Rescue From The Dark – Paul Francis’s Book Launch

PAUL FRANCIS ~ has won three national poetry competitions, and been placed (second or third) in three others. He is active in the West Midlands poetry scene, regularly reading at a wide variety of venues, and he was poet in residence at the Wenlock Poetry Festival, 2016. He has always been generous and supportive to other writers. I have been a great admirer of Paul and his poetry for many years and was keen to see what a Paul Francis collection, edited (I was tempted to say curated there but thankfully stopped myself just in time) by Fair Acre Press would look like! Emma Purshouse says of Rescue from the Dark: “This isn’t just a collection of perfectly executed verse. This collection is important and urgent. It is a clamour of wronged voices. It’s a place where seemingly unrelated events reveal themselves to be the exact opposite of that, linking up to show us what is wrong with the world. It is a record of things that should never be forgotten. It is also a reminder that where there is humanity there is hope.”

STELLA WULF ~ lived in Wales for almost 40 years but now lives at the foot of the Pyrenees in South West France. Her pamphlet A Spell in the Woods is the product of a combined love of writing, and drawing and painting. David Morley says: “Stella Wulf’s A Spell in the Woods contains powerful, compelling poems of natural observation: of seeing and listening to the world around us and recreating their second life in language.” and David Cooke says “As a pictorial artist we might not be surprised that she has such a clear-eyed focus upon the natural world, but what an ear she has as well!”

JOHN MILLS ~ John’s working life was as an English teacher. His recreations included music, literature, drama, running and caving. He has recently completed an M.A. with distinction in Creative Writing, at Keele University. As a caver he went the extra yard, risking the dangers that took him to beauties most other people never see; and as a runner he pushed himself to the limit. This shows in his poetry and also in his attitude to Parkinson’s disease, which he has had for several years. Typical of the man – he doesn’t ask for pity, but tries to help people understand the condition. Helen Mort says of No Guiding Star:” When I read this collection, it wouldn’t let me go.” James Sheard says:” Read it. It’s mesmerising stuff.” and Clare Shaw says:”This kind of writing makes me glad that poetry exists.”

EMMA PURSHOUSE ~ won the International Rubery Award for Poetry with her children’s illustrated book I once knew a poem who wore a hat. Close was published by Offa’s Press: Greg Freeman of Write Out Loud says of Close:“I think her humour, high spirits, imagination and insights are reminiscent of Liverpool poets McGough, Patten and Henri, and maybe deserve the same popular recognition. Instead of the Mersey Sound, here’s a refreshing and original voice from a sometimes fantastic Black Country – a place where it’s perfectly possible to spot a ‘Mermaid on the number 3 bus’.” Her debut novel Dogged is out with Ignite Books. What I said about Dogged is:” “Anyone who knows Emma Purshouse will not be surprised that she writes a book Wolverhampton and beyond should be proud of… full of real people, page-turning plot, and dark humour. This is pitch perfect. Like Steinbeck it is more film than book.. it is an easy and hard and satisfying and unputdownable read!”

NADIA KINGSLEY, from Fair Acre Press and will be your host. Pull up a chair. Grab yourself a cuppa or a glass of wine and enjoy!!