It’s over a week ago that the launch for my debut poetry pamphlet was held at Books Beyond Words in Dorchester. The bookshop is a splendid venue for such a occasion and I was pleased to welcome readers, poets, family and friends to the launch.
The evening started with mingling, drinks and canapés.
Next there was a Q & A where Sophie my publisher at Wordsmith_HQ posed a range of questions and following this I shared some of my poems from adversaries/comrades.
Magdalena Atkinson, my former colleague from Dorset County Council, played some exquisite songs to accompany the theme of siblings which informed my poetry pamphlet.
This is the official photo to mark the end of the formal proceedings with Sophie and me in the foreground.
The evening finished with more mingling.
Writing is a strange occupation but it does follow a pattern. First you spend hours working away, improving your writing process and practice. Some of us are fortunate to have our work valued by a publisher who agrees to launch the product. Others have self-belief and publish as indies to enable their work to reach an audience. Whatever route is taken, it’s important to celebrate the publication with an event so that the written product is given a public presentation.
adversaries/comrades has received some wonderful reviews from poets I admire:
Gail Aldwin’s pamphlet, adversaries/comrades, shows us a family world of dodgy deals, discord and sibling rivalry; and love. No family member is exempt; conflict is a fact of family life. Extraordinary, though, is the lack of cynicism showing through the emotion. This is honest, and above all witty, alive with imagery and very moving.
Amanda Oosthuizen, poetry publisher at Words for the Wild
This engaging collection of poems draws the reader into moments many of us recognise from family life. They reveal a clarity of vision and memory when put under the poet’s microscope…There is a sense of delight in the choosing of each word of this assured collection.
Alison Lock, poet and writer
Gail’s poetry is sharp, astute, playful, wry, yet never sentimental. Every word has earned its place, and the imagery is as clear as a bell. This is a poet who takes her craft seriously, yet isn’t afraid to play with words as well as work with them. An accomplished debut pamphlet.”
Amanda Huggins, Author of Separated From the Sea
It is polished and surprising, exploring the tenderness of complex family relationships but with a narrative voice that is not afraid to touch upon a sub-text of bruises, scars and painful childhood moments. The tenderness of the writing is showcased in the opening poem, ‘Birthday’. I really enjoyed the variety of technique in this collection, as it moves from prose poems to shorter lyric pieces and concrete poetry.
Anne Caldwell, Freelance Writer & Poet, and Associate Lecturer at Open University
Thank you to everyone who came to the launch and for all the good wishes I received from those who couldn’t make it. If you would like to purchase a copy of adversaries/comrades the pamphlet is stocked at Books Beyond Words in Dorchester, or it can be purchased through Wordsmith_HQ.
the writer is a lonely hunter 
Thank you for sharing your launch! I counted over two dozen people, everyone smiling, everyone obviously happy to being helping you get your new publication out to the wider world. How very exciting. I loved reading the reviews, too. You must be very happy, Gail. I received an email from Wordsmith letting me know that my copy of adversaries/comrades’ has been shipped. I can’t wait for it to arrive!!
Great – I look forward to hearing what you think! If you would leave a review on Goodreads, I’d much appreciate it!
Thank for the offer, Gail, and I will most certainly leave a review for you on Goodreads.
Splendid review – thank you, Jim!