 PenJen's Profile |
|
I would like to step out of my heart and go walking beneath the enormous sky... |
|
| Age: | 36 years old |
| Sex: | Female |
| Location: | Derry, DONEGAL |
| Country: |  Ireland |
| Height: | 5' 6" |
| BodyType: | Slim / Slender |
| Zodiac: |  Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19) |
| Last Login: | Jun 26, 2007 (888 days back) |
| I am Here For Friends and Networking. | |
About Me |
|
Work in a public library and for a local publishing house - Guildhall Press * Derry - as well as write/perform own poetry; pen book reviews; enjoy a pint; smoke and walk the dog. Currently working on a book anthology, to be published later this year called Wonderful World of Worders involving short story writers from all over the world. Also run the monthly BBC RaW Poetry Place (open poetry readings & discussion night) held at the Central Library, Derry, and coordinated the WELB & BBC Breathing Places Poet-Tree Competition at the recent Springwatch Festival in June. Co-facilitator of Telling Tales: Story-Making & Story Sharing workshops with parents and toddlers in the local community. EVE... a Celebration of Creative Women
Book: ISBN: 0946451915 £12.95 CD: 0946451923 £7.95 Part of the poetry performance group - Poetry Chicks - with Abby Oliveira & Pamela Brown, formed early 2006, having performed throughout the North of Ireland and recently at the launch of the latest issue of Citizen32 'Class' in Manchester as part of the May Day Celebrations.
Some live recordings can also be found on the PoetCasting site and a recent interview in the Belfast News Letter . We are also partners of ACE: Artists in Creative Enterprise - Promoting the Written & Verbal Arts Worldwide having conducted creative writing workshops throughout Ulster and in Manchester with over 600+ primary and secondary-level school children.We recently performed at the OUT TO LUNCH Festival of Music, Theatre, Comedy & Literature in the Black Box, Belfast. (Read the REVIEW ).The accompanying book, AlphabeTitudeZ: Loose Letters , supported by Guildhall Press , is available to purchase for £5:
Was part of the Belfast Poets on-line writing group, who can be found here . Was one of the lucky seven to tour Australia this past August & September, and who, as a collective, called the Belfast Poets Tour Group , performed/read our own work at Poetry Festivals in Melbourne, Darwin, Brisbane, Cairns, Perth, Fremantle & Sydney and who recently toured Ireland. Chapbook available for £3/€5. Also known as PenJen from the GW , MW and WD on-line writing communities - Aye, finally made it to My Space. Gawd help us... Have had various work (poetry, articles, comment pieces, reviews etc) published in the following newspapers & magazines (as well as on BBC Radio Foyle & Radio Ulster): the BBC GW Unoffical Tribute Anthology (Vol 1, 3 & 5); the Belfast News Letter; the Belfast Telegraph; Citizen (N Ire); Citizen32 (Manchester); the Derry Journal; the Derry News; Eve (Dublin); the Evening Herald (Dublin); Fingerpost (Derry); the Foyle News (Derry); Hot Press (Dublin); the (former) Irish Press; the Irish Times; Loreto Lore (N Ire); Magh Bhaile (Donegal); the Mourne Observer (third prize in the the Co Down Writers' Network Poetry Comp 2007); the Orbit (Dublin); Rag Order (Dublin); Sigla (Dublin); Speech Therapy (N Ire); Unquiet Desperation (UK); Verbal (N Ire); Witsnapper (London) and Young Writers (N Ire). Books include: AlphabeTitudeZ (Guildhall Press, 2007) Poetry Chicks poetry; Dock Leaves & Nettle Stings (Writers' Dock, 2007) two poems; EVE... a Celebration of Creative Women (Guildhall Press, 2006) project co-ordinator; Sailing On A Dream (Writers' Dock, 2006) two non-fiction pieces; Bad Christmas (Severnix Publishing, 2006) non-fiction piece; Irish Almanac & Yearbook of Facts (ArtCam Publishing, 1998-99) writer & researcher; Foyle Fisheries Commission by Alex Carlin (Guildhall Press, 1996) editor; and That Land Beyond (Guildhall Press, 1993) co-author. Guildhall Press is currently running a Writers' Challenge . Feel free to check it out! |
|
My Interests |
|
Too many and not enough time... For starters: writing; reading; music; drinking (Carlsberg & Coffee - but not together); smoking; laughing; talking; socialising; living; breathing... Oh, and I love thunderstorms; dusk; the smell of rain; the smell of the sea plus those wee small hours when everyone else is in slumber. Catch a moonbeam & a wicked smile. |
|
I'd like to meet:Will have to think about this one... OK, some are alive; some are six feet under. Some I don't know about yet... Oh, and the guy who spilt my pint last week. Would have loved to have met Sinatra when he was alive, though... Ye see, I had a chance of a free ticket to see Ole Blue Eyes, Liza Minnelli and Sammy Davis Jnr back in the early '90's in Dublin but I fecked up. Went to some scrawly pub instead because some scrawny guy was gonna be there that I had a wee crush on (he was a philosophy student called John with long hair and a Kerry accent) but I could nay understand a word he said plus he wore a girly hair bobble and snogged like a hoover. Sinatra would be turning in his grave, I bet... Yes, regrets: I've had a few - and no matter whatever or whoever - I'll do it 'my way'... next time, eh?! *shakes head* |
|
Music:Where do I start? Well, definately Jazz, Swing & the Blues plus film scores. Especially adore Gabriel Yared, Angelo Badalamenti, Ennio Morricone, Thomas Newman, James Horner, John Williams, John Barry, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, J.J. Abrams, Yann Tiersen, Bill Whelan, Gavin Friday, Itzhak Perlman, Luis Bacalov, Sigur Rós, Mogwai, John Coletrane, Miles Davis, Tom Waits, Pink Floyd, John Martyn, Muddy Waters, Philip Glass, Ben Harper, Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake, Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Eva Cassidy, Sarah Vaughan, Stacey Kent, Madeleine Peyroux, The Pogues, Shane McGowan, Damian Rice, Lisa Hannigan, Lisa Gerrard, The Waterboys, Hothouse Flowers, Andy White, Thin Lizzy, Snow Patrol, The Cranberries, Tori Amos, Jesus & Mary Chain, Echo & the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, OMD, The Cure, The Cult, The Doors, The Pixies, The Killers, Van Morrison, U2, David Bowie, David Gray, Ray LaMontagne, Rolling Stones, Morcheeba, Muse, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Santana, Gypsy Kings, Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Cole Porter, Gershwin... I think I'll stop now. |
|
Movies:'Once Upon A Time in America' (anything with De Niro in it); 'Taxi Driver'; the 'Godfather' films;'Green Mile'; 'Meet Joe Black'; 'Scent of a Woman'; 'Schindler's List'; 'A Beautiful Mind'; 'Casablanca'; 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'; 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'; 'Guys & Dolls'; 'Sleepers'; 'Goodfellas'; 'The Usual Suspects'; 'As Good As It Gets'; 'My Left Foot'; 'The Shawshank Redemption'; 'Dead Poet's Society'; 'Betty Blue (37.2 Le Matin)'; 'The Postman/IL Postino'; 'Amélie'; 'Twin Peaks/Fire Walk With Me'; 'Mulholland Drive'; 'Wild at Heart'; 'The Outsiders';'Pretty in Pink'; 'St Elmo's Fire'; 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin'; 'The Commitments'; 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café'; 'You've Got Mail' (always wanted a wee bookshop like the one Meg Ryan had in film); 'In The Name of the Father'; 'Cal' (from book by Bernard McLaverty with an amazing soundtrack by Mark Knopfler); 'American Beauty'; 'The Wizard of OZ'; Disney's 'The Jungle Book'... Is there a limit on this? Oh, more recent ones include 'Crash' (Dir. Haggis); 'In America' (really wicked soundtrack from Gavin Friday); 'Little Miss Sunshine'; 'Alexandra's Project' and Nick Cave's 'The Proposition' and... OK, that's enough. For now. I need to see more. |
|
Television:Don't watch telly - couldn't be arsed. Tis 'chewing gum for the eyes'. |
|
Books:I acquire paperbacks as others do shoes/lovers. Fiction fetish, I think. Prescribed Poetry to cure all craving... Usually have three novels on the go and constantly dipping poetically into Ginsberg; Peter Redgrove; Paul Durcan; Nick Laird, Andy White and Pablo Neruda as well as a wealth-stealth of Australian poets - some met, some not. Recent gems acquired include Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill; Nin Andrews; John Walsh; Carol Ann Duffy; Kevin Higgins; Michael Foley & Chloe Poems - some really beautiful, inspiring and exciting work here. I'm still Longing for Leonard Cohen's latest collection, though... Other faves include Isabel Allende; Sean O'Reilly; John Banville; John McGahern; Alice Sebold; Annie Proulx; Joyce Carol Oates; Julie Myerson; Arundhati Roy; Dorothy Parker; Dr Seuss; Hunter S. Thomspon; Charles Bukowski; Kerouac; Nabokov; Camus; Dylan Thomas; Kureishi; Kafka; Chandler & F. Scott Fitzgerald and all my mates on MW. Aye, I adore books. Wish I had more time. To read. Story of my life... |
|
Heroes:My family and those who beat cancer. People who stand up for their rights and for others. People who speak up/out about things. People who kick ass against the establishment. People who make a difference and make the world a better place. People who seek the truth and bring about justice. People who are willing to forgive. People who are willing (and do) fight for peace and freedom - all of them survivors as opposed to victims. Genuine, honest and real people and those with a sense of humour and those who can take their oil. "We can be Heroes just for one day..." |
|
My Background and Lifestyle |
|
| MaritalStatus: | In a Relationship |
| Ethnicity: | White / Caucasian |
| SexualOrientation: | Straight |
| Hometown: | Derry (originally Inishowen) |
| Religion: | Catholic |
| Children: | Someday |
| Education: | College graduate |
My Blog |
|
Off My Trolley? You Can Bank On It! (Ranty Piece) |
|
| Our relationship has become strained over the years. We've had our ups and downs, for better, for worse, for richer and poorer. But today I am smug. It's payday. My energy is revitalised and I'm on a ... Posted by PenJen on Sun, 17 Jun 2007 05:35:00 PST |
|
Skin Shadows (Poem) |
|
| Such story-stung starestongue me your scorn,I listen, I linger,'til murmuring morn.Cool watered nights tattoodust-dusky charm notes,a song on bare shouldersstrung out to stir hopes.A drop into spillof... Posted by PenJen on Tue, 08 May 2007 05:19:00 PST |
|
Seductive Smoke (Poem) |
|
| Lift me gently from the pack,crafted fingers on my back.Strike me, spark me, light me up;do not stub me or make me stop.From your lips I hang on words,curling-twirl in blue-hued haze.Let me cling and ... Posted by PenJen on Sun, 29 Apr 2007 03:44:00 PST |
|
Candle Facts (flexing the exes) (Poem) |
|
| Every year I lit a candlefor my birthday 'till I was twelve,entered life with torch above meshone my beacon on worldly shelf.Met more candles in shapes of boyfriendsmelted warm within their glow,slowl... Posted by PenJen on Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:50:00 PST |
|
Marmalade Madman (Poem) |
|
| (Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental, so take yer oil!)The sheer shape of you tickles my eyes and teases my nerve. A bundle of rags, a fistful of fags, cherishing t... Posted by PenJen on Sat, 24 Feb 2007 05:03:00 PST |
|
My Funny Valentine (Article) |
|
| Aren't men funny? Unfortunately, not always.When all is said and done, and it has been lately, funny men are the most attractive men in the world. Magically, funny doesn't fade; most other attractions... Posted by PenJen on Sat, 10 Feb 2007 01:33:00 PST |
|
Secret Town (Poem) |
|
| There were barbed-wire friendships -bombed on beer glass bold, tough pockets of past,stolen smiles, those mad-torn memories. History in our bones, stained, soiled in skin, blood boiled, toiled and tro... Posted by PenJen on Sat, 27 Jan 2007 12:45:00 PST |
|
A Sunday of Ribbons (Poem) |
|
| Filled with the linnet of an August eve in an '80's border-like town .. Here, less confused with confession box frown; where the air was much sweeter, the beer warm swallowed as words washed, stirred,... Posted by PenJen on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 09:05:00 PST |
|
A Sort of Homecoming this Christmas... (Non-Fiction) |
|
| December 1980Two weeks before Christmas we would start counting trees. All six of us.Crouched in the back of Dad's car, we would silently tip-tap the window, excited little fingerprints veined like bu... Posted by PenJen on Wed, 13 Dec 2006 01:17:00 PST |
|
This Fear of Gods (Poem) |
|
| Season of horror hurled hurricane dug deep our sordid secrets, our blood spoilt trees, withered, smothered pistol shaped leaves left hanging in angry embittered warfare winds, once served us murderers... Posted by PenJen on Wed, 15 Nov 2006 05:57:00 PST |
|
My Friends |
|
|
Project EVE, KittyRed, Looby (the one and only), Karjon, Barry, =chrono=, John.G.Hall, John Walsh, Anatoly, Sean, kinnegoe, Gerard McKeown, Neil, Amy, diddlydoodah, Hicks Gauloises, Mecca/Man, Chloe Poems, Gary, Rosie Lugosi, conor a./Holy Church of the Improvised Wor, Susan, Graham Nunn, Chelley belfast/lphr, J.Maltese, Silent Siren, charmain, mikel k poet, Book Group Online, Michelangelo, Rehan Qayoom, Philly of 101 Dam Notions, Arte_mide, Shaun's Official Myspace, Analogue, Michael Harrison Blues Fan Site, Melany Moloney Spain, ___ NIKO ___, THIS GUNS FOR HIRE, BRIAN MONTES, PoetCasting, Chelley, Fammeree, Michèle Vassal, Lowell aka Max, Mi-She-Kae (turtle), Communist Defectors Will Be Shot, Gunthor, boathouse, Quill Poetry
PenJen has 819 friends (50 shown). Click here to add PenJen as a friend. |
|
Tags |
|
|
PenJen's profile has been tagged with the following keywords. Click a tag to search for profiles with the same tags. poetry readings, raw poetry, group poetry, poetry place, poetry performance, donegal ireland, welb, embark, launch, anthology, photography, guildhall press, creative women, networking work, pamela brown, belfast news letter, breathing places |
|
