Kenneth C. Steven,
writer, poet

 

 

The tragedy of the killings in Norway left me – as it left millions – numb and bewildered. Perhaps what I found so heart-rending was that it should happen in a country that simply doesn’t know violence, and that it should be perpetrated by one of the country’s own people, against his own people. Much of my heart was back in Norway, the country where I spent two of the most special years of my life, and from whose language I still translate. The only good is that great good is drawing the people together in a resolve that nothing like this will ever be allowed to happen again.

This autumn I have a new collection of poems – Evensong – being published by SPCK in London. The launch will take place on the evening of 17 November in Edinburgh at the Netherbow, the Scottish Storytelling Centre. To my great joy, the most generous pre-publication review has been offered by Alexander McCall Smith.

Before that there’s the writing retreat at the St Columba Hotel on the Isle of Iona. There are still a few places left for this six day event (which runs from 20 – 26 October inclusive). Write from the Heart is the first writing course I’ve led at the Columba; for ten years Into Blue Silence was run with Roselle Angwin at the Argyll Hotel.

Working backwards from that I’m doing events on the island of Islay, at the Dalry Bird Festival (as part of the first year of its running), at the Moray Book Festival, and at the Nairn Book and Art Festival. Through the newly formed Book a Poet I’ve been taken on to run a week’s programme of school events in Belfast at the end of September, and I much look forward to getting to know the city.

So next year begins to creep closer. As ever, if you are intrigued by the idea of a school visit, or by some kind of festival or writers’ group event, don’t hesitate to get in touch. In the meanwhile, here’s to the rest of 2011.

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