This week at Valley Press, #70: 'Not a Stunt'

Dear readers,

This is Jamie – Jamie McGarry that is, "the original" – back at the helm of the newsletters to see you through what should be a busy autumn season. The start of September means the beginning of our new schedule, bringing you three new titles per month in September, October and November; and we'll need to maintain that pace going forward, to keep the now seven-strong VP team supplied with the posh biscuits that they deserve.

Our first September book is titled This Is Not a Stunt, and it's by Cath Nichols, from an original submission in May 2015. Like many poetry collections, simply listing the key themes – in this case, disability and gender identity – fails to do justice to the great swathe of human existence which is captured within the pages. Many of the joys, frustrations and monotonies of life are featured, but it was the short poem below that originally stopped my eye when reading through the 2015 manuscripts:

Chiaroscuro The pond made winter’s bed from blackened sycamore leaves, now green arms razzle through the waterline. Marsh marigolds hold out their cups shout, Look at me! Look at me, don’t I do yellow exceptionally well? I then saw this one, which sealed the deal:

Fathom Between the hours of two and four our muscles slacken, heartbeats slow, if needs we’ll slip our mortal coil on this night tide: deep breaths, let go. Between the hours of two and four most people pass away if passing in their sleep is what they’ll do. Don’t be alarmed, this is the death we’d all choose, asleep in bed. The hours of two and three and four are those when analgesics reign, we slip with ease through that last door, but other slippage has its place between these hours, slip in, drift low. Watch: this quietest ebb will even out the balance sheet of loss, will pace our bodies’ sighs and dreams. Balm pours into our bones and loosens joints, so most births take place at night between the hours of two and four. For those who enjoy the little extras that sometimes accompany poetry, you'll be glad to hear this collection features a lengthy poetic dedication, a notes section, and an afterword from the author (who becomes the ninth Valley Press author to appear on their own book cover; can you remember the others? If you can get all nine, there might be a prize.) You can read more about the book here, and remember to use your 10% newsletter discount if you decide to treat yourself to a copy. In a handy coincidence, 'Stunt' author Cath Nichols is our next guest at Woodend for the 'Literary Lunch Hour'. These events were always considered something of an experiment, to be tweaked and amended as time went on... Thus the newly-branded poster below, dropping the original title and adding a prominent mention for new host Laura McGarry (something of a local celebrity). You can meet Cath and hear some poetry from 1pm next Thursday (7th), and the following week we are graced by the presence of Antony Dunn; but please note his event has moved to 3-4pm (because he's needed in Newcastle that morning for something exciting, and poetry-related, which we can't reveal until January). If you missed the last event, with Laura chatting to Nora Chassler, it can be watched online here; they made a good double act! We're headed for the local tip in next week's newsletter (you'll see what I mean), but in the meantime, have a wonderful week, and don't ever stray too far from a decent book. All best, Jamie McGarry, VP Publisher