February Poetuary Mortuary Events…

I have two spectacular (and very different) events to kick off the year (since January was something of a write-off for many of us)…

Lady Marlene presents My Vicious Valentine

Shake off the sugar of the the Saint’s day itself with some vicious, vermicious Valentine’s venom at in West End on Feb 17. I’ll be performing some vile love poems — and even, perhaps, brandishing my singing voice — with the Ragtag Band and Lady Marlene’s bevy of burlesque belles. Consider it my cabaret debut. Bookings are essential — dine in or nab a seat at the bar. The Loft, Feb 17, 6.30pm.

Riverbend Poetry Series 1

On the deck at my favourite Brisbane bookshop, I’m very fortunate to be able to read alongside Anthony Lawrence and Vanessa Page. Julie Beveridge, Carmen Leigh Keates, Chris Lynch and Cindy Keong will also launch their Choose Your Own Poetry Adventure amplified e-book. I’ll be previewing poems from the manuscript I completed recently at Varuna, in the Blue Mountains. Bookings are essential. Riverbend Books, Feb. 19.

FreeVerse! And Spooky Things!

FreeVerse: Page Vs Stage

State Library of Queensland, 16 Oct. 2012

FreeVerse tomorrow is going to be brutal. And oh, man — I should have blog-rambled about this yonks ago, but I’ll admit I’ve been quietly confident that my opponent, Robin “Archie” Archbold, will fold like a bible-paper page under the weight of Page Poetry. Well, perhaps not — he gives as good as he gets, but it should make for a spectacular show. I am rarely this excited about gigs. Let us show you a good time. Gloves are off.

Fresh: Poetry and Burlesque in the Library

Brisbane Square Library, 19 Oct. 2012

If you need an event a little less violent than FreeVerse, catch some poetry and burlesque at the Halloween-themed Fresh event on Friday. I can promise gory cemetery poems. And I’m delighted to get to share the stage with Red Devotchkin, definitely my favourite Brisbane burly-Q performer.

Click the headers to hit up the FB event pages and find out more.

QPF Roadshow Round-Up

The dust has settled in Central Queensland, and the good people of Bundy, Gladdy and Rocky have survived the onslaught of poets. The Queensland Poetry Festival was a blast last-last weekend (24–26 August, 2012) at The Judith Wright Centre, but we touring poets didn’t skip a beat. We arrived in Bundaberg on Monday, 27 August, to give the first of our regional workshops.

I had the pleasure of travelling nationally with the Arts Queensland Touring Poets Program in 2009, but this is the first regional outing for QPF. I joined performance poets Scott Sneddon (Darkwing Dubs) and Steve Smart (from Melbourne), and QPF’s lovely Talina McKenzie Continue reading

Poets on the Road

Delight! After Queensland Poetry Festival weekend in August, I’m joining Darkwing Dubs and Steve Smart on the QPF Regional Roadshow. We’re stopping in on Bundaberg, Mackay and Rockhampton to give performances and workshops. I can’t wait. We get to go by plane and train! I’m picturing Platform 9 & 3/4, pumpkin juice, and an owl… I’ve always wanted to travel by train — and it’s high time I saw more of Queensland. See you soon, northerners!

All the workshops are free, and you can book in by emailing Talina at qldpoetry@gmail.com.

Here’s our itinerary:

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Avid Reader: Voiceworks #89 Launch

Express Media’s awesome Voiceworks Magazine is slowly working their way to world domination, and Brisbane is next on the map. VW #89 — Space lauches at Avid Reader on July 26, and we’ve got a super-cool trio of Brisbane writers to help us: Michelle Law, Jack Venig, and Alberto Vasquez Sanchez.

Voiceworks publishes the words and art of Australians aged under 25. Come along to learn more, hear awesome writerly talents, buy Voiceworks, and find out how to submit your poetry, prose and non-fiction. Also there will be wine.

Find out more on the FB event page, or follow @Express__Media for updates.

How seapunk is our cover?

SPOKEN: Bukowski

This time tomorrow I’ll be getting ready to read at the Charles Bukowski-themed SPOKEN at the State Library Cafe. It runs from 5.30 till 7.30pm, and features Sommer Tothill, Kevin Spink, Dan Eady, as well as yours truly. There will also be live body art by The Pillow Book Girls, music by Bernard Houston and band, an open mic, and the raffling off of one of the very last copies of The Voyage, my first chapbook. All that for free!

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Tales from the Gutter

It’s going to be a busy year. I’ve penciled in a nana nap in for November—so you know now not to disturb me then. Preferably for the whole month. Until then, a lot of black tea is going to pass these lips. And words.

On February 10th I’ll be reading some Bukowski-inspired poems at Spoken: Tales of a Dirty Old Man. This is a gig seriously outside of my comfort zone, and I’m researching, reading and writing this week. Who knows what might happen! Come along and find out. Here’s the poster: SPOKEN.

I’m delighted to announce I’ll be joining co-poetry editor Jessica Alice on the editorial committee of Voiceworks Magazine as something of a Brisbane representative. Express Media have supported my poetry for years, and I’ve always wanted an opportunity to help out–but Melbourne is even Down Underer than here is. Now we have the Internets and Skype and magic!

So far I’m sticking to my resolutions: write often, submit often (to journals and stuff, that is!), and read more. (I’m reading Damon Galgut’s In A Strange Room, Tom Robbins’ Skinny Legs and All, and Krissy Kneen’s sensual and touching Affection. Oh, and Thomas Harris’ Silence of the Lambs for funzies.)

Otherwise, I’m hermited away in my office writing grant applications and working away at freelance projects. This weather transforms our lower storey (i.e. where I exist) into a damp, chilly cabin in the woods, and “home office” comes to mean “in bed with hot water bottle, laptop, and giant octopus plushie.” But it works, and I have the company of Delirium and Sigmund, betta fish who determinedly blow bubbles at me when they’re happy.