Wanted: Local writers and poets

Do you write short stories or poems? Are you writing a novel? If so Settle Sessions would like to hear from you and give you the opportunity to present some of your writing at one of their evenings in the open mic "Read Two" section.

Settle Sessions is now in its third year; 2015 will see 4 evenings through the year. It provides an opportunity for people in the Craven area to enjoy contemporary writing and poetry in the atmospheric and historic venue of The Folly in Settle. There is also the chance for local writers to show-case some of their unpublished work in "Read Two".

The 2015 programme for the Settles Sessions has been announced. It includes some of the country's leading poets and writers displaying a wide range of styles and writing.

April 17th Carole Coates and Carole Bromley

June 5th Neil Curry and Meg Peacock

Sept 11th Kim Moore and Jean Harrison

Nov 20th Ann Pilling and Chris Considine

All the evenings are on a Friday at 7.30pm at The Folly in Victoria Street Settle.

If you'd like to take part in Read Two - either your own work or by reading something by someone else that you really like - then contact Jean Harrison on 01729 823305 or info@settlesessions.co.uk. Full details of The Sessions are at www.settlesessions.co.uk

Spellbound Audience

The final event of 2014 was suitably merry in tone and festive in content. Prize winning author and poet Ann Pilling presented her new anthology of happy poems called "Say Cheese". Sold in aid of Hawes Parish Church Restoration, it features work by living and dead poets. Some of the former read their poems bringing us "Singing the African Sanctus in Settle", a vivid description of an australian creature called "The Jesus Bird", and a fascinating homage to Machines. David Scott from Kendal, whom Ann said is described as "the foremost Anglican poet" read a gentle, evocative poem about the simple Harebell which had the audience spellbound. Ann concluded with a rousing rendition of Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky.

The second part of the evening featured favourite Christmas poems chosen by regular Sessioners. From John Clare's December at the turn of the 19th century, through some bitingly witty poems by Wendy Cope, classics from Louis Macniece to one about Global Warning, the audience relaxed in front of the roaring fire at The Folly and soaked up the seasonal mood. The deepest listening was of "For a Child Expected" by Anne Ridler, delivered in a soft yet commanding voice by Kathy Bull.

Settle can be congratulated in hosting and supporting these eclectic evenings. They bring together leading British poets as well as local writing talent with literature lovers to share their favourite pieces. If the warm appreciation of this Session is anything to go by, next year's programme will be much anticipated and enjoyed too.

Veronica Caperon

Tenderness and insight - review

September Settle Sessions

Now a fixture in the local literary calendar, Settle Sessions delivered an enjoyable and diverse range of writing at The Folly last Friday. Once again it debunked notions that "poetry's not for me".

Trish Pogson

Patricia (Trish) Pogson from Cumbria has several published poetry collections, with work also appearing in numerous anthologies. She engaged the audience with her sharply observed experiences. From teeth, garden birds to children's dens, every word is carefully placed, every line skilfully crafted. In particular, she writes about her family in ordinary settings with extraordinary tenderness in an accessible language and style.

Jean Harrison

One of the masterminds behind Settle Sessions, Jean Harrison, treated the appreciative gathering to tales of Africa alongside a saga of the bridge between Giggleswick and Settle. Jean deftly employs the countryside, human nature and an enquiring mind to sculpt images that people can connect with. Her piece about meeting her newborn sister was touching, even shocking in its childlike directness.

Olwyn Bolger

Sarah Lightfeather

"Read Two" encourages new writers and poetry lovers to air their wares. Sarah Lightfeather, another Cumbrian, told eloquently of wings she gave to a friend in a time of despair. A short story writer recently turned poet, she promises much with her lyrical, bold style. 

Olwyn Bolger read three whimsical sonnets and poems from her late husband's collection, including one called Doggerel that was about cats! 

Joan Lee

Joan Lee read some favourite poems by DH Lawrence and Stevie Smith in a gentle and delightful manner.

In choosing The Folly for its setting, Settle Sessions has a winner on its hands; the timeless, reflective ambience provides an excellent backdrop for the evening. Another clever aspect of the evenings is to attract people from the literary world as well as those who just like to listen to good writing. Where else on your doorstep can you enjoy an hour or so of people recounting tales of blackbirds and birth, dentures and death, Arran and Africa?

Veronica Caperon

From Africa to North Yorkshire

Writers share work

The next Settle Sessions evening of short stories and poetry readings will be on Friday 5th September.

On the programme is Settle Poet Jean Harrison and Patricia Pogson from Cumbria.

Jean is one of the organisers of this series of evenings designed to present writings in a relaxed and convivial style at The Folly in Settle. She has two collections of poetry published with a novel due out next year. A retired teacher, Jean lived and work for a number of years in Africa, and has been making her progress up the country from Exeter via several places and is now settled in North Yorkshire.

Patricia Pogson lives in Staveley in Cumbria. Her work appears in many anthologies and she has six collections of poems published. She has won numerous poems, but can't remember all of them! She has run The Brewery Poets based at The Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal for some years. Her writing has a down to earth approach, showing life as it is lived, but often with a twist that makes the reader sit up and think.

There will also be a chance for local writers and poets to read their own and others' work in the "Read Two" slot. Sarah Littlefeather is coming from the Ulverston area while John Rose, Joan Lee and Olwyn Bolger live in Settle.

The evening takes place at The Folly in Settle at 7.30pm. Tickets (£6, £5.50 members) are available from Cave and Crag as well as 01729 823305. More details from info@settlesessions.co.uk 

Date for your diary:

Friday 21st November - 6.30pm AGM and reception - members and the public welcome! (please email us if you'd like to come info@settlesessions.co.uk)

Engaging and Fascinating Session

The June Settle Session went well as usual.  

We had another full house - including a members of the Bentham Looking Well Group who presented a varied range of work which the audience enjoyed very much. 

Eliza Dear read from her collection with enthusiasm. She so clearly enjoyed interacting with the audience, and they with her.  

Jane Routh gripped us with her thoughtful account of wildlife and its life on her smallholding and of her real conversation in her kitchen with a modern mole-catcher and, in the same place, an imagined conversation with a nineteenth century predecessor, based on her research of a real person.  This contrasted very well with another 'conversation' with a young man who might take over in years to come.

The September Settle Session features Carole Coates and Jean Harrison  

The Read Two open mic slot is now full but if you'd like to take part in future ones, please contact us.

Top writers for June Settle Sessions

The June Settle Sessions evening at The Folly feature two published poets with close connections to the Settle and Craven area. 

Please note this will be on Friday 6th June, and not 13th June as publicised in some places - apologies for confusion.

Eliza Dear has lived in Settle for eight years now. Having previously lived in Ireland for 30 years where in the 90s she started to write poetry.She had her first poetry book published last year by a publisher in Belfast which brings together her Irish and English connections. She has had many poems published in magazines mostly in Ireland and she won the Lace competition and a short story competition. She lives in Settle and will be reading from her recently published collection.

Jane Routh is a photographer and writer who looks after a flock of geese, an Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland, some new woods and a few fields in North Lancashire. An award winning poet, Jane lives in the Forest of Bowland near Lowgill. She'll be reading extracts from her newly published book of prose, about a small area of land and its wildlife, work and weathers over four decades, with a month by month celebration of seasonal shifts at its heart. "Graced with a poet's command of language and the ability to weave particulars into memorable passages." (August Kleinzahler)

In the open mic "Read Two" slot, a group of writers from Bentham will be presenting a variety of styles, lead by Settle based John Raubenheimer.

"The Sessions seem to have become quite an anticipated event" explained Jean Stevens, reviewing the last evening in April. "The Folly provided an atmospheric and intimate space in which to hear poems, all of which were accessible, enjoyable and thought provoking".

The next event will be on Friday 6th June at 7.30pm at The Folly. Tickets, which are limited due to space, are £6 (£5.50 members) available from Cave and Cragg and The Folly. For more information ring 01729 823305 or email info@settlesessions.co.uk

April 2014 - Evocative, Unsettling, Sensuous

There was a large and appreciative audience at the first of this year’s Settle Sessions featuring two prize-winning writers.

Jennifer Copley from Barrow-in-Furness read poems inspired by an unusual Victorian photograph

taken post-mortem. These were deeply felt poems about people and relationships and ranged from the moving to the unsettling to the humorous. The writer gave us an insight into the origin and background of her work which helped to illuminate the poems.

Sue Vickerman, who used to live in Settle before moving to Bradford, shared poems written by herself and by her alter ego Suki the life model. The extracts she chose were sensuous, witty and well observed and her presentation was lively and entertaining.

In the open mic slot, Paula Day from Cumbria read poems on trees she observed growing locally, which she wrote to accompany photographs by Val Corbett.

Sarah Wiltshire from Austwick read poems which had their origin in her move to live in the Yorkshire Dales and evoked the wonderful local landscape.

All the contributors presented their work in an engaging way, and it was fascinating to hear different voices, different approaches, different styles, all of which enhanced the experience.

The Folly provided an atmospheric and intimate space in which to hear poems, all of which were accessible, enjoyable and thought provoking.

Jean Stevens

April Launch for Settle Sessions 2014

Our next event is on Friday 25th April 7.30pm The Folly Settle.

Nationally Recognised Writers in Settle

A well-known former Settle resident and successful novelist and poet starts the 2014 programme for Settle Sessions in April at The Folly in Settle. Sue Vickerman will share the platform with the recent poet Laureate of South Cumbria Jennifer Copley, supported by local writers and poets presenting some of their own work in an Open Mic slot. New for 2014 is a membership scheme which offers discounts to members.

Former Settle resident, Sue Vickerman, has just completed the screenplay of her novel "Special Needs" (Cinammon Press 2011) and says she is looking for a frock for the Oscars. Meanwhile her alter ego, life-model Suki, is about to launch online the weekly serialisation of her autobiography "Two small lives" at twosmalllives.co.uk, following the highly successful Part I, "A Small Life" , which has accrued an international following. She writes with "a dry northern sense of humour" and her work is described as "witty, loving and long-sighted" (U A Fanthorpe), "piercingly topical" Magnus Magnusson and Sandi Toksvig "loved it".

Jennifer Copley has published 3 full poetry collections (the latest is 'Sisters' published by Smokestack in 2013) and 4 pamphlets (the last being 'Mr Trickfeather' published by Like This Press in 2012). She lives in her grandmother's house in Barrow-in-Furness with her sculptor husband Martin and her cat and dog, Freddy and Ruby and where, she says, her roots go down through the floorboards. She was South Cumbria’s Poet Laureate in 2005. Jennifer’s work has been described as charming, sensuous and disturbing with a magic-realist twist. ‘Deals with strange territory in a memorable and disturbing way’ (UA Fanthorpe), ‘sensuous and disturbing’ (Carol Rumens).

Local writers Sarah Wiltshire and Paula Day will also read from their work at the Read Two open mic slot.

"We have established Settle Sessions in the lovely atmospheric setting of The Folly" explained one of the organisers Jean Harrison. "Our aim is to bring well known and successful poets and writers to Settle to entertain people who may enjoy book clubs and creative writing but might not think 'poems are for them'". As well as big names on the bill, Settle Sessions has discovered a lot of local literary talent in the area and provide an opportunity for local people to present their own work to new audiences.

A new membership scheme is being intorduced this year. Among the benefits are reduced rates at the events. Settle Sessions is at 7.30pm at The Folly on Friday 25th April. Tickets, which are limited due to space, are £6 (£5.50 members) available from Cave and Cragg and The Folly. For more information please ring 01729 823305 or 824537.

New Settle Sessions season starts soon

2014 Settle Sessions launched

Some comments from our 2013 series of evenings:

an altogether very friendly and enjoyable evening. I though Veronica's monologue was real quality and the performance utterly convincing. And I admire the way you handle the readers from the floor, sensibly managed. Congratulations on getting it together and holding it together. I hope it continues to thrive.  Mike Barlow

Thank you so much for ....Friday's Settle Session. Carol and I thoroughly enjoyed it - such a lovely atmosphere, an appreciative audience and a wonderful variety of voices.  And, of course, Mike [Barlow] never fails to impress.

Following our successful first year in 2013, we've added a fourth evening to our series of poetry and short story readings.

There's also now a membership scheme which gives you discount on entry prices and a chance to get involved in what sort of evenings we present. For just £2 a year, you'll be entitled to 50p of tickets and be invited to attend our Members reception in November. Click here to join the scheme, quoting "membership" in your email.

News soon about who we shall be bringing to delight the audience on Friday 25th April at The Folly 7.30pm...

Jean Harrison  and Veronica Caperon

This is Settle Sessions

Hi Everyone
We're very pleased to start our web presence here!

The first of the Settle Sessions will be on Friday 25th April 2014 at The Folly in Settle at 7.30pm. More details below

Click here to email us

Click here to for Jean Harrison, or here to contact Veronica Caperon

Prize winning Poets launch 2014 Sessions

Two writers with libraries of published books and prizes between them will be starting the 2014 Settle Sessions in April at The Folly in Settle. There will also be the opportunity for local writers and poets to present some of their own work in an Open Mic slot.

Organisers praise The Folly as an atmospheric and absorbing venue to present the written word. Their aim is to bring well known and successful poets and writers to Settle to entertain people who may enjoy book clubs and creative writing but might not think "poems are for them". As Jean Harrison explains: "As well as big names on the bill, Settle Sessions has discovered a lot of local literary talent in the area and we're delighted to be able to give people a chance to present their own work to new audiences".

Sue Vickerman used to live in Settle before moving to an old Mill in Bradford. She has several colletions of poetry and a novel published. She writes with "a dry northern sense of humour" and her work is described as "witty, loving and long-sighted" (U A Fanthorpe), "piercingly topical" Magnus Magnusson and Sandi Toksvig "loved it". She draws much inspiration from her work as a life model for colleges and artists.

Jennifer Copley lives in Barrow-in-Furness in her grandmother’s house where, she says, her roots go down through the floorboards. She was South Cumbria’s Poet Laureate in 2005 and has published several full-length collection and pamphlets (Smith/Doorstop and Arrowhead). Jennifer’s work has been described as charming, sensuous and disturbing with a magic-realist twist. ‘Deals with strange territory in a memorable and disturbing way’ (UA Fanthorpe), ‘sensuous and disturbing’ (Carol Rumens).

Settle Sessions is at 7.30pm at The Folly on Friday 25th April. Tickets, which are limited due to space, are £6 available from Cave and Cragg and The Folly. Season tickets are available for the four events in 2014. For more information people should ring 01729 823305 or 824537.