Apology gracefully accepted Dave, sez he who has now woken up and had his first caffeine of the
day.
Re: Speaking words.
The binding and cover materials are not bad, and the paper is a good average cartridge (I've
seen worse) BUT
Layout is abysmal, with orphaned lines on following pages, especially on Robin's Unferth and
Beowulf etc.
The choice of a sans serif face just accentuates the amateurishness of the book, as does the use
of emboldened AND underlined titles.
And as for the cover design, well unspeakable..........
Da Bear
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Bircumshaw" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 8:10 AM
Subject: Absolutely nothing to do with Arrowhead Press (was Re: Robin Hamilton - Pacts and
Conjurations - New and Selected Poems)
> Apologies to the Grumpy Grizzly Bear.
>
> My fuming about Speaking Words, dear Rambletone, is increasing by the
> minute. One of the things I have noticed that it actually bears the notice
> of copyright for the cover and layout (! - exclamation mark mine) to one
> Linda Young. What I also note is that Jonathan's afterword includes thanks
> to those who were 'tutors in the dayschools' related to the book, and
> concludes with, I quote:
> 'Thanks to the Department of English and Drama, Loughborough University, BBC
> Radio Leicester and Monks' Dyke Technology College for the use of their
> resources and space. Thanks to Loughborough University Arts Centre for their
> help with publicity. And, of course, thanks to the Awards for All scheme of
> the National Lottery who funded the project.'
>
> Now, concerning this project, Rob, my involvement consisted of being asked
> to submit up to 4 poems, which I did, and 4 poems appeared (how did you get
> 6 btw?) but I discover that people have being doing workshops (paid) and
> what not else (paid) on our backs (recall, you and I are the star turns in
> the book). Something is seriously wrong somewhere.
>
> All the Best
>
> Dave
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robin Hamilton" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 3:35 AM
> Subject: Re: Robin Hamilton - Pacts and Conjurations - New and Selected
> Poems
>
>
>> <<
>> No, I definitely haven't dared to look yet, sweetness and light, now
> you've
>> told me I am going to go round with a blazing fear of page 53, as well as
>> eating mince pies on Christmas Day.
>>
>> My point is, though, considering the amount of funding and support the
>> project has, how do they manage to make such a balls up of it, I could
> drink
>> 20 pints of cider a day for a month beforehand and still do a better job
> by
>> myself.
>> >>
>>
>> Look, dave, I know virtually everyone involved in Crystal Clear -- I
> either
>> taught them, worked with them, or drink with them. AND I was the one (no
>> fault to them) who got seriously screwed over +Speaking Words+. All you
>> have to complain about is that they published four of your poems.
>>
>> Not to your satisfaction.
>>
>> I admit that +Speaking Words+ is mildly catastrophic, but then neither you
>> nor I deigned to get involved when we were asked.
>>
>> So I think I have more right to bitch and mumble and groan than you.
>>
>> One thing i +do+ know is that CC isn't in it for the money or the kudos.
>>
>> A reason why, mickey mouse as it is, Phantom Rooster is run on a
> shoestring
>> is that I take money from no one. I learned that lesson years ago in
>> Glasgow -- the +only+ way you can guarantee to escape censorship is to
>> control every sodding bit of the production process, from printing to
>> distribution.
>>
>> ... and you don't kick against the pricks.
>>
>> I'd rather light a candle than curse the darkness.
>>
>> Robin
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