TOM LEONARD is part of the Scottish literary renaissance and is Professor of Creative Writing at Glasgow University. Published in 1976, his Glasgow Poems kick-started a literary counterculture. In 1984 he released Intimate Voices, a selection of his work from 1965 onwards including poems and essays on William Carlos Williams and “the nature of hierarchical diction in Britain.” It shared the award for Scottish Book of the Year and yet was banned from Central Region school libraries. Peter Manson, in the Poetry Review, claimed the poems, “speak so precisely and with such a fierce, analytical wit that they transcend their status as poems and become part of the shared apparatus we use to think with. I don't know any other contemporary poetry of which that is so true.” His poem "The Six O'Clock News" from Unrelated Incidents is compulsory study for an AQA English Language GCSE qualification in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
He will be reading from his new book ‘Outside the Narrative’ (poems from 1969-2009).
Tom Leonard Website

HELEN MACDONALD Was born in Surrey in1970 and educated at Cambridge University. Between 1996 and 1999 she worked for the National Avian Research Centre, Abu Dhabi, breeding falcons and assisting with the management of an international research programme on the saker falcon. Her publications are Simple Objects (poetical histories, 1993), Safety Catch (in etruscan reader 1, 1997) and Shaler’s Fish (etruscan books 2001) This year she did a series of programmes for BBC Radio 3 about keeping a goshawk in the spare room and the problems of training and flying a large powerful bird.

NICHOLAS JOHNSON is Editor of etruscan books. Nicholas founded the press in 1996. The press can be distinguished by its production values of sewn and cased editions, and how the books feel in the hand, rather than any particular genre of poetics. 1999 - 2000 was pivotal in terms of output and print runs. This was also when the etruscan Book Club was founded, supported by over 100 members to guarantee interest in the publishing series. The advent of pod books has posed a threat, in terms of editorial time and financial outlay … but the books continue to be edited, made and read.
etruscan books Website

Liz is a children's author with six novels published so far and a seventh due out in June this year. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages, have appeared on the New York Times best seller list and have this year topped two million sales worldwide.

Liz recently moved to St Ives, where she gets lots of inspiration for her books. As they feature funky fairies and accidental mermaids, her characters feel just at home here as she does.

She will read a few excerpts from her published books, give a sneak preview of her soon-to-be-published book and answer questions about writing, books, mermaids, fairies and anything else she happens to be asked.

Signed Books On Sale - Courtesy Of Harbour Bookshop St Ives.

To find out more about Liz, visit her website at:
www.lizkessler.co.uk

Or her Blog:
Liz Kessler Blog

Or join her on FaceBook:
Liz Kessler Page

An Out Of Depth satirical analysis of The Writing Process featuring original songs, prose and poetry by:

• Rod Bullimore
• Dhyano
• Dominic Power
• Kimberley Stone

Rod Bullimore Website

Two authors read from their works in progress.

Anna Chen wil be reading the new opening of Anna May Wong Must Die! - a journey through the life of the Hollywood screen legend.

Also some of her comic horror short stories. These are Tube Love, All Greased Up And Nowhere To Go and the first episodes of her gothic horror tale, Jeb 'N' George.

More info about these is on:
Anna Chen Website

Kelvin Bowers will be reading from his book Scarper.

His career as a live poet over 19 years has spanned the worlds of rock-n-roll, publishing, feature film, Theatre, TV and Radio.

He made his name on the underground music and Cabaret scene in the mid-nineties in London. His first proper gig was a residency on Radio 4’s Kaleidoscope. His live style as a stand-up poet capable of transfixing audiences with a unique stage presence and a satirical angle on the pop zeitgeist brought him to the attention of the music industry.

He toured with The Pet Shop Boys, The Pretenders, Julian Cope and Morcheeba.Released three studio albums working with Shriek Back, Brix Smith, Martin Chambers (Pretenders), Jonathan Perkins (Spiritual Cowboys) and multi-platinum producer Chris Thomas and Jools Holland. Played the main stages of numerous pop festivals including Glastonbury, Phoenix and ‘T’ in the park. His work has been released in: Italy, Holland, Germany and USA.

More info on:
Murray Lachlan Young Website

Car headlights flashing. Brunswick green shadows.Ivy, clinging in fear to a wall.
Come along. Stumble and crawl through a maelstrom of fantasy.

An evening of electronic improvisation to the poetry of Paul Healy plus a number of short films by Paul.

There is a guest appearance by Martyn Barker.

First Half:
CSM reads extracts from his novel The Hellhound Sample (published later this year by HeadPress) and previews his next non-fiction book in -
Everything I Know About Rock and Roll Part 17(b).

Second Half:
Clash Culture -- were they really the greatest of the punk bands; were they
still punk after the early years and what WAS punk, anyway?

Extra Time: If needed.

Penalties: If still undecided.

She received an Eric Gregory Award in 1974, and her first full-length poetry collection was The Orchard Upstairs (1980). This has been followed by seven further collections, including: The Lion from Rio (1986); Taxing the Rain (1992); Building a City for Jamie (1996); and A Leaf Out of His Book (1999). A book of her Selected Poems: 1980-1996, was published in 1998. Three of her collections have been Poetry Book Society Recommendations.

She is also the author of five earlier novels, including All the Usual Hours of Sleeping (1969); and The Mirror of the Giant (1980). With her husband, she published two non-fiction books: The Wise Wound: Eve's Curse and Everywoman (1978), dealing with the psychology and creative aspect of menstruation and its part in redefining the role of women; and its sequel, Alchemy for Women: Personal Transformation Through Dreams and the Female Cycle (1995).

Penelope Shuttle received a Cholmondeley Award in 2007. She is currently working on a ninth collection of poetry and a prose memoir.

Signed Books On Sale - Courtesy Of Harbour Bookshop St Ives.

Reading - 10.00 am - 12.00 pm.
Join Words and Minds - the regular reading for well-being group as they continue reading Ian McEwan's brilliant novel Atonement. The group will read, talk about the book, themselves and their lives. Drink tea and coffee, read a bit more, very informal, join in as much or as little as you like. Anyone is welcome to come and just listen. Also - chocolate biscuits ! This group meets every Thursday morning and new people can join at any time.

Drop In - 12.00 pm - 1.00 pm.
Enjoy a pasty and learn more about reading and writing for health and well-being, Lapidus Cornwall and St Ives Literature Festival. Please let the library know if you are coming so that they can cater.

Writing - 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm.
Have you ever wanted to express yourself in writing but don't know where to start ? Or do you enjoy coming to workshops to kick-start your ideas ? We will look at some different ways of expressing ourselves in words. No experience necessary - just come along and have a go.

A gathering of musicians, poets, writers and performers.

Hosted by Bob Devereux - the evening will be a mixture of music, poetry, prose readings, film, comedy and whatever else people want to do.

Anything can happen at Cafe Frug !

Bring your own wine.

Terence Frisby has worked for many years as playwright, actor, director and producer.
His stage play THERE’S A GIRL IN MY SOUP ran for six and a half years at the Globe Theatre
at the time it was the longest running comedy in the history of the west end. In 1970 it was
made into a film with Peter Sellers and Goldie Hawn winning the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain
award for the best screen play Other stage plays have been produced worldwide. He has written
many plays for television, two comedy series and has acted, produced and directed in London & Paris.

His new book ‘Kisses on a Postcard was published in hardback by Bloomsbury in September
2009 but will be launched in paperback in May 2010.

Kisses on a Postcard began its life as a radio play, ‘Just Remember Two Things: It’s Not Fair
And Don’t Be Late,’ for BBC Radio 4 which won the Gillie Cooper Play Of The Year Award.
It was broadcast ten times in the space of a few months on Radio four and the World Service.

Signed Books On Sale - Courtesy Of Harbour Bookshop St Ives.

The poems in Chocolate Che were written in Cuba in the fiftieth year of the revolution; in India working with dying destitutes and recovering from tuberculosis; travelling up and down the spine of the Americas and into the heart of Europe on the trail of soldiers, artists and monks.Damian Furniss works images into narratives that are both darkly humorous and strangely moving. Using forms as varied as their subjects, with characteristic verbal intensity and a probing wit, he returns to the fixations of his youth in wry but reflective maturity. Along the way, he encounters the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa; visits the houses of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, only to find no one's at home; and collects the stubs of cigars that might once have been smoked by Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, but probably weren't.

Praise for his chapbook, The Duchess of Kalighat, several poems from which are included in this, his first full collection:
'Furniss explores India in many varied and astonishing images . . . no poet of promise but a poet of arrival.'- Derrick Woolf, Poetry Quarterly Review.
'The fire in the poetry roars. In this book the subject is hot and so is the language.' - Tim Allen, Terrible Work.
'This has a vitality all of its own.' - Brian Hinton, Tears in the Fence.
'Has strong convictions and a clearly defined sense of purpose. These are moving, transforming poems.' - Emma Neale, Scratch.

By popular demand PHIL BOWEN reads ALL THAT STUFF.

Phil Bowen was born in Liverpool in 1949. His collections of poetry include:
The Professor’s Boots (Westwords) 1994, Variety”s Hammer (Stride) 1997, selected for the Forward Book of Poetry-1998, and Starfly published by Stride in 2004. He has also edited two anthologies Jewels and Binoculars (in which 50 poets celebrate Bob Dylan), and Things We Said Today (Poetry about the Beatles) one biography A Gallery To Play To (The story of the Mersey Poets) reprinted by Liverpool University Press 2008 and Nowhere’s Far (collected poetry published by Salt 2009)

All That Stuff is a twenty minute poem.

'The Wasteland of the Twentieth Century' - Dave Wooley (Dylan Thomas Centre).
'A real tour de force' – Roger McGough.
'Amazing ……Quite incredible' – Mel Scaffold (Apples and Snakes).
'A work of genius' – John Cooper Clarke.

Signed Books On Sale - Courtesy Of Harbour Bookshop St Ives.

Damian Furniss

Phil Bowen

‘The author as artist evokes people and places with delicacy, humour and truth. We feel this is a voice that should be heard.’
Costa judges.

Ann will talk about and read from her latest novel KOH TABU (Oxford University Press, April ‘10).

A camping trip goes horribly wrong on KOH TABU the Forbidden Island. A dream becomes a nightmare in an unforgettable edge of your seat thriller about trust and betrayal, fear and courage, death and survival - and growing up.

Day 10
‘I keep thinking it can’t get any worse, but it does.'

Think Lord of the Flies but with girls!

Signed Books On Sale - Courtesy Of Harbour Bookshop St Ives.

Visit her website:
www.annkelley.co.uk

Les Murray has won many literary awards, including the Grace Leven Prize (1980 and 1990), the Petrarch Prize (1995), and the prestigious TS Eliot Award (1996). In 1999 he was awarded the Queens Gold Medal for Poetry on the recommendation of Ted Hughes.

He will be visiting St Ives as part of a UK tour and will be reading a selection of his work.

Signed Books On Sale - Courtesy Of Harbour Bookshop St Ives.

For more information and a bibliography visit his website:
www.lesmurray.org

Brian Patten is one of the most accessible and popular poets working today.

He made his name in the 60s in the Liverpool trio with Adrian Henri & Roger McGough and has been writing & performing ever since.

“A magic ability to turn radiant imagination loose” - The Times.
“He thinks and feels ferociously”- The Listener.
“His poems are made with great skill and honesty”- British Book News.
“A marked sensitivity and eye for the unusual”- The Guardian.

For more information and a bibliography visit his website:
www.brianpatten.co.uk