Publicity & promotion - 2

It's been quite some time since my last post - I didn't submit any poems at all in 2016 for publication (slack, I know).

I did send out one - 'I will not mourn you' - at the end of May this year and was delighted that it was accepted for publication in the latest edition of Young Ravens Literary Review. It fitted in well with the theme of the issue, which is 'Prayers for the Planet'.

I'd been hoping to find a nice journal for that poem since I wrote it in 2012, so a big thank you to the Young Ravens editors.

Posted by Jennifer Liston

I'm pleased that my poem 'Shards of Colour' has found a published home in the latest edition of Transnational Literature.

There's plenty of great reading in this issue and includes poems from my talented fellow poets and friends Mike Hopkins and Ian Gibbins, as well as book reviews by Mandy Treagus, Jennifer Osborn and Gay Lynch.

Many thanks to Heather Taylor Johnson, the journal's Poetry Editor.

Posted by Jennifer Liston

A few months ago I met Aisling, a lovely English and Geography teacher from St Mary's Secondary School in Mallow (Co Cork, Ireland). We chatted about literature and writing in general, and poetry in particular. Aisling asked if she could introduce my poetry to her fifth year English class. Of course I said yes.

They selected my poem 'Disconnection' (you can read it here) to discuss in class and Aisling offered them some options to respond to the poem.

Aisling forwarded me a selection of the responses; I was blown away by how creative they were.



For example, there were three very different movies, an artwork, a 'storyboard' of the poem, two poems that were written using only the words from 'Disconnection' and a couple of fake twitter pages of the young woman who walked into the pole (one student decided it was Kim Kardashian who walked into the pole).




Another student created a fake Facebook profile online for the young woman who walked into the pole.

Some students did without their mobile phone for 24 hours and wrote a diary entry about the experience. One girl cooked a Sunday dinner for her family and went for a long walk as she felt she had nothing else to do when she didn't have her phone.

I was thrilled to 'connect' with this class via poetry, and very moved by the funny and diverse responses. It is such a privilege when someone takes the time and effort to read and consider what I write, so to the talented fifth year girls and Aisling O'Connor of St Mary's Secondary School, Mallow: congratulations on your enthusiasm and spirit, and a heartfelt thank you.

Posted by Jennifer Liston

A shiny new website about my rescued poetry is now live over here.

You can read sample rescued poems there and read about how I came up with the idea. I will be adding rescued poems regularly.

You are most welcome to visit and comment!

Posted by Jennifer Liston

Images from The Found Poetry Review website.

I'm delighted that my 'found' poem, 'The Smoothest Place is Right Here', sourced from Chapter 18 of James Joyce's Ulysses, has been published in The Found Poetry Review's special Bloomsday edition.

You can read it over here.

Happy Bloomsday!

Posted by Jennifer Liston

I'll be reading some of my poems with super-talented poet Louise McKenna at 5.30 pm next Wednesday 20th November at the State Library of South Australia, North Terrace, Adelaide.

'Words @ the Wall' is a joint Friendly Street Poets and State Library event and is a lovely, unique kind of poetry reading. The library is a beautiful setting and the event itself - two poets reading for no longer than 45 minutes - gives the audience no time to get bored.

And it's free.

Posted by Jennifer Liston

Letter.Box.Stamp.Collect. is an installation by Pascalle Burton for the Queensland Poetry Festival 2013, which will be held from 23-25 August.

I'm delighted that my poem, 'yesterday's images', is published as part of the circular poetry featured here.

You can read here about the 'letterboxing' concept, which dates back to the 19th century.

Poetic geocaching, anyone?

Posted by Jennifer Liston

What a feast of poetry performances, book launches and readings over the past few months. (See what I'm doing here? Heading towards the excuse 'I've been too busy to update my website' which, as we all know, is just that: an excuse.)

Alison Flett and I had great fun as guest readers - of the celtic kind - at Poets' Corner in January.

I went to the moving launch of the book Too afraid to cry by Ali Cobby Eckermann.

One great performance at the Adelaide Fringe Festival was Anthropoetry by Ben Mellor. Ben was also a guest at Friendly Street earlier this week.

'Breathing spaces' was an interesting performance at Greenaway Art Gallery by poets Cecilia White, Mike Ladd, Jill Jones, Juan Garrido-Salgado, Jude Aquilina and Andre Lawrence who were accompanied by musician Nick Tsavios and projected landscape images by Annette Willis.

This week we're in the thick of Adelaide Writers' Week. Yesterday I went to see/hear five poets read: Cath Kenneally, Karen Solie, Kurt Heinzelman, Harry Ricketts and John Tranter.

It's also been a sad time, with the unexpected passing in January of a fine poet and friend, John Pfitzner, RIP. The evening before, he had been at the Poets' Corner event at which Alison and I were reading. At the end of the evening, I touched his arm lightly and said 'See you at such-and-such'. With a big grin he replied that he was looking forward to it. Later I wondered why these final words were not weighted with the gravitas of 'adieu' rather than the light certainty of 'see you later'. You can read a lovely tribute to him here.

I haven't been writing very much lately, but this will change as I start to schedule my days to incorporate writing and research. I intend to post more poems here soon, so keep revisiting, okay?

Posted by Jennifer Liston

I just received my two copies of The Best Australian Poems 2012 edited by John Tranter.

I'm honoured to have one of my poems, 'Sampling Lily', included.

You can read more and buy The Best Australian Poems 2012 here.

Posted by Jennifer Liston

I'm one of a number of South Australian poets who have written poems inspired by the renowned stained glass in St. Bart's, one of Adelaide's oldest churches.

We will be reading the poems at Light and Glorie: an evening of stained glass and poetry on Saturday 10 November (10:11:12).

Light and Glorie, a book featuring a selection of the poems and colour images of the windows, will be available for purchase on the night.

All proceeds from the event will go towards the work of the Magdalene Centre. Drinks and nibbles provided.

Come along and listen to some poetry for the soul!

Posted by Jennifer Liston

I'm thrilled to see my poem 'Duality' published in Cordite Poetry Review Issue 40.0: Interlocutor.

And I'm in the company of talented South Australian poets Rachael Mead, Heather Taylor Johnson and David Ades.

Hop on over there now for some fine poem-y goodness.

Posted by Jennifer Liston

I was thrilled to be invited to read at the Lee Marvin readings last Tuesday (18 September).

Other readers on the evening included Nicholas Jose, Doug Mason and Canberra-based poet Geoff Page.

Here are some images from the evening, including me in action. All of these were taken by Martin Christmas (himself a writer, theatre director and showman). Thank you Martin!




Me (left) with wonderful poets Rachael Mead and Alison Flett.



Me with Doug Mason (who read some of his lovely Haikus).

Posted by Jennifer Liston

Last Friday (14 September) I had a guest spot on 'Chill the Friday Out', a fabulous late-night community radio program at PBA FM. It was a last-minute invite so I didn't have time to post the link here!

The program is hosted by producer and all-round musical talent Stefan Todor.

I read five of my poems and of course I had great fun!

There is a tiny chance that I may post the video to YouTube (Robert recorded me). I'll let you know if/when I post it!

Posted by Jennifer Liston

What a nice cheer-me-up: my poem 'Damp gossip' is published today in InDaily.

Read it here.

Thank you, InDaily.

Posted by Jennifer Liston

Last year (19 and 21 November) I read a few poems on Cath Kenneally's Writers' Radio program (digital radio, online and 101.5FM).

I've just noticed that the podcast is now available to download from the website.

Here's a direct link to the podcast.

I start around the 20-minute mark.

Posted by Jennifer Liston