NEW BOOK FROM JOHN HARTLEY

Chris McDermott is hoping to have one of his murder mystery plays on at the Pump House this November. Please see left for poster, which was designed by Chris's friend, Jo Emery.

Jo emery and the director, Haydn Davis, are still looking for three actors i.e.  Edith/Camilla, Ronnie (female), and Robin.

Below is the dramatis personae list for your perusal.  

Ronnie and Robin would be in their late twenties/early thirties  and the other character i.e. Camilla or Edith, should be old enough to be their mother, or at least their father's new lover! 

If you think you, or anyone else connected with Watford Writers, might know of anyone, either directly or indirectly, who might be interested, please let Chris know. Chris would be ever so grateful, as we're sure the director will be! 

If the director feels it is necessary, it might be that we could look at the script with a view to changing a gender, 

Contact: 

Chris McDermott 

Tel: 07903 704845.

E: benhannick@aol.com 

Privately published in 2010 as Four Wheeling, and then retitled and republished in 2016 as Turning Corners: Drives of a Lifetime, Brian Bold has revisited his seminal work and has produced an extended edition entitled Turning Extra Corners. The new edition comes with a separate technical companion which is also available.

We relive classic moments through travelogues involving more than twenty cars - episodes that include events as benchmarks: Brian's first drive home from work in a car that decided to vent smoke on the A40; a troublesome journey to The Cavern in Liverpool at the start of Beatlemania on the same day as JFK's assasination; and days of the open road of minor roads and emerging motorways. 

The stories and ancedotes come thick and fast, often hilarious, and always delivered in a personal narrative. 

Brian's books are available through Amazon:

Turning Extra Corners

Turning Extra Corners - Technical Companion

See all Brian's books in our Bookshop. 

The good news for Melville just keeps on coming this summer. 

Melville's poem, First Day at School, has just been published on page 67 of a Manchester poetry anthology entitled The Buzzin Bards 2026.

You can read Melville's poem below.

Well done Melville.

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JULY 2026

NATIONAL POETRY LIBRARY ACCEPTS MELVILLE'S COLLECTIONS

It's many congratulations to Melville Lovatt who has received news that two of his poetry collections, Dancing For England and Reasons To Be Cheerful have been accepted by the National Poetry Library as part of their general collection.

In a letter confirming acceptance, the National Poetry Library's Acquistions Panel said,

'The National Poetry Library receives between two and three hundred new items every month and we are not able to accept everything that is sent for the collection. The Acquisitions Panel meets regularly to look through the unsolicited books that have been sent for both donation and payment and to make a decision on whether to accept them for the collection. No decision is taken lightly and as a result the process can take many weeks.

On this occasion the panel has decided to accept these publications.

We appreciate your bringing this new material to our attention. It helps us ensure that we keep track of new developments and publications, as well as offer people who use the library an up-to-date idea of contemporary poetry.' 

In a busy week, Melville reports that he has also been featured in the Hatch End Summer 2026 Bulletin.

For details on how to purchase copies of Melville's books, please visit our BOOKSHOP page. Reasons to be Cheerful is Melville's latest poetry book published in the summer of 2025. A no-nonsense collection covering a wonderful and at times, poignant, selection of life's experiences and observations.