Graham Green

English writer and journalist, Henry Graham Green (1904-1991), was born in Herefordshire on this day 2 October 1904, regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Greene acquired a reputation early in his lifetime as a major writer, both of serious Catholic novels, and of thrillers and was shortlisted,

Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire, on this day 18th September in 1709, he was often called Dr Johnson and was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, and editor. Johnson’s father was a bookseller, he was a frail baby, plagued by disease. He contracted

Agatha Christie

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (1890 – 1976) was born on this day in 1890, she was a famous British writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirotand Miss Marple. She also wrote the world’s longest-running play, The Mousetrap, which

Poetry – Helping the Healing Process

I firmly believe that poetry can help the healing process, it is pertinent to think of this today the 20th anniversary of disaster that was 9/11. It was therefore no accident that after 9/11, poems could be found in many places, on the internet, in newspapers, magazines, books, read out on the television, radio and

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851), née Godwin, was born on this day 30 August 1797, she was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818), which is considered to be an early example of science fiction. She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and

Weekend Writing Prompt

Sammi’s challenge this weekend is to write a poem or short story in 39 words with ‘Marshal’ as the theme, see the link below: Here is mine 39 including the title, (I have taken the liberty of using ‘Marshall’ with two L’s!)

Mother Mary Teresa

Mother Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, (1910-1997) was born in Skopje North Macedonia on 26 August 1910. After living in Skopje for eighteen years, she moved to Ireland and then to India, where she lived for most of her life. Teresa was in her early years when she was fascinated by stories of the lives of missionaries

Willy Russell

Happy Birthay! William Russell was born on the outskirts of Liverpool on this day 23 August in 1947, he is a very talented dramatist, writer, lyricist and composer. He left school, aged 15 to become a hairdresser, but at 20 he decided to go to Saint Katherine’s College in Liverpool and qualified as a teacher.

Philip Arthur Larkin

Philip Larkin, (1922-85) was born on this day, August 9, 1922, in Coventry UK, he was an English poet, novelist, and librarian. He attended the City’s King Henry VIII School between 1930 and 1940, and made regular contributions to the school magazine, which he also helped to edit. He went to St. John’s College, Oxford,

Poetry is Therapeutic

Historically, poetry for healing and personal growth, goes back to ancient times when shamans conducted religious rites and chanted poetry for the well-being of the tribe or individual. The first known Poetry Therapist was a Roman physician by the name of Soranus in the first century A.D., who prescribed tragedy for his manic patients and