Women Who Dared To Dream: Interview with author Louise Palfreyman

Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is a fully illustrated book that tells the stories of 30 inspirational women from Birmingham, past and present. We interviewed some of the incredible women who helped make the book a reality... Louise Palfreyman, who wrote the stories.

1. How did you get involved with this book?

I was approached by Writing West Midlands, who had heard that Birmingham City Council were looking for a way to commemorate the centenary of the first women to get the vote. The council commissioned the book, and I worked with local female-run publisher The Emma Press and a team of female illustrators to produce Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared to Dream, which was launched at this year’s Birmingham Literature Festival.

Rather than celebrate the achievements of one woman, the council wanted to find a way to celebrate as many amazing (and yet unknown) women and their achievements as possible.

Everyone involved in the project wanted this to be a book with a difference, not a traditional ‘local history’ book, but something girls would want to pick up and read. Ultimately the book aims to inspire the city’s next generation of female achievers to continue to blaze that trail…

2. What was it like working on/being part of this book?

The intention was always that this should be a book about, by and for Birmingham women.

We asked for public nominations, and they came flooding in via a social media campaign #BhamRemembers. More than 130 women’s names were put forward across a wide range of disciplines, all of whom either had a fantastic history or an inspiring story to tell. As a result, we had to bring in some real experts – a group of young female writers from Spark Young Writers - representing the book’s target audience (11-16 year olds) for a special nominations session. They worked in groups to pick the 30 women featured in this book.

Every entry required careful research and the help of a whole army of people with connections to each of our chosen women. I sought guidance from friends and family, colleagues past and present, academics and historians, and I must give a special mention to the archive service at the Library of Birmingham. The acknowledgements section at the back of the book gives the full list of people involved, all of whom played a crucial role in making sure we got our facts right and told each story the best way we possibly could!

What I found as a writer was that story was key – it was paramount to bring each woman to life and go beyond merely listing her achievements to really capturing her essence: the qualities she possessed, what drove her, and who contributed in her formative years to make her so determined to succeed. Once Upon a Time In Birmingham… is a book about, by and for Birmingham women – so every woman involved in this book’s journey is either based in or has links with the city.

3. What kind of responses have you had from the book?

There’s a section at the back of the book where our panel of young writers give their responses to the stories within… here’s what they had to say:

'The women we have chosen are all, without exception, worthy of their place in this book. They’ve fought, often against discrimination or prejudice, to achieve things that have earned them a place between these pages but, even more so, a place in our hearts.'
EVE CONNOR, AGED 14

'All of the women in this book are true pioneers and excellent role models. We wanted to help promote the achievements of women and how much of an influence they are on our daily lives.'
MILJA STEVENSON, AGED 13

'Many of these women are unsung heroes. I was astounded by how few I had heard of before. It seems that few care to acknowledge the achievements of women; to remedy this, we need to celebrate women’s attainments, past and present.'
MARYAM ALTAMANE, AGED 15

4. Can you tell us about some women who inspire you?

There are so many in the book... We have a female engineer, Asha Devi, who designed some of Birmingham’s most well-known landmarks. She also volunteered in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack at Ground Zero in New York.

There’s Raj Holness, a survivor of domestic abuse who went on to launch a project to help other women in a similar situation.

We have women from the arts, like author Kit de Waal and ballerina Marion Tait, and prominent sportswomen and scientists, too.

We have many firsts: Mary Lee Berners-Lee, an early pioneer of computer programming; Jessie Eden, who fought for women’s rights in the workplace; Lisa Clayton, who sailed single-handed and nonstop around the world…

There are also ordinary, everyday women like Joye Beckett, who ran a drama group for teenagers, and Clare Rowland, who works in the city centre with young people experiencing mental health issues.

You can find out more about Once Upon a Time in Birmingham and order your copy (£14.99) here. 

Photo: Jack Spicer Adams

Women Who Dared To Dream: Interview with illustrator Saadia Kipkiss

Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is a fully illustrated book that tells the stories of 30 inspirational women from Birmingham, past and present. We interviewed some of the incredible women who helped make the book a reality... Saadia Hipkiss, one of the illustrators:

1. How did you get involved with this book?

The Emma press emailed me, and I remember being in bed checking my mail and the off chance I check my junk mail and I see this email asking if I want to be part of the book and illustrate inspiring women of Birmingham. I was so pleased! It felt like university had finally paid off and I was going to illustrate for a company, it was the best news ever. And on that note… always check your junk mail! I have ever since!

2. What was it like working on/being part of this book?

Such an honour! It was and still is an amazing opportunity. Being part of a book so powerful has been inspiring. I'm all about inspiration and to be part of a book revolving around inspiration, dreams and fighting for a cause you believe in, it’s just incredible. I was 7 months pregnant working on this book, so for me it's also a good memory and something I will forever look back on.

3. What kind of responses have you had from the book? 

Really positive responses, from family, friends and the public. Everybody loves the illustrations, the stories and its purpose. The exposure of the book has been great in terms of the events, the launch, book talks, and even an exhibition showing the illustrations.

Malala Yousafzai

4. What has been a highlight for you of being involved in this book? 

It has made me more positive, it has allowed me to become more confident with speaking to an audience and share my story, and the opportunity to carry out a workshop on international women's day.

5. Can you tell us about a woman who has inspired you? 

My mum, the strongest person I know. We have our ups and downs but she will always be my number one. She has taught me to be strong, and most importantly I wouldn't be the mother I am today without her guidance. She has made me the person I am today, and I'm forever grateful.



You can find out more about Once Upon a Time in Birmingham and order your copy (£14.99) here. 

Photo: Jack Spicer Adams

Women Who Dared To Dream: Interview with illustrator Michelle Turton

Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is a fully illustrated book that tells the stories of 30 inspirational women from Birmingham, past and present. We interviewed one of the incredible women who helped make the book a reality... Michelle Turton, one of the illustrators:

1. How did you get involved with this book?

I was invited by Philippa, I must have been on a list of artists to contact. I believe The Emma Press had seen my portraiture work exhibited at the Lichfield Literature Festival and thought it would be a good fit.



2. What was it like working on/being part of this book?

Elizabeth Cadbury

It was a dream project and a dream brief to illustrate five inspirational women connected to Birmingham. I love drawing portraits and was given free rein to interpret their stories as I saw fit. It's also given me the opportunity to talk about my work and celebrate female achievement on a grand platform; from the launch at The Rep theatre to the Hippodrome's exhibition launch and a book launch at Waterstones.

 3. What kind of responses have you had from the book?

People have been very supportive and encouraging. At the signing tables people, both men and women, are asking for more of this. This excites me, it gives me hope for the future. I look forward to seeing a new and balanced view of female strength and beauty.

4. What has been a highlight for you of being involved in this book?

Nina & Jane

I'm excited about young people being inspired by our illustrations of true queens and princesses fighting real world demons and dangers, and in doing so, furthering self-belief and ambition in young women today. Once Upon a Time in Birmingham is a perfect example of how we can maintain the momentum for future generations to take the baton and go run with it. Representing women in art is vital to creating a balance of voices. Visual language is universal and as illustrators this project is a perfect opportunity to use our skills and talent to shine a light on female achievement.



5. Can you tell us about a woman who has inspired you?

Dr Jane Goodall. At 85 years of age she's still determined to spread a message of hope. She uses her passion, persistence and purpose to improve the lives of others, animals & the planet we share.




You can find out more about Once Upon a Time in Birmingham and order your copy (£14.99) here. 

Photo: Jack Spicer Adams

Women Who Dared To Dream: Interview with illustrator Yasmin Bryan

Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is a fully illustrated book that tells the stories of 30 inspirational women from Birmingham, past and present. We interviewed some of the incredible women who helped make the book a reality... Yasmin Bryan, one of the illustrators:

1. How did you get involved with this book?

The Emma Press contacted me after seeing my work at Birmingham City University graduation show. It felt so great to get approached like this as it feels like you've really been noticed!

2. What was it like working on/being part of this book?

As I had only just graduated it was really exciting to be working on a project with real recognition. The Emma Press were great and easy to work with and I often got feedback for my work when I needed it.

3. What kind of responses have you had from the book?

Since the book I have done a number of freelance projects, from greeting card designs to theatre backdrops, so quite varied! But most recently I have taken on a full time design position at The Media Group - a creative design agency.

Bertha Ryland

4. What has been a highlight for you of being involved in this book?

I think the highlight for me was just to be given the chance to be involved in something so professional. When you come out of university it can be hard to find your first job, so it was really uplifting to have a company believe in you and your work.

5. Can you tell us about a woman who has inspired you?

I feel like I should name an iconic person from history, but I actually believe that Beyonce is a big inspiration to me. I grew up listening and dancing to her music and as I've got older and her music has progressed, I find what she stands for really inspirational. She speaks for the little people and is empowering to black females everywhere. Always giving 100% for anything she's believes and is passionate about which is a great attitude to have in life. But then a woman who will forever and always be a true inspiration to me is my mum, she's just the greatest! Need I say anymore?




You can find out more about Once Upon a Time in Birmingham and order your copy (£14.99) here. 

Photo: Jack Spicer Adams

Women Who Dared To Dream: Interview with illustrator Chein Shyan Lee

Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is a fully illustrated book that tells the stories of 30 inspirational women from Birmingham, past and present. We interviewed one of the incredible women who helped make the book a reality... Chein Shyan Lee, one of the illustrators:

1. How did you get involved with this book?

I am currently a full time illustrator and I was a Birmingham City University student majored in Illustration. Emma Press approached me after she took interest in my works through BCU's degree graduation show. It was a great honour to be able to illustrate 5 empowered women in government, activism and entertainment sector.

2. What was it like working on/being part of this book?

Shabana Mahmood

I always take a big interest in the publishing industry and it was the perfect opportunity for me working with Emma Press. It was an interesting project because I had to portray empowerment in each woman without overlooking their personal characteristics. Emma herself is an inspiring figure for running a publication in Jewellery Quarter and making Once Upon A Time In Birmingham happen. I would love to work more on books in the future because I think educational books are an important medium to inspire the future generation.

3. What kind of responses have you had from the book?

 Everyone loves the book, it was nice to acknowledge women are as capable as men in every aspect. I was really inspired after illustrating empowered women throughout Birmingham history. Back in my home country Malaysia, successful women are not as acknowledged as the women in England; it is really something we should strive for.

4. What has been a highlight for you of being involved in this book?

The highlight for me is getting good exposure and as well as meeting new friendly faces, Emma herself and fellow illustrators.

5. Can you tell us about a woman who has inspired you?

There are many women who inspired me throughout my life. My current inspiring woman is Yayoi Kusama, an iconic contemporary artist in our time. She has received many awards for her work and exhibited in major cities. What is so inspiring about Kusama is that she put her own fear in her works, making her art pieces her alter-ego. Besides that, Kusama is also an advocate for feminist art and environment art. I hope in the future I could produce art that inspires the world too.




You can find out more about Once Upon a Time in Birmingham and order your copy (£14.99) here. 

Photo: Jack Spicer Adams

Women Who Dared To Dream: Interview with illustrator Amy Evans

Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is a fully illustrated book that tells the stories of 30 inspirational women from Birmingham, past and present. We interviewed one of the incredible women who helped make the book a reality... Amy Evans, one of the illustrators:

1. How did you get involved with this book?

I got involved with the book after I was approached by yourselves at the Emma Press and asked if it was something I would like to be involved in. How could I say no! The book didn't even have a name yet, but the concept sounded amazing and I couldn't wait to get going!

I am always proud to be a woman, and proud to have a connection to our beautiful Birmingham and its people. I was really excited.

2. What was it like being part of this book?

Being part of the book has been such an honour. It's a really special thing to be able to acknowledge these great women and their achievements by illustrating them and trying to embody their energy and spirit was a challenge that I tried to embrace. I desperately wanted to get it right so there were a good few furiously balled up sheet of paper in the process of trying to achieve their likeness! When things started coming together it felt good to represent them.

3. What kind of responses have you had from the book?

Lisa Clayton

When I tell people about Once Upon A Time In Birmingham it is always so well received. The way that it is out there and ready to inspire young women can only be a good thing and I love telling people about they way that was an all female effort behind the scenes too. My boss heard about it on the work grapevine and made a point to come and ask me about it and wanted to see a copy which was wonderful!

Hearing people being so positive at the launch and the Waterstones event was so touching. It's really out there and people are loving it, and I think that's been a real highlight. When I've illustrated books before, the normal process is that you finish your illustrations, it eventually goes out to print and it's exciting to see it on the shelves in book shops, but you never really get to see how it's received. This has been a really special book in that the events that have followed have allowed everyone to see how much the girls are enjoying it and being inspired by it.

 4. Can you tell us about a woman who has inspired you?

I find all women inspiring! My Mum, My Girl Gang, My sister, colleagues, everyone! If I had to pick one of the top of my head that inspired me when I was little I would choose JK Rowling. My Mum always made a big point, whilst I was reading the Harry Potter Books, about how she came from nothing and wrote the start of Harry Potter on a Napkin which I always found fascinating and must've taken real strength of character to get to where she is today.

Working on this book has really opened my eyes up to both the struggles and achievements of womenkind, that perhaps being born in the 90's I could've taken for granted. The world was a different place for women not so long ago and change has come about because of the efforts of so many women. The women featured in the book are particularly special because they knew what they wanted to do and were just going for it, regardless of their background, expectations of how they should behave or think or act. They have a cause for change and a job that needs doing and they're letting nothing get in their way! These are the kinds of women I admire in particular.

You can find out more about Once Upon a Time in Birmingham and order your copy (£14.99) here. 

Photo: Jack Spicer Adams

Friends of the Emma Press newsletter #3

Did you know you can support the Emma Press and all the work we do by becoming a subscriber? Become a Friend of the Emma Press for £5-15 per month and receive a quarterly thank-you package and an exclusive quarterly e-newletter. Here's a taster of the most recent one:
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Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support! Here, a little later than planned, is an update on the various things that have been going on with the Emma Press.

So, today is the last day of my long-awaited holiday! I've been in California for the last 2.5 weeks, staying with family and friends (someone I met just before I left said "Well done on having family and friends in California"), and I thought I'd enjoy my flight back this evening more if I'd sent out my overdue Friends newsletter. For the most part I've managed not to think too much about work while I've been away, as I wanted my brain to relax and return to Birmingham refreshed and ready to resume kicking ass/publishing recondite literary endeavours, but of course it was always in the background. It's hard to forget the reason why one is telling oneself every day to RELAX!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD RELAX!!!

The main thing I've been trialling recently, even before my holiday started, has been letting go of all the things I've been telling myself I must be or avoid being. I'm very aware of how hard I've been trying since the start of the Emma Press to hold myself to the standards of the biggest publishers. Though my tagline was "small press, big dreams" and my business was the size of just me, I wanted to be just as professional and efficient as the big guys, and even more committed to accessibility and fairness. I think this was partly to avoid the stigma attached to the idea of self-publishing, and partly because I didn't see the point in aiming low. So, I tried to make lots of books, run publicity campaigns, organise lots of events for authors, stick to all my deadlines and committments, reply to all emails, create lots of opportunities for publication and give lots of people training in publishing through work experience and freelance work. Lots and lots. That is what I've been pushing myself to do over the last 7 years, and to no-one's surprise I've worn myself quite thin.

Before I left for California, I stacked up all the books I'd published this year and realised that I'd already published as many books as the previous year-with-the-most-number-of-books (2014; 15 books), and it was only June and I still have many more books yet to come. So that made an impression on me: I thought, "Well no wonder I need a holiday!"

And apart from the holiday, I've been taking care of myself in other ways: planning to do fewer books next year (maybe 12-14), just arranging one launch event per book, not beating myself up about getting behind on social media, moving some pub dates and deadlines instead of burning the midnight oil to hit them, having a little break from submissions, and letting my freelancers go.

The last one was kind of a big deal, as I really wanted to give more people opportunities to work in publishing and be part of the change I wanted to see, but it was costing a lot of money and I ended up realising that I don't need to take it on myself to try and single-handedly transform the publishing industry. I have done a lot already and I can do more in the future, when I'm less stressed.

When I return to my desk, I hope I can retain some of this clarity and keep making sensible decisions for myself and the business. I've been feeling good about the impact I've already had on the poetry landscape, as the various new pamphlets have been launched and I've looked back on all the other pamphlets they're joining in the Emma Press list. I'm glad that it means something now to be an Emma Press poet and I want to keep offering this platform to people, so I'm hoping I can open an new call for poetry pamphlet submissions in September but I'll see how I get in with work over the next few weeks.

I have another children's poetry anthology to typeset and illustrate, about insects, and some poetry pamphlets to get ready for the printer. Also, amidst all my thoughts about slowing down, an opportunity came up with the Arts Council to apply for a huge grant to develop my organisational resilience. My expression of interest was successful so now I have till 15th August to submit my full application. I'll send my next newsletter after that and let you know if I managed it!

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If you enjoyed this newsletter and would like to support us in producing lovely books and providing opportunities for readers and writers, click here to find out more about becoming a Friend of the Emma Press.

Dinosaur poets, assemble! What inspired your dinosaur poem? (Part 4)

Our newest children poetry anthology is Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs, edited by Richard O'Brien with notes by Will Tattersdill, aimed at children aged 8+. We asked the poets what inspired them to write their poems...

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Iguanodon

Jeremy Wikeley 
I have always been fascinated by what did, or didn't happen between the dinosaurs' time and ours. To be honest, the scale of loss terrifies me. The poem probably comes, ultimately, from that place, although of course I don't want to scare anyone, least of all our readers! The poem itself is light-hearted, though you can see parallels with today's warnings about mass extinction. Meanwhile, there is something wonderful about the fact that you and I are descended from what thrived next. Human-centric as it is, I wanted to communicate that.)

Rachael Nicholas 
It was the story of the discovery of the Podokesaurus that fascinated me, particularly because the museum housing the original specimen burned down. All those years since the first day of its life, all that time in the ground; uncovered by chance, and then destroyed by accident. I wanted to keep going back from that ending to think about what came before, and before that, and before that, right back to the start.

Elli Woollard 
For me it's both incredible and humbling to think that dinosaurs probably once roamed the very ground we tread on now. I wrote the poem to conjure up that sense of wonder.

An illustration of diplodocus from the book

Bo Crowder 
I was inspired by when 'Dippy' disappeared from the entrance hall of the Natural History Museum and went on to tour the country.

Louise Crosby
There is lots of writing about dinosaurs, so my poem was inspired by what we don't know because nobody has ever seen a living dinosaur. I thought about all the senses and realised that we can only guess at what they smelt like, or sounded like. Hence I wrote 'What did dinosaurs smell like?' Well actually I wrote about what they don't smell of! I leave you to write about sound.


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Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs is on sale now – buy your copy for £10.99 from our webshop!

Dinosaur poets, assemble! What inspired your dinosaur poem? (Part 3)

Our newest children poetry anthology is Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs, edited by Richard O'Brien with notes by Will Tattersdill, aimed at children aged 8+. We asked the poets what inspired them to write their poems...

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Jane Newberry 
When my son was four he took part in the Palaeontologist race at Sports Day. Ned taught me everything I know about dinosaurs and took me to the Natural History Museum.

Sophie Kirtley 
I'm always inspired by young people who do amazing things. When I read that Mary Anning was 12 (yes, 12!!) when she discovered her first dinosaur fossil (an ichthyosaur skull poking out of a rock face - how exciting must THAT have been?!) I knew that I just had to write about her. I imagined how it would feel to be a young Georgian girl stomping along a wild Dorset beach, dinosaur hunting, and I tried to literally put myself in Mary Anning's pioneering shoes.

Illustration of Lawrence's poem from the book

Lawrence Schimel 
I wrote my poem because I've always been struck by the disparity between the Tyrannosaurus' sheer bulk and ferocity, on the one hand, and its tiny, near-useless arms. Not to over-anthropomorphize, but it seems easy to imagine these creatures acting like bullies because of their self-consciousness about their body image--or otherwise trying to compensate, like the T. Rex in my poem.

Emma Rose Millar 
I was inspired to write my poem Dawn of the Dinosaur while visiting Oxford Natural History Museum, where my son and I learned about the evolution of dinosaurs, beginning with lobe-finned fish. The museum is free to enter, with loads of interesting skeletons, fossils and crystals to see.

Image from The Land Before Time, which inspired Wye Haze's poem

Wye Haze
Like many poems, my dinosaur poem is about more than one thing. It's about dinosaurs, of course, and it's also about cherishing time with your family, which is something which was on my mind when I wrote it.

Lorraine Mariner 
I called myself a dinosaur to a friend because I felt I was falling behind with new technology and that gave me an idea for the poem.


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Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs is on sale now – buy your copy for £10.99 from our webshop!

Dinosaur poets, assemble! What inspired your dinosaur poem? (Part 2)

Our newest children poetry anthology is Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs, edited by Richard O'Brien with notes by Will Tattersdill, aimed at children aged 8+. We asked the poets what inspired them to write their poems...

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Rebecca Rouillard
My poem was inspired by Walking With Dinosaurs Episode 4, 'Giant of the Skies', which featured an Ornithocheirus at the end of his life. I watched Walking With Dinosaurs a lot with my son when he was younger, and the tragic line "the Ornithocheirus has lost his majesty" always made us cry. My son also requested an Ornithocheirus cake for his 5th birthday party.

Nodosarus

Camille Gagnier 
When I decided to write a poem about dinosaurs, I thought about looking at stuff in museums with my parents and my grandparents, and then I thought about life going on and on through the generations. Animals who die are remembered by the rocks where their bones are buried, or by other living things who find evidence of them and wonder what they were like.

Tristan Otto

Ros Woolner
For the past four years, my favourite dinosaur has been the T. rex – specifically Tristan Otto, whose skeleton is on display at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin. At the end of 2015, the museum produced a wonderful bilingual book to accompany the exhibition, which followed the journey of the bones from living dinosaur to museum exhibit, and I was on the team that produced the English translation. I have felt connected to Tristan Otto's story ever since, and my poem '66 million years' is about him.

Philip Monks 
My poem 'The Bone Wars' is a series of Clerihews. These were invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley and are slightly silly four-line poems about someone. My poem is about two fossil hunters and how silly they were, so I thought it was a good form to choose. This website tells you more about them and this one shows you how to have a go yourself. July 10th is National Clerihew Day.

Junornis huoi

Ruth Wiggins
My poem 'Tiny' was inspired by two things: firstly, a fossil of Junornis huoi. In photos of the fossil you can see the long tail feathers of this Early Cretaceous bird, and can really imagine it running. Secondly, my poem was inspired by my fairy goddaughters, Hester and Niamh (aged 10). Hester has adored dinosaurs for as long as she can remember, and Niamh (who prefers cats) is very good at running.

Cat Weatherill 
I have always loved the idea of a jigsaurus dinosaur. I imagine it to be stegosaurus-shaped, with skin that is heavily mottled, giving the impression of jigsaw pieces. Brontosaurus-shape would work too, but NOT tyrannosaurus. A jigsaurus couldn't be ferocious, could it? It would have to be one of the placid ones!

Pete Donald 
My poem, 'Pthe Pteranodon', celebrates the use of the silent P (as in bath).

John Kitchen
The thought of a just hatched and vulnerable lizard and the massive beast it would grow up to be.


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Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs is on sale now – buy your copy for £10.99 from our webshop!

Dinosaur poets, assemble! What inspired your dinosaur poem? (Part 1)

Our newest children poetry anthology is Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs, edited by Richard O'Brien with notes by Will Tattersdill, aimed at children aged 8+. We asked the poets what inspired them to write their poems...

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Myles McLeod
My poem is 'Roar, roar, T.rex'. In 2018 I was working with an illustrator friend Wilm Lindenblatt on a project which we called Poetry Picture Club, trying to produce one illustrated poem a week. We had a list of hot topics and of course one of them was dinosaurs. I was looking for a fun poetic form and had the idea of stealing the rhythm from a well-known nursery rhyme. When I hit upon Baa, baa, black sheep it all fell into place!

Finlay Worrallo 
I was inspired to write my poem 'A prayer at bedtime' by my own childhood and everything I'd learned about dinosaurs when I was younger. I wanted to evoke a parent praying for their child using dinosaurs, the terms the child would understand best, to show their love as a parent and what they wished for their child's future.

Lingwulong shenqi

Gita Ralleigh
Lingwulong shenqi, named in 2018, means ‘amazing dragon of Lingwu’, Lingwu being a town in China. The first mention of dinosaurs was 1700 years ago in China, when Chang Qu described 'dragon bones' – now known to be dinosaur fossils – and this is what inspired my poem. Lingwulong shenqi was found by a sheep-herder, showing there are still dinosaur discoveries to be made today!

Valerie Pate!

Valerie Pate 
I have two girls and I adore watching them learn and explore in museums. Their imaginations keep me inspired. So the narrative voice in my poem was based upon my daughters, who both really enjoy the Night at the Museum films.

Lesley Sharpe
My poem was inspired by the sheer age of the iguanodon Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis, which for me truly makes these animals creatures of the imagination – how can we conceive of something over 110 million years old? It's like thinking about how many stars there are in the sky, or how many fish in the sea. And also the fact that it is so complete – he has 80-90 % of his original bones, which shows the extraordinary capacity of fossilised bone to survive, and to reveal a blueprint which we still share in so many ways – jaw, rib, spine.

Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis

The other little known fact which fascinates me is that it was actually Gideon Mantell's wife, Mary Ann, who in 1821 discovered the enormous tooth that would first give its name to the Iguanodon. She disappears out of the story, of course, even though she also illustrated all his books and brought up all his children. Three cheers for Mary Ann!

Dreadnoughtus

B.J. Lee
The first time I heard the word 'dreadnoughtus' I thought, there has to be a poem in that. And then I wrote my playful poem 'The Dreaded Dreadnoughtus' in about half an hour after completing some research on Gondwana, the supercontinent where I believe the titanosaurs must have lived.

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Dragons of the Prime: Poems about Dinosaurs is on sale now – buy your copy for £10.99 from our webshop!

Kathy Pimlott on place, poetry, and Elastic Glue

Kathy Pimlott talks about her new poetry pamphlet, Elastic Glue… 

The poems in Elastic Glue are mostly about ownership of place. One of these places is Covent Garden where I, an incomer, have lived for 40+ years, in the corner called Seven Dials.

Most people think of the area as a tourist honeypot of dinky shops, bars and restaurants, with some very expensive flats for short-term lets or foreign investors – and that’s true. But it’s not the whole picture. It’s also home to successive generations of people who worked in the wholesale market, the theatres, the print and their ancillary trades. When two of these mass employers moved out, leaving the area ripe for redevelopment, the residents, who mostly lived in dilapidated social housing, didn’t just quietly submit to ‘relocation’, they stayed to fight a prolonged and complicated community-led battle with developers – both the benign-but-misguided and the opportunistic.

They were successful. Covent Garden was not flattened. The community was not ‘decanted’. Most importantly, a substantial quantity of new social housing was built. But the success was double-edged as the area became an increasingly desirable proposition for profit. The struggle now is to maintain a foot-hold in this heavily-marketed prime real estate and a sense of normality, surrounded as we are by pop-ups and fairylights and bedevilled by late night revellers and crack dealers.

The other place which crops up is an allotment site. I’m very struck by the changes in profile of allotmenteers over the years we’ve had plots and the little England-ness of the activity – how a sense of ownership here comes through an intense and strenuous physical relationship with land and productivity.

The poems are full of people – there’s Lenin and Renzo Piano, the Consultant Placemaker, Chicken Jim, the biodynamic hippy, the Fred Collinses and, amid them, me, owning myself – from a child in the school hall in my knickers and vest, stumbling towards feminism, as a heedless squatter, through to a ruby wedding anniversary. It’s a political pamphlet but channelled through the personal – as I’m a child of my times.

I write about what catches and noodles around in my mind. I still work within community activism, for a small Trust involved in public realm projects in Seven Dials, so engagement with who ‘owns’ the area is always on my mind. Though these are now quite old poems for me, I do like them still. I think they ‘stand up’. And they still make me laugh.

The title of the pamphlet comes from an old enamel sign on what used to be the ironmongers and is now a ‘vintage’ clothes shop. Seven successive generations of Fred Collinses had the business, through to the 1990s, when ill-health forced sale. I think of that continuity as a flexible but tenacious elastic glue which binds a community together – how accumulated place-based memories are as powerful a form of ownership as a freehold.

There are a couple of poems in my first pamphlet, Goose Fair Night, about Nottingham, where I was born and grew up – but they’re a personal history. I use place in other poems as a way to access ideas I want to have a play with or memories I want to tease out. Elastic Glue is definitely further removed from my personal history – though that’s there too, of course. I think, stylistically, the poems are a bit braver, less restricted by what’s of the moment – there’s a ballad!

In theory I set aside a couple of mornings a week for poetry – that might be writing from scratch and /or editing or it might be poetry admin, like submissions. If I’m writing new work or editing, I can usually keep at it for four hours or so at a stretch, interspersed with putting on another load of washing or a quick hoover round – dedicated writing time is the best spur to doing housework. I write new work in bursts – starting by hand and then moving to the screen once I’ve built up momentum, a certain hard-to-define weight. I keep a poetry diary where I write, last thing at night, about readings I’ve been to, the two poetry workshopping groups I’m part of, what I’ve been reading, what acceptances or rejections I’ve had and my notional plans – this sometimes turns into proto first drafts as does my sporadic non-poetry diary in which I moan about life, work and people. And I aim to read some poetry every day, leaving books and magazines lying around to ambush and encourage me.

I’m currently working on another pamphlet. I wouldn’t go as far as to say the poems are confessional but I’m thinking through what passes for an accumulated wisdom of age and trying to set it out. It includes poems about egg and chips, advice to daughters, adjusting to daylight saving, Keats, the Mersey Sound poets and Sammy Davis Jnr. Pending, I have notes waiting for my focused attention on crimes I have committed and an anecdote about a flying pig, which I think might be about the balance between expectation and resignation. I’m looking forward to that – but first, I find I must clean the bathroom.

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You can find out more about Elastic Glue and order your copy (£6.50) here.

Follow Kathy on Twitter @kathy_pimlott and find her website here.

Interview with picture book author Rassi Narika

We interviewed our newest picture book author and illustrator, Rassi Narika, about her new book When It Rains (£10.00, available now), which was first published in Indonesian as Waktu Hujan Turun.

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Why do you think picture books are important? 

I think it's because picture books were my first encounter, as a young child, with the world of reading, literature, and imagination. It's easier to start feeling comfortable with the concept of wonder, imagination, and storytelling when you do it through picture books; it's not as intimidating.

With picture books we learn to relate words with the visualized world – or even the unseen visualized world, and over time we train our minds to imagine our own visualization of any world we'd like to create, and I think that can get us anywhere. Our minds become really powerful when they learn to imagine things. 

Because a lot of picture books are meant for children, I also find that they bring the best qualities of human beings. As an adult, I find picture books are my refuge when I need to be reminded that at the core of life, we have good qualities. The innocence, curiosity, and childlike perspective I get from reading picture books helps me to find new stories in life.

What did you enjoy about working on the book and what did you find difficult? 

The writing and colouring process are my favourite parts because it's all about exploration and finding new things. I enjoy writing because that's where I usually start things from, and it's usually very raw without having any boundaries to tell my story. It's very fun. I enjoy colouring because it's very soothing and therapeutic. I mostly do water-colouring, so there's a phase where I have to leave the artwork to let the colour dry and set; and that's like a letting go process to let the colours interact with the paper and be whatever they need to be.

The most difficult part is finding the balance of text and illustration. I don't want them to be the same. I like the illustrations to show the things the text doesn't reveal. I like the illustrations to be connected to the text, but not exactly it. It can be very trivial and mundane, but it's about a world that the story is living in. I want to leave room for readers to create new stories from the illustrations.

Did the illustrations or the words come first when you started working on the book? 

It's a little bit of both, but usually, I would have a sentence that summarizes the story. For When It Rains, I always wanted to do 'a story of rainy days, because there's so many things going on when it rains.' And then immediately I would have an idea of a scene that I want to draw. This scene can be part of the opening, middle, or ending; so depending on that I build the story from this particular scene, or find a way to get my story to this scene.

We currently have a call for picture book manuscripts, closing on 20th April. What advice would you give to anyone writing a picture book? 

Start with a simple story, but imagine a bigger world at the back of it. Even when you can't put it into your text, you can build the world with the pictures, and even if you can't fit in the whole world in the picture, you're allowing your readers to find and create it themselves, and they can be more engaged to your book.

What has been the best response to your book (original or translation)? 

Two of my favourite responses came from kids who told me the story of the book and introduced me to the characters of the book as if they were their friends, and parents who come to say how their children love the book and it has been their favourite bedtime story. To know that my story has been a part of their world and intimate moments means a lot to me.

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MORE ABOUT RASSI: Rassi Narika has been writing since she was a child. She worked as a creative writer for Tulisan in 2011, where she fell in love with the combination of writing and illustration. While studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, she started to explore this combination, and she wrote and illustrated her first picture book when she co-founded Seumpama. When It Rains is her second picture book.

Rassi now lives in Jakarta, in a little house which feels very cosy even when it’s raining outside.

Order your copy of When It Rains in our webshop for £10.00.