This coming Thursday – 9 January 2020 from 6.30pm – will be a magnificent FAVERSHAM SPECIAL at Word of Mouth at the Umbrella Café in #Whitstable‘s Oxford Street (the best Oxford Street). Faversham’s powerhouse of literary connectivity Angela Dye is going to bring with her:

Katy Evans-Bush! Katy’s two collections are published by Salt, the most recent Broken Cities won the Poetry Business competition in 2017. Her essay collection Forgive the Language is published by Penned in the Margins. Her ten-years blog at Baroque in Hackney was shortlisted for the George Orwell Prize for political writing and she now lives in Faversham and works as a creative writing tutor and freelance editor. Christopher Hopkins‘ latest poetry collection The Shape of a Tulip Bird deals with his experience of miscarriage and follows his two chapbooks, The Last Time We Saw Strangers and Take Your Journeys Home. All are published by Clare Songbirds Publishing House, NY. He has been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize and twice in the American Community of Literary Magazines and Presses. Originally from Neath in South Wales, he now lives with his wife and daughter in Faversham.

Rosemary McLeish is one of the north Kent coast’s best loved poets. Her marvellous collection I Am A Field was published last year by Wordsmithery. Rosie is a highly acclaimed artist too and will be back in May for a Word of Mouth special about our excellent artist poets.

Melinda Walker, a Word of Mouth favourite, has a most beautiful reading voice following her long acting career. She will read some of her exquisite, heartfelt poetry, often about the privilege of looking after her aunt who has Alzheimers.

Helen North is an outstanding folk singer and songerwriter from Faversham. Her CDs are among my top favourites and anyone familiar with her work will know to bring a hankie as some of her songs are likely to produce a tear or two.

And as a very special treat – has this ever happened before? – Helen and Melinda (one of the Larkbirds – ‘Kent’s very own singing sensation’ – in her spare time) will sing together!

We have a free OPEN MIC too – you are welcome to come and read for up to 5 minutes – prose, memoir, drama, non-fic are all welcome, not just poetry. Please sign up with me on the night.

THIS EVENT IS FREE, thanks to the generosity of Whitstable’s Umbrella Café which will be open, licensed and serving hot food as well as cake, tea and coffee. It’s behind the main Umbrella Centre opposite the Fishslab Gallery and the Rock Lodge – just follow the little alley beside the main centre and look to your right. 

We gather from 6.30pm – doors open at around 6pm. See you there!