I'm busy, and that's good

I know it’s a Sunday, don’t panic, you’ve not accidentally bopped your head on the kitchen counter and found yourself in a daze midweek. I just wanted to send out a little note to say how much I’ve enjoyed sharing A Place To Be with everyone since it came out.

If you don’t know what I’m on about, A Place To Be is my zine, and Pellicle’s first print publication. It’s a collection of short stories (some call them “vignettes”, I will let you call them what you want) about drinking in liminal spaces — spaces I’ve been in myself, or that I invented in my head

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To share it, I’ve been travelling around the country to read from it aloud. I had no idea how much I’d enjoy this. I used to get stage fright at school, to the point where I gave up playing my musical instruments and fainted doing talks at the front of the class in English. I suppose the difference here is that I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve put into A Place To Be, I know everything about it inside out because it’s something I created, and I’ve been very grateful to have audiences who ask the most interesting and thoughtful questions about zinemaking and the stories themselves. Thank you to The Crow in Sheffield and Kerroo Brewing in Port Erin, Isle of Man for hosting my first two events. They were brilliant, I loved doing them.

I’ve been writing this newsletter for going on 7 years now, and there are now 1000 of you receiving it directly into your inboxes. That is mindblowing to me. A Place To Be began life as a collection of stories written in this very newsletter — over the past year the project grew and changed, but it was The Gulp that led and inspired me to make my first solo published project. That means you are part of the zine. Thank you for being here!

If you haven’t got a copy of A Place To Be, please consider supporting my writing by treating yourself to one! You can pick one up here for £10 + postage.

I get commission from every zine sold, and each zine sold also supports Pellicle, the magazine I work for as assistant editor. If you’re not familiar with our independent writing on pub culture, beer, wine, cider and food, please have a read — it’ll be exactly what you’re looking for this afternoon.

My next A Place To Be events are coming up soon. Please come along if you can — they are free to attend and all are welcome. If you would like accessibility info or advice for either of them, please let me know and I’ll try to help as best I can.

• Thursday 3 April, 7pm — Runaway Brewery & Taproom, Stockport

• Saturday 12 April, 4pm — Caps and Taps, London

*You’ll be able to buy A Place To Be from me in person at both of these events*

Hope to see you soon!! xox