Curlew Sunset – launched
Hi folks,
Well, despite the dazzling sunrise over the estuary below, it’s a very quiet, still morning here on Halkyn Mauntain, chilly too with intimations of the coming winter, frosty windscreens and roofs on parked cars, etc.
But I have news for you about my debut haikai collection Curlew Sunset published by Cestrian Press.
Charlotte Digregorio, the American author and poet, ran a book announcement about it in a special issue of her brilliant Daily Haiku blog on 10th May 2023. And now the book has been formally launched here in Wales, at the best possible venue, Gladstone’s Library, Hawarden. And what a wonderful event it was, complete with a celebratory cake with the book’s stunning cover photographically reproduced on the icing by a very clever baker.
The event was excellently MC-ed by Kemal Houghton, Chair of Chester Poets and Chair of the Wirral Poetry Festival. Thank you so much, Kemal.
Tom Robinson, the Chester singer-songwriter, was simply wonderful, his songs touching our hearts, especially The World Keeps Turning, so relevant to current conflicts in the news. His two 20-minute sets were a huge success with much whooping and applause from the audience. Huge thanks, Tom.
Four fellow poets, Maureen Weldon (my darling partner), Mike Penney, Peter Jones and Kemal Houghton did 5-minutes readings of their own work, much applauded by the audience. Many thanks to you all.
I followed Tom with two 20-minute readings from my book, realising all over again that in Curlew Sunset, with its ten themed sections, I really have produced a sort of haikai memoir. The applause from the very receptive audience was most heartening.
Finally, another huge thankyou. This time to Caroline (Kemal’s wife) for looking after the book stall so well. All those buying my book wanted me to sign it for them, and it was a pleasure doing so.
.
.
Copyright © Paul Beech 2023
Grandy's Landing 
Wow, the “Tom Robinson”?!
Sounds like a great launch, I used to help organise some myself, so can realise what went into this behind the scenes and on the day!
Big congrats!
warm regards,
Alan
p.s.
Is it available outside Japan?
https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-02-9780904448658
Hi Alan, and many thanks for commenting.
Just to be clear, the Tom Robinson who sang so beautifully at my book launch was not a professional musician but a very gifted amateur who lives in Chester, Cheshire.
But a great launch it certainly was. And yes, my book, ‘Curlew Sunset’ is available outside Japan!!
If you could email me your postal address privately at paulbeech@msn.com , I’d be delighted to whiz you a complimentary copy.
Best always,
Paul
Wow, thank you, and a great idea to have live music at a spoken word event as well!
warm regards,
Alan
Days have passed since Paul’s Book Launch at Gladstone’s Library N Wales.
Of course the Book Launch was for Curlew Sunset Paul’s amazing book of haikai poems, he has called these poems a memoir of his life so far.
It was a joyful evening including a cake with a photo of Curlew Sunset on the icing.
Lots of books were sold. And I felt so happy and proud of you my darling Paul.
From, Maureen xxx
Thank you, my darling Maureen.
Yes, what a joyful evening it was, my book launch, with Tom’s songs, the poetry readings, and of course the cake! Delicious, wasn’t it, with barely a crumb left over.
Huge thanks, my darling, for all your support from the planning stage right through to the event itself; how well you kept me on the right track. And I must say I enjoyed your five-minute reading very much, especially ‘La Valse’. That “old poet man”!
With all my love always,
Your Paul xxx
Dear Paul,
Congratulations on the new book and celebration of it cake and all. Will you post some of the haiku here or how may I purchase a copy? Trust you and Maureen and your mountain are well, as am I as I grow old.
Your mountain poet friend,
Donna
Hi Donna,
Lovely to hear from you, and many thanks for the congratulations.
Yes, Maureen and I are both fine, our mountain too, despite the torrential rain this morning and the estuary below shrouded in mist. As for growing old… well, Maureen and I are not exactly spring chickens ourselves!
My haikai collection ‘Curlew Sunset’, published by Cestrian Press, runs to 83 pages and is in ten themed sections, all containing haibun and most with haiku and tanka too. I think of it as a sort of haikai memoir.
If you could email me privately at paulbeech@msn.com with your postal address, I’ll send you a complimentary copy of my book.
From one mountain poet to another,
Take care,
Paul
Congratulations on your book launch Paul. It sounded a wonderful event. I have my copy on my bedside table and found it inspirational when putting my own (almost finshed) interactive ebook together. I love your title too although with the loss of so many breeding curlew it’s a little poignant. But then so are parts of your book especially those about your ‘kid bro’. A beautiful book to treasure. Brilliant!
Hi Clive, and many thanks for your congratulations on my book launch.
I regard ‘Curlew Sunset’ as a sort of haikai memoir. And, as explained in the intro, its title derives from my sequence ‘Curlew Sunset’, the penultimate haiku of which was featured on Charlotte Digregorio’s brilliant ‘Daily Haiku’ blog on 17th October 2017.
But yes, you’re right, there is a certain poignancy about parts of my book, especially the section titled ‘Kid Bro’. Very sadly, “kid bro”, actually my brother Brian, two years my junior, died this year, on Tuesday 18th April, just a few days before my 76th birthday.
Your interactive ebook sounds an exciting project and my partner Maureen and I wish you every success with it.
My very best always,
Paul
Hi Paul,
Wishing you continued success with your book.
As to my own if you have an iPad/iPhone or other Apple device I can send you a preview. It is in the form of an ePub file that because of its multimedia content is only available as a download for Apple Books.
Let me know and I will mail you a copy.
Best
Clive
Hi Clive, and thank you.
I’m pleased to say that ‘Curlew Sunset’ is doing well.
Thanks also for offering to send me a preview of your forthcoming multimedia i-book. It sounds amazing but unfortunately my technology is nowhere near as advanced as yours and I wouldn’t be able to access it.
Wishing you every success with it anyway,
Take care,
Paul
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your kind words.
Yes writing a book with multimedia content has restricted my potential audience somewhat but I really wanted to include birdsongs and video with my haiku/haibun so there was no real choice other than Apple!
Hope the sun is shining there on Halkyn mountain today. We have our first snow on the tops of the Carneddu!
All the best to you and Maureen.
Take Care
Clive