Imaginative, gripping, compassionate, entertaining

5th June  - review

Once again Settle Sessions provided a wonderfully varied programme of prose and poetry.

Jean Harrison

Local writer Jean Harrison, well known as a poet, read extracts from her debut novel 'On a Wandering Planet,' a highly imaginative book which gripped her listeners from the start.

Neil Curry

Jean's prose impresses as much as her poetry and the themes of loss, search and redemption are woven into an exciting story that challenges the way society chooses to live. Her characters are rich, complex and alive on the page. 
 

Neil Curry, an established poet and literary critic, read from the poems in his new book 'Some Letters Never Sent' as well as from his earlier work. His poems have a great depth rooted in scholarship and knowledge but are accessible through a careful choice of words, a compassionate tone and perfectly judged humour, and he drew the audience in by entertainingly giving us the background to his work.

Annie Neligan and Ali Easton

Sarah Wiltshire and Anne Richer

In Read Two, Sarah Wiltshire read poems described as 'noticing in words'; Ali Easton read poems in response to the natural world; Annie Nelligan read poems which gave us vivid pictures of people; and Anne Richer read from the poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy's book '1914 Poetry Remembers'.

Jean Stevens

Local Writer Launches first novel

From the edge of SciFi to 18th Century.

June's Settle Sessions on Friday 5th June at The Folly in Settle features well established poets and novelists.

 

Jean reads at a previous Settle Session

Jean Harrison from Settle, writes both prose and poetry. At Settle Sessions she will be launching her first novel On a wandering planet. On the edge of sci-fi/fantasy, it focusses mainly on the story of a woman lost in a strange universe, trying to come to terms with herself, both helped and hindered by a chance encounter. It promises to be a fascinating piece! Jean's poems have been widely published and have been commended in competitions. Woman on the moon was short-listed for the Forward single poem prize. She has two collections but at present is focussing on prose. She will be reading from her new new novel 

Neil Curry

Neil Curry is a poet and literary critic. As a critic he has published studies on Christopher Smart, George Herbert and Alexander Pope. His Other Rooms: New and Selected Poems was published in 2007. His recent works include Six Eighteenth Century Poets and William Cowper A Revaluation

Sarah Wiltshire

There will also be an open mic session featuring local writing and favourite poems. Sarah Wiltshire, Ali Easton, Annie Nelligan and Anne Richer will read some of their favourite poems.

Other Sessions this year will be in September and November. Tickets for the evening are £6 (£5.50 for members) available from Cave and Crag, The Courtyard Dairy The Folly, and 01729 823305.

Stimulating and broad ranging programme

Review - Settle Sessions, 17 April, The Folly

Settle Sessions' third Year got off to a flying start last Friday evening with a stimulating programme illustrating the broad range that this group seeks to encompass.

Two of the North's most highly-regarded prizewinning poets, Carole Bromley from York and Carole Coates from Lancaster were a perfect foil for each other.

Carole Bromley's poems were pithy, firmly set in the everyday world, and expressed wry humour, pathos and empathy in a manner that was both matter-of-fact and yet highly sensitive. Carole Coates' work was more expansive and narrative in style. The depth of her creativity was evident in populating the imaginary country of Kor. She has a novelist's eye and it was no surprise to hear that next year she is publishing a novel in verse – something to look out for.

These readings were very effectively interspersed with contributions from Hilary Holdsworth reading her own amusing short story 'A Blast from the Past' warning of the dangers of the Friends Reunited website; Floe Shakespeare shared two poems by John Davies and Maya Angelou, centuries apart in style and content. Ann Pilling and John Raubenheimer gave readings from the work of Elizabeth Bishop, one of America's greatest 20^th century poets.

Anne Read

Carole Coates writes:  I'm really glad you enjoyed the reading.  I particularly liked coming to Settle.  The venue was unique, the audience excellent, the organisation faultless.  There was also an easy, friendly and laid-back atmosphere which I appreciated....  I will try and get to more Settle Sessions.  I enjoyed that one so much.  So I hope I'll see you again.
 

Other Sessions this year will be in June, September and November. Tickets for the evening are £6 (£5.50 for members) available from Cave and Crag, The Courtyard Dairy, The Folly and 01729 823305. Become a member for £2 and play your part in making Settle Sessions even better! More details are at www.settlesessions.co.uk.

Leading northern poets open the year

The 2015 Settle Sessions starts off with two leading northern poets and writers on Friday 17th April at The Folly in Settle.

Carole Bromley (right) teaches Creative Writing at York University. Some of her poems have appeared iin Poetry Review, Magma, Rialto, The North, Interpreter's House, Poetry News, Ink Sweat and Tears. Her first collection, A Guided Tour of the Ice House (Smith/Doorstop was published in 2011.

Carole won the first prizes in Bridport, Yorkshire Open, Torbay, Bronte Society Literary Competitions, and will be juding the York Poetry Competition this year.

Carole Coates' most recent publication is a pamphlet called Crazy Days, published by Wayleave Press in November 2014.  Carol Ann Duffy said of it "Crazy Days is stunningly, beautifully, heart-breakingly marvellous.  It's one of the best things I've read all year." Carole (pictured left) has had three poetry collections and will have her first novel published in 2016.

She was given a Yorkshire Arts Award for an early poetry sequence. She won the Nottingham Open Poetry Prize in 2011.  She lives in Lancaster where she helps to run The April Poets, and is a member of Sixfold, a reading and performance group.

There will also be an open mic session featuring local writing and favourite poems. In April Floe Shakespeare and Hilary Holdsworth will take part, with Ann Pilling and John Raubenheimer readng from the poet Elizabeth Bishop.

Other Sessions this year will be in June, September and November. Tickets for the evening are £6 (£5.50 for members) available from Cave and Crag, The Courtyard Dairy and 01729 823305. More details are at www.settlesessions.co.uk.

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