I’m just back from an excellent time at Loose Muse Winchester. What a welcome they gave me. Sue Wrinch organises these monthly Winchester evenings (a sister ship to Loose Muse London) where she invites two writers each time and, with an excellent open mic, everyone celebrates women’s writing. It was such a pleasure to be there.
Sue Wrinch hosts beautifully and included three poems from her own new publication, Stained Lips (Morgan’s Eye Press). Sue is so good at expressing heartbreak with economy and beauty.
My fellow feature was Isabel Rogers who has moved from poetry into fiction and read from her second novel Bold as Brass, a laugh-out-loud account of school teaching in the UK with important observations about how music is taught.
Special thanks to Angela who made it to the evening in spite of illness and managed to read her beautiful poem Darling. She took the time to introduce herself and tell me that she is a great fan of my first three poetry books and was looking forward to having the latest. We shared some time talking about how the darkness of abuse never quite leaves us, but that recovery enriches us in ways we could never have imagined.
The crypt of Winchester Cathedral floods often and here is Sound II, one of Antony Gormley’s statues of himself. The statue’s cupped hands hold water reflecting its face and the whole scene interlocks archways, light and ripples in exquisite stillness.
Rosie Johnston 
Thank you for your courage. This secret, silent, shameful world, hidden behind closed doors, needs to be talked about. Your exquisite, bite sized portions of horror, comfort and joy send out the message: “You are not alone”. Angela x
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Huge thanks to you, Angela, for your work in this field. There are so many of us. It was a pleasure to talk on Monday and I hope you’re better soon x
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