What’s On

Camden Poetry: A chance to hear talented small press poets read at open mics and submit work for the annual anthology in support of the cold weather shelters. Doors open 6.30 for 7pm, 88 Tavistock Place, WC1 H9RT, Tubes: Russell Square or Kings Cross. All proceeds to cold weather shelters. 

National Association of Writers' Groups: 2010 Annual Writers' Conference, a weekend conference held at Collingwood College, University of Durham. For further details contact Wendy O'brien on wendy.obrien99@googlemail.com

Poetry Picnic 2010: Poetry Picnic, as part of the Porlock Literature Festival, with Guest poet Harriet Tarlo. In the garden of the Visitor Centre and Porlock Village Hall, near Minehead. For details e-mail tilla.b@virgin.net

Cinnamon Press: Launch of 'My Only Ever Oedipal Complaint' by Omar Sabbagh. There will be a couple of opportunities to hear Omar launch the book in London, beginning with a joint reading at Lumen on together with Sheila Hillier reading from 'A Quechua Confession Manual', Doors open 6.30 for 7pm, 88 Tavistock Place, WC1 H9RT.  Tubes: Russell Square or Kings Cross. Poets from the floor also welcome for open mic.

The 4th Chichester Writing Festival: The 4th Chichester Writing Festival is an intimate series of interviews and panel discussions with best-selling authors, editors, agents and booksellers, running from lunchtime on Friday 24 September to teatime on Sunday 26 September.  Festival Directors, Kate and Greg Mosse, have once again brought together a spectacular line-up of industry professionals including Kate Mosse, author of international best-sellers Labyrinth , Sepulchre and The Winter Ghosts, Peter James, the contemporary thriller writer whose Brighton-based ‘Roy Grace’ detective novels have sold five million copies worldwide, Lady Antonia Fraser, whose successes include Marie Antoinette, Mary Queen of Scots, Cromwell: Our Chief of Men, The Six Wives of Henry VIII and The Gunpowder Plot, Michael Morpurgo, one of the UK’s best-loved authors, founder, with his wife Clare, of the charity Farms for City Children. Greg Mosse, co-director and leader of the West Dean College creative writing programme, will chair a wide range of panel discussions. The topics for discussion will include: Living History, An Editor & Two Of Her Authors, An Agent & Two Of Her Authors, Writing For Children ?, Biography & Autobiography, The Novel, Promoting & Protecting Good Writing, Why Venice?, Ideas From The Audience – Responses From The Panel and Poetry & Performance. The fee for the weekend is £243 including lunch and dinner. Accommodation for the weekend from £76 - £136 per person. West Dean College, Near Chichester, West Sussex. You can save 5% by booking on-line on www.westdean.org.uk or call 0844 4994408 for more details. For more information, call Ellen Cheshire on 01243 818277

Academi: Annual General Meeting 2010. This year’s meeting will be held at The Castle Hotel, Merthyr Tydfil at 2.00 pm. For further details contact Academi on 029 2047226.

Camden Poetry: A chance to hear talented small press poets read at open mics and submit work for the annual anthology in support of the cold weather shelters. Doors open 6.30 for 7pm, 88 Tavistock Place, WC1 H9RT, Tubes: Russell Square or Kings Cross. All proceeds to cold weather shelters.

Birmingham Book Festival: Readings with Pascale Petit, 6.15 pm. For information and to book go to: http://www.birminghambookfestival.org or ring 0121 3032323

Arvon Foundation: Starting to Write course with Courttia Newland and Pascale Petit at The Hurst, Clunton, Craven Arms. For further details go to http://www.arvonfoundation.org/pc546.html or ring 01588 640658.

The Cheltenham Literature Festival: Paul Henry reads from The Brittle Sea: New & Selected Poems, with Jo Shapcott at The Cheltenham Literature Festival. Further details from the festival box office, phone 0844 576 8970.

Durham Book Festival: The annual book festival will be taking across the city of Durham. Blending debates and discussions with some of the most interesting and important writers of our times, plus a fun mix of interactive events, live performance and special events, this year’s festival has something for everyone, no matter what sparks your enthusiasm. Speakers appearing at the festival include Bill Bryson, Will Hutton, Jackie Kay, Peter Snow, David Peace, George Clarke, Jonathan Coe, Kate Fox, Maggie Gee, Liz Jensen, Sadie Jones, Lucy Mangan, Val McDermid, Chris Mullin, Blake Morrison, Pascale Petit, Michele Roberts, Jo Shapcott, Catherine O’Flynn, Rupert Thompson and Xinran.  The Festival Laureate for 2010 is poet Simon Armitage. There will also be special matinee events for schools with David Almond and Simon Armitage, hosting a week of free book-based, hands-on fun in the half-term holiday for young children and their families. All the half-term activities are free to attend.  To book tickets call the Gala box office on 0191 332 4041. Tickets at a special concessionary rate booked before 3 September. To qualify for this offer and quote "Early Bird Offer". The offer is also available online if you book your tickets through the Gala website. For more information, visit www.durhambookfestival.com.

Manchester Literature Festival: Pascale Petit will give an illustrated reading from What the Water Gave Me - Poems after Frida Kahlo. 1.00 pm at the Lecture Theatre, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester. Tickets £5/£3 conc. To book ring 0843 2080500 or go to http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk

Off the Shelf Festival, Sheffield: Pascale Petit will give an illusrated redaing from What the Water Gave me - Poems After Frida Kahlo. For details go to: http://www.offtheshelf.org.uk

South France: ‘A Troubadour poetry-writing week in the land of the Troubadours’: A full Troubadour week-in-residence, from themed-workshops to ways into writing, critical sessions, getting published, what makes a good poetry reading, seminars on some American idols etc, all led/facilitated by Anne-Marie Fyfe (see www.annemariefyfe.com and www.coffeehousepetry.org). And, as you'd expect, the chance to read together: poems that may include work you've brought along and developed or new work you've started and perfected in this stunningly inspirational birthplace of European poetry, with its neolithic history, classical ruins, Cathar fortresses. Poetry sessions featuring all the above options and more will occupy us from 10am to 12.30pm and from 5pm to 7pm daily. Apart from shared repasts you'll use your free time for writing, walking, exploring and talking. Book now (as places may go quickly). For more information, e-mail Anne-Marie Fyfe (Organiser), www.coffeehousepoetry.org with your details which she’ll forward to the residence's administrator who'll then manage the practicalities and advise on travel, arrival etc. Regular low-cost flights will take you from Luton to Beziers (19km), with a taxi to Caux, though once you've booked we can help co-ordinate arrivals to reduce shared taxi costs. And flights into Montpelier, Perpignan, Carcassonne, Nimes and Girona may suit depending on your local airport options in Britain and Ireland… But don't book flights till you've heard your place is confirmed. £465 if you book now, including full board and all seminars (not including travel costs or any excursions). Main house holds 8 (see www.purefrance.com/34329/holiday-rental-home.asp), but seminar/workshop groups can comfortably accommodate 12 so late bookings will be accepted at £630 (staying over in local chambres d'hotes).

Durham Book Festival: Pascale Petit reading with Jo Shapcott, 3.30 pm at the Festival. For further details go to: http://www.bookfestival.org.uk

Valley du Giffre, Haute Savoie, the French Alps: Wordmeadow Writing Workshops with Jay Griffiths & Paul Henry. "I do not seek, I find" as Picasso said. A course welcoming writers on any point on their path, encouraging engagement, curiosity and creative risk-taking and encompassing exploration of landscapes of nature, language and the mind. Within this dramatic French Alpine setting, whether cocooned in the gorgeous contemporary chalet or taking workshops in the open air, this promises to be an enriching and stimulating course. Please see our website www.wordmeadow.com for more details, including our June 2011 course with Jacob Polley.

Camden Poetry: A chance to hear talented small press poets read at open mics and submit work for the annual anthology in support of the cold weather shelters. Doors open 6.30 for 7pm, 88 Tavistock Place, WC1 H9RT, Tubes: Russell Square or Kings Cross. All proceeds to cold weather shelters.