Keys, Beds and Kippers

Today i was on the radio again. I was on BBC Radio York, going through the papers and talking about any stories that catch my eye. The bloke doing the show was Jezza Buxton who is a good bloke!! We talked about anything for example...why has Jezza got a massive bunch of keys, why does he sleep with his feet sticking out of the end of his bed, why has he got a mailbox, the day he met a cod, kippers and how he got to go up Emley TV mast which is twice as high as Blackpool tower. I don't think we actually spoke about anything we were supposed to!! but that's the fun of live radio innit!!!

Hello Norm

Did a writing workshop in Heywood, near Rochdale today. met a great bloke called Norman, who is a poet i have met before, always great to work with great people. Spoke to people about writing and making things up and tried to give people a few tips and ideas. I was never any good in writing workshops when i went to University. When somebody told me to write something i couldn't do it. I was too busy trying to make it the best thing ever where its really its more about opening up and trying stuff out. That's why its called a workshop!! I really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it myself so ta for that!!

Golden Hill and Nether Edge

Been back in schools again. did 2 days in a crazy - in a good way - school in Sheffield. It used to be called Abbeydale but now its called Nether Edge. Its the 5th time i have been back here and i really enjoyed it. Everyone seems to know me and they all know my poems. its like being famous!! One class even had this whole little routine planned out and danced to one of my poems!! It was brilliant!! Then i was in a school called Golden Hill which isn't on a hill and it isn't gold!! That was great, i have been in there before as well!! Its always good getting to go back into schools, good to see what thing everyone remembers.

Radio 4 - Pick Of The Week

i have just heard that a documentary that i wrote and presented for BBC Radio Leeds was put out on Radio 4s programme Pick Of The Week!! I have been on local BBC Radio stations doing bits and bobs here and there for years now but never on national radio before. It was the first full length doc that i have done and me and the producer and co writer Nick have done and we are both dead chuffed with it. Its strange and exciting to think that while i am up here in Huddersfield that somewhere in Britain, Cardiff, Glasgow or Southampton, a bloke could be listening to me waffling on the radio. Just a bloke, making a cup of tea. He might even had talked to the radio and in a way kind of talked to me. Strange, exciting and a bit magic!!

Can Bald People Get Dandruff?

The two new books are called Poetry Is Not Pants and Poetry Burp!! It will be great to get them out. I wrote the poems for them a while ago now and i have already been reading some out in schools. They seem to go well. When these book are all done and out there in the real world then i will have a cuppa tea, and start writing some more poems and stuff innit!!

I have always got a million ideas like a book called Rumblebelly all about a town called Rumblebelly and you could have a poem called Rumblebelly Road and one about the footy team called Rumblebelly Rovers, then you could write about the school, Rumblebelly Primary and all that. What do you reckon??? OR.. a poetry book full of funny questions that you answer in the form of a poem like it could be called Do Bald People Get Dandruff? and that poem could go.....

Do bald people get dandruff
cos i don't think its fair
if you can get dandruff
if you ain't got no hair


or sommat like that!!!!!!!

other Qs could be..If a fly is called a fly cos it flies then why isn't a fish called a swim?
Why is abbreviation such a long word? Why is it called washing up and not washing down? Why does fat chance mean the same as slim chance???? questions questions questions....

Been sitting and reading loads of poems now for ages. I have two new books coming out and you have to do this thing called editing and proofing. Editing is where you make any changes to your poems like take a bit out and put a new bit in and try to make it as peotic as poss. Thats the thing with poems they have to have some poetry in 'em!! check and double ccheck for any speeling missaches ( like them) and proofing is ,er..more of the same really