Wednesday 27 March 2024

Beautiful photos from Hackney Empire + NEW Spring tour dates



Hello lovelies, 

Spring is springing! 

Here are some beautiful photographs and some memories from a glorious evening at The Hackney Empire. Thank you to everyone who came to the launch of Hollie’s latest book ‘Lobster’ - It was an amazing experience, Hackney Empire is such a wonderful and legendary London venue. Everyone was so lovely and so kind, I noticed lots of smiles backstage and behind the scenes. Thank you everyone, it was such a beautiful audience. I was totally blown away by the performances of both Hollie McNish and Michael Pedersen, sending BIGlove to you two super-talented big-hearted beauties. Such a big energy. Magic. Synchronicity. Rousing support and solidarity for Diane Abbott both inside the packed theatre and outside the Hackney Town Hall.

Here’s some pics of sound-checking and mucking about backstage and onstage … oh for people asking, lately I have been wearing my pin-stripe suit by King & Allen, truly exquisite tailors, highly recommend. Photos here are a mix by Chris Beschi and Shaun Murawski. I love the photos of us watching each others sets. It really was a magic evening, thank you. Tickets are now on sale for some of my first shows of the book tour. I'll keep adding here as I go along... please remember to wash your hands, eat your greens and take care, see you out here and in there! Xxsg



+ Hollie McNish Lobster tour, tix & info: https://holliepoetry.com/


+ Listen to Hollie McNish on the Women's Prize podcast 


+ Check out Hollie's book lists at Bookshop.org 




























With Love, Grief and Fury
 

"This is for the poets and provocateurs, artists and activists, witches and warriors, rebels and raconteurs, full-moon lovers and star sailors, bold-hearts and visionaries, prophets and preachers, hope-punks and big-dreamers..."


. . . hardback books are arriving . . . 

my unboxing video is on YouTube 








tickets are on sale now

see you at these springtime gigs, 

festivals, talks and bookshop events




April 13: Raise The Bar, Lyra Festival, Bristol 


April 27: Rough Trade Books, Southbank


May 2: DOUBLE PUBLICATION DAY!! 


May 7: Blackwell’s Manchester 


May 8: Foyles, Charing Cross Road, London


May 9: Brighton Book Festival


May 11: Writing on the Wall, Liverpool


May 15: Jawdance, Rich Mix, London 


May 16: Out-Spoken, Southbank, London 


May 18: The Bath Festival of Literature 


May 23: Norfolk and Norwich Festival  


June 2: Bad Betty Live, Nottingham 





















Friday 8 March 2024

Preorder 'With Love, Grief and Fury' audiobook on Audible

 



Hello my dears, just popping on here to make a quick post to share this - the preorder for my NEW audiobook 'With Love, Grief and Fury' went live online today. This audio version will be launched alongside the beautiful hardback edition on May 2nd 2024 with Canongate. 


CLICK HERE

WITH LOVE, GRIEF AND FURY 

ON AUDIBLE 


With Love, Grief and Fury contains love poems, for people and the planet. Grief poems brimming with compassion, mourning what was and contemplating what could be. And poems of fire and fury that will kick some ass, tell the truth and inspire change and hope. Over thirty years after she first stormed the UK poetry scene, the trailblazing and award-winning writer Salena Godden has produced her most audacious and definitive collection to date. 

For those of you that enjoyed listening to my 'Mrs Death Misses Death' audiobook or that like to listen to poetry read aloud, this is the one for you. I hope you like it and I thank you in advance for all preorders as they really help any new title on its journey. 




💜💫 

March 15 - @HackneyEmpire

March 18 - @thesocial

March 23 - @NPGLondon

April 13 - @LyraFest

April 27 - @southbankcentre








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Talking of NEW audiobooks: Lovely to see so many of you in Shoreditch for the WOW Global event and the star-studded launch of Annabelle Hirsch incredible audiobook, ‘A History Of Women in 101 Objects’  - I'm honoured to be joining so many amazing voices and taking part in this audiobook of 101 stories of empowerment and resistance and helping to raise funds for REFUGE and WOW charities. Here's some pics of the event by ðŸ“¸ @elliekurttzphoto 


Backstage: Liv Little, Anita Rani, Annabelle Hirsch, Salena Godden,
Elif Shafak, Martha Wainwright & Jordan Stephens



Jordan Stephens


Elif Shafak


Annabelle Hirsch


Salena Godden


Anita Rani


Martha Wainwright


Liv Little



CLICK HERE: 


"We are proud to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 with the launch of the audiobook of A History of Women in 101 Objects by Annabelle Hirsch read by a chorus of 101 remarkable women. This ambitious audio project was recorded across 18 studios in 12 countries, and we’re so grateful to our amazing readers: Gillian Anderson, Katy Hessel, Anita Rani, Jackie Kay, Len Pennie, Annabelle Hirsch, Shirley Manson, Rebecca Solnit, Sandi Toksvig, Marina Hyde, Naomi Shimada, Harriet Walter, Celia Imrie, Kate Manne, Margaret Atwood, Janina Ramirez, Doon Mackichan, Helen Mirren, Elif Shafak, Kathryn Hunter, Kate Mosse, Miriam Margolyes, Val McDermid, Caitlin Moran, Dolly Alderton, Georgia Byng, Olivia Colman, Sasha Lane, Adjoa Andoh, Elizabeth Acevedo, Sue Perkins, Ece Temelkuran, Mary Ann Sieghart, Alison Steadman, Daisy Ridley, Rebecca Hall, Krista Tippett, Patience Agbabi, Michelle Newell, Jeanette Winterson, Geraldine James, Sinead Cusack, Tiya Miles, Crystal Clarke, Louise Brealey, Leïla Slimani, Helena Kennedy, Samin Nosrat, Anna Holmes, Michelle Gomez, India Knight, Natascha McElhone, Lauren Elkin, Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham Carter, Sylvia Whitman, Noma Dumezweni, Meera Syal, Niamh McGrady, Denise Gough, Jacqueline Wilson, Siri Hustvedt, Gaby Wood, Sophie Hunter, Lisa-Kaindé Diaz, Annabel Mullion, Sharleen Spiteri, Jennifer Clement, Julia Gillard, Christiane Amanpour, Jude Kelly, Kerry Fox, Ruth Rogers, Maggie Smith, Hanna Schygulla, Kübra Gümüşay, Erica Wagner, Sandra Hüller, Jodie Whittaker, Virginie Efira, Nicola Sturgeon, Juno Dawson, Juliet Stevenson, Sally Phillips, Anjelica Huston, Lisa Dwan, Ruth Ozeki, Joanna Lumley, Cynthia Erivo, Martha Wainwright, Eleanor Updegraff, Sinéad Gleeson, Salena Godden, Lili Taylor, Mariella Frostrup, Rakie Ayola, Katie Kitamura, Saffron Hocking, Tahmima Anam, Vivian Oparah, Shirin Neshat.

A History of Women in 101 Objects audiobook was created to show how the past has always been as complicated and fascinating as the women that peopled it and ‘to add texture and intimacy to the slowly re-emerging stories of women from the past’ Guardian - 25% of the proceeds go to Refuge for their work empowering women and children experiencing domestic violence.  - Join us tonight, Friday March 8th, with WOW, for an evening filled with optimism, determination and laughter, featuring discussion and readings from some of our cast and authors!


***






I'll leave you with these stunning images: 

Here's some powerful artwork I have been loving on instagram by @DEVTHEPINEAPPLE - sharing this stunning work with solidarity and hope for the courage we need globally, not just for International Women's Day, not just for Mothers Day, but every day. I share these and once again call for a permanent ceasefire, freedom and libration, none of we are free, until we are all free. 










Friday 16 February 2024

Springtime gigs and events....


 

Hello loves, 

How are you? I hope you are doing ok. Here is a blog post of things to look forward to and to share some of my first live shows of 2024 and dates for March. I will add more shows as they come in, so keep an eye on this page. I haven't performed since November, it feels strange, it has been a long and dark winter hibernation. I am looking forward to seeing your faces again and sharing my two new books and hearing your new poetry and work too. This spring I am honoured to be asked to be a judge for the Nibbies - British Book Awards 2024 - and so I will have lots of reading of new books to do over the next few weeks. As usual I'll keep adding gigs to this page as new dates are confirmed. I kick off this year with an incredibly powerful WOW event for International Women's Day on March 8th, this will be my first gig of the year, supporting and launching the audiobook of 'A History of Women in 101 Objects' and raising money for Refuge and WOW charities, please scroll down for all tickets and info and links... I am slowly getting ready to leave my cave and come find you all. See you back out there, see you in the festivals and fields, see you in the bookshops and libraries, see you here and there, keep dreaming the big dream, keep fighting the good fight, forever love, peace and justice, forever onwards...

sgxx 





March 8th - WOW | IWD - One Night Live In London 

International Women's Day, WOW, Shoreditch Town Hall, London. I am honoured to support the very brilliant Annabelle Hirsch and her glorious book ‘The History of Women in 101 Objects’ Come join us on #IWD2024 to launch this exciting audio book. I am just one of many friends and supporters coming together for this beautiful audio book and the Refuge UK and WOW charities.





March 15th | Hollie McNish 'Lobster' | Hackney Empire 

Congratulations to Hollie on her new poetry book 'Lobster' - I believe tickets for her London launch at the Hackney Empire are very nearly sold out. I'm excited to support Hollie alongside the wonderful Michael Pedersen for this brilliant event. This will be a real treat. Catch us if you can!






March 18th | 'Strange Things.. at The Social'

Delighted to join White Rabbit to celebrate the launch of this brilliant Richard Norris memoir. Richard Norris in conversation with Salena Godden plus guests Harry Sword, The Soft Bouncers, The Hardway Bros and more... 





March 23rd | National Portrait Gallery | Poetry

"Photographers Francesca Woodman and Julia Margaret Cameron are two of the most influential women in the history of photography. They lived a century apart – Cameron working in the UK and Sri Lanka from the 1860s, and Woodman in America and Italy from the 1970s. Both women explored portraiture beyond its ability to record appearance – using their own creativity and imagination to suggest notions of beauty, symbolism, transformation and storytelling. " 

Join award-winning author, poet and broadcaster, Salena Godden for a poetry performance in the Galleries. Drawing on magical realism and the notion of a dream space - themes explored within the upcoming exhibition, Salena will be reading a selection of her works exploring similar themes. 




April 13th | Raise The Bar | Lyra Festival, Bristol

Excited to be back at RTB in Bristol in April. The incredible line-up includes UK poetry stars and heroes of mine, Nikita Gill and Cecilia Knapp. This is part of Lyra Festival 2024, it will be a wonderful evening, tickets on sale now... 









please donate and share 














Raise the Bar returns to Bristol Beacon for a Lyra Festival special, featuring legendary UK poet Salena Godden alongside a lineup of dynamic performers.

Raise the Bar returns to Bristol Beacon for a Lyra Festival special, featuring legendary UK poet Salena Godden alongside a lineup of dynamic performers.