I'm reading at an event celebrating Mission Gallery's 40th anniversary this Saturday. The event will also feature poetry from Richard James Jones, David Thomas and Rian Jones, and jazz from The Three Divas.
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The event starts at 6pm, and entry is priced at £5. You can find out more by going to the Facebook event page: 

facebook.com/events/823839757783221

Yesterday I read some of my poems at Parthian's 'Carnival' pop-up bookshop, alongside fellow Cheval writers Rhian Elizabeth, Durre Shahwar and Philip Jones (who also played a solo set of songs by his band Dusty Cut). I strongly urge you to look them all up.

The Carnival bookshop is located in Duke Street Arcade, Cardiff, and is open all of next week too. Take a look at the Facebook event for more info about their Festival of Bad Ideas:

​https://www.facebook.com/events/1378606128889418

My poem 'The Walk to Work' has been included in the latest Cheval anthology, published by Parthian. Cheval is the anthology of the Terry Hetherington Award, which has become known as one of the most significant awards for young writers in Wales. Now in its 10th year, the award was set up in memory of the Welsh poet Terry Hetherington, who died in 2007.

It was lovely to read at the launch of the anthology in Swansea last Friday, where I met many of the wonderful people associated with the award. I was also pleased to be reading alongside my fellow Hay Festival Writers at Work Rhian Elizabeth and Philip Jones. Perhaps the highlight of the night, though, was being drawn by the supremely talented Siôn Tomos Owen. Thanks Siôn!

You can order a copy of Cheval #10 from Parthian's website: ​parthianbooks.com 

Edit: A review of the Cheval launch has since been published by Wales Arts Review. Read that here: walesartsreview.org/cheval-10-spoken-word-night
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Had a great time reading poems at Mad as Birds in Uplands last night. Thanks to Iqbal Malik for inviting me to feature and to everyone else for listening.

I usually play 5-a-side on a Thursday, but getting my kit on for a Euro 2016 warm-up event in Cardiff tonight instead. 

Edit: For those who missed the event, you can read my piece 'When Roger Freestone Played for Wales' here. 

I'll be reading some football-related poems (and some non-football-related poems) at a Euro 2016 warm-up event next Thursday (7th June) in Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Presented by Parthian Books and organised by Nick Fisk – author of The Blues are Back in Town – the event will feature poetry and general football discussion from myself, Nick and Tim Brenan, and a quiz from David Collins, whose Welsh Football Quiz Book has just been published by Y Lolfa. 

The event starts at 7pm, and entry is priced at £3. You can find out more by going to the Facebook event page: 

​facebook.com/events/1768657030087947

My short story 'The Office Block' was recently selected as one of thirteen stories for Parthian's new contemporary gothic anthology A Flock of Shadows. Last week, I read an extract at a special Halloween preview event for the anthology, held at Mozart's Bar in Swansea. The event featured readings from eight of the thirteen contributors to the anthology, seven of which are pictured above (along with Rebecca Parfitt, co-editor of the anthology). Don't ask me why I look so pissed off – I was really pleased to be there!

Halloween is by far my favourite time of year (Christmas runs it close, but you can't beat a bit of pumpkin carving and a Vincent Price marathon). I've kept up the Halloween spirit this past week by regularly dipping into the anthology, and it's already been the cause of at least one restless night. A Flock of Shadows won't be available in bookshops until February next year, but it's available for pre-order directly from Parthian now: http://www.parthianbooks.com/content/flock-shadows

Photos taken by Paula R. C. Readman and Laura Piper

Just a reminder that this coming Thursday (30th October) I will be reading at a special preview event for Parthian's anthology of new gothic fiction A Flock of Shadows at Mozart's Bar, Swansea.

"Between these pages, blurring the lines of good and evil, the monstrous reality and the monstrous imagine, are gothic stories for modern times. Here, buildings pursue their own malevolent intents; a grieving father and daughter receive an unexpected and grisly visitor; a man is unravelled by strange symbolism in a twilit park; and a botanist will stop at nothing to safeguard her borders."

The candlelit event starts at 7pm, and will feature readings from some of the contributors.

A photograph of those who participated in the Cofio Nigel event at the Dylan Thomas Centre last weekend. The event, part of the Centre's bilingual literature weekend curated by Menna Elfyn, was held to celebrate the life and work of Nigel Jenkins, who sadly passed away earlier this year at the age of 64.

You can put my stony demeanour down to nerves, as this photo was taken during the interval, just before I got up to read. I was immensely honoured to be invited to take part in such a wonderful event, which was held in tribute of a great man. He is sorely missed.

Photo taken from the Dylan Thomas Centre Facebook page.

On 28th January 2014, following a short illness, the poet Nigel Jenkins passed away. His funeral took place on 10th February at a full capacity St. Mary's Church, Pennard, with the ceremony also relayed by audio link-up to hundreds of mourners gathered in the nearby community hall. Six months later, the tributes continue to pour in, offering further evidence (if any was needed) of how respected and loved this man was.

Nigel was my Creative Writing tutor at Swansea University between 2006 and 2010. Like so many of his students, by the time my graduation ceremony came around, my relationship with Nigel had transcended student/tutor affiliation and moved into the realms of friendship. I miss his emails, his encouragement and advice, his presence at literary events and the warm welcome at his office on campus or his home in Mumbles.

I am greatly honoured to have been invited to pay tribute to Nigel at two forthcoming events in Swansea. The events offer an opportunity for friends, colleagues, literary peers and former students to speak about Nigel – his life, his work and his influence – and will begin an exploration of his significance within the literary maps of Swansea, Wales and the world beyond.