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Pauline M Kirk |
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York novelist and poet Pauline Kirk organises and participates in a regular programme of events throughout the year. She works closely with York Explore Libraries providing a variety of opportunities for readers and writers to enjoy her work. As editor of the Fighting Cock Press and as an organiser of the Pennine Poets Pauline regularly hosts events throughout Yorkshire and the North of England. She can also be found working with publishers of her work as both Pauline Kirk and as PJ Quinn. She is a member of the Dream Catcher Editorial Board and of the York Spoken Word Exhibitionists travelling poetry team. Upcoming Events Autumn 2023 Skull Days Skull Days, the fifth DI Ambose mystery is anticiped to be published in October. I will publish a plan of events nearer the time as we strive to create some excitement for this new novel. All four previous novels, Foul Play, Poison Pen, Close Disharmony, and Poetic Justice will feature in this program. Some highlights from previous years: Poetic Justice: A DI Ambrose Mystery – the fourth DI Ambrose Mystery, published by Stairwell Books Pauline continued a programme of talks to celebrate the publication of the fourth DI Ambrose Mystery by PJ Quinn. This is the pen name under which she collaborates with her daughter Jo Summers. Set in the 1950’s and early 60’s the DI Ambrose novels take us back to a period of great change that seems like an era ago. Poetic Justice features the mysterious deaths of two characters involved in a national poetry competition, and leads to Ambrose travelling to the Island of Guernsey. Like the previous three PJ Quinn novels, it can be read as a stand-alone novel – you don’t have to have read the sequence! Border 7 Audio Book Pauline continues to publicise her Audio Book of Border 7 which is available on Amazon Audible. It costs £22.00 or can be downloaded as part of your subscription. If you are new to Audible, here is a direct link to the book: Waters of Time Lots of proof reading for this. As Pauline’s first novel, Waters of Time, predated electronic format, she has had to scan the original book in readiness for Stairwell Books to reissue it as an e-book. In the event Stairwell Books also published it a paperback. Work in Progress When she has a free moment, Pauline is working on a new novel, Blackthorn House, which like Waters of Time moves between past and present. This one is set in the north however, whereas Waters of Time drew on her youth in the Midlands and research into her own family tree. Poetry has taken a bit of a back seat recently but after successful launch events for Time Traveller, her most recent collection, Pauline is beginning to return to writing poems exploring new themes and styles. As an individual writer, Pauline has performed regularly in York and the wider Yorkshire area. Writing as PJ Quinn, she has also been involved in launch events for Poetic Justice: a DI Ambrose Mystery and her new poetry collection Time Traveller (Graft Poetry). It’s been a busy year with a lot of travelling. “Death on the Dawn Princess”, Saturday 27th April 2019 a Murder mystery Meal fundraiser in aid of St Edwards Community Hall, York, with colleague Pippa Hammond. York Literature Festival: Pre-Festival event: ‘Poetry for All’, Thursday 14th March. 2019 Pauline read with other York poets, supporting Donna Williams, Jackie Hagan and Imogen Godwin at this open access event held at the Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate, York. York Literature Festival Sci Fi Panel, Thursday 21st March 2019, at the York Theatre Royal. Appearing with other writers of science fiction and fantasy published by Stairwell Books, Pauline answered questions from a lively audience and read an extract from Border 7. York International Women’s Week In collaboration with Rose Drew, we organised an event to showcase the women writers published by Fighting Cock Press and Stairwell Books. This was hosted by the True Story Café, Lord Mayor’s Walk. Recording podcasts With Alan Smith, Alan Gillott and Rose Drew, Pauline recorded two podcast discussions as part of Stairwell’s series of broadcasts on writing issues. An interesting experience. “Death in the Lake”. Saturday December 18th, 2018, Woodthorpe, York. Another Murder mystery Meal Fundraiser with Pippa, this time for Woodthorpe Women's Institute, York. November 2018, The York Culture Awards Pauline was delighted to be one of the four writers shortlisted for the York Culture Award (Excellence in Writing) 2018. Organised by MakeItYork with BBC Radio York, this award recognised achievement during the past year. Nominated by Pippa Hammond, Pauline’s portfolio included her work on Poetic Justice and Time Traveller, as well as her commitment to community events. She didn’t win but had a wonderful evening at the Awards evening held at York Theatre Royal, on Monday 19th November. FantasyCon Conference, Chester, Friday and Saturday 19th and 20th October 2018. This time as a ‘sci fi’ novelist, Pauline served on three panels: ‘Shared Worlds’, ‘Writing for Children’ and ‘Adding the Audio Book’, as well as helping on the Stairwell Books stall. She also read from her novels Border 7 and The Keepers, and discussed how she imagined their worlds, based on the trends she sees in our present lives. Thursday 4th October, (National Poetry Day) Dringhouses Library, York To celebrate National Poetry Day, Pauline was invited by the Friends of Dringhouses Library to be the guest speaker at their coffee morning, and to talk about her poetry, especially, Time Traveller. Campanology Saturday 29th September, Dringhouses Community Hall, York. A Murder Mystery Meal in aid of the Community Hall funds. York Big City Read Festival Thursday 27th September, ‘Finding the Words’, Explore York (the Central Library). With three other northern poets, Nick Allen and Katherine Goda, Pauline featured in York’s regular ‘Finding the Words’ programme. This event was also part of York Libraries’ Big City Read programme 2018. https://www.exploreyork.org.uk/event/finding-the-words
Tuesday 18th September, Radio Guernsey Pauline was interviewed (live) on Radio Guernsey about the Guernsey connection in Poetic Justice. She was then asked a lot of questions about her writing generally. Quite demanding ‘off the cuff’ but it went well. Leeds Combined Arts/Headingley Community Hub Saturday 15th September, Headingley Library, Leeds. This was an author event to launch the new Headingley Community Hub, organised in association with Leeds Combined Arts. Pauline gave a talk about Poetic Justice and how she collaborates with her daughter as PJ Quinn. She read extracts from the novel and answered questions during a lively discussion afterwards. Friday 6th of July: Poetry Pauline read from her poetry at York St John University during their 'Beyond the Vote' poetry evening, which celebrated women writers as part of their commemoration of the achievements of the Suffragette movement. Thursday 5th July: Poetic Justice The York launch was held at Jacob's Well, York. Both Pauline and Jo performed acted readings. They were joined by Rose Drew and Alan Gillott, with Alan Smith and Claire Campbell-Patel also reading from their recent novels. Thursday 28th June: Poetic Justice The London Launch of Poetic Justice took place at Samlan’s offices in the City. Pauline and Jo performed acted readings at a Hospitality event organised by a prominent Finance company, who made them most welcome and provided excellent refreshments! Sunday 24th June: ‘Five Poets’ (Graft Poetry) As a featured poet Pauline read at the Graft Poetry 'Five Poets' event at the Manor House, Ilkley, together with the American poet Jefferson Holdridge, and Andy Boobier, Chris Bridge and Nicholas Bielby. All had been recently published by Graft. Tuesday 8th May: Grey Hen Poetry Competition The bundles of poems began arriving from the Grey Hen Competition on the 8th. With her co-judge Carole Bromley, Pauline spent much of May reading hundreds of entries in this national poetry competition for older women poets. The standard was high, and the choice of short list and winners was not easy to make. On May 29th Carole and Pauline met to agree the final results, which were announced on the Grey Hen website. Excellent poems! If you’d like to know more or to invite Pauline to give a talk or reading, contact Pauline herself or Stairwell Books. |
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Web site support by Alan Gillott of Stairwell Books |
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