Hello,
I hope you’re enjoying the festive season, I can’t say I’m fond of some of the trappings that go with it, but it’s always nice to reconnect with family & friends. So hello again... it’s been a few months since I fired off a ‘newsletter’ and I’ve been up to a loads of things but I’ve summed it all up in just 700 words! See below for all my boastings…
New video:
Recently I was very fortunate to be asked by Fáilte Ireland & Visit Dublin to film a video for #LoveDublin. It was released on Friday and received10,000 views in just 24 hours!
Check it out on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/Wwx5YOjIJTU
The poem is Dublin by Louis MacNeice. I think it captures my city perfectly, depicting the light and the shade that the town offers. I hope you enjoy it, if so you might consider sharing it on all the usual social media outlets. Credit must also go to the team that put it all together: Ross Killeen the Director from Motherland and In the Company of Huskies who produced it.
Lingo:
It was a real honour to be part of the core team who put the Lingo Festival together, it was tough at times but I feel it was well worth it in the end. We helped to give a platform to so many poets, just look at the stats to see what we achieved!
https://twitter.com/LingoFestival/status/535124419320881152/photo/1
Also we have a few events planned at the end of December so please give us a ‘like’ on Facebook and a ‘follow’ on Twitter to keep yourself in the loop.
Info: http://www.lingofestival.com/
Fear Not book update:
In the spring of 2015 I’ll be launching my debut collection Fear Not with Arlen House. I decided to push the launch back a little due to other commitments, I’ve a bad habit of over-stretching myself. Hopefully the book will be bit sharper as a result of the extra time… Alan Hayes of Arlen House was very understanding and supportive over the whole process and we’re both excited about finally sharing my debut collection with the world in due course. Thankfully the amazing illustrator Steve Simpson agreed to do the book cover, and while the old adage goes: don’t judge a book by it’s cover… I can assure you Steve has done a stellar job! Check out his website here:
http://stevesimpson.prosite.com/
Christmas gifts ideas:
If you’re not sure what to get folks for Christmas presents, why not support independent publishers like: Arlen House, The Stinging Fly, Salmon Poetry, Tramp Press, Dedelus Press and many other publishers and independent artists around the country. You could gift someone an album via Bandcamp, supporting musicians so they get a better cut than going through iTunes. Speaking of which… Arise & Go, the album I launched with Enda Reilly a couple of years back can be purchased here: http://endareilly.bandcamp.com/album/arise-and-go and might I say it would make a wonderful gift anytime of the year ;)
Gigs:
December:
The Lazy Band
St. Finian's Lutheran Church 22nd @ 8pm
Info: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lazy-Band/137845161717
NYF Festival with Lingo
30th & 31st
Info: http://nyfdublin.com/category/multiple/love-dublin/spoken-word-festival/30th-spoken-word-festival/
January:
First Fortnight
2nd, 9th & 13th
Info: http://firstfortnight.ie/
Personally:
Throughout the year I’ve had highs and lows, but I remain very grateful for all the blessing that have come my way. This week I’ve to sit some exams which has me slightly stressed, but soon I’ll be finished my English degree and the four years have just flown by! It has been such a huge privilege travelling far and wide this year reciting my poetry, I’ve had six international gigs which I can’t really get my head around! Overall 2014 has been good to me in many ways. Performing in The Abbey our national theatre twice has to be the highlight for me, and already 2015 is shaping up to be a good year… there’s a few projects that I’ve got in the pipeline, so watch this space!
Again:
Please enjoy the Dublin in Words video and share with those who might be interested:
http://youtu.be/Wwx5YOjIJTU
And you can get Arise & Go here:
http://endareilly.bandcamp.com/album/arise-and-go
Nollaig shona duit / Happy Christmas
Stephen
Connecting:
Feel free to connect with me via my…
Website: http://stephenjamessmith.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrstephenjamessmith
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjsWORDS
Instagram: http://instagram.com/stephenjamessmith
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mrstephenjamessmith
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