Waiting for Godden: NEW: Autumn portraits by Chris Beschi

Excited to share some new seasonal author portraits by Chris Beschi We had a great time shooting these, capturing that magic autumn light and golden hour in my local park in east London. I'm such a huge fan of Chris's work, you can see more here...

https://www.behance.net/poetcurious

Ahhh my loves, and now suddenly it is November and the nights draw in and the light changes and as we approach the end of this year, I'm again preparing my annual hibernation. Like every year around this time, I now switch the microphone for a pen, the raucous festival beers for the soft whisper of turning pages. However it is very lovely to know that my last big gig of 2022 was participating in a wonderful show at Letters Live at The Royal Albert Hall ... Wow! What a gig that was and such a massive high to end this run with. It was a thrill and a honour to be a part of Letters Live and a dream to meet all the fellow readers and the Choose Love team. BIG LOVE to everyone who shared in that beautiful moment, amazing readings on both of the two glittering nights, all lead and hosted by the very lovely Benedict Cumberbatch, we had a myriad of epic readings from Kit Harrington, Himesh Patel, Jordan Stephens, Miriam Margoyles, Tony Robinson, Denise Gough, Clarke Peters, Louise Brealey and music from Max Richter, Celeste, Lisa from Ibeyi, plus Johnathan Pryce, Shelia Atim, Sue Perkins and Little Amal - too many to mention here, please have a look at the photos on the Letters Live twitter I'll share a few below - it was a full house, jam packed to the rafters on both nights, all the tears and all the laughter and all the love, such raucous applause and standing ovations too. I know I am gushing here but I know I'm not alone in saying Letters Live at RAH was one helluva phenomenal and memorable experience. I know I will never forget it and was so very glad to take part and be there. Thank you. Here's a handful of photos by Andy Paradise, Letters Live, Royal Albert Hall, November 2022:

Writing news: I'm buzzing about this 3-book deal with Canongate Books which was announced at this years Frankfurt Book Fair. I have three new books bubbling and cooking away: a new poetry collection, a memoir and a new novel which is another instalment for the Mrs Death Misses Death world series. And so I will return to my writing cave for winter, lots of tea and books, lots of reading and writing, creating new work and nurturing my wildest dreams. The pressure is real. I thank you for all of your kind comments, book reviews, messages and tweets and all your support in my writing adventures - I actually have no idea who reads this Waiting For Godden blog nowadays - but if you do happen to read this autumn 2022 post, hello and thank you.

I'll leave you with some podcasts, radio and online events that are happening this month. I must say I'm sad to wave goodbye to Podcast Radio Hour. I have really enjoyed taking part in these BBC 4Extra shows, the final episode is this week and it will be fabulous. Later this month I'm so looking forward to joining the Lifting The Lid Festival, an International Festival on Death and Dying and chatting with my Death Positive friends in California, Queer Death Stories. I'm also excited about DO:Death with the Do Book Club chatting with author and Death Doula Amanda Blainey. Lastly I've been asked to facilitate a poetry and prose masterclass, 'Write Your Story Your Way' with New Writing South. Space is limited for these things, so sign up now! Click on the links! All of this is made from home, everything is online this month, and so it can be enjoyed from my desk to your desk, or my sofa to the comfort of your sofa...

Keep on keeping on,

BIGlovelovelove,

sgxx

Coming up...

November 4 - Podcast Radio Hour, BBC Radio 4 Extra

November 19 - Roaring 20's Radio, Soho Radio

November 20 - Lifting The Lid Festival of Death and Dying 2022

November 26 - New Writing South: Masterclass with Salena Godden

November 30 - DO Book Club

NEW Yas Floyer interviews Salena Godden in latest EARTH issue of Cunning Folk Magazine, piece written after a beautiful LIVE conversation in Liberia Bookshop!

Read all about it - Cunning Folk Magazine