Blog

San Diego Poetry Annual

How wonderful to receive in the post this year’s edition of the San Diego Poetry Annual with Juana Adcock’s gorgeous poem Malquisto right at the front, and my English translation of it on the next page. I’m officially a translator now! It was especially exciting seeing my bio in the back in Spanish. You can…… Continue reading San Diego Poetry Annual

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Categorized as Poetry

No Rhymes, No Reason at the National Museum

I’m really excited to have been asked to read tomorrow night at the Museum Lates event at the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street. I’ll be reading between 9pm and 9.45pm, a new long poem about Catherine the Great and a Japanese sailor. Lots more on — hope to see you there.

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Categorized as Poetry

David Pollock on the Village Pub Theatre

‘It’s a rough and ready chance to enjoy work for what it is’ Published on Thursday 20 September 2012 03:48 David Pollock on the rise of village pub theatre. “It’s easy to moan about money,” says playwright James Ley, “but it’s important to have a ‘nothing comes from nothing’ attitude too.” To this end he…… Continue reading David Pollock on the Village Pub Theatre

Neu! Reekie!

What fun to read at Neu! Reekie! in Glasgow last night, at Jim Lambie’s beautiful new Poetry Club.  Thanks to Michael and Kevin, and to Jim, and to the massive, super hip audience.

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Categorized as Poetry

New Writing Scotland and Gutter

Delighted to have received copies of New Writing Scotland and Gutter this week You can find a poem or two of mine in them, and so much great work by other writers. Enjoy!

2012 Unbound Press Flash Fiction Award

Delighted to find out that my entry for the 2012 Unbound Press Flash Fiction competition was shortlisted.  Somehow this makes me feel more justified for continuing to explore other forms as well as poetry, not that a writer should need justification for such a thing but it’s nice!  I believe a new short play of…… Continue reading 2012 Unbound Press Flash Fiction Award

StAnza’s Digital Slam

Voting is now open on StAnza’s Digital Slam – I’ve been shortlisted, as have many other friends and wonderful poets, so do vote now!

Published
Categorized as Poetry

Gutter 07

Three of my poems accepted for the next issue of Gutter Magazine, launching this year at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Word on the street is it’s going to have a gold lame cover – fabulous!  

How To Perform Your Writing

This article by the lovely Kirsty Logan is now published – I contributed some quotations, as did the wonderful writer Kirstin Innes. Enjoy! How To Perform Your Writing  

Best Scottish Poems 2011

Special Note: This poem will be featured on the front page of the Scottish Poetry Library website on 7th of June… Have a read that day if you wish. This year’s Scottish Poetry Library Anthology Best Scottish Poems 2011, edited by the marvellous Roddy Lumsden, is now out. I feel so privileged to have a…… Continue reading Best Scottish Poems 2011

Writing Out Loud

JL Williams and a group of wonderful writers reading at the Wee Red Bar on Friday 25th of May, hope to see you there! Writing Out Loud at The List and The Skinny

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Categorized as Poetry

Opul – VERSECORE

Opul will be playing with Zorras and COWTSHTF on Friday, 4th of May at the Third Door – would be great to see you there! VERSECORE on Facebook VERSECORE   4th May 2012 at The Third Door   Outlaws in the badlands ‘twixt poetry and music…   Doors 8.00pm, Music starts at 8.30pm, £5/£4 concessions  …… Continue reading Opul – VERSECORE

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Categorized as Poetry

JL Williams Up North

Enjoying the sun through the trees in Muir of Ord where we’ve come for the holiday weekend. Statuesque trees knock in wind gentle as lambs’ breath on a door of sky. JLW 2012

StAnza 2012 – Alastair Cook’s Filmpoems

I’m delighted and honoured to have been asked to read my poem with Luca Nasciuti’s live electroacoustics as part of Alastair Cook’s Filmpoem event on March 16th at this year’s StAnza Festival. Hope to see you there if you can make it.  We recently did a trial run of this at Alastair’s wonderful opening at…… Continue reading StAnza 2012 – Alastair Cook’s Filmpoems

Poetry @ the Ivory Reading for International Women’s Day

I’ve been asked to be one of the readers at Poetry at the Ivory’s special International Women’s Day event on the 14th of March, all details here: Poetry @ The Ivory 7.15pm for 7.30pm at the Ivory Hotel, Shawlands, Glasgow. I think the bill is going to be fabulous, and it should be a really…… Continue reading Poetry @ the Ivory Reading for International Women’s Day

enLIGHTen

I was recently commissioned to be one of the writers for the City of Literature and (G)Host City enLIGHTen project, celebrating Edinburgh’s literary history in a dazzling display of light. You can read more about it in this article in the Scotsman: Edinburgh’s New Town to celebrate literary history