Words to freedom

‘This event is one that builds our hope and our passion for freedom,’ said Nigel Ashworth, Rector of St. Ann’s Church as he opened Words to Freedom. This hour-long session, organised by Amnesty International, was a show of solidarity for oppressed people across the world. It featured poems, novel extracts and biography excerpts from writers in Kosovo, Kurdistan, Nigeria, Sudan, Germany, Ireland and more, and was a powerful illustration of how ordinary people can use words to defy political subjugation.

And, by and large, it worked. Despite the dark subject matter, the three actors Amnesty had rustled up to lead the event brought each text to life, injecting the readings with energy and, at times, humour. TV actor and teacher Wyllie Longmore gave a particularly powerful rendition of Benjamin Zephaniah’s We Refugees, a moving poem that reminds us that ‘we all came from refugees/Nobody simply just appeared’.

Nathan Crossan-Smith, a budding thespian currently studying at Xaverian College, read, among other works, Not My Business. This poem by the Nigerian dissident, Niyi Osundare, is a rebuke of those who stand by and watch as corruption, brutality and political injustice ruin the lives of their innocent neighbours.

But the most moving readings came courtesy of Shobna Gulati. The former Coronation Street actress was the best known and, unsurprisingly, the best of the acting bunch, and she read various pieces, including All We Want is our Freedom. Penned by Burma’s pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, this piece had particular poignancy given the ongoing political unrest within this troubled South East Asian nation.

Words to Freedom finished with Gulati’s reading of Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise, a work that is by turns defiant, provocative and proud. As Gulati repeated the poem’s hopeful refrain, the audience was left with a sense of promise; that, as we returned to our ordinary lives and our ordinary worries, poetry and fiction still maintain the power to illuminate injustice and thus bring about change.

Words to Freedom was held on Saturday 18 October at 2pm at St. Ann’s Church, St. Ann’s Square, Manchester city centre.

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Susie Stubbs is a writer and editor based in Manchester. Her blog, http://travelswithmybaby.wordpress.com, has just been nominated for a Manchester Blog Award.

Manchester Poetry Prize Gala

Last night saw the first ever Manchester Poetry Prize Gala. The event took place in the Haden Freeman Concert Hall at the Royal Northern College of Music. Though the venue is usually associated with musical performances and concerts, it provided a surprisingly intimate location.

The Manchester Poetry Prize was launched in March 2008 by the Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. By the closing date of 1st August the competition had attracted more than 1,000 entries. The judges, Gillian Clarke, Carol Ann Duffy and Imtiaz Dharker had a painstaking task of short-listing to six finalists.

The event began with readings from each of the judges. Carol Ann Duffy treated us to three humorous poems from her collection, 'The World's Wife'. This was followed by Imtiaz Dharker who led us through a number of thought-provoking poems including ‘Living Space’ and ‘One Breath’. And lastly, Gillian Clarke, the National Poet for Wales, took to the stage to read some of her work and provide us with a sneak preview of the soon to be published 'A Recipe for Water'.

What really came across was the support and enthusiasm for this prize and for new writing in general. Imtiaz Dharker remarked that she felt honoured to be reading amongst the nominees.

Next it was the turn of the short-listed poets to read two pieces from their submitted portfolios and they came to the stage one by one. Subjects ranged from love, travel and history, with language featuring widely.

The shortlist is as follows:

Mike Barlow
Mandy Coe
Allison McVety
Helen Mort
Rose Shepperd
Lesley Saunders

And finally Gillian Clarke took the stage one last time to read out the names of the winners, remarking that it was a ‘delight to give money to poets’. Sheffield poet, Helen Mort took the Manchester Young Poet Prize, receiving £2,000. However, in deciding on a winner for the Manchester Poetry Prize the judges were torn and the £10,000 prize fund was shared between winners Lesley Saunders and Mandy Coe.

This prestigious award will alternate annually between fiction and poetry. Next year we can look forward to the Manchester Prize for Fiction.

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Jenny Hudson also blogs at http://www.indiequarter.com/ and http://www.ladylevenshulme.co.uk/.

Afternoon Tea with Jenni Murray

After a busy week of two big deadlines and one stinking cold, I was looking forward to a pleasant afternoon tea with Jenni Murray. In the elegant surroundings of the Midland Hotel's French Restaurant, around sixty women and two men gathered to listen to the broadcaster, writer and much loved presenter of Woman's Hour talk about her new book, 'Memoirs of a Not So Dutiful Daughter'. A dozen white tables with clean white cloths and silver cutlery and two magnificent chandeliers provided a refined backdrop to an interesting and unexpectedly moving afternoon.

Manchester Evening News Arts Critic, Kevin Bourke, provided the questions and a brief introduction. Jenni then talked about her book. She explained that the title was a spin on Simone de Beauvoir's book, 'Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter' and that like the de Beauvoir book, her book also dealt with the complex and often fraught relationship between a mother and daughter. She spoke about her childhood in Barnsley, of being a teenager in the sixties, her relationship with her mother and of her grandparents. She then read two poignant extracts on the death of her parents. Silence. I glanced around the room to see a number of women visibly moved.

Later she went on to speak jubilantly of arranging tickets to the Last Night of the Proms for her parents' 40th wedding anniversary. She remembered their delight as they emerged from the Royal Albert Hall waving their Union Jacks and how they sang Land of Hope and Glory on the way home.

When asked if she found writing her book to be cathartic, she explained that it was more that the book 'fell out of her' and that she felt compelled to write it. Her decision to publish the book was due to the universal themes of finding yourself suddenly responsible for a parent, of the issues of women and childcare and of finding good care homes.

Though much of the subject matter dealt with the emotional subjects of death, grieving and of Jenni's own recent experience with cancer, the tone was of hope and optimism. In the end she had arrived at an understanding of her mother and they had resolved their differences. And it is all of these experiences that have made Jenni Murray the broadcaster, writer, mother and woman she is today.

Notes:

'Memoirs of a Not So Dutiful Daughter' by Jenni Murray (published by Bantam Press) is in shops now.

For more information on Jenni Murray visit www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/.

For more information on Simone de Beauvoir visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_de_Beauvoir

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Jenny Hudson also blogs at http://www.indiequarter.com/ and http://www.ladylevenshulme.co.uk/.

An Interview with Hannah Berry

Hannah Berry is a newly published graphic novelist, with her first novel Britten & Brülightly, published by Jonathan Cape, attracting praise from many quarters. Located in Brighton, she's visiting us in more northern climes for the Manchester Literature Festival, taking part in Between the Panels on Sunday October 19th at the Whitworth Art Gallery Lecture Theatre. In preparation she's answered a few questions for Ella Wredenfors and the Manchester Literature Festival blog.

EW: Hi Hannah, could you introduce yourself and your novel?

HB: My novel is set in a non-specific 1940s British city, and follows private investigator Fernández Britten through a murky suicide-or-possibly-murder case, while dogged by his own, even murkier feelings of despair at his career-long perpetuation of human misery.

It's quite a dark story, but it has some occasional humorous moments. Britten's desolate musings are often counterbalanced by the optimism of his partner – Stewart Brülightly – who is, for reasons never explained, a talking teabag. For my part, there's not a lot to introduce as this is only my first book! (I'm still young. There's still time.) I wrote B&B in the dying weeks of university while studying illustration at Brighton in a moment of defiance - comics were never really looked upon kindly, even in art college - and I worked on it for a further three years before it was finished.

EW: It is clear your influences are not typical of British graphic novelists. There is a cinematographic feel to the work, and it is reminiscent of Guarnido & Canales' Blacksad, in its noir-ish painterly style. What would you say were your key influences with Britten & Brülightly?

HB: I'd say you're pretty close to the mark! A lot of the tone has come about though my love of films, particularly films with a more contemporary take on noir. There's something compelling in their oppressive, brooding atmosphere and very purposeful use of light. I think my artistic style has is definitely been inspired by European comics. Blacksad is a mighty fine example (though I still have a way to go before I reach that standard…). I don't know if its because comics are taken more seriously as an art form there, but a lot of comics that come from France and Belgium in particular have fabulously involved artwork; fully painted and with breathtaking depth. Even when the scenario is everyday they can still be incredibly evocative. From the start that was always the only route I wanted to take – to do a graphic novel where every panel was a painting in its own right.

EW: Unlike most graphic novels, Britten & Brülightly was not first published as a serial, do you think this influenced the novel?

HB: Definitely. It meant the book could have one long and winding dramatic arc throughout, whereas writing for a serial would necessitate continuous climaxes to keep people buying the next one. With a graphic novel you have the luxury of knowing that your audience have already bought the story in its entirety. As a result, the pacing is less staccato and the storyline can be more involved and convoluted, and any shocks or revelations are free to appear at any moment, giving them more of an element of surprise. Perfect for noir.

EW: This is your first published work, how are you coping with the aftermath of publication?

HB: It's a strange situation. I've enjoyed many years of being quiet - speaking softly, not making waves, not being noticed particularly; and now suddenly I find myself required to have an opinion! It feels like someone has moved the rock and now everyone can see me, staring back up at them. Don't get me wrong – it's fabulous to have been discovered, but it's all made me very, very self-conscious. I doubt I'll ever get used to the notion that strangers are reading my book…

EW: After taking part in Between the Panels, what other events will you be attending?

HB: I'll be on a panel at the Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds on 15th November (though I'm not sure who the final line up for the panel is yet), and then the next day I'll be part of another panel on writing graphic novels, along with Paul Duffield, Oliver East and Marcia Williams, as part of the ComICA festival. I'll also be coming along to the ComICA talk on the 19th November by French bandes dessinée celebrities Guibert and Benoit (but in the audience, obviously).

EW: Britten & Brülightly is a beautiful book, what can we expect from you in the future?

Thanks! It's still a bit in the air at the moment (as I write this I'm waiting to see if I have another publishing deal with Cape), but I have an idea for the next project, and the idea is for a ghost story. I love horror. I know it's a genre that's been used and abused a lot lately, but I think there's still uncharted waters, and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into another dark, brooding (fully painted) little number.

MLF Review Competition

Manchester Literature Festival is inviting audiences to write a review of any events they have attended as part of this year’s festival. The best reviews will then be posted on the festival’s blog site and a £50 Borders voucher will be awarded to the most entertaining/informative review received by a member of the public.

How to enter the Review Competition
You can write a review of any event that is part of this year’s Manchester Literature Festival programme (16 - 26^th October 2008). Reviews should provide a summary of what happened at the event (including name of event, featured writers, date and venue). It should also give a strong flavour of the event’s mood/physical surroundings and how the audience responded. Detail any interesting points made by the writers or members of the audience. Listen/watch out for any quirky details that will add some local colour to your piece.

We want to hear your original perceptions of the Manchester Literature Festival, favourable or otherwise, but please bear in mind that we won’t be able to publish anything that might be deemed libelous!

Reviews should be between 100 and 400 words in length. All reviews should be sent within 3 days of the event taking place and emailed to mcrlitfestblog@gmail.com

You may also attach a jpeg photo of the event to accompany your review if you have one, but don’t worry if you haven’t as the official MLF photographer will be out and about at most of our events.

Please ensure that your email also contains the following information:

* the title and date of the event you have reviewed

* your own name and contact details

Lucky Voice

The Lucky Voice event placed poets in Tiger Tiger's private karaoke booths. It marked both National Poetry Day and the very first event of the Manchester Literature Festival.

Upon entering the upstairs bar at Tiger Tiger it became evening time, despite it being just past one in the afternoon. People stood about awkwardly, chatting and playing spot the poet, waiting to be ushered through to the karaoke pods. Eventually, we pile into pod 8, the college teacher and students from Contact Theatre and Xaverian College, the bloggers and the lady with recording equipment. We giggle and squawk as we play with the system, 6000+ songs, and we're stuck on the Kills, Killers and Kaiser Chiefs.

Luckily, Patience Agababi rocks up before the synthesised pop rock gets to me. Her smart black suit, beribboned with words, and sequinned tops adds to the dusky atmosphere. She jokes about her outfit, wishes us happy National Poetry Day, and talks about this year's theme: 'Work'. Patience presented a programme on BBC Radio 4 called 'Blood, Sweat, Tears and Poetry', available on the BBC iplayer for a few more days.

Today her poems skip through music, northern soul, ska and Janis Joplin, suitable topics in a karaoke booth. Mostly sonnets taken from her recently published poetry anthology Bloodshot Monochrome, her poems skim gracefully from music to her identity, her relationship to her mothers and to her son, and her inability to write about September the 11th in 'Not a 9.11 Poem.'

Next, exchanging pods with almost military precision, it was the turn of John McAuliffe, an Irish poet living in Manchester. His tongue in cheek poems are playfully apocalyptic, the first 'Week 2' inspired by the recent shenanigans with the Hadron Collider at Cern. His poems wriggle from Fog Lane Park and Irish race meets to a ponder on vengeful Japanese angels, which would not be out of place in Empire of Signs. Finally coming to rest in the desolation of office space in 'End of the World.'

After a quick, disorganised loo break, Caroline Bird takes centre stage (though it should be centre booth). Like the works of the previous poets these poems are playful and vivid, but much more demanding. She kicks off (in every sense of the word) with a 'Virgin', a caustic and confrontational poem which elicits under the breath hoots from one young man.

After the professionals it is the turn of the rest of us. The college students, obviously already old hands at this, take to the microphone with glee. After a rushed rendition of W. H. Auden's 'Funeral Blues', we are treated to their own compositions, dealing with contentious issues around politics and identity.

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Ella Wredenfors is an Art History graduate, a Captain Beefheart aficionado and fizzy water connoisseur. She writes an arts, culture and comics blog @ www.runpaintrunrun.net.

2008 Manchester Blog Awards shortlist announced

Here is the 2008 Manchester Blog Awards Shortlist. We had 107 separate nominations this year, coming in from as far away as San Francisco. There was such a wealth of great stuff that it was harder than ever to do the shortlisting, particularly in the Best Writing on a Blog category (by far our most nominated-for.)

The force is strong with you, Manchester bloggers. Many thanks to all those who nominated.


Best New Blog:

Dear Kitty
Coco LaVerne
Follow The Yellow Brick Road
14sandwiches


Best Writing on a Blog:

Diary of a Bluestocking
Every day I lie a little
Nine chains to the moon
Chicken and Pies

Best Arts and Culture Blog:

Scatterdrum
Quit This Pampered Town
Northernnights
Max Dunbar

Best Personal Blog:

Travels with my baby
Single Mother on the Verge
Follow the Yellow Brick Road
40three

Best Neighbourhood Blog:

Hyde Daily Photo
Mancubist
Lady Levenshulme
Manchester Bus

This will now go to our panel of judges, which includes Sarah Hartley, blogger and online editor at the Manchester Evening News, Dave Carter of Manchester Digital Development Agency, Richard Fair of BBC Manchester and author Chris Killen, winner of last year's Best Writing on a Blog award.

The winners (who each get £50 and a large metal studded belt that is very heavy) will be announced at the blog awards event Weds Oct 22 at Matt and Phred's Jazz Club.