THE KATES HILL PRESS, DUDLEY,
ENGLAND
PREVIOUS NEWS STORIES 2004
Previous items from The Kates Hill Press news page are listed below, most recent first.
29/12/04: BILLY
SPAKEMON DECEMBER LOCAL HERO IN THE MAIL
For supporting his wife Susan through 10 years of breast cancer treatment Billy
Spakemon was named the Evening Mail's Local hero for December. Susan said
of him "He has always been my rock as he is a very unselfish
man." His efforts last June raised £2,500 for Sandwell General
Breast Clinic.
10/12/04: MUSIC AND
POETRY EVENT AT THE LAMP
Billy Spakemon and Gary O'Dea are putting together an event of poetry and music
to promote the current and socially relevant artistic endeavour in the
area. The event is to take place at The Lamp Tavern in Dudley on Friday
11th February 2005. Details will be published when they are
available. The Kates Hill Press will have a stall at this gig.
09/12/04: PLETHORA OF
EVENTS IN NEW YEAR
The first few months of 2005 promises to be an interesting time with a plethora
of poetry and music events coming up. See the Events page for details.
09/12/04: NEXT TIME
FOR TOSSIE?
Tossie Patrick unfortunately lost her battle with flu and was unable to get
along to the Barlow. She hopes to be in attendance at the next meeting in
January.
06/12/04: BILLY
SPAKEMON IN TV DEBATE
Billy Spakemon today took part in a debate about Meera Syal's book Anita and
Me. He was able to make points about the Black Country dialect and how it is
under threat. The programme is to go out on 17th January 2005.
Watch the events page for details.
29/11/04:
TOSSIE TO READ AT LANGLEY?
There is a strong possibility that Tossie Patrick will read at the next poetry
evening at the Barlow Theatre in Oldbury, 9th December. Watch this
space.
21/11/04:
NETHERTON GIG RAISES £550.00
The gig at Netherton Arts Centre featuring Billy Spakemon, Dave Bartley, Keith
Whitehouse, Ken Perry and Alf raised £550.00 for Leabrook House in Tipton. Gary
O'Dea appeared playing harmonica to accompany Billy.
12/11/04: A
PACK OF SAFTNESS NOW AVAILABLE
The new comic novel by Greg Stokes, A Pack Of Saftness, is now available.
A Pack Of Saftness is a spoof detective novel set in a fictitious Black Country
republic, independent of England, known affectionately as the BC. A Pack
of Saftness introduces Inspector H McDonald - Riffy H - head of homicide of the
BCPD.
The caper follows Riffy H as he pursues a serial killer who is wasting members
of the local ecological group Green Henry like it is going out of fashion and
the fact the local crime syndicate are involved in a cultural exchange with the
New York mafia only clouds the issue.
A Pack Of Saftness, being part one of The Pantechnicon, is... a right ruddy
pack of saftness.
A5 paperback, comb bound. Illustrated by Black Country dialect poet Billy
Spakemon
£5.50 (70p p&p) ISBN 1 904552 06 4
Royalties from this
book go to Breast Cancer Care and the Breast Clinics at Sandwell General
Hospital, and City Hospital Birmingham.
16/11/04: From ‘Events’ Page
Tuesday 16th November
2004, 7.45 pm Billy Spakemon at the Barlow Theatre, Langley as part of Langley
poetry and music group. Open mike, £3.00 admission.
12/11/04: From ‘In The Pipeline’ Page
A PACK OF SAFTNESS
Greg Stokes has completed a spoof detective novel set in a fictitious Black
Country independent of England. The lead character is Riffy H McDonald,
head of homicide of the BCPD. The caper follows Riffy H as he pursues a serial
killer who is wasting members of the local ecological group Green Henry like
its going out of fashion and the fact that the local crime syndicate are
involved in a cultural exchange with the New York mafia only clouds the issue.
Yes, A Pack of Saftness is a pack of saftness. Billy Spakemon is currently
producing a series of cartoons for the book which will be published in 2004.
Greg Stokes is working on a second Riffy H novel, "Brierley Hill's
Cop".
"Gil had been standing on Fifth Avenue unable to move for
people.
'There's more than five bloody families here, kid,' he'd told Gerry."
A Pack of Saftness.
10/11/04:
EVENTS AND LINKS PAGE UP AND RUNNING
The new events and links page is now up and running. This will be updated
regularly and new links added. Check it out by clicking on Events/Links
in the side menu.
08/11/04: GARY
O'DEA DISCUSSES FUTURE PROJECT
Greg Stokes met with local musician Gary O'Dea tonight to discuss the Kates
Hill Press publishing his work on the music scene in the Black Country from
1974 to 1981 when it is completed. The book will be in A4 comb bound
format. The opening chapter is the current story of the week.
07/11/04: BILLY
SPAKEMON ON CARL CHINN SHOW
Billy Spakemon and fellow dialect poet Dave Bartley appeared on the Carl Chinn
show this afternoon speaking about the vibrant dialect poetry scene that is
emerging in the Black Country. Their passion for the heritage that is our
native tongue shone through.
03/11/04: NEW
EVENTS AND LINKS WEB PAGE
Largely in response to Billy Spakemon's increasing list of gigs, in the next
week or so a new page will be added to this site listing forthcoming events and
links to other sites of possible interest.
03/10/04: BILLY'S TURN THIS WIK
Following Greg Stokes appearance on the Carl Chinn Show, it is the turn of
Billy Spakemon to put in an appearance this week.
Sunday 7th November 2004, BBC Radio WM 95.6 FM
31/10/04: GREG
STOKES ON CARL CHINN
Greg Stokes was on the Carl Chinn Show on BBC Radio WM this afternoon either
side of the 3 o'clock news. He spoke of the founding of The Kates Hill
Press as a vehicle for A Witness For Peace and the subsequent publication of
other local authors. After the news he discussed the new Black Country
Calssics series particularly Metallum Martis and its illustrious author Dud
Dudley.
24/10/04: GREG
STOKES TO APPEAR ON CARL CHINN SHOW 31/10/04
Greg Stokes is to appear on the Carl Chinn Show Sunday next, 31st October 2004
at approximately 2.30.
21/10/04: BILLY
SPAKEMON AT TIPTON TORY CLUB
Billy Spakemon appeared at Tipton Conservative Club tonight alongside fellow
dialect poets and raconteurs Dave Bartley, Ken Perry, Keith Whitehouse, and
Alf. Each artist did two sets each. Proceeds on the night went to
Leabrook House. An enjoyable and successful venture raised £170.00
24/09/04: GHOST
VOICES REPRINT
Barry Morris's book, Ghost Voices, about his experiences in Vietnam with the UN
has almost sold out. This was a joint venture in which Barry financed
production of a stylish paperback while The Kates Hill Press published
it. Every penny taken from this title was sent to Amnesty
International. The Kates Hill Press intend to re issue this title as a comb
bound book some time in 2005.
21/09/04: BILLY
SPAKEMON GIG
"FIVE BLOKES THUT CANT UN GAG" is a Black Country Charity Night to be
held at Netherton Arts Centre, Northfield Road, Netherton on Saturday 20th
November 2004, 7.30 for 8.00 start.
It is an to be an 'Evening of Poems, Songs & Banter' involving Billy,
Alfie, Ken, Dave and Keith.
Admission £2.00, tickets available from Billy Spakemon on 0121 552 4201,
email dakinbrian@hotmail.com or
Dave Bartley on 0121 557 2931
Proceeds from the night go to Leabrook House Nursing Home, Tipton..
20/09/04: KATES HILL
PRESS BACK
Being a small press has the advantage of being able to follow your passions
regarding publishing. It has the disadvantage of being easily derailed by
family crises. My mother's stroke in June has put things on hold.
Gladly she is home now and making a good recovery. It is hoped the pre
Christmas publication of A Pack of Saftness can be kept.
20/07/04:
THE HAIRY MOUSE NOW AVAILABLE
Clarice Hackett's latest novel, The Hairy Mouse is now available. Set in
the Black Country at the turn of the 19/20th century. Two industrialists
want their offspring to marry. But they have other ideas. For full
synopsis click here.
Publication Details
The Hairy Mouse
A5 comb bound book, 164 pages
ISBN 1 904552 05 6 (£6.00, 80p p&p)
10/06/04: From ‘In
The Pipeline’ Page.
THE HAIRY MOUSE
A second novel from Clarice Hackett set at the turn of the 19th and 20th
centuries telling of two entrepreneurs who join forces to open a new coal mine.
They want to keep it in the family so a marriage is planned between their
offspring. But a complex web of deceit emerges involving questions of
spiritualism, inheritance and love. In short, another brilliant piece of
writing from Clarice Hackett describing in vivid fashion a bye gone Black
Country.
For a full synopsis of The Hairy Mouse click here.
"'Etty', it said urgently. 'Etty it's me, Emily, your mother.
Speak to me Etty or the contact will be lost.'"
The Hairy Mouse
04/06/04: FOUR DWELLINGS FAYRE CONFIRMED
The local history fayre organised by Quinton Local History Society has been
confirmed. The event will take place on Saturday 10th July at Four
Dwellings School, 11 to 4.
02/06/04: GREG STOKES AT ALDRIDGE TANGENT
Greg Stokes was guest speaker tonight at Aldridge Tangent. Stokes spoke
about the formation of The Kates Hill Press and the art of story telling.
Money raised was donated to Dudley Autistic Support Group.
19/05/04: THE GULF NOW AVAILABLE
The Gulf, a
collection of short stories by Greg Stokes, is now available. The stories
are in pairs on a common theme, one set in the Arabian Gulf and one in the
Black Country. The first five including the title story span both
locations.
For synopsis of The Gulf click here
Publication Details
The Gulf
A5 comb bound book, 156 pages
ISBN 1 904552 04 8 (£6.00, 80p p&p)
08/05/04: KATES HILL PRESS HIT BY VIRUS
The Kates Hill Press
computer was hit by a virus which has delayed work on projects. All files
were eventually retrieved.
09/03/04 EVENTS
NOTICE
A BOSTIN NYTE AT
THE VILLAGE
The poems, stories and songs
of Billy Spakemon, and music
by M&I at The Village Hotel
Dudley, 8.00pm, 17/06/04
LOCAL HISTORY
FAYRE
To mark 50yrs of Four
Dwellings School, Quinton
10/07/04, 10-4.
Kates Hill Press will be there.
09/03/04: BILLY SPAKEMON CHARITY DO
"A Bostin
Nyte At The Village"
at the Village Hotel, Castlegate, Dudley on Thursday 17th June, 8pm start.
Featuring Billy Spakemon's poems, stories and songs, and music from M & I
To raise money
for:
BREAST CANCER CARE and the SANDWELL BREAST CLINIC.
No admission fee,
admission by invitation donations accepted on the night. For information about
this event, and invitations, contact Billy Spakemon on dakinbrian@hotmail.com
24/02/04: PRE CHRISTMAS LAUNCH FOR "A PACK
OF SAFTNESS"
With the cartoons now complete, Greg Stokes and Billy Spakemon met to decide a
pre Christmas launch date for Greg's spoof detective novel set in a fictional
Black Country Republic. See article in "in the pipeline"
It was also agreed to produce a second volume of Billy Spakemon's poems.
17/02/04: PUBLICATION DATE SET FOR "THE
GULF"
The Gulf, a
collection of 29 short stories by Greg Stokes has been set for 10th June
2004. The stories are twinned, one in the Arabian Gulf and the other in
the Black Country, on the same theme.
It is hoped that the Clarice Hackett Novel The Hairy Mouse will be published at
the same time.
11/02/04: BLACK COUNTRY CLASSICS NOW AVAILABLE
Mettallum Martis
and Black Country Sketches, the first titles in the Black Country Classics
series, are now available from the Kates Hill Press.
(the official publication date is 06/05/04, ISBN info will not appear on data
bases until then)
Publication Details:
Black Country Sketches
A5 comb bound book, 98 pages
ISBN 1 904552 02 1, £5.00 (70p p&p)
Mettallum Martis
A5 booklet, 40 pages
ISBN 1 904552 03 X, £3.00 (40p p&p)
26/01/04: BLACK COUNTRY CLASSICS - UPDATE
Work
on Black Country Sketches and Metallum Martis is now near completion. The
covers of both books are ready and the introductions written. The only
outstanding work is a final correction on the script of Metallum Martis.
The titles should be available early March.
Publication Details:
Black Country Sketches
A5 comb bound book, 98 pages
ISBN 1 904552 02 1, £5.00 (70p p&p)
Metallum Martis
A5 booklet, 40 pages
ISBN 1 904552 03 X, £3.00 (40p p&p)