News: A Wakefield View of Westminster - Available Now

(Cross-posted at One Yorkshire Voice, my political blog)

Dartside Press have just published a compilation of my political blog posts and articles, gathered from four years of observation and irritation. Spanning 2010-2014, the pieces in A Wakefield View of Westminster have been collected from various sites, edited and, where appropriate, commented on. It's rather fun looking at predictions from three years ago and seeing where we've actually ended up. Well, fun and depressing in some cases.

I'm fairly non-partisan, though I have to admit that Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg come in for quite a lot of criticism throughout the collection. On issues such as Europe, HS2, the bungling of welfare reform, democracy and party politics, I'm very vocal - and unapologetically so. These are just my opinions, of course, but I hope they're an entertaining read.

The book can be bought from Amazon here.

Some Rather Exciting News

Well, I found this out a week ago but only told a select few people because I was convinced I'd get an email saying they'd re-read the submission and actually they hadn't meant to send anything but a curt 'thanks but no thanks' to little me. You know what? That didn't happen. Therefore I feel secure enough to be able to squeak this to you all: I'm having a short (ten minute) play performed on the 15th September.

I'm very excited. I first found about the NSC Theatre Awards 2011 four days before the deadline. Luckily, I had a short play all prepared but it was touch and go as to whether I could get an entry form emailed over and get the thing posted before the deadline. Fortunately, all worked out! Nothing for a few weeks. Then an email popped into my inbox last weekend and I prepared myself for another rejection to top off an altogether-unpleasant week. Amazingly, though, it wasn't a rejection.

As a finalist I get to have my play performed in front of a panel of judges and any members of the public who want to come along and see what I'd imagine is going to be a diverse selection of pieces. The awards are being held at the Northern Ballet in Leeds on 15th September (as I think I mentioned before!) and you can find out more about them on the NSC site.

Meanwhile, this about suits my mood. Substitute the pillow Audrey hugs at the end for an Eeyore and I swear it's me!