September 2008 Valerie Laws had a sellout success with her play The Selkie at York Theatre Royal's Studio on Feb 13th 2008

September 2008 Jackie Kay's Radio play The Lamplighter will be published by Bloodaxe later this year. Darling her New and Selected Poems is availble now. YSJ's former student, folk singer, song-writer, fiddler, Bella Hardy, who sang at Berlie Dohertie's riverlines event has a new album Night Visiting. She featured on the cover of the December 2007 froots magazine and the 2008 Proms in the Albert Hall.

July 2007 Patience Agbabi (riverelines 2004) is engaged in an extensive performance and educational programme and will be airing new works from her forthcoming collection - Bloodshot Monochrome (Cannongate).

July 2007 Jean Binta Breeze (riverlines 2006)recently performed at the Abolition of Slavery memorial event at the British Museum and a commission for the Royal Opera House based on Hogarth's 'A Rake's Progress'. Her new collection - The Fifth Figure is available from Bloodaxe.

February 2007 Local poet Oz Hardwick has his latest collection of poetry 'Carrying Fire' published soon and the book will be available from www.bluechrome.co.uk. There will be a fine launch with music at The Bar Convent, 17 Blossom Street, York on Wednesday 2nd August at 7pm, tickets are £4.50 (to include light refreshments). Bookings can be made at the venue, or by calling 01904 643238 or emailing info@bar-convent.org.uk. Oz hopes to see as many faces old and new who can join him at the event.

October 2006 Look out for the following new books by past speakers: Jean 'Binta' Breeze has a new collection out with Bloodaxe The Fifth Figure Valerie Laws new poetry collection Counting Sheep has just been published by Peterloo Poets Jackie Kay's new volume of short stories Wish You were Here is now available.

July 2006 Fiona Shaw's novel 'The Picture She Took' is now availble in paperback, published by Virago at £7.99. The precis of the story courtesy of Virago follows: How far will a man go in war? And how far will a woman go to bring him back? In a bombed-out village, on the Western Front, Jude nurses the wounded in her cellar hospital. War is the making of her, and she records all she can, taking photographs of everything, capturing life in the midst of death. Survivor of a very different conflict, Daniel has come home from Ireland a haunted man. Signed up to the hated Black and Tans, he is disfigured by a campaign he fought in but didn't understand. A few years later an innocent photograph exposes an extraordinary tale. A chance snapshot, two soldiers sharing a cigarette, brings together Jude and Daniel and propels them on a strange journey. People travel a long way from themselves in battle and some never return. This searching, beautiful novel is about the wars we wage against others and against ourselves; it is a powerful story of memory, flight and desire.

May 2005 We were so sorry to hear of the death of Julia Darling. She gave a wonderful talk at riverlines in December 2003 about her work as a novelist, poet and playwright. She read from Sudden Collapses in Public Places. This and a subsequent volume of poetry is available form Arc publilcations. Her website has many moving tributes and links to obituaries from previous riverlines readers Jackie Kay (Guardian) and Sean O'Brien (Independent). Her weblog shows how she was actively writing, producing new plays and innovative work until the end. Jackie Kay's new volume of poetry Life Mask, from which she was reading at our March event this year, is now available from Bloodaxe Poets. April 2005 U.A. Fanthorpe's Collected Poems is out now, available from the publisher post free. Hardback £25.00, paperback £15.00 (Peterloo Poets, The Old Chapel, Sand Lane, Calstock, Cornwall, PL18 9QX). Pat Borthwick has a new collection Swim out now from Mudfog. Contact pat@riverlines.org for details. August 2004 R.V. Bailey who read with U.A. Fanthorpe at riverlines April 2004, has a first full collection out with Peterloo Poets called Marking Time. July 2004 The novel Berlie Doherty introduced us to when she spoke at riverlines in March 2004, Deep Secret has just come out in paperback, and is on the shortlist for the Book Trust Teenage Fiction Award. She has new book out this month called The Starburster. She has been to California to receive the Phoenix Award for Jeannie of White Peak Farm. The award was given by the Children's Literature Association for a book written 20 years ago. Berlie's adaptation of Granny was a Buffer Girl (playscript published by Collins Playsplus) was staged at the Sheffield Crucible Studio Theatre by Tapton School as part of Sheffield's Children's Festival. In the Crucible Theatre main house there was a world premier production of the opera Daughter of the Sea, based on her novel. She worked with composer Richard Chew, and performers included the Lindsay Quartet. For further information about these and the musical life of her story Blue John also read at riverlines see Berlie's website. June 2004 Jack Mapanje, who led our evening of African poetry in September 2000, our first year of riverlines events, has recently been poet in residence at Dove Cottage Wordsworth and has a new volume out Last of the Sweet Bananas. Jack was imprisoned without trial or charge by the dictator Hastings Banda of Malawi for four years. His poems show a search for a sense of dignity and integrity under that repressive regime, and since his release concern themselves with the continuing African liberation struggle in a hostile world. Despite the seriousness of the subject matter 'they are lifted by the generosity of spirit and irrepressible humour which epled him through his prison ordeal' (Poetry Book Society Bulletin Summer 2004). This and other poetry books will be available from a new online facility created by the Poetry Book Society. Simon Armitage introduces the 20 poets chosen as The Next Generation Poets in the Guardian Weekend (05/06/04). They include two recent riverlines performers Patience Agbabi and Sophie Hannah. Simon, who was one of the selectors of this promotion and a previous 'New Generation Poet' has lots of interesting things to say about contemporary poetry in this four page feature. May 2004 Congratulation to Pat Borthwick for winning second prize in the international Petra Kenny Competition. Older news  •  The Australian poet Les Murray who read to a packed house at riverlines in June 2002 is the subject of a major profile in the Guardian Review (15/05/04). His New Collected Poems are available from Carcanet.  •  John Mole who came to riverlines two years ago to do an evening of poetry and jazz with John Lucas has recently been the Poetry Society's Poet in the City. Read all about it at this website.  •  Adele Geras, who was our guest speaker last year with her daughter Sophie Hannah, is a regular reviewer of children's books in the Guardian Saturday review. The book she introduced then, Facing the Light, is now out in paperback.  •  Simon Armitage read us a section of a new book when he came to riverlines in 2003. This is now published by Viking entitled The White Stuff. An extract is available on his website  •  Julia Darling's novel The Taxi Driver's Daughter has been shortlisted for the Encore Award for best second novel. She will be appearing in May at Beverley Literature festival. For further details of recent radio plays and other news visit her website  •  For details of the contributions made by Katrina Porteus and Sean O'Brien to the 'Bigwords' concert at the Live Theatre Newcastle visit this website.

---- If you have any news about past speakers from the riverlines programme - new publications, further events, etc, please send an email to pastspeakers@riverlines.org