Events – Loose Muse Winchester

Both our ‘Guest Features’ in June come from Chichester. Stephanie Norgate is a Reader in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester where she ran the M.A. in Creative Writing for 18 years. Not only is she is a very successful poet with two collections published by Bloodaxe Books, but she is also an award winning playwright. Stephanie edited the Chalk Poets Anthology for the Winchester Poetry Festival last year and is the Otter Gallery’s Poet In Residence where she runs Workshops. Stephanie’s first writing success came as a playwright, her play ‘The Greatest Gift’ won a Radio Times Drama Award in 1989 and her scripts have been serialised on Woman’s Hour. Growing up Stephanie’s was inspired by the naturalist Gilbert White and her poetry is influenced by her love of nature. In 1998 her pamphlet ‘Fireclay’ won a Poetry Business pamphlet award. Her first full length collection, ‘Hidden River’ in 2008, for Bloodaxe Books was shortlisted for both the Forward First Collection Prize and the Jerwood Aldeburgh First Collection Prize. Her second collection for Bloodaxe Books ‘The Blue Den’ was published in 2012. In June 2015 Stephanie was Fan Street Wildlife Garden Poet in Residence in London in association with the Poetry School and London Parks and Gardens Trust. She has also worked at the Arvon Foundation as a Centre Director. Stephanie will be reading from her work and there will be an opportunity to buy her books and have them signed by her on the night.

Our second ‘Guest Feature’ is novelist, Juliet West. Juliet studied History at Cambridge University and worked as a journalist before taking an M.A. in Creative Writing at Chichester University where she graduated with distinction and won the Kate Betts’ Memorial prize. The opening chapters of her first novel, ‘Before The Fall’ were shortlisted for the Myriad/Editions West Dean novel writing competition in 2012. The novel was published by Mantle at Pan Macmillan in 2014. Juliet’s second novel, ‘The Faithful’ will be published by Pan later this month and we have a special opportunity not only to hear about her book but also to buy a signed copy before it has officially been published and launched! P@G Wells, our local independent Bookseller, will be here with a Bookstand by special arrangement.

For up to date news, reviews and photos of each ‘Loose Muse Winchester’ event plus other poetry and prose events please see https://suewrinch.wordpress.com