MIKE ACHIEVES A PODIUM PLACE AT PEN TO PRINT POETRY 2025/26

27 JULY 2026

It's many congratulations to Mike Lansdown who has achieved a podium place for his poem Adrift at the Pen to Print Poetry Competition 2025/26.

At our zoom meeting on 27 July, Mike said, '

I was thrilled to receive the award, which although the certificate says "runner-up" my placing was actually third! Adrift was a poem that I had originally written for another competition on the theme of Youth. It was an interesting trip to Barking in East London to receive the award.'

You can read Mike's poem below.

NATIONAL POETRY LIBRARY ACCEPTS MELVILLE'S COLLECTIONS

JULY 2026

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.

Watford Writers at the OVEG Summer Fayre

13 June 2026

It was a wonderful dry sunny day at the Oxhey Village Environmental Group's Summer Fayre, and the Watford Writers stall was strewn with information and books. Our stall was arranged by Pat Simpson, ably assisted by Caroline Osborne and Jenny Sutch.

Pat said,

'It was a good day. We did sell some books and all the children's lucky dip as well as some of the adults lucky dip. We also had quite a few potential members who took some of the Writers information sheets.'

Our sincere thanks to Pat, Caroline and Jenny.

Our John Hartley is published!

18 April 2026

It's congratulations to John Hartley, who's poem has been published by I Love North Shields.

John said,

'This poem serves as a bit of a teaser for the novel I’ve written which has just been scrutinised and critiqued by the Kids Lit group, and is the basis for lyrics for one of the songs I have written for the soundtrack to the book too.'

A whole heartfelt congratulations from all of us all at Watford Writers. We all look forward to reading your novel.

To read John's poem, please click on the logo shown to the right.

Bold white text on black background reading 'I Love North Shields.'

ALL ABOUT THE BOOK

23 MARCH and 13 APRIL 2026

At our Zoom meeting on 23 March and meeting in the Quaker's Hall on 13 April, we heard from group members with recommended reads and how their selection may be influencing their writing or enjoyment of writing. Here is the list of selected books:

Focus by Arthur Miller (selected by Andrea Neidle)
Circle of Days by Ken Follett (selected by Jan Rees)
And Sleep Until Noon by Gene Lees (selected by Oliver Lomax)
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (selected by Francoise Battin)
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki (selected by Sumi Watters)
Interesting Stories about Curious Words: From Stealing Thunder to Red Herrings by Susie Dent (selected by Chris McDermott)
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (selected by Susan Bennett)
A West Indian in England by H.D. Carberry and Dudley Thompson (selected by Lesley Kerr)
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (selected by Caroline Osborne)
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman (selected by Joanna Bawa)

Also mentioned:

Daily Life in Wartime Japan 1940 - 1945 by Samuel Hideo Yamashita (selected by Sumi Watters)
Hotel Exile: Paris in the Shadow of War by Jane Rogoyska (selected by Ian Welland)
UPROAR!: Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London by Alice Loxton (selected by Ian Welland and Susan Bennett)

Many thanks to all who contributed.

Our Chris is published in academic journal

11 February 2026

It's many congratulations to Chris McDermott who has achieved publication in the International Journal of Excellence in Smart Learning with his academic article: An Analysis of the Significance of Emotional Intelligence in the Professional Life of a Headteacher.

This article focuses on the importance of emotional intelligence in the professional lives of headteachers, based on their responses to survey questions and interviews, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data. Chris was motivated by a concern to give those being surveyed a voice, whilst recognizing the importance of emotional intelligence in their working lives. The structure of the survey and interviews is built on the concept that emotional intelligence relates to both intra-personal and inter-personal factors.

You can download a copy of Chris's paper but clicking on the link above or photo right.

You can also access the papers via the journal link IJESL V2(I1) which has been published today.

You can view the published papers via this link: https://kneopen.com/issue/ijesl/602/

Congratulations to Mike on the new poetry book

2 February 2026

Excellent news! - Mike's anthology of thirty five poems is published and now available.

Mike says:

'Ffenestri is the Welsh word for windows. The name reflects both my Welsh heritage and the fact poetry, like windows, affords us a variety of views of the world we live in. What we see from a window depensd very much on its shape and size, on th eloaction of the building, on the season, time of day, and so on, and also on our own mood and frame of mind at the time. In a smilar way, poetry allows us to see human experiences - whether they be mundane or exceptional - in a different light, to refreame events that shape our lives and to express them in other, sometimes unexpected ways.'

The anthology is dedicated to the memory of Helen Nicell, co-founder and late leader of Watford Writers, with all proceeds being donated to Mount Vernon Cancer Centre.

Price: £4.98 + 2p for signature!

Books can be ordered from Mike direct: mike.lansdown@hotmail.co.uk

IAN'S SECOND NOVEL IS LAUNCHED!

5 JANUARY 2026

The long awaited second novel in a trilogy of memoirs of Edward Stanton-Ross, 3rd Earl of Hanwell, is here!

'It's Friday 15 September 1916. Western Front, Flers, Somme, France. The Great War is entering its third year. Trench warfare and a strategy of attrition is inflicting senseless losses. Captain Edward Stanton-Ross, 3rd Earl of Hanwell, has led his comrades in arms over the top.'

Ian says,

'After the success of Duty of Candour in November 2023, I decided I needed to take my time in writing the second instalment. There were so many "loose ends" and unanswered questions. Edward Stanton-Ross is an intelligent but stubborn man and I felt it was time to address some of the jagged edges of his character. Writing the scenes involving the trenches has meant a great deal of research but also soul-searching as a writer - such scenes are not easy to write. I believe I have achieved a credible story.'

The novel, published by The Altair Press, was launched at Watford Writers on 5 January 2026, and all proceeds from book sales shall be donated to Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care in Watford.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE (left) TO PURCHASE COPIES

or Email Ian: ianwelland@hotmail.co.uk

NEWS FROM ANDREA

NOVEMBER 2025

It's many congratulations to Andrea!

Andrea has been interviewed by L'Dor V'Dor - translated from Hebrew this means "from generation to generation". This magazine, from the Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue, has a wide circulation and reaches about 1900 families.

The interview, which also mentions Watford Writers, can be read in full by downloading the file below, which also includes two of Andrea's poems that also appeared in the magazine: The Wailing Wall and The Candle.

JOHN HARTLEY ACHIEVES 2nd PLACE - WELL DONE JOHN!

October 2025

This year the fiction category for the Southland Arts Centre, West Drayton (near Uxbridge), had a theme of the weather. Writers were invited to choose any weather, maybe sunshine, or criminally cold – the choice was endless; or leave it to fate by spinning the Southlands weather vane on a weather box!

And it's congratulations to Watford Writers' very own John Hartley who achieved 2nd place with his incredible entry, Minus One. You can download and read John's story by clicking here.

PAT CONTRIBUTES TO NEW BOOK: A DANCE THROUGH HISTORY

5 August 2025

A new book A Dance Through History, is to be published in September; and, it's many congratulations to our Pat Simpson who has contributed to the historical background.

Published by The Endless Bookcase, the book tells the story of English Country Dancing, which has been around for nearly 600 years and still thriving at Barn Dances and Ceilidhs. It has been enjoyed by all levels of society from Royal Courts and fashionable balls to Village Halls and Farm Kitchens. This book traces the history of this dance form, the changes that have taken place and attempts to put it all in context with information about what was happening historically and what people were wearing at the time. Fully illustrated throughout this book is the perfect introduction to an often ignored part of England’s cultural heritage. There are also instructions given for eighteen different dances as examples of the changing styles and how they still survive to be danced to this day.

Mike Ruff, the principal author is carrying out launch events at:

Abbots Langley Library: 18th September
Stevenage Museum: 12th and 20th September

For more details and to order a copy, please click here.

RAVE REVIEW FOR OLIVER'S NEW BOOK

28 July 2025

Watford Writers' Oliver Lomax has received a glowing four-star review for his new book, Sophisticated Harmony: The Lives and Music of the Great British Arrangers.

Published by Vocalion, this fascinating book focuses on six British arrangers who worked on London’s thriving music scene of the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Arrangers were once the backbone of the music business. They were the ones behind the scenes – the archetypal backroom boys – who spent hours in solitude, often working to crushing deadlines, scribbling notes onto score paper which would subsequently be heard in myriad contexts: behind a singer or vocal group; or as an accompaniment to comedians, variety acts, all types of pop group, contestants on gameshows … You name it, and the arrangers had to be able to score it, in any style and for any instrumental combination – for TV, radio, documentaries, films, theatre, records – and it always had to be good and delivered on time. In other words, they had to be completely flexible and utterly professional.

This is a vivid account of a fascinating era of music-making, given from the arrangers’ perspective – the people who were at the heart of the music business and the wider entertainment industry.

Our congratulations to Oliver on his achievement.

READ the LIGHT MUSIC SOCIETY REVIEW HERE

To purchase a copy, please click here.

For enquiries about our group, please Email: Mike Lansdown mike.lansdown@hotmail.co.uk

Group members are respectfully asked when contributing to meetings either in written form or verbally, or entering our competitions, not to use potentially harmful derogatory terms, words, themes, or language, likely to cause offence.

In all submissions or discussions we would encourage group members to ask themselves if they align with the following guiding principle of being: True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind to all.

DISCLAIMER:

The ownership of all works uploaded on this website belongs to the author and does NOT represent or reflect the views of Watford Writers as a whole.

WATFORD WRITERS was founded in February 2005.