First Collection: First Thoughts

Well, I came home and Royal Mail had left a parcel in my recycle bin. I was carrying shopping and struggled to open the lid and then I saw the label was marked with Lapwing (Belfast), my publisher. The shopping went in the air, just cans, a few pies and assorted Christmas wrapping. I did let out what can only be called a girlie screech. To give you an idea how girlie my yelp was a nearby farmer stopped in his tractor, straightened his tie, combed his hair and made overtures of marriage for the time it took him to get out of the tractor and see that beneath my layers of jumpers, cardigans, hats, scarves and coats I was all man. In the Bee Gees 70s hairy way. Anyway, I rushed in, my wife in my wake muttering that I probably needed more help than I let on.  I attacked the parcel, like a bull at a barn dance, and pulled out twenty copies of my first collection, Ghosts of a Low Moon. It looks great, it feels great, it smells great. I can only thank Dennis at Lapwing for this, he has been a patient and good editor. It has taken me a few years to pull together a collection and over 2011 I will be promoting this book, starting with an e-tour and then a tour with the poet, Ian Parks. Signed copies will be available to buy from my shop over the next week or so.