These gigs are confirmed, more to be announced, so, diaries at the ready...
Saturday October 26th
The Trades Club
Holme St Town Centre, Hebden Bridge HX7 8EETickets on sale soon
Supports TBC
Sunday October 27th
The Continental,
South Meadow Lane, Preston, Lancashire PR1 8JPTickets on sale soon
Special Guests: Flesh For Lulu, John Hyatt (Three Johns), The Inca Babies.
That is correct.
https://www.facebook.com/events/406821436094484/
Sunday 3rd November
The Coliseum
Victoria Place, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO21 1EZTickets on sale soon
Special Guests Partly Faithful
Sunday 10th November
Trillians
Princess Square Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8DETickets on sale soon
Supports TBC
Friday 22nd November
N1 Centre 16 Parkfield St, Islington N1 0PSTickets on sale soon
Supports TBC
Saturday 23rd November
33 Queen's Rd Leeds LS6 1NYTickets on sale soon
Supports TBC
A wonderful time was had by all the fundraising evening for the Young Oncology Unit at the Christie Hospital... I was honoured to be invited to be one of the speakers - in the company of inspiring (and entertaining) women like Val McDermid and Susan Calman. Not to mention the inspiring women on the committee who put so much passion into raising funds for this wonderful cause...
Honoured to be a part of it!
I'm absolutely delighted to report that I have just won The Wirral Festival of Firsts Poetry Competition 2013, with my poem 'A Short History Of Unicorns'.
www.festivaloffirsts.com
The judge was Colin Watts, a poet I respect. I don't know about other writers out there – but when a poet whose work I admire likes my work, it means a huge amount. It's a great boost.
Thank you Wirral Festival of Firsts!is an artist led, not-for-profit organisation, founded to aid the development of creative practitioners.
http://www.neoartists.co.uk/
Each month for the duration of 2013 neo:writers will be publishing and promoting the work of a different poet.
My new poem 'Eclipse' is featured for June 2013. Plus Scott Devon interviews me...
Cast out by Victorian society, eve and Abel find succour from an unlikely source. They soar to fame as The Lion Faced Girl and The Flayed Man, star performers in professor Josiah Arroner's Palace of Curiosities. Set in 1850s London, this is the story of Eve and Abel, both freaks of nature searching for escape. It tenderly explores what it's like to be different and traces their struggle for self-discovery on the boundaries of what is perceived as human.
Garland has produced a fascinating and delightful book. Like a cross between Philip Pullman and Angela Carter, she takes us on an evocative and wonderful journey, full of magical delights and stunning set pieces.
It's her debut novel and such an accomplished work. Her style is a joy. She made me gasp with the audacity of her ideas and smile with the lush beauty of her prose. Check her website for performance, poetry and written work. She's as interesting as the characters she creates!
Go and buy yourself a copy now, please – you'll love it!
www.gscene.com
‘What has always amazed me is that you have so many different aspects to your work. You write in your name Rosie Garland; you write and perform as your alter-ego Rosie Lugosi; you are the lead singer of The March Violets; you are a Goth icon; a legend in the world of burlesque; star of Woman’s Hour and women’s magazines; are there any other facets we don’t know about?’
Read the full interview here - click this link
Next up: Yatterings - More than a sideshow – Rosie Garland's The Palace of Curiosities.Blimey! I'm being used as the poster girl for next week's (sold out) Literary Death Match event The Hospital Club in Covent Garden.
This event is sold out but you can sign up for the waitlist - as tickets become available you will be contacted:
Here's the lineup of THE READERS
Words by Desmond Bullen.
Long before the supposed modishness of flash fiction, prior to the chirpy burst of Twitter, wit at its briefest found its way inked onto the back of a postcard. Denuded of the envelope's discretion, its commonplaces and tidings were status updates on mass-produced cardboard. To come across one now, forgotten between the pages of a secondhand book, is to have the past blossom with the delicacy of a Polaroid before one's eyes.
The postcard is of a room. The room is in a hotel, the kind with a history; one whose inlaid angels have witnessed the relentless ebb and flow of guests and staff over years weary and gay, over decades heavy and light. The tales they could tell are on the tips of their tongues, but their tongues are still. The people in the room are not. They prowl and declaim, with varying degrees of self-consciousness, giving rise to an unintentional poetry, part Dada, part poetry.
And conducting this displaced cabaret is the quicksilver figure of Rosie Garland, a protean figure – neither poet nor mistress of ceremonies, neither March Violet nor author, but all, and more – now coaxing ink from pens in a workshop that is far more play than toil.
There is paper, too; the inevitable flipchart, the outpourings of the group in marker pen across it, like benign graffiti. And the pads and notebooks, their lines no longer flat, but beating with prose of which its authors might be cautiously proud. Each table has a soul or two brave enough to voice their new-found words to the room at large. Each has a postcard to send that's funny or thoughtful, angry or melancholy, flirtatious or droll.
Wish you were here? I was glad I was.
The Postcards From The Past competition, sponsored by The Midland Hotel, closes on 20 July.I have a voice in my head. It never says anything nice. It undermines any attempt I make to write. Examples of the things it says are you're a fraud, you'll never amount to anything and who told you you could write, anyway? On and on and on, wittering ad nauseam.
Sound familiar? You're not alone. It seems like whenever I 'fess up to this internal censor, a common response from fellow-creatives is a stunned good god, you get that too?
Simply put, this inner censor wants me to stop writing. It's been there since I was in my early teens, and shows no sign of going away. Sure, it's had to change its script a little over the past few months what with the launch of my debut novel 'The Palace of Curiosities', but it has simply developed nasty new mantras. One example: when people say they like 'The Palace of Curiosities', they're only being nice.
I used to listen and believe every word I heard. Result? I stopped writing. For years. Call it writers' block if you will. An important part of my writing life has been improving how I deal with these internalised put-downs. I've shared some ideas below – if any of them help, that's great.
1 - First off, I worked out when the voice first appeared. 'Forever' was not an acceptable answer. Speaking personally, my earliest creative efforts were encouraged. However, that changed in my teens when I started to explore the weird, the odd, the different, the opposite of sugar and spice. Suddenly (and it was sudden) the support and praise evaporated. Ta-dah! My internal censor was born at the precise moment in my life when I was developing into an independent person, and it grew fat on raging hormones and adolescent angst.
2 – We are born free of internal censorship – it comes later. My ability to write and my love of writing were both there before the censor. It helped to separate that out.
3 – Another key was to recognise it was a voice in my head, but not 'my' voice. I can separate my self from the put-downs. Who first planted doubts in your head? You sure as hell didn't.
4 - Part of the externalising process was to create a character and give it a name. I call my internal censor Mavis, because it's silly and helps diminish the yap-yap-yap. She is not a huge terrifying demon; she's small and she's squeaky. It's much harder to take such a creature seriously.
5 – She makes herself pretty easy to spot, as her script lacks originality. She trots out the same old tune, the same old words. I recognise Mavis on one of her rants, rather than believing that what she says is true. It isn't.
6 – However, I don't try to ignore her: she just shouts louder. I acknowledge she's there, say hello Mavis; listen to what she has to say, then I get on with whatever it was I was doing. My suggestion? Hear it, note it, move on.
7 - Develop your own practical strategies. One of mine is writing early in the day. Mavis isn't a morning person. I get up before she does, while she's still snoozing. Once I've started and am on a roll it's not so difficult: the blank page is when she's at her most undermining.
8 - I write longhand when I'm starting out, whether it's a novel or a poem. There are many reasons why I do this (and they're the subject of a different blog). As a strategy for getting round Mavis it works like this: to the censor, handwriting is 'scribbling', ie not serious or important. She stops paying attention - and I get to explore ideas without her peering over my shoulder and sneering 'well, that's not very good is it?' If she does start snooping around I say I'm just scribbling. Nothing for you to bother about. I work under the radar and sneak my words past her – rough, unedited words – but words. I can't edit nothing, which is what she's aiming for.
9 – Don't try to reason or argue with the censor. You'll use up all your creative energy and never, ever win. There's no point trying to reason with the unreasonable. My censor says things which logically I know aren't true. But oh boy, does my fearful emotional jelly of a self wobble. That's her power. If I try to engage logic, I end up going in circles. She always has an argument to top mine. She always gets the last word. She's always got a 'yeah, but - '. These arguments leach away time and energy when I could be writing.
10 - Speak out. Say she exists. Stop being ashamed. Stop believing her.
11 - Talk to other creative people. Find out what their internal censors act like. Share strategies for coping.
12 - For years I tried to repress her, ignore her, make her go away. It didn't work. I've accepted I'll never be rid of her. And maybe, just maybe, there's a positive side to all of this head-talk. It keeps me on my toes. With Mavis around I won't become one of those writers who think that every word they commit to paper is perfect and woe betide any foolish mortal who dares suggest they might need to edit the hell out of it.
And if I do become big-headed, blasé or swan around saying do you know who I am? – tell me. Loud and clear.
Published by purpleprosepress, 2003 under Rosie Garland's stage name of Rosie Lugosi.
Published as part of Rosie's residency at 'Creatures of the Night' at greenroom Manchester, Manchester's longest running poetry slam.
Including poems such as 'Two Queens', published in Mslexia magazine.
Excerpt…
“Two Queens
I’d arranged the Palace Hotel bar, at seven. Figured
The cavernous hall, high gilded ceiling would suit
World-changers. They were already there;
Had ordered beer in straight glasses. I knew them at once:
Her, from the bas-reliefs in the Met; and her,
From technicolour gloss in A level History.
“You both look fatter,” I said, “than the pictures.”
“There’s court portraitists for you,” boomed Nefertiti,
Halfway through her pint. Patted a teak-stained
Roll of fat which hung about her navel. “Likewise:
When did you last see a royal virgin painted fat?”
Blared Elizabeth, and thumped me on the back…”
On 12th July 2023 I was made a Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature! It was something I never imagined in a hundred years.
It's a tremendous honour, & a testament to the quality of my writing. To say I am thrilled is a huge misunderstatement.
https://rsliterature.org/fellows/rosie-garland/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/12/royal-society-of-literature-aims-to-broaden-representation-as-it-announces-62-new-fellows
Delighted to get the opportunity to talk to Manchester Festival of Libraries about the importance of libraries in my life!
And there are many more –
Watch all the short films featuring four accomplished Manchester creative practitioners who have worked closely with libraries over the course of their careers.
Hear how libraries can support artists, writers, dancers, musicians and more to create original work, access valuable resources, gain practical support and inspire creativity.
These films aim to highlight the rich creative diversity of our libraries, and pave the way for emerging artists to head to their local library for ideas and insight for their next big project.
You can view all the films below.
https://www.manchestercityofliterature.com/event/creatives-in-libraries/
Absolutely thrilled to announce this new film poem – created over 2021 in collaboration with amazing filmaker Jane Glennie. Inspired by the life of dancer and choreographer Tilly Losch, the film explores notions of erasure, strategies for persistence and the centrality of creative expression for the life of a woman in perpetual motion.
We are delighted with the reception the film is receiving! A list of film festivals is below.
AND there’s a ‘Book of the Film’!
'Because Goddess is Never Enough (Peculiarity Press, 2022)
Available from Blackwell’s (Waterstones, Amazon, etc)
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Because-Goddess-Is-Never-Enough-by-Rosie-Garland-Jane-Glennie/9781912384167
Flick through the book here –
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zzDN5KKbUccqPZsQ7
Film festivals & events 2022 that have selected & featured 'Because Goddess is Never Enough'
Moving Poems May 2022
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – selected as one of ‘the best poetry films on the web’
https://movingpoems.com/2022/05/because-goddess-is-never-enough-by-rosie-garland/
Fringe Arts Bath Festival 27 May - 12 June 2022
Bath’s annual free festival of visual arts
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – selected for WORDPLAY programme
https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/festival-2022
https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/wordplay
Tranås at the Fringe International Arts Festival 2-9 July in Tranås, Sweden
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – selected for the LIVING FEMININITY programme.
https://www.atthefringe.org/film-program-2022
Women X Film Festival 2-4 September in Darlington, UK.
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' - Honourable Mention
https://riannepictures.com/womenx
Women Over 50 Film Festival
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – nominated for Best Experimental film, selected for the AT MY CORE programme
https://wofff22.eventive.org/films/62e15892943cb70054a692d9
https://wofff.co.uk/2022/08/wofff22-films-announced-find-out-more-about-our-fantastic-official-selections/
Athens 10th International Video Poetry Festival 28 September - 1 October 2022
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – screened 29th September within 'Feminist Struggles' programme
https://theinstitute.info/?p=5226
HOME Manchester, Filmed Up 28th September 2022
‘Because Goddess is Never Enough’ selected for Filmed Up programme.
https://homemcr.org/event/filmed-up-sep-2022/
The Feminist Film Festival, Bucharest, 13-16 October 2022
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – Official Selection
https://filmfreeway.com/TheFeministFilmFestival
Sunderland Shorts Film Festival October 17th, 2022
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – selected for the Art & Experimental Films programme
https://filmfreeway.com/SunderlandShorts
Zebra Poetry Film Festival, Berlin 3-6 November 2022
'Because Goddess is Never Enough'.
We are very proud to be selected for Zebra, the oldest and largest international festival of poetry films.
https://filmfreeway.com/ZEBRAPoetryFilmFestival
https://www.haus-fuer-poesie.org/en/zebra-poetry-film-festival/home-zebra-poetry-film-festival/
Still Voices Film Festival, Ireland 9-13 November 2022
'Because Goddess is Never Enough' – Official selection Experimental
https://stillvoicesfilmfestival.com/
It's 40 years since The March Violets released our 1st 7" EP (seriously, FORTY).
So it’s a great time to announce that this tasty 5 CD Box Set is now up for pre order from Jungle Records!
The Palace of Infinite Darkness - In addition to all the singles plus all the extended versions, the box has six excellent BBC sessions, 23 tracks with 9 unreleased songs (also reissued as Big Soul Kiss 2LP yellow vinyl after a sold-out RSD release). Then there are two whole discs of unreleased demo sessions – one from the early period 1982-84 and another from 1985-87. Founder-member Rosie Garland recounts the band’s story in a 44-page booklet.
Check out the link:
https://smarturl.it/MV5CDbox
A wonderful experience – for the first time, I co-tutored a residential writing week for the prestigious Arvon Foundation! It was such a thrill to work alongside inspiring co-tutor Keith Jarrett and electrifying guest reader Jay Bernard.
A very special week. I won’t forget it.
Monday June 27th - Saturday July 2nd 2022
Totleigh Barton, Sheepwash, Beaworthy Devon
https://www.arvon.org/writing-courses/courses-retreats/residential-writing-week-queer-poetry/