A launch and a deadline

I haven't been able to make the last couple of New Bohemians evenings at deepspaceworks but I'm very much looking forward to tomorrow, when David Clarke is launching his new pamphlet "Scare Stories" there at 19.30. He'll be reading to a backdrop of film made by Helen Dewbery and Chaucer Cameron of "Elephant's Footprint" and it promises to be an interesting evening. David's poetry is certainly thought-provoking and his readings are always well worth attending. Do join us if you're free - tickets are £6.50 on the door and include wine, canapes and cake. The venue is an interesting one too if you haven't been, in Hamilton Street, Charlton Kings in Cheltenham; it has wide use by the local community and Su Billington does extraordinary work there on no external funding.

I'm busy at present collating entries for the annual Gloucestershire Writer's Network competition as the deadline rapidly approaches. If you're eligible to enter the poetry and prose competitions (by living or working in Gloucestershire) and you haven't done so yet - you only have four weeks to go! You can get all the information by e mailing me on gillgwn@gmail.com - we'd love to hear from you. The prize money has been increased this year to £200 each for the poetry and prose section winners, who, along with the runners-up, present their work at the prestigious Cheltenham Literature Festival in October, with hospitality in the Writers Room beforehand and publication afterwards. Definitely worth having a go at it! We are delighted to have as our judges this year the poet Roy McFarlane and writer Dr. Lania Knight, a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Gloucestershire and they too will be reading at the Festival.