THE KATES HILL PRESS, DUDLEY, ENGLAND
PREVIOUS NEWS 2008
31/12/08: RECORD SALES POSTED
2008 closed with the Kates Hill Press having sold more books than in any
previous year. Many thanks for everyone's support.
16/12/08: SUE HULSE JOINS WARD
ARMS ROSTER
Storyteler Sue Hulse has
added her name to an impressive line up for the Save the Church show to be
staged at the Quality Hotel on 30th January.
09/12/08: From the In The
Pipeline Page
SATURDAY 6th DECEMBER 2008
Book Launch - Carol Hathorne's ONLY SIXTEEN will be launched at The Rectory, 20 Church Road, Short Heath, Willenhall, WV12 5PT. 11.00am to 1.00pm
SUNDAY 7th DECEMBER 2008
There's a Craft Fair at the Quality Hotel (Ward Arms), Birmingham Road, Dudley, in aid of the Save St John's Church, Kates Hill appeal. 11.00am to 4.00pm. The Kates Hill Press will have a stall there.
TUESDAY 9th DECEMBER 2008
The Barlow Theatre Langley. The Purple Patch poetry group for poetry stories and music - the Christmas party.
THE CHRISTMAS SHOW
CANCELLED
The show to have been held on 21st December has been cancelled.
28/11/08: From the Events Page
TUESDAY 7th
OCTOBER 2008
The Barlow Theatre Langley. The Purple Patch poetry group for poetry stories and music.
SUNDAY 26th
OCTOBER 2008, LAMP TAVERN, HIGH STREET, DUDLEY
Brendan Hawthorne, Geoff Stevens, Louise Stokes, Greg Stokes
and Guests.
SATURDAY
22nd NOVEMBER 2008, WEDNESBURY RUGBY CLUB
Featuring Brendan Hawthorne, Geoff Stevens and Greg Stokes. Ticket
details to be announced
09/12/09: GREG STOKES AT BARLOW
Greg Stokes read from his new novel Brierley Hills Cop at the Purple Patch
Christmas event tonight. As always it was well attended, with a great variety
of excellent material being read.
07/12/08: XMAS FAYRE AT THE QUALITY HOTEL
The Kates Hill Press had a stall at the Xmas Fayre at
the Quality Hotel, dudley
today. The event was in aid of the St John's Church Preservation Group.
06/12/08: ONLY SIXTEEN LAUNCH EVENT
Carol Hathorne launched her new novel Only Sixteen at a well attended event at
St Marks Church, Short Heath, Willenhall.
27/11/08: SAVE THE CHURCH SHOW DATE
ANNOUNCED
The show in aid of the Save St John's Church appeal
will take place at the Quality Hotel (Ward Arms) Birmingham Road, Dudley, on
Friday 30th January 2009. 8.0pm start. Tickets
and line up to be announced.
27/11/08: LAUNCH NIGHT BLUES
Launch night for the six new titles came and went on a cold rainy night at the
Lamp. S.G. Grey, Billy Spakemon, Louise Stokes,
John Summerton, and Greg Stokes read from their new titles. John
Summerton reminded everyone of better times at the venue when the place used to
rock, and how worthwhile it had been being a part of that. It was
therefore with some sadness that four year association came to an
end.
26/11/08:
From the In The Pipeline Page
S.G. GREY
THE KINGSTOWN AGENDA
Already a successful local author with Cold Snap on Snow Hill and From
Somewhere Out of Here under his belt the Kates Hill Press is set to publish his
latest espionage thriller:-
A call to an address that only a very few people in the Department had any knowledge of.
The current password correctly given.
The brief details of an ‘incident’, and one corpse.
A series of orders given…
All that from a surprising source.
And Alex Smith’s tour as the Senior Duty Officer on the graveyard shift had
suddenly been extended into challenging, murky, and very dangerous territory...
Due out Autumn 2008
CAROL HATHORNE
ONLY
SIXTEEN
A full length novel charting the lives of three Tipton teenagers in their first
year at work. A wonderful take on the attitudes and way of life in a working
class community of the 1950s.
BILLY SPAKEMON
ECHOES OF FOYAN
Billy Spakemon has
been working on the story of how his Italian neighbours moved to the Black
Country. He conducted hours of interviews with Mick and his father Guido
and wrote as he went along. Sadly, Guido passed away last month but the
project is to continue. Indeed, it has generated great interest in
Guido's home village in Italy. Billy and Greg are now discussing the
possibility of bringing the book out in Italian as well as English.
Several sections of the book now complete.
Due Out Autumn 2008
GREG STOKES
BRIERLEY HILLS COP
Brierley Hills Cop, the sequel to A Pack of Saftness
is nearing completion. Greg Stokes is now on the last chapter. The book
is set in the fictitious Black Country Republic and follows the head of
homicide of the BCPD Riffy H McDonald as seeks to discover the real reason that
a new theme park is being developed. Should be
available later this year.
Due Out Autumn 2008
LOUISE
MARY STOKES
FAERIE DUST
Louise's first full length novel charts the life of Lilac Rainbow as it unfolds
after she doesn't return home after a residential course. She is guided by her
faeries in her struggle to be herself, rather than the person other would have
her be, the whole journey culminating in a dramatic ending.
Due Out Autumn 2008
JOHN SUMMERTON
TAKEN OVER
When Alistair Carne bets his mate that he can get himself admitted to a
psychiatric institution for a night, he has no idea how deep a hole he has dug
for himself when he goes ahead and tries to win his bet. This is an
absolutely hilarious novel.
Due Out Autumn 2008
25/11/08: PACK OF SAFTNESS NOW
AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK
A Pack of Satness is now available in paperback. It
replaces the original comb bound version.
23/11/08: BRIERLEY HILLS COP NOW
AVAILABLE
Greg Stokes new novel, Brierley Hills Cop is now available. For further details
see the New Titles and How to Order pages.
22/11/08: WEDNESBURY RUGBY CLUB - OH WHAT A
NIGHT!
Brendan Hawthorne, Geoff Stevens, Dave Reeves, and Greg Stokes pitched up at
Wednesbury Rugby Club to do a show tonight with the prospect of there being
snow on the ground by the time it was over. A light covering did
eventually fall in the wee small hours, but there was
a good couple of inches underfoot in the club house... of sawdust. It had been put down for the beer festival, and there held the
problem. Two 45 minute slots of fine performances were delivered
to a big chattering crowd. Delivery had to be louder than normal so the
performers may have gone on with voices sweet as Cliff Richards, but they came away croaking like Bobby Dylan. Funnily enough,
all the performers got a lot of positive feedback afterwards from folk saying
how much they'd enjoyed it.
17/11/08: PAPERBACK PACK OF SAFTNESS OUT
SOON
The Greg Stokes novel A Pack of Saftness, of
which Brierley Hills Cop is the sequel, has been set up for paperback
production now. It is hoped that copies will be available for the big launch
night at the Lamp Tavern on 27th November. It is the first of the Kates Hill
Press's comb bound titles to be converted. Eventually all comb bound titles
will re-appear as paperbacks.
17/11/08: BRIERLEY HILLS COP PROOF RECEIVED
The proof copy of Greg Stokes's new novel Brierley
Hills Cop was received today.
14/11/08: ONLY SIXTEEN LAUNCH EVENT
Carol Hathorne's Only Sixteen will be launched at an
event at The Rectory, 20 Church Road, Short
Heath, Willenhall, WV12 5PT, on Saturday 6th December
2008, 11.00am to 1.00pm.
13/11/08: KATES HILL
PRESS AT CRAFT FAIR
A Craft Fair will be held at the Quality Hotel (Ward Arms), Birmingham Road,
Dudley, on Sunday 7th December 2008, 11.00am to 4.00pm in support of the Save
St John's Church, Kates Hill appeal. The Kates Hill Press will have a stall
there.
13/11/08: ONLY SIXTEEN NOW
AVAILABLE
Advance copies of Carol Hathorne's Only Sixteen
are now available. For further details see the New Titles and How to
Order pages.
10/11/08: ONLY SIXTEEN PROOF RECEIVED
The proof of Carol Hathorne's
great new novel Only Sixteen arrived today.
09/11/08: BLACKPOOL OR BUST AGREED
Coventry author Paul Evan's novel Blackpool or Bust has been accepted
for publication by the Kates Hill Press in our 2009 list. This hilarious
novel is at turns poignant, moving and very very
funny as a young care worker assists an old man to realise his dying wish.
08/11/08: DAVE HARVEY PROJECT AGREED
Greg Stokes held discussions with Forest of Dean poet, Dave Harvey this
evening. It was agreed that The Kates Hill Press publish Dave's poetry
collection Forest Fables in paperback form. Forest Fables originanally appeared as a spiral bound title in
2000. The new volume will include some previously unpublished
material.
30/10/08: ECHOES OF FOIANO Di
VALFORTORE AND THE KINGSTOWN AGENDA NOW AVAILABLE
Advance copies of Billy Spakemon and Angelo Guidotti's Echoes of Foiano Di Valforotre
and S.G. Grey's The Kingtown Agenda are now available
from The Kates Hill Press. See the New Titles and How to Order pages for
further details.
26/10/08: THE LAST SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LAMP
Billy Spakemon joined Brendan Hawthorne, Louise
Stokes and Greg Stokes to read at what was to be the last of the shows staged
at the Lamp Tavern. Greg Stokes said "Sunday nights just haven't
worked out. We'll be looking at new venues to start afresh in the new year.
13/10/08 BLUE GENES AGREED
The Kates Hill Press agreed to publish Les Lacey's Blue
Genes in its 2009 list. The book tells the life of an extraordinary
Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Josh, with a rare blue
coat.
07/10/08: GREG STOKES AT BARLOW
Greg Stokes gave the sci fi
work The God Particle its second public airing at the Purple Patch meeting at
the Barlow Theatre tonight. Spookily enough, Richard Bruce Clay's story
also gave Schroedinger a mention.
04/10/08: LAUNCH DATE SET
A launchevent will be held
at the Lamp tavern, Dudley, on Thursday 27th November starting at 8.00
pm. The following titles will feature:-
The Kingstown Agenda - S.G. Grey
Only Sixteen - Carol Hathorne
Echoes of Foiano Di Valfortore - Billy Spakemon and
Angelo Guidotti
Faerie Dust - Louise Mary Stokes
Brierley Hills Cop - Greg Stokes
Taken Over - John Summerton
There will be reading from all titles, plus readings from guests. All
Kates Hill Press titles will be available, as well as the new ones. There
will be many bargains available on the night so it will be a great time to get
Christmas presents.
30/09/08: SAVE ST JOHN's CHURCH
St John's Church which can be seen on our logo, faces closure. A group
was set up last year to campaign for its preservation. Carl Chinn is the
group's patron and their web site is; www.savestjohnschurch.zoomshare.com
. Deb Brownlee, who chairs the group, got
in touch following the John Ogden article and the upshot is that we will put on
a spoken word show sometime late January next year, the proceeds of which go to
the preservation fund. Details of this show will appear on this site in
due course.
29/09/08: LOUISE STOKES INTERVIEW
Louise Stokes was interviewed by John Ogden this afternoon for another article
in the Express and Star. We'll announce its publication date when it is
available.
22/09/08: THANKS TO CHRIS
Greg Stokes appeal in his last newsletter for a photograph of Sam Cook's single
"Only Sixteen" in its original sleeve was answered by Chris Savory of
Soul Cargo Record Fairs. His website can be accessed on www.soulcargo.co.uk . The picture
will form the basis of the cover for Carol Hathorne's
forthcoming novel "Only Sixteen". Many thanks
Chris.
21/09/08: SHOW AT WEDNESBURY RUGBY CLUB
Greg Stokes will appear in a spoken word show at Wednesbury Rugby Club on
Saturday 22nd November 2008. Details about tickets will appear on this
site as and when they are available.
20/09/08: MAJOR ARTICLE IN EXPRESS &
STAR
John Ogden's very full article about the Kates Hill Press appeared in tonight's
express and Star. See page 5 of the Weekend section.
12/09/08: JOHN OGDEN INTERVIEW
Greg Stokes was interviewed by John Ogden this afternoon about the origins and
work of the Kates Hill Press. The article will appear in the Saturday 20th
September issue. It is hoped that articles on several of our authors will
follow.
07/09/08: SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LAMP
Another great night at the Lamp on 7th
Sept with everyone on top form. You never know what Geoff Stevens is
going to come out with and he was wonderfully irreverent and totally un PC as usual. Louise Stokes gave us another of her
many characters in the first half and read from her new novel Faerie Dust in
the second. SG Grey read from his forthcoming thriller Kingstown Agenda.
(Details for both those books are now on the new titles page of the Kates Hill
Press website.) Neil Morris gave us another powerful set. Brendan
Hawthorne again showed the depth of his material including one written that
afternoon about the Hadron collider. Quantum physics
is supposed to be spooky and it seemed spooky it was, as right after, I
gave The God Particle, in which the super collider was built under Brierley
Hill, its first public airing.
01/09/08: GOOD COVERAGE IN
BLACKCOUNTRYMAN
Several articles in this quarter's Blackcountryman
featured our two recent Black country Classic titles; there were pieces by Paul McDonald and Alison Gale
about Allan Chace and Other Poems, and a piece by
Greg Stokes about “Industrial Biography – The Black Country Chapters”.
See pages 58 to 61
09/08/08: LOUISE AND ENTOURAGE AT EDINBURGH
Louise Stokes took her many characters to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this
week, taking part in a comedy competition and reaching the semi final.
13/07/08: SECOND SUNDAY AT THE LAMP
The second Sunday Night at the Lamp took place
tonight. Paul McDonald read from his new novel "Do I Love You."
Emma Rollason appeared as Dolly Allen, Neil morris did a set of his own songs with a few covers thrown
in for good measure. Geoff Stevens and Brendan Hawthorn were at their wonderful
best in their sets while Louise Stokes introduced yet more of her
characters. Greg Stokes focussed on the ills visited upon us by
functionaries, reading My Uncle Louie.
01/06/08: SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE
LAMP
The new Sunday Night At The Lamp shows opened tonight
in the Dudley venue. Louise Stokes opened the night as Kimmy Sue Anne's mother. Brendan Hawthorne followed
with set of beat poetry. Carol Midwood read
from her Edna and Arthur collection and Greg Stokes closed the half with The
Protectors, a story of two time travelling Black Country men on a
mission. Louise Stokes opened the second half with another character, NHS
staff nurse Sulimia Bulimia. Greg Stokes
followed with Cheap and Cheerful, a tale of a disorganised cab co. Carol Midwood read from her Bawdy Bloody Black Country collection
and Brendan Hawthorne closed the night with a mix of poems and songs.
A great night, with all performers on form. Live
entertaining literature is back on the bill at the Lamp. Next
show, 13th July.
24/05/08: PAUL McDONALD NEW
DATE
Paul McDonald has had to withdraw from the Sunday Night At The Lamp Show next
week as his partner has to go into hospital that weekend. We wish Pam a
speedy recovery. Paul will now read from his new novel Do I Love You on
13th July.
17/05/08: NEW CATALOGUE ROLLED
OUT
The new Kates Hill Press Catalogue was sent out to local bookshops today.
The concept is that shops can put the catalogue on their shelves rather than
stock the books. In the precarious book trade, the Kates Hill Press regard this as a win/win situation.
04/05/08: FIRST TITLE FOR 88
YEARS
When League Football resumed after the First World War, West Bromwich Albion
won that first League Championship, and won it in some style, scoring over 100
goals. Despite numerous promotions and cup wins in the meantime, come 4th
May 2008 the Baggies had not won a league title since that post war
season. The situation on the last day was win,
and the Football League Championship would come to West Bromwich. 70 minutes
gone and the Albion were 1-0 up. With Stoke drawing, the title was
ours... but 1-0 is fragile, QPR could equalise and Stoke could go ahead.
Tension mounted as the clock ticked slowly down. Then came
the free kick on the edge of the Queens Park Rangers penalty area. Chris
Brunt stepped up to stroke the ball home. At 2-0 up, it was then that we knew,
Stoke could do what they liked, the title was ours. It hadn't happened in
my father's lifetime, and it had taken 53 years of mine, I'd have to live a
long time yet before I could adequately describe how special was that
day. May the Fourth be with you.
30/04/08: FIRST PART OF
INVISIBLE COMPLETED
The first part of Greg Stokes' novel Invisible was
completed today. Two years in the works, Greg said, "part two runs chronologically
so it should be easier to write." Invisible examines the way stories are
told and which stories are told, a process that often leaves families of murder
victims Invisible. For more details visit the In The
Pipeline page.
21/04/08:
From the In The Pipeline Page
BLACK COUNTRY CLASSICS
ALLAN
CHACE AND OTHER POEMS by John Cornfield
Copy of original received. To be scanned. Paul McDonald
and Alison Gale to contribute pieces about the author to the book.
Update Jan 2007, scanned and ready for typesetting. Update Sept
2007. Typeset. Near completion.
CAROL HATHORNE
ALL SHOOK UP
The fourth part of her autobiography covering the first years
after school.
RAYMOND SMOUT
A POCKETFUL OF MEMORIES – ROSEVILLE
Ray's second book. This one covers Roseville in the 1950s. Manuscript and
digital version received.
14/04/08: WRITE ON ALBION GIG
CANCELLED
Due to the need for continued treatment from the haemophilia unit following his
recent prostate/bladder operation, Greg Stokes has been forced to cancel the
Write On Albion show scheduled for 27th April.
The show will now take place around the start of the next football season, date
to be announced.
02/04/08: LAUNCH EVENT
The seven new titles were formally launched at the
Lamp Tavern tonight. The event used a show format. Greg Stokes
kicked off procedings reading of Dud Dudley's pre
execution escape from Industrial Biography. Louise Stokes came as Kimmy Sue Anne to read from Forts of Kmmy
Sue Anne, and Billy Spakemeon closed the half with
readings from Tummy Jones - Odebry Mon. Carol
Hathorne opened the second half reading from All Shook Up, followed by Raymond
Smout reading from Pocketful of Memories - Roseville. Paul MacDonald read
two of the miscellaneous poems from Allan Chace and
other poems, and Louise Stokes closed the night as Pamela Mary Crabfish, one of the characters from Conversations With The Family Of The Grotesque. An
excellent night both artistically and commercially.
22/03/08: FOREST OF DEAN SHOW KICKS OFF NEW
LAMP SEASON
It was great to be back at the Lamp again
tonight. David Price, Dave Harvey and Maggie Clutterbuck
from the Forest were joined by Brendan Hawthorne, Geoff Stevens, Louise Stokes,
SG Grey and Greg Stokes from the Black Country for another show of high quality
entertainment.
15/03/08: ALLAN CHACE NOW AVAILABLE
The new Black Country Classic, Allan Chace & Other Poems is now available. See the New
Titles page for further details.
15/03/08: JULIE BANNER ON BOARD
With Greg Stokes' move back to social work practice meaning less time to run
the business, Julie Banner has taken on all typesetting for the Kates Hill
Press. This will be a great help and enable us to continue to roll out
new titles.
04/03/08: LAUNCH DATE SET
The 7 new Kates Hill Press titles, All Shook Up, Tommy jones
- Odebry Mon, The Forts Of Kimmy
Sue Anne, Conversations With The Family Of The Grotesque, A Pocketful Of
Memories - Roseville, Industrial Biography - The Black Country Chapters, and
Allan Chace & Other Poems, will be launched at
the Lamp Tavern on Wednesday 2nd April at 8.00pm. All Kates Hill Press
titles will be available, there'll be readings from
the new titles as well as from other authors. Admission
free. All are welcome.
22/02/08: ALL SHOOK UP & POCKETFUL OF
MEMORIES - ROSEVILLE NOW AVAILABLE
Carol Hathorne's All Shook Up, and Raymond Smout's Pocketful of Memories - Roseville are now available. See the New Titles page for further
details.
21/02/08: FOREST OF DEAN GIG CONFIRMED
The fourth Forest of Dean "cultural exchange"
gig will take place at the Lamp Tavern, Dudley on Saturday 22nd March
2008. Tickets £5.00 available from the Kates Hill Press.
08/02/08: ALLAN CHACE PROOF RECEIVED
The proof copy of Allan Chace
and Other Poems was received from Lightning Source this afternoon. It
will be available in the next few weeks. See the New Titles Page for
further details.
08/02/08: MASTERS SENT TO PRINTERS
Master copies of Carol Hathorne's All Shook Up, and
Raymond Smout's A Pocketful of Memories - Roseville
were sent to the printers today. Both titles will be available in the
next few weeks. See the New Titles Page for further details.
05/02/08: UPDATE
The draft of John Summerton's novel Taken Over was
forwarded to the author for corrections today. The book will be available
in the autumn.
01/02/08: NEW SEASON AT THE LAMP
Dates have been booked at the Lamp Tavern for a new
series of shows. Details of line ups will appear in due course, but the
dates are:-
Sat 22nd March
Sun 27th April
Sun 1st June
Sun 13th July
Sun 7th Sept
Sun 26th Oct
Sun 21st Dec
24/01/08: UPDATE
The draft of Louise Stokes' novel Faerie Dust was forwarded to the author for corrections today. The book will
be available in the autumn.
24/01/08: ALL NIGHT CAFE MEETING
The All Night Cafe Caberet troup
of performers (Brendan Hawthorne, Geoff Stevens, Louise Stokes, Greg Stokes) met in Bilston tonight as the project starts to
take shape. It is hoped that performances can start in the summer.