The Lemon Monkey Approaches

Less than a week now till Rob A Mackenzie and I hit Stoke Newington! I'm hugely excited about this opportunity for us to read with Katy Evans-Bush and Yang Lian. Katy read a great set at the Jekyll and Hyde a week past Sunday.

I first came across Yang Lian when I did some Chinese lit -- in translation, I hasten to add -- at uni. I was impressed with the movement to which he belongs, the misty poets, though we focused on Bei Dao. I also heard Yang Lian read at Edinburgh international book festival a few years ago with his Scottish translators, the Holton brothers. There were some particularly striking Scots translations of some of his work, which are available as the Kettilonia pamphlet. Whaur the Deep Sea Devauls. He'll be reading from his next book, Lee Valley Poems -- his first based on his life as a Londoner.

If you're in or near London, come and join us at Lemon Monkey between 7 pm and 9 pm on Monday 29 June. (Facebook event here.) Meanwhile, here's a taste of Yang Lian, speaking about his book Concentric Circles, courtesy of Bloodaxe:

Yang Lian from Neil Astley on Vimeo.

The Word(s) on Sunday

April, may be the cruelest month, but June is shaping up to be the busiest. This Sunday coming (14th), I'll be doing not one but two readings. First of all, you can join me and a variety of other Linlithgow-based authors in the marquee at the Rugby Club for "Take Tea With an Author", a free event, with all donations going to Donaldson's school for the deaf, which is now based in the town. There will be tea, coffee, home baking and books. The other authors are: Ian Emerson, Harry Knox, Douglas Watt, Jane McKie, Wallace Lockhart and Ewan McVicar.

In the evening, you'll find me sharing the Crypt Bar of the Jekyll & Hyde in Edinburgh with Zorras, my fellow former Shore Poet Allan Crosbie, and fellow Salt poet and blogger exraordinaire, Katy Evans-Bush. You can read my poem "Lullaby" and a biog note at the Poetry at the ... site. In fact, it's been up there since 31 May, but I've been rather tardy in blogging it (sorry, Rob!). Should be a great evening.

More gigs to come this month, including a bundle in Edinburgh on Sat 20th and what promises to be a cracker in London on 29th, where I'll be reading with Rob A Mackenzie, Katy Evans-Bush again and the distinguished Chinese "misty poet" Yang Lian.

Big, Bold and in the Sidebar

It's fairly pointless to say this, as it's blindingly obvious, but I've added the cover image for The Ambulance Box to the sidebar.

Apparently, the collection is also one of several Salt books to feature in a back-page ad in the latest issue of the LRB!* I haven't seen it yet as Linlithgow shops don't stock it, but I'll be eagerly seeking out a copy when I'm next in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Speaking of Salt books, check out the "short season of other poets" Jane Holland is running on Raw Light. There are two already: Katy Evans-Bush and the estimable Mr Mackenzie. Jane is being secretive about who'll be appearing in the coming days. Keep your eyes peeled!

*Is it strictly "in" if it's on the back page? I can't make up my mind.

Date Change at the Great Grog

If you've dropped by the Poetry at the Great Grog blog recently, you'll have seen that Julia Rampen and I have swapped slots, which means I'll now be reading on 14 June instead of in May. I'm thoroughly looking forward to reading with fellow Salt poet and literary blogger extraordinaire, Katy Evans-Bush, author of that rather fine collection, Me and the Dead; fellow former Shore Poet, Allan Crosbie, whose poetry I've long admired and ought to be better known; and Ivy Alvarez, whose work I must confess to still not knowing.

Do go along in May and hear Julia, along with Robert Crawford, Brian Johnsonte and Jennifer Williams -- another cracking line-up!

Chestnuts

Katy Evans-Bush's virtual book tour has got off to a glowing winter start with a short but delightful interview at the North Meadow Media blog. I just had to write down the following and share it with you:

Word play opens up the language itself, like a pile of roasted chestnuts, for our delectation.

Isn't that lovely? So evocative. I'll never be able to pun again without thinking of that wonderful, warm, sweet aroma.

You can find the rest of the dates for Katy's tour here on Salt's new Cyclone sub-site. And don't forget that those of us far from the metropolitan mayhem of the south have an opportunity to catch her in person at the Great Grog in June 2009 reading from her collection Me and the Dead.

A Conversation about Dreams

That ever-stylish blogger and Salt poet Katy Evans-Bush embarks tomorrow on a virtual book tour to promote her collection Me and the Dead. The tour, entitled "A Conversation About Dreams" will include feature interviews, pictures, audio, poems, jokes and a few serious moments -- everything you'd expect from an in-person book tour expect flesh-pressing signing sessions. The tour kicks off tomorrow at North Meadow blog. It should be well worth following Ms B's virtual progress, which I'm sure will also find its comment on Baroque in Hackney.

Horizon Comes Into View!

The first issue of the new Salt webzine Horizon Review, edited by Jane Holland, is now online. It includes one poem of mine, "On Your Arrival", as well as two poems by Rob Mackenzie, and work by Katy Evans-Bush, George Szirtes and Alison Brackenbury to name only a few. There are also fiction, reviews and comment. In short, a lot to explore, and much more pleasingly presented than some webzines. Exciting to be in at the beginning of something, even if only in a modest way.