Neath Port Talbot Children’s Book Festival and Cheltenham Literature Festival

‘Why did my brain make me say it?’ has been out a year now, and it’s still taking me to new and interesting places - most recently, literary festivals. *Waves arm with a bright pink artist’s wristband, like an insufferable eejit*

It was great to go back to my home village of Pontardawe earlier this month to perform for a full house of 400 at their Arts Centre – very definitely NOT a thing when I was growing up (they apparently waited until the moment I left for university to refurbish and reopen it). I had longer on stage than I’d anticipated, due to Children’s Laureate Alex Wharton having been suddenly taken ill. I was really sorry to miss his show, but thankfully he is recovered now. Big thanks to Paul Doyle from NPT libraries for inviting me along, and to all the children who made such a great audience.

Today I took my poetry workshops on the road to the famous Cheltenham Literature Festival (it’s posh; there’s a green room - well, marquee – with free food, where you can pretend to be someone of literary gravitas whilst eating granola and reading The Times), and I managed to:

a) make my train, despite having to jump out of a car in non-moving traffic in Newport before legging it across the bridge to the station (slightly sweaty)

b) tip a jug of water over mid workshop (the show must go on)

c) remember to mute my mic before having a wee (consummate professional)

d) get the following fantastic poems put together by the schools who kindly came along: