News & Reviews

Lania Knight, our 2017 prose judge, is celebrating a new publication, There Is Fire Here: Essays from Signal 8 Press. Maureen Stanton, author of Body Leaping Backward: Memoir of a Delinquent Girlhood says of it, 'Knight's voice is exquisite and compelling.' XuXi, author of This Fish is Fowl: Essays of Being, says 'Knight's essays leave all five senses tingling with heightened clarity.'… Continue reading There is Fire Here: Essays by Lania Knight

The idea is simple: show up and start writing. Writers of all types; fantasy, fanfic, freelancers, whatever you're into. The plan is to meet up at a cafe fortnightly on Sundays from 11-1, after which we'll have a chat over a drink. Info here (You may need to join Meetup to access)

Enter this year's Hammond House International Literary Prize, theme 'Fate' Submission deadline for entries is 30th September 2023. Categories include: Short Story - Poetry - Scriptwriting - Songwriting More information here

Next Buzzwords Sunday September 10th Upstairs at the Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham Workshop lead by Claire Crowther 7pm Open mic and readings 8pm Guest poet Claire Crowther Pay on the door, £5 waged, £3 unwaged. More info here You have until 10 September to enter the Buzzwords Poetry Competition, judged by Helen Ivory and… Continue reading Buzzwords 10 September

Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest international awards programme for indie authors and independent publishers. Entry deadline: February 14, 2024. Find out more about them and their Early Bird special on their website here

Sabrinensis Chamber Choir are holding a concert about the poet Edward Thomas at Dymock Church at 11.30am on Saturday 23rd September.  Coffee and cake (included in the £15 ticket price) will be served from 11.00am.  There is an extensive permanent exhibition about the Dymock poets at the west end of the church. This is the… Continue reading Sabrinensis Chamber Choir concert about Edward Thomas, 23rd September

Gyles Brandreth, supported by HM The Queen, has written to all Lieutenancies which represent HM The King across the UK, inviting them to take part in an initiative that brings young and elderly people together through the joy of poetry. The project invites a poem of 14 lines or fewer on the theme of 'Happiness'… Continue reading Poetry Together - an initiative that brings young and elderly people together through the joy of poetry

Local author Sheila Johnson, along with Arthur Champion, has edited and compiled a book on the work of Dr Jember Teferra Jember. Sheila writes that Dr Jember Teferra Jember was a remarkable person who changed the lives of thousands of slum dwellers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This book weaves together her devotional writings and biography,… Continue reading Bible reflections from a life devoted to the poor - edited and compiled by Sheila Johnson

Julie has recently published a collection of her poetry with Crumps Barn Studio, described as 'solitary, beautiful, lyrical ― Julie Wiltshire weaves a tapestry of loss, grief and redemption in the Cotswold landscape.'  In her work Julie explores different forms - sestina, villanelle, haikus, haibun, shaped poem, pantoums. The book is available to buy here… Continue reading Brocading the Verse by Julie Wiltshire

Organised by independent author Fanny Garstang, a book festival will showcase writers from Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Wiltshire and Birmingham. Stroud’s first independent book fair will take place at Lansdown Hall in Stroud from 10am – 3pm on Saturday 21 October, and is free to attend. The authors will be talking about their literature from genres including… Continue reading Stroud's inaugural independent book fair

Celebrating 45 years of the Circle's continuous existence, Celebration will be launched on Sunday 17th September 3 pm at The Main Place, Coleford. The session is part of this year's Heritage Open Day events with the theme Creativity Untapped. The same event also features historical fiction author Andrew Taylor in conversation with local author and Chair… Continue reading Launch of Celebration, Dean Writers Circle 6th anthology

A final reminder that the competition closes at midnight Sunday 10th September! Free to enter, open to all 7 to 18-year-olds who live or go to school in the Forest of Dean District Council area. Theme: Turning Point Get all the details and how to submit here