Celebrating Jennie Farley

 A lovely event earlier this week - a lunchtime celebration in Cheltenham of the work and influence of the poet Jennie Farley. In the past, a few friends and I were privileged to attend workshops in her beautiful cottage (once frequented by Lewis Carroll); over a period of a four or five years we used to meet with her monthly and benefited enormously from her wisdom and wide poetic experience. She has guided many a fledgling poet, run many spoken word events, judged many competitions - and, of course, written and published extensively. Her poetry is always so sensual, so vibrant. One piece of advice she offered me which I've never forgotten was "No - not that old chestnut 'write what you know' - write what you imagine!" Jennie certainly has a fertile imagination!

Thirty seven poets contributed poems to a unique anthology "Poems For Jennie", which was presented to her by Howard Timms on Monday. Some of those contributors weren't able to join us at the event at the Langton but all sent her messages of thanks and appreciation. Long may she continue writing - and helping to give a voice to those following in her footsteps.

Looking forwards, looking back

I can't say that November was too frantic to be posting anything because of NaNoWriMo, other writing commitments or indeed anything major - just yet more boring health and family issues! It's all too easy to become thoroughly downcast when things don't go to plan and projects don't steam ahead as we might have hoped. But sometimes I think we need to look at what we have achieved despite life doing its best to derail us - and to celebrate those achievements too.

Whilst the travel side of my pilgrimage project has been considerably hampered by circumstance, I've been able to do a lot of armchair research, modify some plans, make provision for others. I've also been able to get to grips with some of the outstanding admin aspects of a writing life - not the most exciting but sadly necessary! And there have been one or two interesting outings - to support a Society of Authors local branch in fundraising for the charity Bees for Development, to an unexpectedly fascinating talk on Medieval Women Writers (just look them up if you can't think of any!), to give a presentation to a U3A group on Digging Up The Family (which is currently enjoying renewed interest - and sales!).

Getting towards the end of 2024 - not an untroubled year - inevitably leads to some retrospection, some weighing up of things. But 2025 is less than a month off now, we'll soon be past the shortest day and the buds on the magnolia outside my study are as anxious for spring as I am. I've had several applications for the next course of Writing Our Lives sessions that I'm facilitating and I'm very much looking forward to those. And, fingers and all else crossed, to resuming my pilgrim ways!