Queen's Park Book Festival and beyond

The weekend passed in the pastoral surroundings of Queen’s Park with the taste of the cream of a burgeoning literary scene of a corner of west London.

I know I wasn’t alone in promising myself as I left that I’d make savings from somewhere (pub? Radio 4? Twitter?) to raise capital to read.

-Alex Bellos? A philosopher exploring pop maths.

-Melissa Benn and Owen Jones? The future of the left? I’m certainly looking.

-Dean Atta? Poetry alive.

-Rosa Rankin-Gee? A tale from (near) my homeland.

-Maggie Gee and Marina Lewycha? How have I not?

-Edwyn Collins? Rebuilding his life after two brain hemorrhages – His performances of Home Again and Losing Sleep on Saturday had the fire.

My story from Brent & Kilburn Times is here http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/hundreds_flock_to_queen_s_park_book_festival_1_1383769

And, of course, to write. If you’ll forgive the indulgence, my last fiction project, 97 short stories in 95 days, She’s Elvis, is here http://sheselvis.blogspot.co.uk/

Islington Gazette - highlights

So, since the end of January I've been working Fridays at the wonderful Islington Gazette. Here's a selection of stories and features:

8/2/12 The rainbow flag over town hall:
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/islington_council_raise_flag_to_celebrate_lbgt_community_1_1203290

16/2/12 When Occupy went to school.
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/occupy_london_move_into_new_islington_site_1_1211228

26/2/12 It's the month of love! What does the person on the street think of Islington? http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/what_do_people_love_about_islington_1_1217385

3/3/12 Dry cleaning for 50 years. But can it last?
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/islington_family_firm_fears_being_cleaned_out_by_us_rival_1_1226751

10/3/12 The gentleman Ken Loach at Reel Islington Film Festival.
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/first_serious_film_festival_in_islington_hailed_a_huge_success_1_1232820

11/3/12 Jeremy Deller: “I’m an active observer of protests but I’m not an activist. That’s just how I do it. I’m not at the front line, I’m at the side. That’s my role.”
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/islington_people_artist_jeremy_deller_launches_major_retrospective_1_1232823

23/3/12 Dog plop vox pop.
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/peoples_panel_islington_set_to_launch_britain_s_biggest_dog_mess_team_1_1328018

30/3/12 Dexter Fletcher brings Wild Bill to the borough.
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/dexter_fletcher_attends_vue_cinema_in_islington_for_opening_night_of_his_film_wild_bill_1_1335065