It's the publication date for Fool's Paradise. I'm sending the preorders out this am and feeling horribly nervous as I do so.
This book means a lot to me for a number of reasons, not least because my late friend, Hannah, loved it so much. It's her artwork on the cover. We talked about publishing a limited edition of the poem illustrated by her prints, but she died before it could happen.
When I worry over the book and wondering whether I should have changed this word or whatever, I should remind myself that she believed in it and me. I should remind myself of Alison Brackenbury's and Fiona Sampson's words of approval on the back cover. Plus my publisher's excitement about the book.
My insecurity is the reason I didn't publish anything for years, it's the reason I have such problems promoting my work and I must overcome it and I will.
I'm delighted to announce that my new poetry book Fool's Paradise will be published by Black Eyes Publishing on 19th May.
I'm rubbish at bigging up my poetry, so I will let two great poets do it for me:
This is an extraordinary piece of writing: truly compelling. Alison Brackenbury.
Fool’s Paradise is a dive into the uncanny: into that rich heritage of myth in which we find ourselves both far from home, and simultaneously at home. Fiona Sampson
There's two special offers on the book at my bookshop https://zoebrookspoetry.bigcartel.com I am offering the book £2.50 off for preorders. Plus if you are interested in also getting Owl Unbound you can buy the two books at £20 (£2 off) plus free p&p. Or you can get the same deal on Fool's Paradise from my publishers Black Eyes Publishing.
I do not find self promotion very easy. In fact I cringe and procrastinate everytime I have to do it. Yes, I'm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the first more so than the others, but it is not enough. And my publishers have a right to expect me to do some book promo, afterall they have invested time and money into making my book a success and so should I (time at least). So about six months ago I decided I would invest in some book promotion.
I turned to Isabelle Kenyon to act as publicist for me, on the recommendation on Anna Saunders. Over 3 months Isabelle got me 7 reviews with more hopefully on the way, a spoken word event, a blog interview, youtube feature, 2 radio appearances and a podcast appearance.
I was delighted with Isabelle's hard work. Of course Isabelle has a great list of contacts, which would take me ages to achieve and then I would need the temerity to approach them. But Isabelle also gave me the confidence to relax and focus on what I was good at - reading at open mics and giving readings.
For people who are perhaps earlier in their writing journey and are experiencing financial difficulties there are still a few free places on a workshop Isabelle is leading for the Cheltenham Poetry Festival next Tuesday available here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampoetryfestival/t-axarox
I thought I'd bring you up-to-date with what I have been doing and what is coming up. In these pandemic days I have been busy performing poems from my collection Owl Unbound online.
The video above of my poem The Gypsies in the Room is one which featured in the Dialect - Supporting Rural Writers Women's Day events
Most recently I read at the Gloucestershire Poetry Society's Crafty Crows alongside the wonderful Adam Horovitz. GPS have now posted a film of the event (shared above) on their Youtube channel. My reading starts at 24.18.
I also took part in Raised Voices, the GPS's International Women's Day event, which they have also posted on their channel. The event featured 16 Gloucestershire poets, including Angela France, Sharon Larkin, Maria Stadnicka, Tish Camp, and Belinda Rimmer. But mostly I have been enjoying reading at Open Mics at a wide variety of poetry events which have taken me to the Netherlands, Scotland, Wales and all places in between.
I was delighted to take part in Damien Donnelly's excellent poetry podcast Eat the Storms
Readings Coming Up
12th May at 7pm at the Evesham Festival of Words I will be reading poems on the theme of Home and Away alongside Anna Saunders and Ben Ray.
16th June at 7.30 at Fenspeak, I will be reading a personal selection of my poems
7th July at 7pm at the Wirral Festival of Firsts I will be reading with Anna Saunders (again) and Simon Griffiths on the theme of The Wild and the Urban.
