The Blackcountryman is out and about in all of its usual retail outlets... Black Country Living Museum, Red House Cone, Dudley Canal Trust, RS News in Willenhall, New Art Gallery Walsall, Framers Gallery in Wolverhampton, Ashwoods, Black Country Hub at the Merry Hill Centre.

As I've seen it come up, no, authors don't get paid for writing blurbs for other authors. We do it (mostly) to pay it forward and to bring attention to work we think is good. Also, if an editor/publisher tried to bribe me for a blurb, that email would go up here and on my personal site SO FAST

In case anyone missed it, endorsements for Keshed coming in thick and fast, this one from @leebrackstone.bsky.social (in two parts), a fella with a frankly ridiculous pedigree/track record blew me the fuck away.

"Keshed is brazen in its brutality and its brilliance. Ferocious, fearless, tender and immaculately observed, it's a propulsive, take-no-prisoners masterclass in voice, style and atmosphere." - Jae Auxjera

Ridiculously cheap deals on remaindered copies of my book of animal poems - The Budgie Likes to Boogie. Get class sets or group readers. Contains 'Walking With My Iguana' and 'The Snake Hotel'. Details here: brian-moses.blogspot.com/2025/08/budg... Reposts appreciated.

1/ A week tomorrow (Sunday 28th September at 2.30pm) we've got the Ironbridge Poetry Slam happening. If you'd like to come along and see 15* poets go head-to-head in a live poetry competition then the link to the tickets is below.

Had a great time at this yesterday. What a lovely evening. And as a bonus, I sold a shed load of books for Offa's Press.

This is in abaht and hour, so if yow'm Great Bridge way why not join uz.

Tomorrow at Great Bridge Library there will be a celebration of 'Arry Arrison's poetry and Black Country poetry in general. If you're in the area it'd be great to see you.

We'll be celebrating #NationalPoetryDay with #Wolverhampton's brilliant @emmapurshouse.bsky.social, who will be performing poems from her great new collection, Unsung, in store on Friday October 3rd at 6pm. Tickets can be purchased in store or from the link below. www.waterstones.com/events/emma-...

Morecambe Poetry Festival highlights for me so far today. @robinince.bsky.social was awhirl with poems, anecdotes and fascinating segues. Loved it. Then I watched SuAndi who I found compelling. And next I really enjoyed Tim Wells well-crafted, well-observed terse verse. Then I had a jacket spud.

I've a new poetry collection out now, and gigs lined up in the following places...

Day 2 of Morecambe Poetry Festival today. It's great to be looking out at Morecambe Bay from a B and B. Wow, the light. And talking of Wow... still buzzing from seeing @lukewrightpoet.bsky.social who knocked it so far out of the park it's gone into orbit. Never, ever disappoints.

Thank you for stocking this @waterstoneswton.bsky.social xx

Two workshops and a book launch tomorrow. Whose book launch I hear you ask? Errr....mine! It's launching as part of regular night, City Voices. If you're in the Wolverhampton area then come and join us at Lych Gate Tavern.

1/ When (if) my phone alarm goes off today I'm going to think about the sort of things that it might be warning us of...perhaps an incoming Nigel Farage, or the imminent arrest of pensioners for holding up words on cards that condemn a genocide, or maybe burning or falling tower blocks,

Not long until this...

15 slammers are ready to take part in the Shrewsbury Festival of Literature Poetry Slam, now we need an audience. In the market for an afternoon of fast-moving entertainment this Saturday? Grab yourself a ticket. Kick off is 4.30pm. wegottickets.com/event/673638/

@pandemonialists.bsky.social are looking for poetry slammers to take part in the Ironbridge Poetry Slam on the afternoon of Sunday 28th September at 2.30pm. If you're interested in taking part then email [email protected]

15 slammers are ready to take part in the Shrewsbury Festival of Literature Poetry Slam, now we need an audience. In the market for an afternoon of fast-moving entertainment this Saturday? Grab yourself a ticket. Kick off is 4.30pm. wegottickets.com/event/673638/

This Sunday...

All this month, we're running an exciting poetry project for people living and working in Walsall. Want to see your three-line poem projected onto a building in the town centre at the end of November? Read on... pandemonialists.co.uk/2025/09/01/w...

Quite a busy few days coming up. Willenhall Writers' and Shrewsbury Festival of Literature Poetry Slam on Saturday, @pandemonialists.bsky.social regular night 'Yes, We Cant' on Sunday. And my new collection launch in Wolverhampton next Tuesday (9th September).

Quite a busy few days coming up. Willenhall Writers' and Shrewsbury Festival of Literature Poetry Slam on Saturday, @pandemonialists.bsky.social regular night 'Yes, We Cant' on Sunday. And my new collection launch in Wolverhampton next Tuesday (9th September).

Not long until this...

What are you reading this weekend? Any good recommends?

1/ I don't think many folk see my Bluesky posts, but if you can and you're a poet who likes to slam, and you're in shouting distance of Ironbridge then @pandemonialists.bsky.social are looking for 15 poetry slammers for an event on the afternoon of Sunday 28th September 2025.

It's a truly amazing piece,and it's also up on YouTube... www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjm8...

If you haven't seen this poetry film and you notice my post then do look and repost. It's an utterly brilliant piece by Louise Fazackerley. www.facebook.com/reel/2453162...

All week I've been trying to think what they remind me of...got it...it's the play school round window.

All week I've been trying to think what they remind me of...got it...it's the play school round window.

My debut book of poems is due for release in less than 3 weeks! Massive thanks to @emmapurshouse.bsky.social‬ for her endorsement & support. Keep following for comments from other fine poets, plus little snippets & tasters over the next couple of weeks #poetrycommunity #ThisWilderness&OtherConcerns

2/ We'll be doing the draw on Sunday to see who gets to take part. The slam is happening on Saturday 6th September at 4.30pm in the Hive in Shrewsbury. The winner gets a paid gig. Shout up if you're interested. It'll be great fun. You can either DM me or send an email to [email protected]

1/ You've still got time to throw your name in the hat if you'd like to take part in the Shrewsbury Festival of Literature Poetry Slam. Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists are taking expressions of interest until midnight tomorrow (Saturday 2nd August).

1/ You've still got time to throw your name in the hat if you'd like to take part in the Shrewsbury Festival of Literature Poetry Slam. Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists are taking expressions of interest until midnight tomorrow (Saturday 2nd August).

Seconded. Really entertaining. If you're in Edinburgh get along and see him.

1/ Over 200 bums on seats yesterday at the first Midlands Fringe! If you want to join in the fun then there is plenty going on in Wolverhampton City Centre today and tomorrow. There are still some tickets for Stephen K Amos at Arena theatre this evening, but don't hang about.

1/ The final show of the Midlands Fringe festival in Wolverhampton, is the sixth show of the Sunday (27th July) and it's happening The Lych Gate Tavern. It will start at 7.15pm. I'm so looking forward to this, because 1) I'll get to have a pint and 2) Ian Pearce is absolutely brilliant.

1/ The fifth show of the day happening in Wolverhampton at The Lych Gate Tavern on Midlands Fringe Sunday (27th July) will start at 6.00pm. "Denial - A stand-up comedy show about the everyday absurdities of India, the US and the UK where @prateekkohli.bsky.social has lived and performed.

1/ The fourth show happening in Wolverhampton at The Lych Gate Tavern on Midlands Fringe Sunday (27th July) will start at 4.45pm. "Weight off my Chest is an autobiographical piece about a 29-year-old woman’s experience of breast reduction surgery.

'A big fat star in the making' (Sofie Hagen). 'Made me laugh a lot' (Scotsman).

"Growing up on a sheep farm, Stuart Thomas fuses his working-class roots with a modern take on body positivity, grabbing diet culture by the scruff of the neck and calling out society's absurd expectations. Proudly embracing his body and bisexuality, he explores sexuality, body image & depression."

The second #MidlandsFringe show at the Lych Gate Tavern is Bad Fatty. We've looked at the write-ups for this one, and we think it's going to be immense! "Bad Fatty is a sharp, unapologetic stand-up show that dives into life as a fat Welshman."

6/ The shows at K Teas, Qattery and Lych Gate are pay-what-you-can-afford events. Midlands Fringe is Supported using public funding by Arts Council England Want to find out about other shows on over the weekend? sites.google.com/view/midland... #MidlandsFringe

Delighted to be back in Wolves next weekend for the first ever #MidlandsFringe! Come join m’colleague and I on a journey through time, in an actual CAT CAFE 🤩

The shows at K Teas, Qattery and Lych Gate are pay-what-you-can-afford events. Midlands Fringe is Supported using public funding by Arts Council England #MidlandsFringe

We're not finished yet, though. From 7.30pm we head over to the Arena Theatre for the second headline comedy event of #MidlandsFringe. Comic Stephen K Amos brings his show to Wolverhampton. Tickets for this are on sale here: wlv.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/...

5/ The shows at K Teas, Qattery and Lych Gate are pay-what-you-can-afford events). Midlands Fringe is supported using public funding by Arts Council England #MidlandsFringe

5/ The shows at K Teas, Qattery and Lych Gate are pay-what-you-can-afford events. Midlands Fringe is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. For more information sites.google.com/view/midland... #MidlandsFringe