Category: Book

by Amal Garnham (Author), Clare Dawes (Author), Kate Fox (Author), Jocelyn Goddard (Author), Mary Gurr (Author), Jen Kahawatte (Author), Charles Pankhurst (Author), Sue Sills (Author)

Eight Voices from Kent are eight friends who share a passion for writing poetry. Some of us attended the Certificate of Creative Writing course, while others followed the MA in Creative Writing, at the University of Kent, between 2005-2009. However, we merged into one group through attending the same poetry readings and events.

We often met in person socially and shared poems over lunch or tea and cake. Two of us moved away from Kent; our monthly Zoom sessions that we started soon after the first lockdown in 2020 have kept us in regular contact.

Everyone suggests different forms or themes as a starting point for writing poems and each month we take one of these ideas to inspire us. These have introduced us to different poetic forms and led to the creation of poems that may not otherwise have been written. We have responded to themes including household objects, maths, and World Book Week, and also attempted forms such as centos, decimas and recipe poems.

by Philip Eley (Author), Stephanie Lam (Author), Audrey Lewis (Illustrator) 

Humans have been in a process of un-wilding for generations. The advent of agriculture 10,000 years ago meant that we no longer travelled with the herds or moved with the pulse of the seasons, hunting, gathering, following the great migrations of light and weather. Life became ordered, divided into pockets of time for sowing and reaping, sunrise and sunset. We started to own things: land, houses, even other people. We traded belonging to the earth for ownership over it.

This book invites you to find the wildness in your soul. It is a journey through nature’s landscapes – beaches, caves, forests, mountains, rivers, and more – each offering self-reflection, insight, and a path back to yourself. With ideas, meditations, philosophical thoughts, and the author’s memories, this book invites you to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover what it means to feel truly alive in the natural world. 

by Jake Jones (Author), Luner Rey (Photographer)

Jake is a spoken word poet and a future children’s book author. He describes his work as ‘unpolished poetry’ and uses straightforward relatable language, which makes his work accessible and engaging for a wide audience. His poems delve into universal themes of time, loss and the search for meaning, with a sprinkling of humour to keep things light. Jake has a profound understanding of vulnerability, where he paints vivid portraits of life’s small but defining moments. He drops his audience into the middle of an experience. His focus on isolation, repetition and blurred realities creates a nuanced portrayal of mental instability. His comedy poems remind us that he is able to laugh at it all as well. Jake captures the fragility of the human psyche and the fine line between sanity and madness.

by Dawn Horne (Author), Audrey Lewis (Illustrator)

Dawn Horne’s Dementia Field Guide is a practical and uplifting companion for anyone navigating dementia’s challenges. After being diagnosed with both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s, Dawn sought guidance but found little that helped with the day-to-day realities she faced. She created this “field guide” to share helpful routines, coping strategies and the honest ups and downs of her journey. With humour and resilience, Dawn offers readers insights into managing memory, mood and health. Her approach shows that life with dementia can still be fulfilling, purposeful, and, yes—fun. 

by James Webb (Author), Audrey Lewis (Illustrator)

Old Mr Crabley didn’t much like being alive, but he disliked being dead even more. And when the Wallaces move into his bungalow, Mr Crabley goes from grumpy to furious and tries his hardest to cause all kinds of ghostly havoc. Bookish Sybil resents Mr Crabley’s efforts to push her family out. However, she begins to grow curious about what made this grumpy ghost quite so sad.

Whilst her embarrassing parents seek out help to fix their haunted new home, Sybil embarks upon a mission to mend Mr Crabley’s broken heart.

A little kindness goes a long way. And a little further for Mr Crabley’s ghost.

Mr Crabley’s Ghost is a hilarious and sweet tale of ghostly antics, foolish parents and a lesson in the value of kindness. James Webb gives us an unexpected friendship that surely warms hearts.

by Liz Jennings (Author) 

A woman leaves her house before dawn to attend an illegal hug-in in the woods; two neighbours conduct an argument using only a trumpet and a baby grand piano; a mother writes letters to her teenage son, who refuses to leave his bedroom; a nephew delivers groceries to the aunt he has always feared; a neighbour is caught hoarding toilet paper; a bride celebrates her wedding alone and six-year-old Gloria Hooper fills in her learning journal after a busy day of home-schooling…

Experience each moment of these characters’ and others’ lives as they cope with lockdown in their unique ways.

Written with warmth, humour and poignancy, Liz Jennings’ latest collection of short stories is a writer’s response to the vast range of emotions and situations that the nation has experienced alone, together. 

by James Webb (Author) 

They say that all good things must come to an end, and after five years I am hanging up my keyboard and taking a break from writing blogs for The Listening Book site. This book, collecting the posts that were made from October 2019 to October 2020, marks the end of the series. Hopefully that makes it feel special.So thank you for reading this far, and even more thanks to you if you read any further, or have read and supported the blog over the years. I’m grateful to you.Before you ask, I don’t know what’s next. We’ll see – something will turn up. It always has. After all, blog or no blog, my life is still guided by the same basic belief as always – that there are some good things that will never, ever end.In the meantime, I’ll say “Enjoy the book!” – but I’d much rather it made you hope and squirm, in equal measure.

by Jo Court (Author)

by James Webb (Author) 

James’s Blog started in October 2015 and has become a weekly phenomenon that adds salt and light to the internet. This fourth year of posts is a rich collection of things in his head that he has been brave enough to release into the wild. ‘The Ramblings of the Man Who Isn’t Very Good at Making Beds’ is the published collection of year four of James’ weekly blog, and is therefore a sequel of sorts to the equally strangely titled ‘The Ramblings of the Man who Bought a Pear’, ‘The Ramblings of the Man who Likes to Eat Alone’ and ‘The Ramblings of the Man Who Isn’t Very Good at Making Beds’.James’ blog is a weekly reflection, revealing insights into both his life as a follower of Jesus, and the faith that he follows. As a writer, speaker and father of five, he seeks to find common truths in everyday events and experiences – sometimes he even finds himself in danger of getting a bit philosophical. Through his musings and seemingly trivial anecdotes, he invites you to join him in reflecting on life with God, and take a moment’s break from the hectic activity of everyday life.