Tag: Women’s Writing

Words from a Distance Front Cover

‘Words From a Distance’ Anthology Published

I’m delighted that Words from a Distance, our gorgeous new anthology has been published by Stairwell Books! I am so proud of all the writers who contributed to this and grateful to have had this positive focus during an incredibly challenging time. Huge thanks to my wonderful co-editor Amina Alyal for sharing her knowledge and expertise and for making it such an enjoyable experience.

“Although we were going nowhere, we travelled great distances together.”

Who would have thought in that chilly back garden in March 2020 when we were wondering what to do with ourselves, that 20 months later we would have this beautiful anthology of fiction, memoir and poetry in our hands? 

Thank you to all the writers who came on this journey with us: 

Amina Alyal
Angela Reid
Bebe Stables
Carole Burgess
Deborah Ripley
Elke Heckel
Heather Curwen
Judith Biddlestone
Kate Cook
Rebecca Bailey
Sarah Newington
Susannah Underwood
Suzanne Watts
Yvana Reeves

It’s been quite a ride!

Special thanks to Deborah Ripley for the stand-out cover design and to Heather Benton for letting us use her gorgeous artwork on the cover.

If you want to see what our brilliant writers have done you can get a copy of Words from a Distance from Stairwell Books:

This anthology by Stairwell Books, features writing from Writing Space courses during lockdown 2020 – 2021.

Buy online at Stairwell books. £10.00 

Discovering the unexpected at the Feminist Library

Yesterday I visited the Feminist Library in London, looking for ideas and materials for my forthcoming workshop at the Conway Hall:  Writing the Stories of When Women Gather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The library was officially closed as they are preparing for their move from Westminster Bridge Road to a new home in Peckham and the volunteers were working late. Nevertheless, I was lucky to be have several hours to browse the shelves – a luxury in these digital times and much more fun than searching online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Feminist Library does have an online catalogue but they are refreshingly low-tech and beautifully organised. I loved dipping into the shelves and discovering the unexpected. There’s a real treasure trove of boxes of old periodicals and magazines from the 1960’s onwards with titles such as The Broomstick and Medusa, Hex, Bitch and Pandora’s Jar. 

I found newsletters from Greenham Common and the Menwith Hill Women’s Peace Camp, publications by and for older women, lesbian feminists, nurses, radical midwives, occupational therapists in women’s prisons, teachers, artists and creative writers.In the first edition of Aurora magazine from 1986 I found a poem called ‘Dies Natales’ by Carol Ann Duffy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was another visitor to the library, a young Korean woman who told me she had found things in the Feminist library that she couldn’t find in Korea! She showed me a magazine from 1981 called Women of Korea with articles about women revolutionaries from North Korea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Feminist Library will re-open in its new home in the Sojourner Truth Community Centre at 161 Summer Road, Peckham in March this year. Keep an eye out on their website for details.  Your can also become a Friend and support the library and donate to their Crowdfunder campaign to help fit out the new library space. The library is staffed by volunteers and is a great example of what can happen ‘when women gather’. I’m looking forward to visiting them in their new home.

Do you want to explore your own stories of when women gather? Discover more at my Creative Writing Workshop:  Writing the Stories of When Women Gather, Conway Hall, Saturday 26 January.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-the-feminist-library-build-its-new-home

http://feministlibrary.co.uk