World Book Night is on Wednesday, April 23rd,  and Gullivers Bookshop in Wimborne are holding an event which looks good – quiz, refreshments, free books and chat!

Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday and at the Beach and Barnicott in Bridport there will be Poems and Pancakes starting at 7.30pm. I will be reading my poetry with the local group ‘Some Bridport Poets’. It will be a fun evening and I think there will be some open mic slots!

Getting excited about the launch of our anthology at Gullivers Bookshop in Wimborne. The event starts at 6.30 pm. We’ll be giving readings from the anthology and refreshments will be served. Everyone will also have the chance to browse in this lovely bookshop during the evening.

Wimborne Writing Group are delighted to announce that our anthology is to have an official launch at Gullivers Bookshop in Wimborne on Thursday, 6th February at 6.30pm. The launch occasion is open to all. Come and meet members of the writing group, listen to readings and enjoy refreshments!

Our anthology of fiction, poetry and drama is now in print and we are delighted to have it in time for Christmas. We love its attractive green cover designed by artist Katherine Dew and,of course, we love the contents which are a fascinating mixture of styles and genres – something for everyone here.
Grapes on the Vine’ (ISBN 978-0-9559503-1-5), printed by Henry Ling of Dorchester, is available from Wimborne Writing Group and can also be viewed and purchased on Amazon.

I was delighted to learn that my novel, ‘Talk to Me’, has been longlisted for the Mslexia 2013 Novel Competition
Now I want to see it published!

Wimborne Literary Festival earlier this month was a great success with many events, including my own writing workshop, a sell-out! My workshop was a lively, fun and, I hope, informative afternoon. We looked at the relationship between different art forms and how they can inspire and enrich each other. Much good poetry, drama and prose was written even in the short time that we had. I certainly enjoyed the afternoon and I hope participants did, too. If you came to my workshop and would like to leave a comment, that would be great.
Let’s hope Wimborne LitFest2014 is even better!

Only 4 days to go! Tickets for some events at Wimborne Literary Festival have sold out, and others are going very fast. So buy yours now. Speakers include Pam Ayres, Natasha Solomons, Matt Harvey, Nell Leyshon and …me! I’m listed as Sarah Steele. The Lit Fest starts on 1st November.

My writing workshop on poetry and short fiction is proving popular so do buy a ticket if you’d like to join in. It will be fun and creative. Come along for a relaxing afternoon! It’s on Wednesday, 6th November 2.30-4.30 at Allendale House, Hanham Road, Wimborne. 

WWG member Ruth Blaug recently received ‘Highly Commended’ for her poem, ‘Bridges’, in the Sherborne Literary Festival. In the summer, Ruth  won 1st prize in the ‘Wimborne in Bloom’ poetry competition for her poem, ‘Promise’, on the theme of ‘Gold at rainbow’s end’. Congratulations, Ruth! 

There are still lots of crane flies or daddy-long-legs skittering around our house. I don’t mind them at all – they are like fragile butterflies. They live for such a short time. As it’s National Poetry Day today, here is a poem with an autumn feel. As I drove back from Salisbury with gold leaves swirling in front of the car (and impatient motorists behind!) I realised that summer is probably over. (But impatient motorists are around in every season).

Crane Flies

Sandbags by shop doors
smell of mildew, river.
Traffic whooshes by.

The evening sun glints
through horse-chestnut trees.
Their leaves like giant hands

are falling – we crackle
through them. Tomorrow
they’ll lie sodden.

In the bedroom insects skitter
up water-coloured walls
and you dart around

snatch at daddy-long-legs
trap them in your hands
careful not to break

thread legs and paper wings,
chuck them into the dark
for their last moments.

On the roof a conker cracks
like thunderbolt.
Push up the sash

close the curtains.
We’ll listen for the rain to start
thudding on the window pane.

©
Sarah Barr

Published in South poetry magazine issues 40 & 43
also on And Other Poems website.