On Friday I went through to Glasgow to attend the DeathWrites Public Symposium in Adelaide Place. The DeathWrites network supports 30 Scotland-based writers from across disciplines and genres to write and publish powerful, accessible work. It’s supported by the University of Glasgow End of Life Studies Group… which is of course where I studied for my masters degree.
So although I’m not part of the network myself, I am very interested in their work. All the more so because my good friend and colleague Andy Jackson is a member of the network. Andy and I work together on the Lonely Funeral project and he read one of the poems on Friday.
It was a great evening – there was a fascinating conversation with Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Andrés N. Ordorica and Marjorie Lotfi all of whom read some of their work. I was particularly draw to Andrés’ work, “queer liminality and questions of belonging” always being matters of great interest to me.
Then many of the other members of the network read pieces. I especially loved the work of Angie Spoto – an unsettling but beautiful fairy tale.
I don’t seem to get out much in the evening these days! So it was a special pleasure to have a day in Glasgow and, coming so soon after the SICA creative writing day, really reinforced the investment I’m trying to make in my own creativity and writing at the moment. And a great chance to meet some friends – Marian Krawczyk, Naomi Richards and Carrie Foulkes from the End of Life Studies group. Andy of course. And my friend and fellow celebrant, Stella McCulloch.
Many thanks to Naomi and everyone who helped organize the evening.
Michael Hannah, Broughty Ferry, 9 June 2024