Successful Launch of "Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces"

Eight members of the Society's Writing Group read poems from our new anthology, "Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces" on 24 April, during Cheltenham Poetry Festival. The well attended event, upstairs at Cafe Rouge in the Promenade (a first-rate venue for poetry readings) provided a feast of 40 poems from the anthology. These showcased the varied interests and styles of David Ashbee, Robin Gilbert, Sharon Larkin, Michael Newman, Stuart Nunn,  Michael Skaife d'Ingerthorpe, Sheila Spence and Roger Turner.  Other poets represented in the anthology, but unavailable to read on the night, are Judi Marsh and Gerald O'Shaughnessy.

Here is a review of the launch:

"The poems in this anthology are excellent. But I have to particularly commend those of retired nurse Sheila Spence, often about water, including her wise and compassionate Salt Water; Submerged, about the flooding that regularly assails Gloucestershire; and Waiting, likening a new baby to a starfish".  
(Greg Freeman: Write Out Loud)

The event was also an opportunity to publicly thank Robin Gilbert for overseeing the anthology's publication and Abi Ponton of Pigeon Illustration for cover artwork.  We are indebted to both.

Copies of "Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces" are selling well.  If you'd like a copy (£5 plus £2 p@p) please email us on: Cheltenham.Poetry.Society@gmail.com