I had the most wonderful time on Thursday evening launching my debut novel, Go On, a hybrid "fictional memoir in collage" published by Broken Sleep Books, in conversation with the wonderful poet Andrew McMillan! My philosophy whenever I do a reading or give a talk is, first, to not be boring, and, second, to be useful in some way - and I wanted to do this even though it was my own book launch - I wanted to pass on permission to other writers to write odd, uncategorizable books! If you'd like to watch the launch, it's now up on YouTube, you can watch it below - and there's more info about the book here: http://www.taniahershman.com/wp/go-on-a-novel/
Saturday, November 19, 2022
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Reading & Q&A with NZ writer Frankie McMillan
I'm so excited about my first event as Arvon's writer-in-residence: hosting an online reading and Q&A on Wed Nov 23 at 7.15pm UK time with brilliant NZ flash writer & poet Frankie McMillan - one of my new favourite writers! Here's the beginning of one of her flash stories, published in Cleaver magazine, to whet your appetite:
SEVEN STARTS TO THE WOMAN WHO WENT OVER THE FALLS IN A BARREL
Annie Edson Taylor, 1901
by Frankie McMillan1
Picture the cold dark inside of the barrel. Annie feeling her way over the padded mattress to a harness hanging from the side. The barrel sways in the water. Picture her fastening herself upright into the harness, pulling the leather strap tight across her chest. Picture Annie flailing about, she can’t find her lucky heart-shaped pillow. Now picture the barrel picking up speed, with the current, heading straight towards the falls.
2
It’s not as if falling was something new. Early on, I fell from my crib, I fell through haystacks, I fell from grace, I fell behind the church to kiss the bridesmaids, I fell between heaven and hell then into marriage
...
Read the full story here cleavermagazine.com/seven-starts-t - book your ticket here https://www.arvon.org/writing-courses/courses-retreats/how-i-write-frankie-mcmillan/. See you there!
Saturday, October 08, 2022
Happy World Octopus Day!
Happy World Octopus Day! Here's a poem from my new collection, Still Life With Octopus, in celebration:
Still Life With Octopus (II)
I only asked her once to climb inside a jar for me. (Before we met, I'd watched all the videos of those experiments.) She sighed but did it, said I could screw the lid, released herself easily. You could become any shape you want, I said. She said nothing. One arm sent itself out to switch the kettle on. While she made us tea, I put the jar back in the cupboard, feeling that slight ache from too much sitting in my hip bones, my lower back, where fixed part meets fixed part of me.
Saturday, August 20, 2022
Poetry collection + book bundles
*I’m donating £1 from every sale to the fuel poverty charity National Energy Action*
My new poetry collection, Still Life With Octopus', published by Nine Arches Press, is now officially launched! If you'd like to buy a signed copy, you can get one directly from me by using this PayPal link - and please do let me know who to sign it to if not to you!
Thursday, July 07, 2022
New poetry collection published!
Why, yes, I *did* get a tattoo today to celebrate publication of my poetry collection! Thank you to the wondrous Jane Commane at Nine Arches Press for bringing 'Still Life With Octopus' to life - and adding extra tentacles. Details & purchase info here: http://www.taniahershman.com/wp/still-life-with-octopus-poems/
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