ON NOT BEING BLUE, AND GETTING BEYOND IT...!

When the independent publisher Bluechrome agreed to publish my collection of short stories, Leading the Dance, I was delighted. I have always loved the idea of people who are slightly outside the norm, and who are prepared to take risks, and all for the sake of Art. And Bluechrome was all of that.

Put that with the list of authors they were publishing, and then the way they published Messages, my collaboration with the brilliant Lynne Rees and its little sister, Your Messages, and it seemed like a real winner.

So much energy, so much talent, so much FUN!

But then sadly as has been reported elsewhere things went wrong, and bluechrome disappeared literally over night. Leaving authors without books, unsure, angry, puzzled and demotivated. I was one of the lucky ones, my books had already been published, and the charity Lynne and I had selected - the Kids Co - got their money, but it was still heartbreaking. Too much potential and dreams ruined for nothing.

I think that many of us didn't like to say anything at the time. Anthony who ran bluechrome was chaotic, disorganised, always behind himself. But he was also lovely. He wouldn't let us down, would he?

It seemed he would. And by the time we realised just what had happened, many of us were just too exhausted and disappointed to go on the warpath.

So it is FANTASTIC to see something good coming from it all.

One of the bluechrome queen writers, Sue Guiney has organised a special reading to help us put it all behind us.

Beyond Blue: A Reading by Bluechrome Authors


Bluechrome writers who will be there, either to read or just to lend their support are, among others, Ruth O'Callaghan, Patrick Osada, Joe Stein, Sue Rose, Jim Bennett, Patricia Debney, Leah Fritz, Adele Ward, Carolyn Oulton.

Sadly, I won't be able to be there, but I have heard many of the authors and poets on the reading list and they are really worth a listen, so it is with pleasure and a lot of nudging, that I encourage you to attend. And to buy the books - collectors items at the very least!

Thursday, 22 April 6.30 pm
St Benet's Church
Queen Victoria Street EC4