Paul Batchelor was born in Northumberland in 1977. In 2003 he received an Eric Gregory Award from the Society of Authors, and in 2004 he was given the Andrew Waterhouse Award by New Writing North. In 2005 he was a winner of the Poetry Business Prize; his pamphlet To Photograph a Snow Crystal was published by Smith/Doorstop in 2006. He is editing a collection of critical essays on Barry MacSweeney, to be published by Newcastle University and Bloodaxe Books. His first full-length collection, The Sinking Road (Bloodaxe, 2008), was shortlisted for The Jerwood Aldeburgh First Collection Prize 2008 and the Glen Dimplex Prize for Best First Collection. His poem ‘Comeuppance’ won the Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition in 2009. Paul Batchelor lives in Newcastle and is a freelance reviewer.
www.paulbatchelor.co.uk

Roddy Lumsden’s first book Yeah Yeah Yeah (1997) was shortlisted for Forward and Saltire prizes. His second collection The Book of Love (2000), a Poetry Book Society Choice, was short-listed for the T.S. Eliot Prize. Mischief Night: New & Selected Poems (Bloodaxe Books, 2004) was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. Third Wish Wasted (Bloodaxe Books, 2009) is his latest collection. He is a freelance writer, specialising in quizzes and word puzzles, and has held several residencies, including ones with the City of Aberdeen, St Andrews Bay Hotel, and as “poet-in-residence” to the music industry when he co-wrote The Message, a book on poetry and pop music (Poetry Society, 1999). His other books include Vitamin Q: a temple of trivia, lists and curious words (Chambers Harrap, 2004). His anthology Identity Parade: new British and Irish poets is due from Bloodaxe Books in 2010. Born in St Andrews, he lived in Edinburgh before moving to London.
www.ninblak.demon.co.uk/vit-p

Sarah Hesketh was born in 1983 and grew up in Pendle, East Lancashire. She attended Merton College, Oxford and holds an MA in Creative Writing from UEA. In 2007 her collaboration with composer Alastair Caplin was performed at the Leeds Lieder Festival. Her debut collection, Napoleon’s Travelling Bookshelf, was published in 2009 by Penned in the Margins and was Highly Commended by the Forward Prize for Poetry. She currently works as Assistant Director at the writers’ charity English PEN.
www.sarahhesketh.co.uk

Thursday 29 April, 7pm
Aubin & Wills 188 Westbourne Grove W11 2RH
Nearest tube: Westbourne Park / Notting Hill Gate

Free entry, refreshments provided

Please RSVP to info@pennedinthemargins.co.uk