I'm Taking Part In The People's Climate March On Saturday

It's no longer possible to march in Paris, but it is in Aotearoa this weekend. I'll be taking part in the Wellington edition of the People's Climate March, which starts from 1pm in Civic Square on Saturday 28 November. I encourage you to check out the closest event to you (note there are four pages of events) and take part.

I'm Looking Forward To The NZ Poetry Conference This Weekend

I'm looking forward to the New Zealand Poetry Conference this coming weekend (13-15 November). After a successful conference in Hawkes Bay in 2013, this one is being held in Wellington.

I know I'm going to be involved in a couple of events: one is a reading session which I believe I'll be chairing, the other a panel of former judges of the NZ Poetry Society International Poetry Competition talking about how they approached the judging process - I'm looking forward to this both as a former judge and as a potential future entrant!

Check out the conference programme.

There will also be book launches at the Conference - one I'm particularly pleased about is Mākaro Press's launch of new poetry collections by Heidi North-Bailey - Possibility of flight - and Keith Westwater - Felt Intensity, to be launched by Dinah Hawken. You can join the Facebook event for this launch.

Heidi, Keith and I were all members of Dinah Hawken's 2003 "Writing the Landscape" course, which was by far the best and most enjoyable writing course I have taken part in, so I am looking forward both to catching up with them and to the launch itself.