earth love launch
and photo gallery
27 February 2013, The Scotia Bar, Glasgow
Thank you to everyone who attended the launch of the earth love 2013 anthology. It was a superb evening, hosted by Glasgow's oldest pub, The Scotia Bar. The Scotia are great supporters of literature in Glasgow and every year host their own competition for the Scotia Poet Laureate and Short Story Writer. They also hosted the 2006 earth love book launch, and this time round, the event was even better!
We heard the work of no less than twenty earth love poets, some of whom had travelled far afield, from Ireland, York, Cumbria, Suffolk, and even Rutland, England's smallest county, to read from the anthology. The editor read the work of Ellamae Hindley, our youngest earth love contributor. And our youngest performer on the night was the editor's five year old nephew, Andrew Rait Bayes.
We also had music from Pauline Vallance who treated us to the magical sound of the clarsach, and from acoustic guitar duet Coleslaw, as well as some finger picking from talented folk musician, Wullie Purcell.
Before the event, the editor was hard at work, cooking up a celebration feast that I'm glad to say seemed to be enjoyed by all!
But the night didn't end there. We continued till after midnight with an open mike, where we were treated to work from poets in the audience such as Nalini Paul, Derek Read and Jim Ferguson.
I have to say that, after eleven years and forty-three editions of earth love, the magazine couldn't have had a better send off. To be in a room with such talented writers who have given so much to the magazine, and for the launch to be supported by so many warm, thoughtful people, is an evening I will never forget. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make it happen!
And last, but not least, the launch raised a staggering £240.00 for conservation charities.
Don't forget, if you don't yet have a copy of the anthology, or if you'd like to order a few extra copies for friends, please visit the anthology-2013 link at the top of the page. It couldn't be easier.
In the meantime, enjoy our photo gallery of the earth love 2013 Scotia bar launch...
Photos by Brian Henderson.
