A change of place for a short time.

I thought I'd tell you about my solo reading performance on Monday 11 December 2006, as it was such a tremendous evening that I'm just coming down from the experience now and it's nearly three weeks ago.

The reading was excellent, about 40-50 people turned out for different reasons; family, as Al and Nath were their for that added support. Friends, fellow poets, and those interested in the residency and the links within the region to slavery. I really enjoyed myself. It was an amazing night.

I started off with a reading of my personal work what I am writing with my PhD in Creative Writing at Newcastle University, under the title 'Family Album'. I included a slide show of family snaps as well and music from the 60s. This brought some soul to the Lit and Phil. I have been told, afterwards, that I had to be admired because I put myself out there, laid my family history out for all to see. Someone else said that I made my parents proud and that the reading brought them back to life.

There was a break where spiritual music was played to get us in the mood for the slavery pieces I'd created in relation to my research at the library and then a Q and A to complete the evening. Questions asked were first a bout my writing process and if I write for the poems to be performed and personally I had to say no, as the poem has to work on the page first. there were also questions regarding if I had found out anything surprising about the region and its involvement with slavery. Well apart from the discovery of Earl Grey being involved in the passing of the bill, as documented in the last post, more information has come to life that would involve the Duke of Northumberland and Lord Eldon. But I'll save all that for another post.

I'm just reliving it all while writing this as it was such a good night. I made some chapbooks as well for the three different sections of the readings, mummy, daddy and slavery. I had none left at the end of the night.

But I think I've set the bar high for my solo performances now, it would be difficult to pull another evening off like that one.