Latest up from Spoken Label making her debut is the wonderful Connie Rigby. Connie Rigby was born in Delph, Oldham and is currently studying MA Creative Writing, BA Modern Foreign Languages and Cultures in Manchester. She can be contacted via email : [email protected]

Bonus Episode from Spoken Label (Author / Artist / Poetry Podcast) featuring the return of our friend Peter Topping talking about a new fund raising campaign for the visually-impaired in South Manchester (UK) with a new poetry book. More details about this can be seen: JustGiving https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/free-books?utm_term=Z7KAJn87y Link to YouTube video of sample page in book https://youtu.be/fKg2crEJbis Facebook page Peter Topping https://www.facebook.com/peter.thetoppings.net/

Latest up from Spoken Label features the return of our friend, the wonderful Quigley CB (Also known as Quigley Cryan Brockbank) As of typing, Quigley is a Manchester-based writer, whose work typically combines horror and elements from folk tales with an absurdist sense of humour. She has had work published in the likes of Spellbinder and has been featured on All FM and the BBC. Her first play, Exiles, was shortlisted for the Shelagh Delaney New Writing Award. Her debut short story collection, God Leaks out of your Armpit – a collection of queer body horror – was recently published by Written Off Publishing. More about Quigley can be found at: https://www.instagram.com/quigley_cb/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word / Poetry Podcast) features the return of our friend, Charlotte Faulconbridge. Charlotte Faulconbridge is an autistic and chronically ill prize-winning poet, published author, musician and TEDx performer. Her book, Too High to Function, which tells the story of her life on the autistic spectrum has sold in over 20 countries, on every continent, and reached number one in the Amazon bestseller charts. She became an ambassador for the mental health charity MIND earlier this year and was recently a finalist in the BBC Make A Difference awards. Her brand new book, The Warring Twenties, is her debut poetry collection themed around mental health. Charlotte can be contacted on: https://www.instagram.com/charlotterobynf/https://www.inclusivecreatives.co.uk/ Jawbone who publishes The Warring Twenties can be found at: https://www.wessex.media/

* Bonus Episode * Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word Podcast / Poetry) features the return of our friend, Kate Jenkinson. Dr Kate Jenkinson is scientist and poet reconciled and is one of a handful of LinkedIN Business Poets. She likes hats, writes about the many ones she wears (Mother, Daughter, Friend, Coach, entrepreneur) and she enjoys performing at open mics and slams since the pandemic made the poetry community more accessible. In 2022 she performed her TEDx talk Poetry Never Abandons Us and she enjoys attending and headlining events internationally. Her work can be found in EyeFlash, Good DadHood, Steel Jackdaw, Flight of the Dragonfly and Feral (their first Mother/Daughter poetry and art collaboration). Kate recently realised she was neurodivergent so this and her aphantasia is a feature of her recent work. This bonus episode talks directly about Kate's debut poetry book 'Unbroken'. 'Unbroken' is described as "Kate Jenkinson's debut collection is a tale of self-discovery. Delving into her past to analyse and embrace her neurodivergencies. Sometimes heart-wrenching and difficult, sometimes glorious and life-affirming, always about acceptance. As an aphantasic poet, it is about much more than creating a visual image for Kate. Her poetry lies in the sounds, tastes and touch that she experiences; the emotions that come from all senses. With sublime natural lyricism, and joy in wordplay, rhyme and alliteration, her slam poetry comes to life on the page. Sitting alongside beautiful form and free verse poetry, it is a marriage of the soul. Kate's poetry will have you looking inward, while she holds your hand, showing you how to accept yourself to ultimately become Un/Broken" Kate can be found on both facebook and Linkedin: https://www.facebook.com/kjenkinson1 https://uk.linkedin.com/in/katejenkinsonnextstephr Her book is available either through Kate directly or https://www.amazon.co.uk/Broken-Kate-Jenkinson/dp/1917408005 Prickly Pear is on facebook and eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/o/ashley-edge-66407590783?fbclid=IwY2xjawGUr4hleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYtGgSJuHYzV_QAB2KHj-ZU95MoHGPj9F8sDXP9K0cHlMPwVgE1LICyZcA_aem_r8ORXCbezw7NzhkrYD7FZw

Latest up from Spoken Label features making his debut, the wonderful Edward Little. Edward Little is a writer based in Liverpool who publishes fiction as well as performs spoken word poetry. His creative vent, Giz a Word: Creative Collective, runs once a month in the city. More about Edward can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/edward.little.184

Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word / Poetry Podcast) features making her debut, the amazing Lesedi Letsoalo. Lesedi Letsoalo is a 20-year-old South African writer, currently studying Accounting Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. My Grief - Booked is her first solo book and was written after her grandmother, who had been her primary caregiver/guardian since she was an infant, passed away very suddenly in 2021 due to COVID-19. The loss opened her eyes to how much stigma, shame and negativity surrounds the inevitable emotions that come with grief and loss, thus she not only wrote the book, but published it. She aims to raise more awareness to the impact of grief and loss on individuals, to educate society on how to be kinder to people going through it. Another goal of hers is to create a safe space for grievers to sit with and in their true and authentic emotions, however heavy they may be, and know that it's normal and okay to feel the way that they're feeling during whatever their time of their grief.Her debut full length collection "My Grief ~ Booked" can be found on Amazon.Her email address to contact for more details is [email protected]

Latest up from Spoken Label (Poetry Podcast) features making her debut, the amazing Linda Cosgriff. Linda advises her poems have appeared in magazines, anthologies, textbooks, shops, galleries, ezines, and on BBC Radio. They have been set to music, turned into art, and sent to Mars and for several years, she edited a small church magazine. She advises writes occasional articles for one website and once had a one-act play staged at Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre. She is a founder member and former chair of Stockport Writers, a not-for-profit group which aims to encourage newbies to writing. She is an active member of Write Out Loud, the UK’s largest poetry organisation, which encourages poets to read their poems aloud to others and delivers readings and workshops to various community groups and charities in Stockport. She is a writer-in-residence for two community groups and one charity. To date she has published three collections, Wholly Man and Hormoanal and Tales from the Rainbow Nation (of which this Podcast covers). More about Linda can be found at her website: https://poetryfluff.wordpress.com/ Seven Arches Publishing who publish the book can be found here: https://www.sevenarchespublishing.co.uk/Book_Details/Tales_From_The%20Rainbow_Nation.html

Next up from Spoken Label (Poetry Podcast) making his debut features the wonderful Chris Platt. Chris Platt advises he has been writing stories ever since he can remember and has written hundreds of stories and two novels. Alongside this, he has been writing poetry since 2023. He lives in Manchester with his wife and his black Labrador. His stories can be found on the following websites, Storystar, under the name CPlatt, Writers Club / Grey Thoughts, as Chris Platt. His poems can be found on My Poetic Side, under the pen name Tom Dylan.  

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Artist Chat Podcast) making her debut is Hannah Parry. Hannah Parry trained as a paediatric nurse in the UK.Her first novel Winter's Bite, won first prize in the 12+ section at the Winchester Writers' Festival in June 2012. Fever Quest, the sequel, won the Write Historical Fiction Monthly Masterpiece and was longlisted for the MSLexia Children's Novel prize in 2016.The Mechanics' Institute Review, Halfway Down the Stairs, The Doubleback Review and The Junction published her short fiction. In 2021 she was longlisted for the BBC Short Story Award.Her latest book is an adult thriller, Breathing for Both of Us, published in September 2023.The Baby Exchange, a book club fiction novel for adults will be published in the summer of 2024.The third in the Isabella Rockwell trilogy will be published in 2025.Her website can be found at https://www.hannahparry.com/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Artist / Poetry Podcast) features the amazing Peter Topping. Peter is a local artist in the Chorlton Area and has worked on several books with historian Andrew Simpson. He has also written his own book entitled “Smile Dammit Smile!!! – Chorlton”. He has created many “History Walls” and art installations around Chorlton together with Manchester historian Andrew Simpson. Together with Andrew he has created 14 books on the history of Chorlton and Manchester He was The Chorlton Arts Festival Director for 4 years. At the present, he is working as Virtual Arts Festival Director for Chorlton Arts and also is putting together artwork by local artists to be displayed on hoardings around Chorlton-cum-Hardy. In 2023, at the age of 74, he started collating the poems he had already written and started to write new poems reflecting on his life so far. He then worked on a project with Lindy Newns, which came about while he was working on The Virtual Chorlton Arts Festival for 2024. Peter was curating the Literary Arts section and was creating the exhibition panel that carried Lindy’s entry. As he read the poem, he began to think that perhaps he could enliven the panel by painting a picture of the scene. He then decided that it would be fun to have a collection of Lindy’s poems illustrated in the same way, mixing the two arts together, literary and visual, in what would be an exciting book to read, and to view. The rest is revealed in this feature length podcast More about Peter can be found at: https://pubbooks.co.uk/ #poetrypodcast #art #artpodcast #poetry #chorlton The video for this is here - https://youtu.be/mAELVAmq0fo

Latest up from Spoken Label, features the return of our friend, Jo Somerset. Jo Somerset is based in Manchester. She completed a MA in Creative Writing in May 2020 at the University of Salford, where she received the Leanne Bridgewater Award for Innovation and Experiment. Like Isla, Jo grew up in Birmingham with an unspoken Celtic heritage. A love of the Hebrides and her experience with a blended family underlie Isla’s heartfelt journey towards finding her origins and a new self-belief. In this Podcast, we primarily talk about Jo's new book "Mission: Find Mum" This book is described as "Isla and Lac's mum is missing, but has left clues, and an emergency credit card. The children travel from Birmingham to Mora, a Scottish island, camping and tracking their mum. Hampered by challenges and unsure of who to trust, can Isla and Lac succeed in their mission? What else will they find... and lose? For ages 10 and up." The book can be bought directly from Stairwell books: https://www.stairwellbooks.co.uk/product/mission-find-mum/ Jo Somerset can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/jo.somerset https://x.com/josomerset https://www.instagram.com/jo.somerset/

Latest up from Spoken Label features Toki Ward from the band Onion Mash. Onion Mash are a 4 piece female-fronted melodic (mainly) hard-rock band formed in 2021, but as the name suggests, their music is a mash up- a little bit hard-rock, heavy metal elements off melodic, even a little punk with raw emotional vocals, big personalities and plenty of hooky riffs. More details: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081500374600 (Toki's guitar page) https://www.facebook.com/OnionMashofficial (Onion Mash facebook) https://www.instagram.com/onionmashband/ (Onion Mash Instagram)

Latest up from Spoken Label (Poetry / Spoken Word Podcast) features Unspoken. Unspoken is a Tampa poet, actor, host, workshop facilitator and member of the Growhouse Collective who has performed throughout the US both professionally and competitively. A 2nd Generation American, much of Unspoken's writing deals with being Latino in the U.S. and the nature of identity. Unspoken also writes about mental health through the lens of his own experiences in the hopes that people with both internal and external struggles can relate to what he went through and feel someone can understand whatever they're going through. When he isn’t writing, Unspoken likes to plan vacations he can't afford, rewatch Scrubs a concerning number of times, and agonize about not writing. Unspoken is also working on his debut poetry collection, Unspoken Perspectives, out soon. More on Unspoken can be found at: https://www.instagram.com/anunspokenpoet/

Latest up from Spoken Label features making her debut, the amazing Hayley Lyn Gordon. Hayley is a mother of 2 and a spoken word artist, known as, Twisted Tales and was born and raised in Anfield, Liverpool. She writes about motherhood, love, heartache, co-parenting, grief, addiction, mental health and random stuff e.g. about her cat eating ham! She started a project in 2023 that involves incorporating music with spoken word and is on the look out for musicians to collaborate with in the future. Her poetry journey began in July 2021, when she saw a post from "A Lovely Word" advertising an open mic night. She finally found the courage to stand up in St James' Gardens and read "Lemonade Grenade" for the first time, to far more people than she expected. Since then, Hayley's life has been a rollercoaster and she's found writing helps her navigate through lifes ups and downs. Music is a big passion and she has been inspired by many artists, such as Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Paramore, The Cure, Prince, Marilyn Monroe many more. Hayley is also one of the many women platformed by Claire Berry's popular "Fem De La Femme Comedy and Spoken Word" events at The Everyman, Liverpool. This amazing comedy night also raises money for various women's organisations within the Merseyside area every 3 months and is so proud to be apart of an organisation that empowers women and also gives back to the comminity. Hayley mainly performs her poetry with "A Lovely Word" at "The Everyman" and "Word Vomit" at "Round The Corner". She performed during the poetry festival hosted by "A Lovely Word" and "Unusual Art Sourcing Company" in Liverpool for the launch of their poetry zine during June and July 2024, whilst also competing at "A Lovely Word Slam Competition" at the Shakespeare North Playhouse (2023) and The Everyman (2024). Hayley also recently hosted an intimate poetry reading with the local community in Dovecot MAC and had a ball whilst being interviewed by Andy NPoet for his podcast "Spoken Label" (release date 2nd September 2024, on most streaming site e.g. YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music etc). Hayley Gordon/Twisted Tales Bio Instagram: @twistedtales.hlg19 Tik Tok: @h.l.gtwistestales

Latest Spoken Label (Spoken Word / Poetry Podcast) features making her debut, Lynne Thompson. Lynne Thompson was Los Angeles’ 2021-22 Poet Laureate and received a Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. She is the author of three previous collections of poetry: Beg NoPardon, Start With A Small Guitar, and Fretwork, winner of the 2019 Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize. Thompson is the recipient of multiple awards including an Individual Artist Fellowship from the City of Los Angeles, the Tucson Literary Festival Poetry Prize, the Steven Dunn Poetry Prize, the George Drury Prize, as well as fellowships from the Summer Literary Series, Kenya, and the Vermont Studio Center. An attorney by training with a J.D. from Southwestern Law School.Thompson sits on the Boards of Cave Canem, The Poetry Foundation, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. In June 2022, she completed her four-year service as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Scripps College, her alma mater. Thompson’s recent work can be found or is forthcoming in the literary journals Best American Poetry, Kenyon Review, The Common, Pleiades, The Massachusetts Review, and Copper Nickel, among others. Her Website is the following: https://www.lynnethompson.us/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Artist / Writer / Poetry Podcast) features the return of our friend, Christine Stoddard. Christine is a writer, filmmaker, and artist named one of MSN's Top 10 Inspirational Women to Look Out for In 2024, one of Brooklyn Magazine's Top 50 Most Fascinating People, and a Ms. Magazine "Ms. Muse." Her critically-acclaimed work includes the stage play "Mi Abuela, Queen of Nightmares," the feature films "Sirena's Gallery" and “Her Garden,” the TV show "Badass Lady-Folk," the books Desert Fox by the Sea and Belladonna Magic, the documentary “The Persistence of Poe,” short films such as "Uncontested," "Bottled," and "De Colores (Chorus of Melancholy)," and the publication Quail Bell Magazine. She is also the co-host of “Don’t Mind If I Don’t,” a comedy TV show with Aaron Gold. Her painting, photography, and performance/video art have appeared at the Queens Botanical Garden, Irondale Theatre, The Elisabet Ney Museum, The Old Stone House, Howard County Art Center, and elsewhere. She was the inaugural artist-in-residence at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, as well as part of landmark AIR cohorts at the Brooklyn Public Library-Eastern Parkway Branch and Woodlawn Estate. She has studied documentary film and oral history at Columbia University, interdisciplinary art at The City College of New York, and libretto writing at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Born to a Salvadoran mother and Anglo-American father, she grew up in Virginia as the eldest of three.

Latest from Spoken Label features the return of our friend, the wonderful Alison Nissen.Alison is the host of the Florida Writer Podcast and as says on her website "is a writer who does daily battle with dog hair and laundry. She has taught collegiate composition and literature classes for over a decade. Currently, she is the co-founder of Revel Coach, an inspirational platform and managing partner of 3 Dog Tales Productions, a full-service Ghostwriting, Editing, Coaching, and Publishing company."Her website is: alisonnissen.com

Latest up from Spoken Label (Poetry / Spoken Word Podcast) features making her debut is the amazing Courtney Ward. Courtney is a neurodivergent and chronically ill writer, writing group facilitator, artist and photographer. With mixed heritage and also having mental health difficulties, she faces the odds of having to deal with silent battles and expresses them, so truthfully, turning heartache into heartmake. She has been published in 7 anthologies including “our time and space” by Writing East Midlands, “Speak Out” by The Word Association, and Sisterhood anthology for Sisterhood Festival in Bradford , been a feature artist at Prickly Pear in January 2024, Speak your Mind in April 2024 and August 2024, and also, talked at and collaborated with local charities and also performed at festivals, such as Kettfest, and recently claimed the opportunity to perform at Corby Pride. Plus, Courtney advises she continues to work with our younger generation to make our future better, and also has experience as a shadow writer for Writing East Midlands Beyond The Spectrum young writers group. More about Courtney can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10... OR https://www.instagram.com/courts_ward/

Latest up from Spoken Label, making her debut is the amazing Kate Ireland. Kate describes herself "Hi there, I'm an artist from Scotland with a fidgety brain. I play with the boundaries of performance, installation, text, and community practice. My art is all about fighting the urge to optimize ourselves through language and gathering. It is also about connecting to the primal, childlike, strange and tender parts of ourselves. I also love working with my pals and seeing creative projects as an excuse to parallel play." This chat is primarily about her debut album with Locksy "Self Regulating Behaviours". This album is described as "An audio-visual performance and pamphlet that explores the relationship between the performer's behaviour and impulses in the face of neurotypical, hyper-capitalist standards of optimisation. Accompanied by a Sheffield-based producer and DJ, the performance features distorted words, missed phone calls, and increasingly bizarre wellness rules. The pamphlet includes notebook sketches, scanned images, and continuous writing, while the performance pushes spoken word into performance art, film, and sonic art. " More about Kate can be found at: https://kateireland.squarespace.com/ Kate is on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/kate.ireland__/ The album is on bandcamp at: https://kateireland.bandcamp.com/album/self-regulating-behaviours

Latest up from Spoken Label, features Levenshulme based poet, artist, Based in Manchester, UK I work from my home studio creating body adornments, festival decor and offer workshops for you to learn a new craft and have lots of fun. Heather describes herself as "I am a Human, flawed and vulnerable as you. I wonder through our shared world with an insatiable appetite for connections with people like you and experiencing things visually, mentally, physically and spiritually in unique and stimulating ways. I love dressing up. It helps me to let go of inhibitions and enjoy myself in ways then when I'm not dressed up. I create jewellery because I love the idea of making something that you or someone you love will wear and experience that same feeling of letting go. Adorning ourselves in a costume or with body adornments is a form of self expression and tells others a little about ourselves through a visual language that doesn't really require verbal explanation. I love celebrations. Birthdays, festivals, parades, demonstrations, partnership ceremonies etc. I love to be in a crowd of people celebrating each other and life. So you wcan often find me at the heart of such moments in time." More about Heather can be found at: https://www.heatherskowoodjewelry.com/ https://www.facebook.com/heather.skowood https://www.instagram.com/heatherskowooddesigns https://www.facebook.com/WestPointLanternParadeMcr/

Latest up from Spoken Label features making her debut, Kate Hook, Kate is a cheese-obsessed writer who was born in Wythenshawe, South Manchester. She now lives in Sale (primarily because they have a better selection of cheeses) with her husband and two children. She’s been writing poetry since she was about six or seven years old, and describes herself as a “fair weather feminist” because putting out bins is definitely her husband’s job, but she’ll happily fight to close the gender pay gap, or end violence against women any day of the week. Much of Kate’s poetry examines the unrealistic expectations that modern society places on people (mainly women!) and why we need to just step away from all the nonsense. This Podcast talks about mostly her debut book "I can hearing you ironing" which is described as " With a title inspired by an angry text that the sleep deprived, post-partum author once sent to her husband, this book is a must for anyone fed up with trying to survive modern life.  This candid collection of 40 poems takes a stark look at parenting, internet comparison culture, and political nonsense, and asks important questions such as… Why is bonfire night always crap? Is it normal to get this stressed by the school Whatsapp group? And why can’t people on social media just be kinder to each other?!" The book can be purchased at: https://www.browndogbooks.uk/products/i-can-hear-you-ironing-kate-hook

The latest up from Spoken Label (Poetry / Spoken Podcast) features Natasha Tingle. Natasha Tingle is a disabled writer and performer centred around Wigan, Bolton and Manchester. She loves the power and playfulness of words. She creates visual poetry that leans heavily into metaphor. She especially seeks to connect with spoken word audiences, to inspire them or make them think by speaking truth. She loves to share her quirky inner world. Sheba Arts says “Natasha is a great poet and highly skilled facilitator whose warm and vibrant energy brings out the best in those around her.” She has led and facilitated a number of community writing groups over the years as well as one-off workshops, including working with children and young people in the community and in schools, marginalised and vulnerable adult groups, neurodivergent people and others. She ran her own night online during Covid extended shielding, and in person. She likes to meet the needs she sees in the community around her. She has a poetry collection, Open Book: Ink In The Rips. Whoever you are, she’d love to hear from you. You are welcome to follow her social media: Facebook Natasha Tingle Instagram natasha_tingle_poet Read her blog natashatingle.wordpress.com To contact her about commissions, performances or workshops or to buy her book, email [email protected]

Latest up from Spoken label features the return of Yvonne UGarte, Author of "My Aunt Jean's a Dinosaur and other poems". More about Yvonne can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/yvonne.beeston

Latest up from Spoken Label (Poet / Author Podcast) making her debut features our friend Lindy Newns. Lindy Newns lives in Chorlton. Her poetry and flash fiction has appeared in Orbis, Acumen, Riggwelter, L’Ephemere, Popshot. She has been shortlisted for the Strand, Reflex and HCCA Flash competitions, has won the Freshers poetry prize, been shortlisted for the Bridport poetry prize, and her work is included in various anthologies. Lindy can be found at https://www.facebook.com/lindy.newns The book can be purchased from https://pubbooks.co.uk/poems1.html

Latest up from Spoken Label features the return of our friend, Fin Hall. Fin Hall is the New Pitsligo-based poet and artistic organiser extraordinaire. Fin is the host of Like A Blot From The Blue and Poetry In The Park. Fin is also a filmmaker, collaborative writer, and publisher. He has two solo collections, Once Upon A Time There Was, Now There Isn’t, published by Runcible Spoon, and, Over 1800 Years In The Making, published by Like A Blot From The Blue..  He has published 9 other books, mainly anthologies, and has well over 50 poems and short stories published both online and in books and magazines from Australia, China, India, the USA, Canada and U.K. He can be contacted on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/fin.hall.14

Special Spoken Label (Spoken Word) Podcast today features Clive Oseman and Nayma Chamchoun both returning to read extracts from both of their recently released books. The books are described as follows: "Clive Oseman's Musical Hamsters and much bigger issues is here to blow your mind and tickle your funny bone with a heavy dose of absurdity. This isn't just another book; It's a wild, unpredictable ride. Oseman takes the mundane and flips it on its head, spinning tales where musical hamsters share the stage with razor-sharp social commentary. Imagine your toothpaste could cure the flu or your reincarnated self turns out to be Attila the Hun- because why not? In this world anything goes. Dive into stories about accidentally brushing your teet with haemorroid cream, or finding God hiding in your airing cupboard reminiscing about the good old days. Oseman's wit slices through the bullshit, exposing the hilarity in everyday disasters and existential ponderings alike. This collection isn't just about laughs- though you'll find plenty of those- it's about seeing the absurd in the ordinary and laughing at the chaos of it all" * "SAGING NOT AGEING" by N. Chamchoun is a poetic journey through the complexities of existence, exploring the tapestry of life's experiences with lyrical grace and profound insight.In this captivating collection, Chamchoun invites readers to delve into the depths of identity, cultural heritage, and the passage of time. Through vivid imagery and evocative storytelling, she navigates the intricate landscapes of memory, love, and loss, painting a portrait of resilience and wisdom.From the vibrant streets of London to the sun-kissed shores of Morocco, Chamchoun's words resonate with authenticity and raw emotion, inviting readers to embrace the beauty of impermanence and the power of self-discovery. "SAGING NOT AGEING" is a testament to the enduring spirit of the soul, celebrating the richness of life's journey and the timeless wisdom found within. ** The books can be purchased from the usual places.

Latest up from Spoken Label (Poetry / Spoken Word Podcast) features the return of our friend Alta H Haffner. Alta's journey as a writer is described best from "beginnings to crafting literary legacies, Alta’s unwavering dedication to the written word has transformed her life and touched countless others. As an author, poet, Haikuist, editor, and publisher, she fearlessly embraces her passion, nurturing new writers and shaping their dreams into beautifully published works. Her commitment to aesthetics and accessibility has made her an advocate for aspiring authors, paving their way to success on global platforms. From Forklift to Fountain Pen: Embracing the Uncharted Path of Poetry. She traded steel for stanzas, finding liberation amidst ink and paper. With unwavering courage, she shattered the chains of familiarity, venturing into uncharted realms. Through verses, she discovered her voice, her power, her essence. From the forklift industry to the poetry industry, she rewrote her narrative, embracing a life of beauty, vulnerability, and boundless creativity. Her story reminds us that even in the most unexpected places, dreams can bloom, and a soul can find its true purpose. More about Alta can be found at Sakura Publishers (which she runs) https://sakurabookpublishing.com/

Latest Spoken Label Podcast (Poetry / Artist Podcast)features Abi Williams from talking One World Festivaltalking about this festival in New Mills on Saturday06 July 2024.One World Festival is an annual festival celebrating peace, the environment, cultural diversity, community & world.In addition, we also talk about Abi's love of Poetry andher radio programme on Dark Peak Radio.One World Festival - www.facebook.com/newmillsoneworldfestivalAbi's personal page is -www.facebook.com/abigail.williams.549Abi's Radio programme on Dark Peak Radio can be found here -www.radioline.co/en/radios/live365_a90195Dark Peak Radio is on fb at:www.facebook.com/Darkpeakradio/

Today's Podcast is another special, this time from Old Scratch Press, a new press featuring a cooperative of poets and short-form authors who have come together to promote the publication and appreciation of poetry and short-form writing. This Podcast features the following writers: Ellis Elliott is the creator of Bewilderness Writing, and she received her MFA in Creative Writing from Queens University. She has also been a high-school English teacher, was a ballet teacher for over 30 years, and a yoga teacher. She lives in Juno Beach with her husband and they have six sons in their blended family. Ellis was on the editorial staff of QU literary magazine at Queens University, and is currently a contributing writer for The Southern Review of Books and on the editorial staff of The Dewdrop online digest. Her latest literary adventure is writing her first cozy mystery novel. Ellis’ collection BREAK IN THE FIELD is the first collection to be published by the Old Scratch Press collective. Robert Fleming lives in Lewes, DE. Published in United States, Canada, England, Ireland, and Australia. Member of the Rehoboth Beach and Horror Writer’s Association. Wins: 2022 San Gabriel Valley CA-1 poem, 2021 Best of Mad Swirl poetry; Nominations: 2 Pushcart Prizes and Best of the Net. He is the author of the poetry collection "White Noir'. Anthony Doyle was born in Dublin and raised in Wicklow Town, Ireland. In 1999 he moved to São Paulo, Brazil, where he works as a translator of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and screenplays from Portuguese to English. Anthony is a member of the Old Scratch Press short-form collective and writes fiction for adults, teens and children. His first novel, HIBERNACULUM, a futurist exploration of human hibernation technologies, was published in 2023. He is also the author of the children’s books O LAGO SECOU (The Lake Ran Dry) and the forthcoming LIVRO DAS SEREIAS SURPREENDENTES (Book of Unusual Mermaids), which he also illustrated. More details about the press can be found here: https://oldscratchpress.com/catalog/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Artist Podcast) making her debut features Charlotte Wood. Charlotte advises she is a writer of all things spooky, macabre, and downright sinister. Charlotte has been a fan of the horror genre since discovering it at age 13 and has sought it out in all its forms ever since. Charlotte has written many scary short stories throughout her life and Heather (her debut novel) turned into a full-length novel by accident. Heather is the story about Fern and when she moves into a one-bed flat for her second year of university she knows it will be tough to live alone. Then the dreams start. The lifeless face of a girl, an Edwardian school and an old well appear to Fern in her sleep. But who is this girl, and what is she trying to tell Fern? Fern uncovers Heather’s story piece by piece before discovering the horrific way those pieces fit together. Heather is a ghost story spanning 100 years that will keep you guessing till the end. More details about Charlotte can be found at: https://cwoodwrites.wordpress.com/ https://rottenpoetry.net/charlotte-wood/

Latest Spoken Label (Author / Writer Podcast) features making their debut, Neda Aria. Neda's bio advises "| write, I create, I build worlds in my imagination. Writing is my soul, creating is my passion. I write to explore the human mind, | write to reveal what's beneath that beautiful mask of yours. I uncover the darkness within. I dare to free words, I dare to be brave, I dare to say what others afraid to say. Author of ENARO, IDEO: The Bitter Recipes of the Truth, Feminomaniacs, and co-author of The legend of Kelpie. Coming soon: Clandestine, Insects Circus, Prayer Rope, Production City, and Dream of Dandelions" Under the name of Lilith Wilde, they have also bought out their debut romance novel "Bella Donna'. More details about Neda Aria can be found at: https://www.nedaaria.info/

Special episode for Spoken Label (Author Chat) features the return of our friend, Nicola Worswick. Nicola advises "I first started writing and illustrating my children’s book series when I was 13. The stories follow the big bad pirate Captain Cuthbert and his long suffering cat, Scat, whom I guarantee you will fall in love with. Captain Cuthbert on the other hand is bossy, greedy and selfish and always lands himself in trouble. From the age of 13 I suffered lack of confidence due to dyslexia, focus on academics at school and being working class. Creativity always seemed to be dismissed by comments like “that’s good but… you need to improve your maths”. Being working class also limited my options, being on minimum wage meant working long hours. So after writing and illustrating three books I gave up on them. I rediscovered the books in my 30s and I am so glad I did. I had a better payed job by then and my on look on life and confidence had changed over the years. Why can’t someone with dyslexia write and illustrate books? I could just get an editor to check my writing. I already knew an editor who was also a good friend, so I tentatively showed him the books. His response was not what I was expecting and is probably why I am here writing this now. Not only did he think the books and illustrations were great but he thought they were good enough to publish. He asked if he could send them to his publisher who immediately replied saying they were interested in publication. The publisher then let me down, explaining that they didn’t have time to take on a new writer. The failure issues started creeping back. Luckily family and friends made me think straight again and I gained confidence in the fact that a publisher had been interested in my books, and so after much research, I decided to self publish. I would like to use my experience to inspire people to reach to their aspirations. Writing and illustrating the children’s book series is a hobby I love and to have strangers buy and enjoy my books is an added bonus. Join my Facebook page www.facebook.com/CaptainCuthbertScattheCat Gifts and Merchandise www.redbubble.com/people/scattheca" Her amazon page is https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B07TY23P7K/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c5b6d505-05a4-418b-9c6a-5ce3bc5a06a6

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Writer Chat Podcast) features Janet Sternburg. Janet Sternburg is an American writer of essays, poetry and memoir, as well as a fine art photographer. Her new book, Looking at Mexico/Mexico Looks Back (DISTANZ Press), is a bilingual collaboration in photography and words across the Mexican/US border. She lives between Los Angeles and San Miguel de Allende. More details about Janet can be found at: https://janetsternburg.com/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Poet / Writer Podcast) features Chiara Mason. Chiara is a lifestyle blogger, host of The chiaragoesglobal Podcast, and award-winning author. Through her blog, podcast, and poetry book, she aims to authentically share stories and connect with others. At chiaragoesglobal, we hope to foster an inspired and uplifted community where people can show up as their full selves, be seen where they are at, and feel hopeful for the future. Her website is: https://chiaragoesglobal.com/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word / Poetry Podcast) features Drew Garty. Drew Garty is a rather nomadic Scotsman (still kilt wearing) who currently resides inManchester and London. He has been writing for several years and has performed at a number of venues throughout Manchester and the North West and recently debuted in London. His work is based on everyday life observations of people and circumstances with a heavy leaning on nostalgia or the unusual (check his work entitled Kilt Day, Stage Name). Heavily biassed towards humour with a number of pieces reflecting LGBTQ+ issues (Under theRainbow).Drew has been published in various anthologies but maintains a discipline with his writing which observes a personal objective. Generally eschewing but not dismissing publication, Drew prefers the intimacy of a live performance and an engaging audience. Also an accomplished photographer he is examining a future of combining his writing with some images.You can contact Drew can be contacted via email on [email protected]

Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word / Poetry Podcast) features Rhian Elizabeth. Rhian Elizabeth is a trainee counsellor and a writer. She was born in 1988 in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales, and now lives in Cardiff. Her debut novel, Six Pounds Eight Ounces, was published in 2014 by Seren Books and is currently being adapted for TV, and her poetry collection, the last polar bear on earth, was published in 2018 by Parthian Books. Her prose and poetry have been listed in various competitions and prizes and appeared in many magazines and anthologies, as well as being featured on Radio 4’s PM programme. She was named by the welsh agenda as one of Wales’ Rising Stars- one of 30 people working to make Wales better over the next 30 years. She is a Hay Festival Writer at Work and Writer in Residence at the Coracle International Literary Festival in Tranås, Sweden. girls etc is her latest book of poems, published by Broken Sleep Books. ** More details can be found at: https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/rhian-elizabeth-girls-etc

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Artist Podcast) features the return of our friend, Isabelle Kenyon. Isabelle Kenyon (Belle to me) is a Manchester writer and the author of 5 chapbooks including Growing Pains (Indigo Dreams).  She has had work and articles published internationally and newspapers such as The Somerville Times and The Bookseller. She is also the founder of Fly on the Wall Press. Fly on the Wall is a social enterprise company and a not for profit publisher, based in Manchester. We publish high quality anthologies on pressing issues, chapbooks and poetry products, from exceptional poets around the globe, with socially conscious themes. This Podcast primarily talks about her debut novel 'The Dark within them'. The Dark within them is described as "In this gripping psychological thriller, faith-healer Amber thinks she's found peace in Lehi, the small Mormon town she's moved her family to. But when a death affects her family, her safe haven shatters. As the tight-knit community closes ranks to protect its secrets at all costs, Amber's world unravels. With her beliefs shaken and nothing feeling certain anymore, she's faced with an impossible choice: take a leap of faith to protect her loved ones, or risk losing everything by exposing the truth.   "Luring you in with promises of happily ever after, Kenyon quickly removes any feelings of comfort..." - The Northern Bookworm   But how far is too far when it comes to protecting those you love?   A TIGHT-KNIT MORMON COMMUNITY.   BODIES BURIED IN THE GARDEN.   ONE FAMILY DIVIDED.   ‘intense and compelling…an enormously talented writer’ - Shabnom Khanom   'a honed and beautiful writing style…not your usual psychological thriller’ - Debz Hobbs-Wyatt   'A must-read for fans of Paula Hawkins or M. T. Edvarsson... A gripping, pacy thriller.'  - Northern Soul Magazine   'Isolated and without even her faith to call on, Amber is left to determine how much darkness is really within her.' - The Northern Bookworm   'Kenyon’s book explores themes of faith, motherhood and marriage with nuance. At the same time, the plot propels the reader forward with the claustrophobic tension of recent grip-lit classics like The Girl on the Train.' - Crime Culture Magazine" For more details go to: https://www.flyonthewallpress.co.uk/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Artist Podcast) features the singer Dogstar Rose.Dogstar Rose originates from North London and now lives in the Wirral and delivers her music with an inimitable style of sleaze and grace. Dogstar is a singer/songwriter of alternative value, and fronts the band 'futurejack'. Her performance evokes the emotion of a hard rock, punk pop, soulful personality.Links include:https://www.facebook.com/DogstarRosehttps://www.facebook.com/futurejack

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Writer Podcast) features Arini Vlotman Arini advises she "a romance fanatic, book worm, book hoarder and writer. Writers are my superheroes; readers are my tribe. I’m a people’s person and a wordy nerd so I can find comfort in almost any space but there is nothing quite like being at home with my husband, son and fur babies.Living in Johannesburg, South Africa has given me a slightly quirky world view- we laugh at ourselves all the time here so sometimes my sense of humor doesn’t translate into my words. Be kind, I think I’m funny!One my favourite hobbies is Fangirling (is that a thing?). Musicians, books, movies or obscure characters, when I find something that I love I delve into that world like Harry Potter diving into the Whomping Willow." Her debut novel is "Pretty Average". More details can be found at: https://arinivlotman.co.za/

Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word / Poetry Podcast) features the wonderful M. L. Liebler. M. L. Liebler is an internationally known & widely published Detroit poet, university professor, literary arts activist and arts organizer. He was named The 2017-2018 Murray E. Jackson Scholar in the Arts Award at Wayne State University. Liebler is the author of 15 books and chapbooks including the Award winning Wide Awake in Someone Else's Dream (Wayne State University Press 2008) featuring poems written in and about Russia, Israel, Germany, Alaska and Detroit. Wide Awake won both The Paterson Poetry Prize for Literary Excellenceand The American Indie Book Award for 2009. In 2005, he was named St. Clair Shores (his hometown) first Poet Laureate. Liebler has read and performed his work in Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine, Russia, China, France, UK, Macao, Italy, Germany, Spain, Finland and most of the 50 States. M.L. Liebler has taught English, Creative Writing, American Studies, Labor Studies and World Literature at Wayne State University in Detroit since 1980, and he is the founding director of both The National Writer's Voice Project in Detroit and the Springfed Arts: Metro Detroit Writers Literary Arts Organization. He was selected as Best Detroit Poet by The Detroit Free Press & Detroit's Metro Time. Liebler became the Co-Editor In 2010, he received The Barnes & Noble Poets & Writers Writers for Writers Award with Maxine Hong Kingston & Junot Diaz. In 2011, his groundbreaking anthology Working Words: Punching the Clock & Kicking Out the James (Coffee House Press) was given a 2011 Library of Michigan Notable Book Award. In 2017, Liebler received a total of 4 Library of Michigan Notable Book Awards for both his new collection of poems entitled I Want to Be Once (Wayne State University Press / Made in Michigan Series) and for Heaven Was Detroit: An Anthology of Detroit Music Essays from Jazz to Hiphop (The Wayne State University Press Painted Turtle Series) Editor. Bob Seger's House: An Anthology of Michigan Short Stories (Co-Editor with Mike Delp). Both Heaven Was Detroit and Bob Seger's House are Finalist for the prestigious Forward Book Awards. 2020 saw the release of RESPECT: Poets on Detroit Music edited by M. L. Liebler & Jim Daniels (Michigan State University Press 2020). RESPECT just received both a 2021 Tillie Olsen Award & 2021 Library of Michigan Notable Book Award. In September 2020, M. L. was awarded the Michigan Humanities Champion of the Year. Liebler received a Wayne State University Distinguished Scholar Award for 2024-2026. He curretly directs The WSU Humanities Commons and The Detroit Writers' Guild. M.L. Liebler can be contacted on his website https://www.mlliebler.com/

Latest Spoken Label (Poetry Podcast) is a various artist Poetry Podcast co-hosted with ML Liebler (whose own podcast will follow next) features some student and a fellow young creative writing faculty member. Writers featured are: Alexis Ball is a 20-year-old English and creative writing student at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. They are passionate about poetry and have been writing since they learned the alphabet. Alexis hopes to one day work for an editing and publishing company and possibly become a college professor later in life. Nicholas Lowengruber I've been writing poetry since 2016 after reading an excerpt from Walden, but I didn't really know what I was doing until studying under poets at Wayne State University like ML and Robert Laidler. One of my biggest regrets so far is ever reading Ezra Pound; I how I wanted to be him growing up (except without being a fascist), and I still need to take time before I learn to appreciate the respect for imagery and the capability to take an object and look at it through many different lenses that Pound instilled in me. I'm wrapping up my third year at Wayne State University, double majoring in Philosophy and English; thinking too much is a curse, and I'm learning to work with it. Regarding my more current work, I'm an e.e. cummings devotee and continuing to learn to make poetry weird, turning towards the Language movement. Currently pondering Eve's morally questionable decision to leave Caleb trapped at the end of Ex Machina after everything that they went through. young creative writing faculty member Robert Laidler. Email address for each of the writers are: [email protected], (ML Liebler) [email protected], [email protected] (Nick), [email protected]

Latest up from Spoken Label (Poetry / Spoken Word Podcast) features making her debut, Amanda Crundall. Amanda advises she "began to write again in January 2022 after her friends urged her to write down how she was feeling as a therapeutic outlet; so she did. She has rediscovered her creative self, amongst being a busy mummy and working life. Amanda works as a full time heart failure nurse specialist and is a single mother to two amazing children. Surprising many of her friends how she finds the time amongst such a busy life remains her best kept secret. You can find Amanda performing at her local spoken word events at Speak Out Scunny, The Confessional, Away with Words. Her debut performance was at Yada Yada Noise in February 2022 to whom she is more than grateful to; a special shout out to Alice & Mickey. She now proudly co-hosts 'Rabbiting On' spoken word group held at 'The Rabbit Hole' Independent bookshop, Brigg alongside poetry babe and partner in poetry Amy Garratt. Her poetry was featured in The Scroll Magazine during October 2022. In 2023, Amanda performed her poetry at The Festival of Love, D31 Art Gallery, Doncaster and Scunthorpe Pride on behalf of the Speak Out Scunny. She co hosted the spoken word stage at the No Limits Festival 2023 held at Normanby Hall, Scunthorpe. More recently, Amanda has taken to the radio waves and has featured both pre-recorded and 'live on air' for Phoenix Community Radio, Goole. Without this outlet and the support of friends and family, life would be a much darker place. This is her debut publication. Contact details: Email: [email protected] Facebook: 'She wears her heart on her sleeve' Twitter (X): Heartsleeve2024 Instagram: @AmandaCrundallPoet"

Latest up from Spoken Label features Patrick Widdess. Patrick Widdess is the founder and presenter of Poetry Non-Stop. He was born in Cambridge and now lives in Norwich where he works as a production journalist and fills his time writing, podcasting, taking photos and performing improv comedy. Patrick’s poetry and prose has appeared in Agenda, Cake, The Interpreter’s House, The Guardian and Orbis among other publications. He has also written reviews and features for Clash Music, Drunken Werewolf, Local Secrets and others and has written for the BBC.Originally from Cambridge Patrick now lives in Norwich where he works as a production journalist and freelance writer. Links include: http://patrickwiddess-writer.weebly.com/ https://poetrynonstop.com/

Latest up from Spoken Label features the return of our friend, the amazing Grant Curnow. Grant Curnow is an alternative comedian/ tragic novelty folk singer – amateur time lord. Based in Manchester, Grant has performed 3 full length shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the PBH Fringe: Amateur Time Lord Hour (2016),  A New Folk (2018), and Salvador Dalek (20220. Currently touring Salvador Dalek throughout the UK and has played various comedy festivals (Leicester Comedy Festival, Faversham Fringe, Morecambe Fringe, Buxton Fringe, Greater Manchester Fringe). Grant is always found with a ukulele and his trusted comedy sidekick, Mini Dalek.  His debut album "Troubles of an Amateur Timelord" is out on seahorse records and can be streamed on Spotify "https://open.spotify.com/album/0XSU7Z3sS3burD46xAsops"

Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word Podcast) features Dr Kate Jenkinson. Dr Kate Jenkinson is scientist and poet reconciled and is one of a handful of LinkedIN Business Poets. She likes hats, writes about the many ones she wears (Mother, Daughter, Friend, Coach, entrepreneur) and she enjoys performing at open mics and slams since the pandemic made the poetry community more accessible. In 2022 she performed her TEDx talk Poetry Never Abandons Us and she enjoys attending and headlining events internationally. Her work can be found in EyeFlash, Good DadHood, Steel Jackdaw, Flight of the Dragonfly and Feral (their first Mother/Daughter poetry and art collaboration). Kate recently realised she was neurodivergent so this and her aphantasia is a feature of her recent work.

Latest up from Spoken Label (Spoken Word / Poetry Podcast) featuring making her debut, the amazing Hannah Ledlie. Hannah is an Edinburgh-born, Manchester-based writer, interested in form and futurism. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the BBC Young Writers’ Award, and in 2019 she was a winner of Penguin’s ‘Platform Pride’ poetry competition. Her work has featured in a number of publications, including Ambit, Gutter, and Magma. In 2022, Hannah completed her MSt in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford. Her Instagram page is: https://www.instagram.com/hannahledlie/ her email address is: [email protected]

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author Chat Podcast) features making his debut, Adrian Slatcher. Adrian Slatcher was born in Staffordshire in 1967. He studied English at Lancaster University, and creative writing at the University of Manchester. He has co-edited several literary magazines, and is a trustee of Castlefield Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Manchester. His fiction has featured in a number of anthologies, including Best British Short Stories. He has published two poetry pamphlets: Extracts from Levona (2010) and Playing Solitaire for Money (2010). This Podcast primarily talks about his debut stories collection Loners. Loners is a collection of six stories by Adrian Slatcher, three of which are published for the first time. It also features images created by the artist Steven Heaton in response to the stories. The book is the second in a series of collaborations between writers and artists - the first, Interpolated Stories by David Rose and Leah Leaf, was published in 2022. The stories vary widely in form, from ‘Last Testament of a Lighthouse Keeper’, ostensibly a written journal, to ‘sleeveless itchery and parched throat’, an unpunctuated monologue. While all six stories are about ‘loners’ in one way or another, it would be wrong to think of the characters as being without hope – in each case, their isolation is something they are trying to break out of, in search of redemption, often after some kind of trauma. The characters are loners out of either choice or circumstance, but it is never easy to be alone. The book can be purchased here - https://www.confingopublishing.uk/loners Adrian's website is https://adrianslatcher.wordpress.com/