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.