabeth’s poetry books include “Pensacola Girls”, Bone & Ink Press, 2018; “Was it R*pe”, from Vessel Press, July 2019; and "Just to the Right of the Stove", Hedgehog Poetry Press, November, 2019.Elisabeth’s mission is to hold up and support all writers and artists, so that we may never journey alone in this. Collaboration and love, baby-Elisabeth is honored to serve as Poetry Editor at Anti-Heroin Chic Magazine. She recently earned her MFA from Lindenwood University and received a 2018 Best of the Net Nomination from Midnight Lane Boutique. Follow her....Twitter @ehoranpoet Website: ehoranpoet.com fb: ehoranpoetlove IG @ ehoranpoetTumblr @ ehoranpoet'Stay Mummy/Bad Mummy' - May 2019"Just to the Right of the Stove", Hedgehog Poetry Press, November, 2019.

A Review - 'Bloodlines' By Hannah Brockbank

‘Bloodlines’, by Hannah Brockbank, drives a ‘sucker-punch’ straight to the heart of her absent father.It begins with a ‘Myling girl’, (the spirit of an baptised child by Scandinavian folklore), left to die in the woods by her father, before abandoning folklore for the frank reality.The imagination and creativity with which Brockbank weaves the tales of her father (as she imagines him to be) is captivating. Any bitterness which is left is a light touch, as in ‘Blood’:‘My blood is thickerthan water.It doesn’t run off.’Poems such as ‘Sand', are much more reflective and soft in their tone: ‘I reach up to my face,trace the contours of my nose, cheekbones, earlobes that attachand wonder, where does my father endand where do I begin?’Brockbank uses imagery of dead birds frequently, until in the final poem, ‘Wings', when she captures a falcon: ‘I extend my handhope that youtrust menot to tie youdown.’ This suggests the beginning of trust in relationships once more and ends the collection on a hopeful note. The only qualms I sometimes had as a reader was in the line breaks, which seemed in excess- although some were clearly stylistic and worked effectively as such!Overall, this is a satisfying collection, with a clear and developed story arc: a poet who does not overstate her meaning but delivers an impact all the same.The book is available via Indigo Dreams Publishing here.

Can we stop using age as a measure of talent?

There has been some debate recently regarding writing competitions which conflate emerging 'artists' with 'youth'. Literary presses seek debut authors 'of the future' - under 25 years old. Why do we associate new voices with an age limit?'Long for This World' author Sonya Chung founded the website Bloom, which champions authors who have had their first major work published when they were aged 40 or older. "If someone is labelled a 'late bloomer,' the question Bloom poses is, 'Late.' According to whom?'"(The Telegraph, 2017)The point is, we all develop our writing at different stages in life. If you're a novelist, you may be slaving away for several years writing and then several years gathering any interest for your manuscript at all! If it makes you feel better...J. R. R. Tolkien’s first novel, The Hobbit, was published when he was 45 years old. For the next ten years he worked on his trilogy, Lord of the Rings, only to encounter snags with his publisher when he had finished it. Lord of the Rings was published over the years 1954 and 1955, by which time he was 63.If you're worrying you may be a late bloomer, maybe you just need to keep writing for another ten years. If you're worrying that other poets are publishing 3 books this year, when you've yet to publish your first pamphlet, remember: the industry is not a race. Developing your craft is not a race. You're never too young or old to 'emerge' as a writer. Be proud of what you've achieved so far.

'Hex' by Jennie Farley: A poetry review

Jennie Farley has had two collections published by the fabulous Indigo Dreams Publishing, a press known for mythical poetry, exploring the boundaries of humanity and folklore.'Hex' certainly has this element of magic. In the poem 'Sacrifice', Jennie describes the pain of how a mermaid trades her tail for a mortal man:'two spikes. At each/step I take I tread on blades'. Jennie explores biblical references and first person narratives from powerful women. In 'Salome':'My eyes feast upon the gore at your gaping mouth' - there is no repentance here and this reminded me that historically, when there have been queens in power, war has been much more likely to be waged!The title poem 'Hex' is a little cryptic,'How did they work it, this dark magic...Me, I took up my felt - tipped pen, sketched her face'. For me, this suggested a form of voodoo, or the power of the writer's/artist's pen in comparison to the power of a spell.Folklore is explored through the myth of Robin Hood: Poem, 'Blood Brothers','braving sticky green spears to the fence/where the ferrets were nailed'. This a great example of Farley's rich language and blunt imagery, which stays in the mind.The collection is largely fantasy and imagined situations and so the poem 'The Summerhouse', exploring dementia or Alzheimer's, stands out as anomaly:'Someone's pruned the roses but it isn't/Keith's day, at least she doesn't think so.' This poem must be placed for a reason and so I wonder if fantasy is one way of coping with a loved one's illness?The last poem 'Flaneuse', looks at dying gleefully:'I visited my grave last night...Everything seems different now - more colourful, more rich,' - a wise musing on a reality we must all face, painted with positivity and contentment. Hex can be purchased from Indigo Dreams Publishing here.

In conversation with Miriam Calleja

Trust me: Miriam Calleja is a writer to watch. Miriam is the bilingual author of poetry collections Pomegranate Heart (EDE Books, 2015) and Inside Skin (a two-book series in collaboration with a lith photographer, EDE Books 2016). Her poems have appeared in newspapers, magazines and anthologies, locally and internationally. She has been published in the anthology for mental health charities Please Hear What I’m Not Saying (2018, editor Isabelle Kenyon), and in the collection Poetic Potatoes (2018, a collaboration between Valletta 2018 and Inizjamed together with Leeuwarden 2018). Her work has been translated into Slovene in the collection Wara Settembru (2018, Slovene Writers Association).She lives in Malta where she regularly facilitates creative writing workshops, literary salons, and poetry performances. She prefers to use her words in collaborations with other artists. She has read at events in Malta, Berlin, Italy, London, and New York.1. I’m very interested in your bilingual poetry. Can you describe the experience of writing poetry, both in English and in Maltese?As a child I learned to speak in both Maltese and English simultaneously, so I have never known anything different. My thoughts are also bilingual! The voice that calls upon poetry uses both, and I find it difficult to draw a line and explain how this is done. However, I do feel that the melody of the Maltese language dictates when words will need a certain sound to be able to get the message of the poem across. The sound comes from a different place in my mind, my mouth, and my memory. It is somewhat grounded differently, it has a weight of ancestry, or secrecy, of not quite belonging. I write it with the knowledge of a limited audience. When you're bilingual you long to speak to people who also know the same languages because you can code switch and explain exactly what you want. The languages fill each other's gaps, and that's how I feel my poetry works too. 2. What themes and ideas are you currently interested in exploring in your work? For the past few months I've been working with elderly communities and exploring the themes of traditional Maltese 'Għana' (folk music with rhyming and storytelling, sometimes improvised by the singer). I'm interested in storytelling and its power. I was also collecting their life stories during our conversations. Thanks to these sessions I could take these stories, interlace them, and use them to collaborate with other artists. In this case I've been collaborating/working with two choreographers. Next week I'll be attending a writing retreat at Garsdale, with a focus on intertextual poetry, so I'm hoping that this will be a stepping stone to my next focus. (Picture Credit: Aldo Cauchi Savona)3. You worked with a photographer for your collection, ‘Inside Skin’ – can you talk about that process? I've got a passion for collaborations, and sometimes you meet another artist and you just know that you're on the same wavelength. When I worked with Zvezdan Reljic and his lith photography, I could see that the life in his 'stills' corresponded to the action in my distilled words. We sat around his living room table and the book materialised from a passing thought to a reality rather quickly. I have always loved his sense of what is beautiful (he designed my first book Pomegranate Heart, too) and we could trust each other to bring our best to Inside Skin. 4. In your poem, ‘disaster’, what are suggesting by the line ‘it will not be watered down’? My poem 'disaster' is about the assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. She dedicated (and lost) her life to the truth. Rather than her voice being silenced, people all over the world have been fighting and stepping up their game to get to the truth. The tragedy of her loss did the opposite of dampening the desire to seek to end corruption and impunity. disaster /dɪˈzɑːstə/ dis- [doing away with] blotting out the night sky ink that runs to the core it will not be watered down we put up signs no parking between those lines we apologise for any inconvenience caused -aster [a star]5. What projects are you working on currently? Aside from poetry, I've also been writing some short stories and flash fiction this year. When I get some time and my current projects are wrapped up, I'd like to focus on getting a collection of shorts together. I'm also working on my next collection of poetry and hope to release it in 2019.Upcoming publications in collections - Leħen il-Malti (Għaqda tal-Malti, Università ta’ Malta), Persona Non Grata (Fly on the Wall Poetry Press).

'Only Dying Sparkles' - Let's talk about death.

Preview: ‘Only Dying Sparkles’ by Sascha Aurora Akhtar and John Alexander Arnold. On this spooky Halloween day, I’m very excited to tell you about a poetry project which poet & healer Sascha Aurora Akhtar and transcendental artist John Alexander Arnold, have created.This illuminated poetry object combines poetry and illustration, as a deck of 47 tarot-style cards, by zimZalla art objects. (Find out more out Manchester press, zimZala here: https://zimzalla.co.uk/objects-2/) John has created these intricate and innovative illustrations inspired by Sascha’s poetry, on a miniature scale, without losing any detail!No formal tarot guidelines apply, however, and almost all the poems are meditations on death & dying. In this way the object belongs to the Vanitas genre. (16th &17th century Vanitas tradition focused on contemplation of the temporal nature of our existence.) It also marks a progression in Sascha’s style, as she tackles huge emotions in short and succinct poems. Sascha:"Above all what I want people to know, is that I have suffered & struggled with extreme forms of depression, anxiety my entire life. These brief poems are forays into that frame of mind. It was not until I learnt that I needed to embrace ALL parts of me, that I was able to work towards some kind of 'wellness'. Perhaps these poems are those parts of me, mournful, questioning, anxious, uncertain - sometimes teetering on the edge- made into objects, brought into the light; illuminated. In this way the process, and seeing John's exquisite art elevate my thoughts, which maybe are the kinds of things we are ashamed of, or just don't say to people- has been an act of healing".The Bhor Foundation for Mental Health (@BhorFoundation) has put forward its support for Only Dying Sparkles, which Sascha & John are grateful for. There may even be a launch! The deck will (fingers crossed) be available for November 21st, which according to ancient Druidic knowledge is whenthe veil dividing the living from the dead is at its thinnest… Above all...this is a family affair, reflected in the photos of the poet & artist. Sascha & John are both solo parents, who feel without their little companions, Sakura & Kalos - their muses,they would not be complete. They are so grateful to Tom Jenks of zimZalla.co.uk for this gorgeous opportunity. John & Sascha have known each other through many lifetimes and are in fact, twin flames *.*twin flames: Two strands of the same consciousness in two different bodies who only meet on this plane when they have dealt with most of their shit/karma.Sascha: "The deck is dedicated to family & friends & all the people we have heard about in the media recently who have taken their own lives". On Nov 2nd, we will post a video of Sascha reading from the poem "Only Dying Sparkles" by Paul Celan that the title originates from. More about Sascha:Sascha Aurora Akhtar originates from Pakistan, and was educated there and in the USA. Her debut poetry collection, The Grimoire of Grimalkin, was published in 2007 and greeted as “a contemporary masterpiece”, with the British newspaper The Guardian naming Akhtar one of the top twelve poets to watch. The illustrator:John Alexander Arnold connects with the Earth’s elements through daily practices in organic horticulture, wild crafting & mandalic composition, from which his art is derived. He lives and practices in Portland, Oregon. Please mail Tom Jenks to express your interest for discounted pre-order. Mail@zimzalla.co.ukOnce the deck arrives from the printer the link will also be up on www.zimzalla.co.uk. Drop a line!

Yes I will be publishing Chapbooks!

The rumours are true. Fly on the Wall Poetry will be publishing - at least - 2 Individual author collections, and I can't wait to work in depth with some talented writers!If you are an excited reader, you'll have to wait patiently with a cup of tea, but you can support these future projects here.If you are an excited poet, you can submit your chapbook in the following windows:November 1 - 30 OrDecember 15 - January 15I'm a strong believer that literary presses should not hoard or forget about manuscripts, so the two weeks in between will allow me a reading period, to get back to you in as short a time as possible. What am I looking for?Poets who have a strong voice and style.A manuscript with a theme or story arc.Collections of between 25 and 50 poems.Poets unafraid to make a statement about something; to make a mark.Why Fly on the Wall Poetry for my book?I work closely with my poets, to ensure that they are happy with the way their work is presented, and I will suggest ways of improving the work, where I feel it can be even stronger.I will be providing both author copies and royalties and there are no hidden fees.I will make sure the books are marketed to the highest standard, and work hard to promote them!Subscribe to my website to get submission window reminders! I'm looking forward to reading your work.

Author Interview: Gillian Byrom-Smith

I met the lovely Gillian Byrom-Smith at a spoken word event in New Mills. When I realised she had been published by the fab Stairwell Books Press, I definitely wanted to feature her work on the Fly on the Wall blog!'Heading for the Hills’ has a sense of specific place – is it describing one location? If so, why did this environment inspire you?‘Heading for Hills,’ really portrays a journey across Britain; some of the poems were written after visiting places that really inspire me. The overall journey begins in York and ends as we were preparing to move over to the Peak District, after many years of traveling regularly across the Pennines by train. Other specific locations are Great Malvern and Berwick-upon-Tweed; I find both places particularly inspiring. How long did the book take to write?The poems were gathered together over a period of about ten years, which represents the period of time my husband and I had known each other.Who are your favourite authors and/or poets?Over the years I have been inspired by numerous people; those that stand out to me are Kate Atkinson, Ian McEwan, Charles Dickens, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith and Bob Dylan. What do you want a reader to take away from this collection? I would like to reach the reader, especially those who would not normally think of reading poetry and help them try to make sense of the world through the magic of words. I analyse some of my favourite segments of the book:Poem: ‘Flying Not Diving’‘Her shadow marking time; a sundial to gulls’ – This evoked a sense of relaxation – a world away from time keeping and pressures.Poem: ‘Green Man’‘He is as old as the hills and new born’ – This suggested to me our ‘inner child’ and how we can feel rejuvenated by nature.Poem: ‘Lanterns’‘Our dreams rise like Chinese lanterns crowding the sky. We are Earthbound by train tracks.’ – I love the image of dreams rising, and being airborne!You can buy a copy of Heading for the Hills from the lovely Stairwell Books here!