Sparks

Photographers...

2010-03-10T08:46:00.001-08:00

All of a sudden, there is an influx of new photographers, most of whom I don't know. I've taken a look at their work, where possible and am looking forward to working with fresh blood.

I have a good feeling about SPARKS9 - a really lovely feeling, in fact. There's a couple of by-proxy readings due to the authors living in New Zealand and Florida. There's some well-published authors and a few less well-known. I like it when it's like this - everyone equal, everyone taking centre-stage. Very good.

SPARKS9 in recovery mode.

2010-03-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Now confirmed:

Jon Heath
Paul E. Toth (http://www.tothworld.com/)
Vanessa Gellard
Alan McCormick
Sam Mead (http://www.happysadpoems.blogspot.com/)
Sara Crowley (http://www.asalted.blogspot.com/)
Emily McPhillips
Naomi Foyle

SPARKS8

2010-03-09T07:01:00.001-08:00

Erika Szostak

Me - Jo Mortimer

Tom Bamford

Dom Pates

SPARKS7

2010-03-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

Sam Mead

Sam Mead - again!

James Burt

me - Jo Mortimer

Chloe Penney

me - Jo Mortimer

SPARKS9, April 6th....

2010-03-08T04:51:00.000-08:00

has struggled with decent submissions. I can't bring myself to accept stories just to make up the numbers. I know that different people like different things but I am confident that all accepted stories and poems so far at SPARKS have been of a decent quality and it has to stay that way.

It gives me the fear a bit, sometimes, that I'm not going to be able to fill the night but it has always worked out. This time, though, is more of a problem. I put the call out on trusty Facebook and Twitter and this has made a difference so if you're reading this and fancy having a go, crack on with your best work and get it sent over, pronto!

Confirmed so far: Vanessa Gellard , Sam Mead (http://www.happysadpoems.blogspot.com/) and Alan McCormick.

SPARKS7 and SPARKS8

2010-02-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

It has been an age, I know. There have been two SPARKS since my last post. No excuses, but, well, life has changed so much. I work thirty hours a week and I'm doing a CW degree at Chichester University. In short, I'm knackered, most of the time. Still, we soldier on and I must say, it makes me very happy that SPARKS has continued to grow in the way it has. I never advertise it (well, facebook group - so, yeah, I do actually); I quite like the idea of it perculating around town by word of mouth - it is, after all, a spoken-word (and photography) night. I'll post up some photos in the next couple of days and a complete list of who's read over the last couple of months.

Oh, the shame....

2009-09-12T07:54:00.001-07:00

Disgraceful, really - April? Oh dear. Still, no time like the present. I'll get straight to the point...there's a Sparks in October. The 6th, to be precise.
Would you like to know who's reading? Yes? I'm not surprised...

Tim Wells

Wendy Greenhalgh

Sarah Charsley

James Burt -

Nik Perring

Jon Heath - no info. for him as yet...

Will that do? I should jolly well hope so.
I really am looking forward to this - I look forward to drinks and natterings, to the 'hilarity' of missing the last train home as I now live a fair way outside Brighton. Ah, the drunken spending of £45 - brilliant.
I think you'll agree that the quality, as always, is high.
See you all soon....x

And a few more photos from the night...

2009-04-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

Sarah Charsley - Three Kinds Of Me

2009-04-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

shenanigans

2009-04-26T03:05:00.000-07:00

I am very much aware that this site needs all kinds of things doing to it. There's hardly any links to stories, there's no stuff about who did the images, bio's are thin on the ground for the author's too. Copyright stuff is probably an issue somewhere along the line as well.

The main thing, though, is trying to figure out how to link to the stories if they haven't been published somewhere. This isn't so much of an issue for the video'd readings, mind.

I'll think on it all and act accordingly...xx

Wendy Greenhalgh - The Thermal Conductivity Of Polyester Cotton

2009-04-26T02:51:00.000-07:00

Bill Jones - A Bed

2009-04-26T02:46:00.001-07:00

Jo Mortimer - Constructing Birds

2009-04-25T16:14:00.001-07:00

Pauline Mason - What It Was Like

2009-04-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

Jacqueline Cattaneo - Coming, Ready Or Not

2009-04-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Joel Willans. Equal Before God

2009-04-25T06:45:00.001-07:00

Jo Mortimer reads Anna Britten's Strangelets

2009-04-25T05:52:00.001-07:00

Martin Reed. Something Three

2009-04-25T05:51:00.001-07:00

Sara Crowley, Porn Mallow

2009-04-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

re-jig

2009-04-23T04:43:00.001-07:00

Right, I've decided - an overhaul is in order. This whole blog is a right mess, it's time to get organised with links to stories and what-have-you....

x

SPARKS4 will take place on...

2009-03-02T07:06:00.000-08:00

21st April.

Thank gawd for that - back on the horse.

There's still a few spaces to fill...

James Burt, 'A Bad Place To Stick Your Hand'

2008-12-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EtzotX40WW8

SPARKS 3

2008-12-13T12:17:00.001-08:00

All things being equal, Sparks 3 will take place on 20th January.

Kuzhali Manickavel, Little Bones

2008-12-13T11:43:00.000-08:00

From Sparks 2. Photo by Yudith Ferrnadiz Marco, for Kuzhali Manickavel's 'Little Bones'.

Vanessa Gebbie, Gas Gangrene

2008-12-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Image by Chris Cooke (www.no-sugar.co.uk) for Vanessa Gebbie's 'Gas Gangrene'

And here is Vanessa reading at SPARKS: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2IZLi4MRlrs

Jacqueline Cattaneo, Complimentary Pass

2008-12-12T13:11:00.000-08:00

From Sparks 2. Photo by John Biggs for Jacqueline Cattaneo's 'Complimentary Pass'

Melissa Mann, Cock-Eyed

2008-12-12T08:01:00.000-08:00

Image by Chris Cooke (www.no-sugar.co.uk)

2008-12-12T05:40:00.001-08:00

For those who are so inclined, here are details for submitting:
sparksbrighton@hotmail.co.uk
1000 words or less. In the body of the e-mail, please.There is no theme.

If you are far, far away, you are still welcome to submit as I am happy to have up to two stories, per event, read by someone else (of your choosing, or read by myself). I hope that makes sense.

Steve Finbow: Stop, I Have Something Important To Communicate

2008-12-12T03:39:00.000-08:00

Photo by Ben Cooper (http://www.benjamindcooper.co.uk/)

Jo Mortimer. Green, Grey, Blue

2008-12-12T03:37:00.001-08:00

From Sparks 1. By John Biggs for Jo Horsman's 'Green, Grey, Blue'

Things to consider...

2008-12-12T02:17:00.000-08:00

Putting on a night invoving two different medias is a bit difficult. There is so much to take into account.
There was the odd technical difficulty last time which does interrupt with the flow of the night. The first night went without a hitch so it took me by surprise when a bright green screen glowed determinedly at us all. Still, now I know to check all the images on the projector the day before and not just an hour before.
You've got to laugh.
And drink.
But not too much.
Another thing to remember...

Kind words from one of the readers

2008-12-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to James Burt's blog. He read last night at Sparks. Thanks James and I'm pleased you had a good time. http://www.orbific.com/weblog/2008/12/sparks-night-2.html

To whet your appetite...

2008-12-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

Here are links to the videos filmed at Sparks 1...

Sara Crowley reading Porn Mallow: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AjctIs6SNeA

Martin Reed reads Something Three: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-PSFlQ6Ec&feature=related

Steve Finbow reads Stop, I Have Something Important To Communicate: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0kCv7tDGsLs

Melissa Mann reads Cockeyed: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7U-Jwxlf9m8

Mary Agnes Krell reads Joel Willans's Equal Before God: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ca3I5x6EZ6Y

And me reading Anna Britten's story, Strangelets: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rsaLkoYDyzc

The morning after the night before

2008-12-10T05:20:00.000-08:00

I've decided to set this up because people asked me to. I cannot bring myself to write much at the moment because I have quite the hangover. I enjoyed Sparks 2 last night - perhaps a bit too much!

Suffice to say, this will be the place to come to watch videos from the night, see the photos, read some stories, get the latest on when there will be another event and what-have-you. All of that will be set up over the coming days.

For those who are so inclined, here are details for submitting:

sparksbrighton@hotmail.co.uk
1000 words or less. In the body of the e-mail, please.
There is no theme.

If you are far, far away, you are still welcome to submit as I am happy to have up to two stories per event read by someone else (of your choosing, or read by myself). I hope that makes sense.