Given it’s World Book Day, I suppose I should mention that I’ve got a new book coming out next month.
It’s called ‘How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside’: a collection of new poems, which also doubles up as a guide to enjoying and writing poetry.
It is not altogether serious.
It’s pre-orderable through your local friendly bookshop, plus those online ones.
Signed copies are available through the UK indie bookshops and here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/295/9781035085729
I’m reading poems at a few literary festivals this year – including ones in Keswick, Guernsey, Wrexham, Tunbridge Wells, Dorchester-on-Thames, Filey and Leek. Here’s a pic which provides an efficient summary of such matters:
Next month’s show at Words on the Water has sold out, but tickets are on sale for the other festivals. More info on those, plus my autumn tour dates, can be found here … https://brianbilston.com/events/
End of mildly boring post.
This week, Waterstones are offering 25% off all preorders of my new book, ‘How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside’, which publishes in April:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-lay-an-egg-with-a-horse-inside/brian-bilston/9781035085729
Alternatively, signed copies are available to order through your local indie bookshop.
Waterstones are also promoting 25% off for preorders of the paperback edition of my poetry collection for children, ‘Let Sleeping Cats Lie’. That one is out in August:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/let-sleeping-cats-lie-pet-poems/brian-bilston/9781035050574
I’m heading off on tour next year with a brand new solo show, in which I’ll be reading poems from my forthcoming book ‘How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside’.
The tour starts in September. Tickets have gone on sale at most venues today. You can find out more here: https://brianbilston.com/events/
I’ll be reading poems in: Aberdeen; Aberystwyth; Bakewell; Bellaghy; Bridport; Bristol; Bude; Bury St Edmonds; Cardiff; Cardigan; Chorley; Colchester; Corsham; Coventry; Croydon; Darwen; Deal; Exeter; Glasgow; Guildford; Harpenden; Helmsley; Kidderminster; Leeds; Liverpool; London; Loughborough; Malton; Manchester; Monmouth; Newark; Norwich; Oxford; Pocklington; Sheffield; Stamford; Stirling; Stroud; Sunderland; Ulverston; Winchester; Worthing.
It would be smashing to see you at one of these. Please do spread the word.
It’s UK publication day for ‘A Poem for Every Question’, my new collection of poems for children, illustrated by the brilliant Joe Berger.
Inside there are poems to answer all sorts of interesting questions: how many stars in the universe exploded today?; who had the first holiday?; how many times a day do we laugh?; are unicorns real?; and many more.
I’m really chuffed to see how this book has turned out. A big thanks to the team at Farshore Books for producing such a beautiful object.
If you fancy getting hold of a copy, it should be available through your local bookshop. Alternatively, here’s a page with links to some online booksellers: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/a-poem-for-every-question-brian-bilston?variant=55115733893499
It’s publication day for the new edition of my first poetry collection, You Took the Last Bus Home. It’s been unavailable for nine months, following the demise of its original publisher, Unbound. I’m so delighted that Picador stepped into the breach to bring out this shiny new edition.
Hopefully it will now be back on the shelves of most bookshops – and it’s available to order online from all the usual places. You can find a few links to where to order here: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/brian-bilston/you-took-the-last-bus-home/9781035086634
There now follows a short public information film containing particulars of Brian Bilston and The Catenary Wires’ autumn tour.
You can find more particulars here, in particular: https://brianbilston.com/events/
I took delivery yesterday of some advance copies of the gorgeous new edition of ‘You Took the Last Bus Home’.
In celebration of that, here’s the title poem …
You Took the Last Bus Home
you took
the last bus home
don’t know how
you got it through the door
you’re always doing amazing stuff
like the time
you caught that train
Sounds Made by Humans – an album of my poetry put to music by the fabulous Catenary Wires – can now be listened to on Spotify, iTunes and those other streaming platforms.
“A contender for album of the year.” Backseat Mafia
“An instant cult classic. 5/5” Louder Than War
And if you like what you hear, you can hear it played live this autumn when we’re heading off on a UK tour. There will be music, poems, mugs, tea towels, and somewhere to sit down (should you want to). We can be found in the following places …
12 Sep: RAMSGATE: Music Hall
30 Oct: BANBURY: Mill Arts Centre
1 Nov: LONDON: Bloomsbury Theatre
3 Nov: NORWICH: Norwich Arts Centre
4 Nov: STAMFORD: Corn Exchange
5 Nov: MILTON KEYNES: The Stables
6 Nov: BRIGHTON: Komedia
12 Nov: WORCESTER: Huntingdon Hall
13 Nov: NOTTINGHAM: Metronome
14 Nov: SWANSEA: Grand Theatre
15 Nov: BRISTOL: John Wesley’s Chapel
21 Nov: MANCHESTER: Halle St Peters
22 Nov: OTLEY: Courthouse
23 Nov: CHORLEY: Chorley Theatre
24 Nov: LIVERPOOL: Royal Philharmonic
25 Nov: SHEFFIELD: The Foundry
26 Nov: GLASGOW: Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA)
27 Nov: NEWCASTLE: The Pilgrim
28 Nov: POCKLINGTON: Arts Centre
4 Dec: HERNE BAY: King’s Hall
Hope to see some of you along the way.
Exciting times … I’m coming back to Ireland this October to read some poems in what is set to be my most extensive tour there yet*:
17th: BELFAST, Mandela Hall
18th: DUBLIN, Ambassador Theatre
19th: LIMERICK, Lime Tree Theatre
20th: DERRY, Millennium Forum
Tickets are on sale here: https://brianbilston.com/events/.
Book now to guarantee disappointment.
* previous record = 2 shows
