Mark Connors - author and poet

News 2024

Second prize winner!

Mark's poem, Dorothy Inman nee Shackleton, won second prize in The Queen's English winter poetry competition.

Black Nore Review

Mark's poems, Analog Kid and Bad Lillies will be published by Black Nore Review at the end of January 2024.

Issue 4 of Lit Shark

Mark's poems, Force and It Nearly Happened One Morning will appear in Issue 4 of Lit Shark.

Lit Shark issue 5

Mark's poems, The Coming Months and Self-care Saturday will appear in Issue 5 of Lit Shark.

Lit Shark's best of 2023

Mark's poems, Force and Looking Up will appear in Lit Shark's best of 2023 anthology.

News 2023

It's That Time

Mark's poem, It's That Time, will appear in a forthcoming issue of Dawntreader.

Up!

Mark's poems, First Snow and Put the Farnhill Dawn On, appeared in the December issue of Up!

WORD CLUB Christmas Special!

The WORD CLUB Christmas Special is back at The Chemic Tavern for one night only on Friday 15th December from 7 pm! Mark and Gill will be hosting the launch of the next two Yaffle's Nest pamphlets, namely Taking Away Six from 100 by Tim Brookes and Su Ryder's debut, Rosa Brigante. Mark will be making his famous bhaijs and Hull poet, Vicky Foster will be joining us as our special guest.

Yaffle's Nest competition

Mark and Gill will be launching their inaugural Yaffle's Nest competition on Monday 20th November. 100 longlisted poems will feature in the anthology, What we Inherit from Water which will be published in 2024.

Online launch of Yaffle's Nest

Mark and Gill will be hosting their second WORD CLUB of the year via Zoom for the online launch of Yaffle's Nest on Sunday 19th November. Colin Day and Tonnie Richmond will be joined special guests, Yaffle Jenny Robb and future Yaffle Bobbie Sparrow. There will also be an open mic. Kick off is at 7 pm.

Getting Gobby in the Lobby!

Mark and Gill are special guests at Getting Gobby in the Lobby, a poetry night in Wakefield, on Wednesday 15th November, at The Lobby 1867 on Westgate. The night is run by Tim Brookes and Lisa Falshaw. Kick off is at 7.30 pm.

Official launch of Yaffle's Nest

Mark and his wife Gill will officially launch their new imprint Yaffle's Nest, on Friday 11th November at the Heart Centre, Headingley, Leeds, and they're bringing back WORD CLUB, their long running poetry night to host such events. There'll be launching their first two books, the poetry collection The Worm in the Pheasant's Neck by Colin Day and Tonnie Richmond's Rear-View Mirror. Poetry superstars and friends of Mark and Gill, Martin Figura and Helen Ivory, will be appearing as special guests.

Issue 11 of Strix

Mark's prose poem, From the Blackpool Bus will feature in Issue 11 of Strix due out towards the end of 2023.

Chapel FM

Mark will be the guest on Chapel FM's Love the Words, hosted by Peter Spafford. Mark will be talking about Yaffle's new creative partnership with Chapel FM. Yaffle will be publishing an anthology each year with writers responding to the themes of the festival. This year's anthology, includes work from writing groups and writers associated with the Writing on Air Festival, on this year's theme of Missing. The anthology will be launched on the opening night, Friday 26th November. Attendees of Mark and Gill's long running Wordship workshops have contributed to the anthology too. Mark's poem, Where are you? features in the anthology. The Wordship group are also performing for an hour from 5.30 pm in the Radio Theatre on Sunday 26th November. Mark will also be talking about his own writing projects, including the launch of their new imprint, Yaffle's Nest.

International Times

Mark's poems, Money in the bank and other football clichés and Reports come in from Harris were published by the topical online webzine, International Times.

Pick of the Month!

Mark's prose poem, Algorithm was published in the summer edition of Ink, Sweat & Tears. It was also selected as a Pick of the Month. Mark's poem is in contention to be nominated for Best Single Poem for The Forward Prize 2024.

Dear Foggs

Mark's poem, Something Human appears in the anthology Dear Foggs, published by Calder Valley Poetry to commemorate the life of poet, Yorkshire poet, John Foggin.

Jackanory 10th year Anniversary

Mark's poems, You can't stop the music and Tell me why I like Mondays feature in the 10th year Anniversary anthology for Jackanory, the long-running poetry event convened by Halima Mayat in Wakefield.

Wordspace anthology

Mark's poem, Bot Laureate features in this year's Wordspace anthology, The End is Where we Start.

Welcome to Britain

Mark's poems, Cut here and My grandma's war on drugs feature in the new anthology from Civic Leicester, entitled Welcome to Britain, due out in May 2023.

Sandcastle Radio, Pensacola, Florida

Mark and Gill will be appearing on Sandcastle Radio based in Pensacola, Florida, on 16th March at 4 pm UK time, discussing their new collaborative poetry project, all things YAFFLE, wild swimming and Mark’s forthcoming hybrid poetry and prose book, Reditus, due out in the spring of 2024.

'Writing the Voice' workshop at Leeds Trinity

Mark will be running his 'Writing the Voice' workshop at this year’s Trinity Writers' Festival at Trinity University, Leeds, on Wednesday 8th March. He'll be also be reading at an event at the end of the day with fellow poets Gill Connors, Oz Hardwick, Jo Clement, Hannah Stone and John Clarke.

The High Window

Mark's poems, Above Farnhill and The Road Trip Controversy feature in the latest edition of long the running poetry ezine, The High Window.

News 2022

Yaffle Christmas Special

Join Gill and Mark for a poetry Christmas party via ZOOM on Sunday 18th December from 7 pm.

An Evening with Armley Press

Mark will be reading with his Armley Press stablemates, John Lake and Ray Brown at Hyde Park Book Club on Friday 16th December. He'll be reading from Stickleback and its sequel, The Janet Chandler Show which is still very much a work in progress.

The Beekeeper's Wife

Mark's poem The Beekeeper's Wife features in a new anthology by Wordsmithery.

Bronte Poetry Anthology

Mark will be reading his poem from the brand new poetry anthology to celebrate the life and times of the Brontes. The launch of the book will take place at The Old School Rooms in Haworth on Thursday 17th November at 3.15 pm.

The Quiet Compere

Mark is joining nine other poets for the finale of The Quiet Compere, an Arts Council funded national tour with Zoom dates, featuring the likes of Mark Pajak and Helen Ivory. The Zoom finale will take place on Saturday 12th November from 7.30 pm.

Online YAFFLE Launch of 'Dirty' by Holly Bars

Following the success of the launch of 'Dirty' by Holly Bars in Leeds earlier in November, Holly will be joined by special guests, Chaucer Cameron and Jenny Robb for the online launch from 7 pm on Friday 25th November.

'Home' at the Writing on Air Festival

YAFFLE poets will be responding to the theme 'Home' at this year's Writing on Air Festival at Chapel FM. The show will be performed live in Radio Theatre and broadcast on the radio live from 6.15 pm.

'The Sunday Wordship' at the Writing on Air Festival

Gill and Mark take their long running workshop 'The Sunday Wordship' to the Writing on Air Festival at Chapel FM. Wordshippers will read the work generated from their morning wordship zoom session from 4 pm, live in the Radio Theatre.

DIRTY launch

YAFFLE launch DIRTY, the debut by Holly Bars, on Saturday 5th November. She'll be joined by special guests, Helen Ivory and Martin Figura as YAFFLE launch their bi monthly YAFFLE showcase.

Poetrygram Annual

Mark's poem, Living the Dreams, will feature in the Poetrygram Annual for 2022 due out early 2023.

Morning Star newspaper

Mark's poem, Gang, will feature in the paper version of Morning Star. Date TBC.

Braiding launch comperes

Mark and Gill are compering the online launch of Braiding by Susan Castillo Street. She'll be joined with readings by YAFFLE Jenny Robb and Helen Ivory.

Black Nore Review

Mark's poem, New York State of Mind is being published in Black Nore Review in October.

WHIRLAGUST III

The long awaited online Zoom Launch of WHIRLAGUST III, the anthology from The YAFFLE Prize 2021, will take place on Thursday 22nd September from 7.30 pm.

Duff anthology

Mark's poem, Battleborn a new version of a poem from his debut collection, Nothing is Meant to Be Broken, will feature in the new Dragon/YAFFLE anthology, Duff.

Fragmented Voices anthology

Mark's poem, Cruel Summer, will feature in the new anthology published by Fragmented Voices.

Up! again

Mark's poem, Homemade, will be published in the online magazine, UP!

New Grist Books anthology

Mark's poem, Welcome to the Neighbourhood, will feature in the new Grist Books anthology, We're All in it Together. The book will be launch at Huddersfield Literature Festival on 30th March.

Up!

Mark's poems, Moment and If these are the end times, will be published in the next issue of Up!

Spilling Cocoa Over Martin Amis

Mark's poem, A Joke in French, will be published by Spilling Cocoa Over Martin Amis.

Look Who's Back

Mark's poem, Look Who's Back, will appear in a forthcoming anthology from Leeds Trinity University/Indigo Dreams. Date TBC

Obsessed With Pipework

Mark's poem, Recovery, will be published in the 100th edition of Obsessed With Pipework.

Rhubarb

Mark's poem, Friday Dinner Time, appears in Seconds, an anthology to celebrate the 50th event of Rhubarb, at The Triangle in Shipley.

YAFFLE PRIZE 2021 anthology

Mark's poem, Closing Day, will feature in Whirlagust III, a YAFFLE PRIZE 2021 anthology. It's a tad late.

News 2021

Prestigious poetry magazine, Butcher's Dog

Three of Mark's poems have made the long list for the next issue of the prestigious poetry magazine, Butcher's Dog out of over 2,000 entries.

Runcible Spoon webzine

Three of Mark's poems from his new collection, After: De-evolution Ad Nauseum, Sometimes It Snows in April, and Spirits in the Material World, feature on the webzine Runcible Spoon this November.

Dreich anthology

Two of Mark's poems, Lose Yourself and Sunny Sunday, from his forthcoming collection, After, appear in the Dreich anthology, Afterwards.

Morning Star

Mark's poem, Stockholm Syndrome was recently published on the long running website of the political newspaper, Morning Star.

Forged

Mark and his partner Gill will be launching Tina Cole's pamphlet, Forged (Yaffle Press) at The Poetry Pharmacy in Bishop's Castle on Sunday 3rd October. They will also be running a Sunday Morning Wordship workshop (the first live Wordship since its inception via Zoom in the summer of 2020) in the morning.

Good Dadhood

Two of Mark's poems. I Like Birds and Human Touch from his forthcoming collection, After, were published on Sharon Larkin's Good Dadhood website in July.

Wordship at The Parsonage

Mark and Gill will be running a day of workshops (Wordship at The Parsonage) at The Old School Rooms in Haworth on Saturday 6th November. The day will culminate with the launch of After, Mark's third poetry collection, followed by an open mic.

Five in One!

Five of Mark's poems from his forthcoming collection, After (Angel in the Snow, The Birds, Thunderstruck, Life is a Long Song (reprise) and Silver Light) will feature in a forthcoming issue of the long running Indigo Dreams imprint, Sarasvati in 2022.

Confluence

Mark's poems, Californication and The Certainty of Chance, were published in Issue 12 of Confluence.

As Above, So Below

Mark's poem, South Side of the Sky will appear in the next issue of the online poetry journal, As Above, So Below. A photograph from Mark's 'Underneaths' series will also feature on the front cover.

Pop

Mark's poems, Got to Give it Up and Games Without Frontiers will feature in the anthology, Pop due out from Dreich later in 2021.

Shorts

Two short flash fiction pieces, Funeral and Signpost, and a non-fiction piece, Shopping For One will appear in the anthology, Shorts, due out from Dreich in the Summer of 2021.

Response

Mark's poem, Weightless Again and flash fiction piece, Apparition, will feature in the anthology, Response. Each piece will be accompanied with photographs from Mark's series, 'Elsewheres' and 'Creatures' respectively.

Summer Anywhere

Mark's poem, More News From Nowhere will feature in the anthology, Summer Anywhere due out from Dreich in the Summer of 2021.

Fire and Water

Mark's poems, Lavender, High Hopes and Ghost Town feature in the anthology, Fire and Water, due out from Dreich later in the year.

Third poetry collection

Mark's third poetry collection, After will be published by YAFFLE Press in the Autumn of 2021.

Lighting Out.

Mark's poem, Darker With the Day will feature in the new Beautiful Dragons anthology, Lighting Out.

WORD CLUB special

Mark will be hosting a WORD CLUB special on Zoom to showcase readings from the Black Lives Matter anthology of 2020, published by Civic Leicester. It will feature poets from the USA and Canada along with poets from the UK.

Messages to the World

Mark's poem, On Learning to be Meditative, previously published in his second collection, Optics will appear in the anthology Messages to the World.

Book of Wee Poems

Mark's poems, Busted, Catch Me If You Can and Get a Trade will be published in Dreich's Book of Wee Poems due out later in the year.

News 2020

Light

Mark's poem, The Conservatory, features in Light, an anthology from The Black Light Engine Room Press.

Black Lives Matter

Mark's poem, May 2020, was published in Black Lives Matter, an anthology published by Civic Leicester.

Write Out Loud interview

Mark was interviewed by Greg Freeman of Write Out Loud regarding the brief return of WORD CLUB at The Chemic Tavern, Leeds, at the end of August. Mark's poem, Something Human was also included to mark the occasion. Shortly after, WORD CLUB returned to their highly successful Zoom poetry nights.

Poetry and Covid

Mark's poems, The Magpie Song and Holme House Woods are being published on the Arts Council funded website, Poetry and Covid.

WHIRLAGUST II

Mark's poem, Atmosphere, is published in WHIRLAGUST II, the second anthology of the annual YAFFLE Prize, which he co-edited with fellow YAFFLE, Mike Farren.

Stay at Home

Mark's poem, Wrapped up in Books appears in Stay at Home, the new anthology from Bradford Libraries.

One Hand Clapping webzine

Mark's running poem, To the Rescue, appears in the November 2020 edition of poetry webzine, One Hand Clapping.

The Lake

Mark's poems, Watching You Without Me and I'm a Loser will be published in December's edition of The Lake.

Finest interview

Mark was interviewed for the inaugural issue of Finest, the latest poetry publishing venture by Ben Banyard of Clear Poetry fame, which also featured Mark's shortlisted poem for The York Prize 2017, Everyday Robots.

International Times interview

Mark was interviewed for International Times about his new Facebook Poetry venture, Limericks for Lockdown. Two of Mark's limericks appeared alongside others published on the Facebook page.

YAFFLE's 20th release

YAFFLE celebrated their 20th poetry book/pamphlet with the release of Linda Marshall's Cloud Cuckoo Cafe. Mark co-edited the book with partner, Gill Lambert. Mark also provided the artwork for the cover, his third cover image for YAFFLE in 2020.

The Mountains We Cannot See

Four of Mark's poems, How to Avoid being Sectioned, A Found Poem on my Bookshelf, A Found Poem on my Sofa and Handle with Care will be published in the mental health poetry anthology, The Mountains We Cannot See, due out later in 2020.

When All This is Over

Mark's poem, Undertaker, appears in the recently published Calder Valley Poetry anthology When All This is Over, edited by Kim Moore.

Untitled

Mark's acrostic poem, Untitled appears in an anthology of ekphrastic poems, also called Untitled, inspired by a work of art by a local Keighley artist, Terry Greene.

All This

Mark's short story, It's Probably Me, will appear in a short story ebook anthology called All This, which will be published by Comma Press later in 2020. Mark also edited the anthology.

Change

Two of Mark's poems, Mr Kestrel and I'm Here Now, will feature in Change, the new anthology from Trinity University in Horsforth, Leeds.

Charity Shop Crawl

Mark's poem, Charity Shop Crawl, was published by Ink, Sweat & Tears in June 2020.

Dreich

Two of Mark's poems, Performance and Mild Irritants will appear in the magazine, Dreich, which will be published in January 2021.

100 Days of Haiku

Mark's Haiku Swan, appears in the audio visual anthology 100 Days of Haiku, published by The Daily Haiku.

Soundbites

Mark's poem, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, will be published alongside artwork in a virtual anthology exhibition curated by Worthsmithery in Kent.

LiteraturRaum

Mark's poem, Viel Nachtmusik appears in the anthology Nachbarschaft/Neighbourhood published by the German publisher, LiteraturRaum to celebrate the cultural relationship between Dortmund and twin town, Leeds over the last 50 years.

Soundbites

Mark will be returning as a guest poet to read at Soundbites at Heart Café, Bennet Road, Headingley, Leeds, on Monday 17th June. 7.30 pm kick off. •CANCELLED•

The Poetry Pharmacy

Mark and his partner Gill will be running an all day writing workshop at the fabulous Poetry Pharmacy (featured on TV Breakfast News and across the national Press) in Bishop's Castle, Shropshire on Sunday 12th April. They will both be reading from their YAFFLE collections in the evening. •CANCELLED•

WordSpace

Mark will be the guest poet at WordSpace at The Hop Shack, New Road Side, Horsforth, Leeds, on Wednesday 1st April. •CANCELLED•

YAFFLE AT THE CHAPEL

Mark will be the compere for YAFFLE'S return to this year's Writing on Air Festival at Chapel FM, Leeds. He'll be joined by a good few YAFFLES who will be reading their latest work. Kick off is 9.30 pm. •CANCELLED•

Writing on Air Festival

Mark will be reading from his second poetry collection, Optics, at this year's Writing on Air Festival at Chapel FM. His reading will be accompanied by photographs he's taken on the long runs that inspire much of his recent poetry. 7 pm. •CANCELLED•

Small Havocs

Mark will be the compere for the official launch of YAFFLE Matt Nicholson's third collection, Small Havocs, at The Brain Jar, 4-6 Trinity House Lane, Hull, on Thursday 26th March, from 7.30 pm. Free entry. •CANCELLED•

The Writer's Festival

Mark will be running a master class on Writing the Voice at The Writer's Festival at Leeds Trinity University, on Tuesday 17th March. The day culminates in a reading from all tutors, followed by the launch of An Insubstantial Universe, the new YAFFLE/Leeds Trinity University anthology celebrating the life and times of George Eliot. •CANCELLED•

Competition Judge

Mark is judging this year's Leeds Writers Circle poetry competition, culminating in an awards ceremony at The Carriageworks, Leeds, in early April.

An Insubstantial Universe

Mark's poem, 2019, appears in the YAFFLE/Trinity University anthology, An Insubstantial Universe, out now!

YAFFLE AT LEEDS LIT FEST

Mark will be hosting a YAFFLE poetry showcase at this year's Leeds Lit Fest on Saturday 7th March, from 5 pm, at The Carriageworks, Millennium Square, Leeds.

LEEDS LIT FEST

Mark will be reading and hosting at a Leeds Lit Fest show at The Cardigan Arms, Kirkstall, featuring Glasgow poet, Kevin P Gilday. Kick off is 7.30 pm, on Wednesday 4th March.

Olympics Anthology

Mark's poem, Medals, will feature in an anthology to celebrate The Olympics, due out in the summer with Half Moon Books.

Audio anthology for Chapel FM

Mark's short story, Planet Caravan, has been accepted for an audio anthology which will be feature at this year's Writing on Air Festival at Chapel FM, Leeds.

News 2019

Running anthology

Mark will be reading at the launch of 'The Results Are What We See Today', a new anthology of poems about running. The launch will take place at Bolton Central Library from 6.30 pm on Tuesday 5th November.

Northern Soul

Mark is the new Poetry Correspondent for the reputable online magazine, Northern Soul. He'll be primarily writing reviews of new poetry books and some live events. He may occasionally cross over into theatre, music and food reviews also.

Dortmund 50

Mark is one of many poets who were involved in the Dortmund 50 project, a cultural celebration of the links between Leeds and Dortmund over the last 50 years. Mark's poem Viel Nachtmusik was published during the project and also translated into German. Mark was also involved in translating and editing a short piece of non-fiction into German for the project.

The Stare's Nest

Mark's poem, On Learning to be Meditative, will be published by The Stare's Nest during the Autumn.

Well, dam!

Mark's poem, St Mary's of the Rosary, will be appear in Well, dam! the forthcoming anthology by Beautiful Dragons.

Bradford Literature Festival

YAFFLE 5, the team behind new poetry publishers YAFFLE, will be appearing at this year's Bradford Literature Festival on Friday 5th July on a walking tour of film locations from 5.30 pm. This is a joint project with Bradford City of Film and Bradford Libraries. A poetry collection, featuring all five members of the YAFFLE management team will be published for the project in the summer. The collection, Reel Bradford marks the start of a number of events that YAFFLE will be involved in with Bradford City of Film to mark their 10th anniversary as the world's first UNESCO city of film.

Algebra of Owls

Mark's poem, Running Shoes, was recently published by Algebra of Owls.

Bollocks to Brexit

Mark's poems, When the World Fell in on Birstall, For the Asking and Thought for the Day will appear in Bollocks to Brexit, due out through Civic Leicester in the Summer.

Running anthology

Mark's poem, On the Tops, will appear in The Smith's Doorstep running anthology, The Result is What You See Today, due out in October.

WHIRLAGUST

YAFFLE will be launching their debut anthology, WHIRLAGUST, along with a series of pamphlets and collections over the summer. Visit the news page and www.yafflepress.co.uk for further details.

Picaroon Poetry

Mark's poem, I wish, will be published by Picaroon Poetry later in the year.

Ink, Sweat & Tears

Mark's poem, Not again, was published by Ink, Sweat & Tears, in March.

Wirral Poetry Festival 2019

YAFFLE will be appearing at this year's Wirral Poetry Festival, featuring on Small Press Day on Saturday 11th May at Birkenhead Town Hall. YAFFLE poet, Gill Lambert, will be reading from her debut collection, Tadeima.

WOA Festival 2019

Mark and Gill will be co-curating this year's Writing on Air Festival at Chapel FM, in Seacroft and will be producing/curating all the radio shows and live performances on Saturday 23rd March.

YAFFLE LAUNCH

The official launch of new poetry publisher, YAFFLE, will take place at WOA Festival at Chapel FM in Seacroft, Leeds, from 7 pm. This will be an introductory showcase of the various poets who YAFFLE will be publishing over the next year.

SOUNDBITES

Mark will be headlining SOUNDBITES, a new poetry night at Café Heart, Headingley, on Monday 13th March.

Leeds Lit Fest Appearance

Mark is delighted to be involved in the inaugural Leeds Lit Fest and will be reading for Armley Press and introducing YAFFLE at Leeds Lit Fest Book Fair, at Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds, from 10 am on Sunday 11th March.

Another poem in Prole

Mark's poem, While You're Here, will appear in the April 2019 issue of Prole.

Short Story Published

Mark's Short Story, Red Letter Day, appears in the next issue of Writers'Café Magazine.

As Above, so Below

Mark's poem, Bleak Midwinters will appear in the forthcoming webzine feature, As Above, so Below.

Culture Vulture's Novels of 2018

Mark's second novel, Tom Tit and the Maniacs, has been selected as one of Culture Vulture's Novels of 2018, alongside Jon McGregor and James Clarke.

News 2018

150 poems published!

Mark's poem, A Postcard from Cesky Krumlov has been accepted by Verve Poetry for a web blog focussing on male suicide. This piece marks a landmark 150th poem of Mark's published in a magazine, anthology or online.

Winter Solstice online anthology

Mark's poem, The Angels of the A629, will feature in the Winter Solstice online anthology from Three Drops from the Cauldron, which will go live just before Christmas.

Haibun for Laycock

Mark's poem, Haibun for Laycock, has been accepted for publication by the international webzine, Eunoia Review, based in Singapore.

Novel readings

Mark will be reading from his two novels and taking part in a Q & A session at The Bowry, 54 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds. LS6 2AL on Monday 10th December from 7 pm.

Short Story course

Mark has been hired by Comma Press to run a Short Story course at Bradford City Hall from April 2019. More details to follow.

Preparedness

Mark's prose poem, Preparedness, will feature in the December issue of The Writers' Café.

Runcible Spoon

Mark's poem, Feed your Pets to the Kiddies, was published by the webzine Runcible Spoon in early December.

Multiple acceptances!

Mark's poems, The Sofa Song, What we Live in, Pillow Talk, The Where we were, Middling and Things I Have Lost have been accepted for publication by Indigo Dreams for a forthcoming issue of Sarasvati.

I am not a Silent Poet

Mark's poem, We are Amazon, was published by the webzine, I am not a Silent Poet in late November.

Watch the Birdie

Mark will be reading at the launch of Watch the Birdie, the new poetry anthology from Beautiful Dragons. The launch takes place in the café of the Leighton Moss Bird Reserve, Storrs Lane, Carnforth, LA5 0SW on Friday 16th November. Kick off is at 7 pm.

Talent By the Many

Mark and Gill have been asked to compere a Labour Party fundraiser, Talent By the Many, on Sunday 11th November from 2 pm at Shipley and District Social Club, 70 Saltaire Road, BD18 3HY. The show will feature musicians, comedians and a few poets thrown in for good measure.

Shaken in Sheeptown

Mark now co-comperes the bi-monthly poetry night, Shaken in Sheeptown, at Bojangles Cocktail Bar in Skipton (or Sheeptown as poets prefer to call it) WITH HIS PARTNER, Gill Lambert. It takes place on the second Thursday of January, March, May, July, September and November.

Confluence magazine

Mark's poems, Everyday Robots, Key Largo and Gabriel the Undertaker will be published in the forthcoming issue of Confluence.

Char March - Full Stops in Winter Branches

Mark and Gill are delighted to have been asked to compere the launch of Char March's latest poetry collection, Full Stops in Winter Branches, published by Valley Press. The launch will take place at The Chemic Tavern on Sunday 18th November. Char will be joined by special guests Julia Deakin and Carole Bromley. Kick off is 12.30 pm.

Wind Song

Mark's poem, The Wind Song, appears in the latest issue of The Writers' Café.

YAFFLE

Mark will soon be launching a brand new independent publishing press with fellow poets, Mike Farren and Lorna Faye Dunsire with a little help from their friends. YAFFLE will soon be announcing details of their inaugural competition, which will culminate in their first anthology to be published in 2019.

Gabriel the Undertaker video

Here's the link to Mark's video of Gabriel the Undertaker which was shown on National Poetry Day for a Bradford Libraries / Bradford's City Screen project in Centenary Square. This film and a series of other films by local poets will be intermittently screened for the rest of this year. https://vimeo.com/293014947

WOA Festival 2019

Mark and his partner, Gill, have been asked to co-curate the WOA Festival 2019 at Chapel FM in Seacroft, Leeds, next March. Further details to follow.

Spilling Cocoa over Martin Amis

Mark's poem, Heathcliff enters Love Island was published by the webzine, Spilling Cocoa over Martin Amis in September.

The Writers' Café

Mark's poem, What's in a Band Name?, appears in the latest issue of The Writers' Café.

Watch the Birdie

Mark's poem, Help is a white tailed-eagle will appear in the forthcoming anthology, Watch the Birdie, which will be launched at Leighton Moss Bird Reserve in Lancashire on Friday 16th November.

Ink, Sweat & Tears

Mark's poem, In Walks Randle, will be published by the webzine, Ink, Sweat & Tears, in Autumn 2018.

The Marsden Poetry Walk

Mark's poem, The Buttermere Loop, will feature on The Marsden Poetry Walk as part of the Marsden Walking Festival. Various poems will be displayed throughout the route and may be included in a proposed anthology for 2019.

National Poetry Day 2018

Mark's poem, Everyday Robots, will be one of a few poetry donations made by poets to be handed out as 'gifts' in York city centre on National Poetry Day (26th September 2018).

Yorkshire Post Culture Supplement!

Mark was interviewed by local journalist, Yvette Huddleston and featured in the Culture Supplement of the Yorkshire Post on Friday 20th July 2018.

The Calmness of Millennials

Mark's poem, The Calmness of Millennials, will be published in the forthcoming issue of Prole.

The Writers' Café Issue 10

Mark's poem, Portrait, features in Issue 10 of The Writers' Café webzine.

Short story 'Cover Versions' published today

Mark's short story, Cover Versions, was published today, Monday 25th June 2018, by Obliterati Press and can be viewed here.

Three Drops from a Cauldron

Mark's poem, Fairies Don't Wear Boots, will appear in a new anthology from Three Drops from a Cauldron. Date TBA.

The Poetry Village

Mark's poem, When You Dream About Bacon, is being published by The Poetry Village in the autumn.

Short story - Cover Versions

Mark's short story,Cover Versions, is being published by Obliterati Press in late June 2018.

Poetry at the Parsonage 2018

Mark and his Partner, Gill Lambert, are hosting Poetry at the Parsonage 2018 in Haworth on Sunday 29th July, an afternoon of poetry performances and an open mic, which form part of the wider celebrations for Emily's 200th birthday. The event will take place in a marquee in the meadow behind the Parsonage museum between 12 and 4 pm.

Half Moon poet, Andy Armitage

Mark is co-hosting (with Ian Harker) the pamphlet launch of new Half Moon poet, Andy Armitage, at The Victoria Hotel, Leeds, on Saturday 21st July from 3 pm.

Q & A session for the Alfred Book Group

Mark is doing a reading and Q & A for the Alfred Book Group, at Further North Bar in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, on Tuesday 31st July. The group have been reading Mark's debut poetry collection, Nothing is Meant to be Broken.

Novel launch!

Mark will be launching his new novel, Tom Tit and the Maniacs, on Sunday 3rd June, at The Chemic Tavern, Woodhouse, Leeds. His special guest is fellow Armley Press writer, Michael Yates. There'll be an open mic too. Kick off is at 2.30 pm for a 3 pm start.

Riggwelter webzine

Mark's poem, Different Kinds of Truth, will appear in the December issue of the webzine, Riggwelter.

Writing workshops for Bradford Libraries

Mark is running two writing workshops for Bradford Libraries entitled Writing the Voice, both of which will be followed by a reading from his new novel, Tom Tit and the Maniacs out on 1st June through Armley Press. The first workshop is at Keighley Library on Saturday 9th June from 10 am and the second is at Bradford Central Library on Saturday 16th June from 10 am.

Swarthmore open mic

Mark is part of an open mic line-up and will be reading from his new novel, Tom Tit and the Maniacs, at Swarthmore Education Centre in Leeds on Tuesday 19th June. From 7 pm.

Confluence magazine

Mark's poems, The Money Dude and Final Reminder appear in Issue 6 of the literary magazine, Confluence.

I am not a Silent Poet

Mark's poem, Threads, was recently published by the Saboteur nominated webzine, I am not a Silent Poet.

Oxenhope Book Club

Mark will be visiting Oxenhope Book Club on Monday 14th May 2018 for a Q & A session on Stickleback, which the group have just finished reading.

Prole, April 2018

Mark's poem, The Red Kite of ASDA, will be published in the forthcoming issue of Prole, due out in April 2018.

Love and Music Special

Mark's poem, Warm We Circles, appears in Issue 5 of The Writer's Café Love and Music Special.

Keep Poems Alive

Mark's poems, Beyond Dervaig and Babe, you turn me on, appears on Keep Poems Alive, a website devised by Scottish poet, Sally Evans to reprint previously published poems to give them a second outing.

Strix

Mark's poem, The Tree Song will appear in Issue 3 of the Leeds based literary magazine, Strix.

Laldy, a new poetry magazine

Mark's poem, About a Bird appears in Issue 1 of Laldy, a new poetry magazine based in Paisley, Scotland.

Runcible Spoon, a new webzine

Mark's poem, Thou art a Boil, is being published on Runcible Spoon, a new webzine created by poet, Kathleen Strafford.

The Writers' Cafe Magazine

Mark's poem, Under the Stars, appears in Issue 3 of The Writers' Cafe Magazine.

The Winter Solstice Anthology

Mark's poem, This Winter, appears in The Winter Solstice Anthology, edited by Marie Lightman and Richard Skinner.

The Writers' Cafe Magazine

Mark's poem, The Bothy, appears in Issue 2 of The Writers' Cafe Magazine

News 2017

The Writers' Cafe Magazine

Three of Mark's poems, We are here and this is what we sound like, Iron Sky and All Aboard have been published by The Writers' Cafe Magazine. We are here and this is what we sound like will also appear in a printed version, which will be published in the near future.

Poetry Salzburg Review

Mark's poem, Submission, will appear in Issue 32 of the long-running international poetry journal, Poetry Salzburg Review.

December 2017 Edition of Prole

Mark's poem, The Grass Song, will be published in Issue 24 of Prole.

Word Club Radio

Mark and partner, Gill Lambert, will begin broadcasting their monthly radio show, WORD CLUB RADIO, on community radio station, Chapel FM (ELFM Radio) at 10 am Sunday 8th October. The radio show will be broadcast at 10 am on the 2nd Sunday of each month.

Bradford UNESCO city of Film project

Mark will be one of the poets featured on film as part of this year's Bradford UNESCO city of Film project. The poems will be broadcast on 28th September 2017, National Poetry Day and available to view on www.bradford-city-of-film.com/.

National Poetry Day poetry play

Mark will performing with a cast from The Otley Poets for the next performance of Town Below the Steps, a poetry play written by Matthew Hedley Stoppard and a number of The Otley Poets. The event will be held at Korks Wine Bar, Otley, on Thursday 28th September to celebrate National Poetry Day.

Sunday seminars

Mark and partner, Gill Lambert, are now running seminars and workshops at The Chemic Tavern, Leeds, on the first Sunday of each month. For further information, please contact them at wordclub@hotmail.co.uk.

100,000 Poets for Change project

Mark will be co-editing a chap book as part of the 100,000 Poets for Change project, with poet, Tony Martin Woods. The chap book will be published in January 2018.

Clear Poetry

Four of Mark's poems, For Whom, Today's Post, Another Dawn Like This and After the Fall, will be published by Clear Poetry in October 2017.

Noble Dissent

Mark's poem, One Hundred Years of Impossible Choices appears in the new Beautiful Dragons anthology, Noble Dissent, due out in November 2017.

Forced/Unforced

Two of Mark's poems, Far From Any Road and The Waitress Song, appear in the new anthology, Forced/Unforced published by Rhubarb Spoken Word.

Poems on the Edge

Three of Mark's poems, Babe, You Turn Me On, The Buttermere Loop and Machines, are being published by the Poems on the Edge, a webzine based in Morocco.

Silver Streams

Mark's poem, Schmidhuber's Steps, has been published in the postmodern art and literature journal Silver Streams, based in Ireland.

Sleep is a Beautiful Colour

Mark's twitter tale, Communication, appears in the prestigious National Flash Fiction 2017 anthology Sleep is a Beautiful Colour, edited by Santino Prinzi and Meg Pokrass.

Poetry at the Parsonage

Mark and his partner, Gill Lambert, will be co-hosting an all day open-mic at this year's Poetry at the Parsonage Festival in Haworth, on Saturday 1st July, between 11 am and 6 pm.

York Mix Poetry Prize 2017

Mark's poem, Everyday Robots, was shortlisted for the York Mix Poetry Prize 2017.

April Issue of Prole Magazine

Mark's poem, Love Rant from Leeds, will feature in Issue 22 of Prole. This is Mark's fifth consecutive appearance in this award winning literary magazine.

Writing on Air Festival 2017

Mark will feature in four events at this year's Writing on Air festival, brought to you by Chapel FM, between Thursday 30th March and Sunday 2nd April 2017. He'll be performing in Town Below the Steps, a poetry play written by Otley Town Poet, Matthew Hedley Stoppard, which features the work of 16 Otley poets on Friday 31st March from 7 pm in the chapel itself. Straight after that, he is co-hosting The Best of Ilkley Literature Festival Open Mic with Gill Lambert, which will feature winning poets and runners up from 2003 to the present day. On Saturday 1st April, Mark will be reading from and talking about his debut full length poetry collection, Nothing is Meant to be Broken with Rose Drew from his publisher, Stairwell Books. He'll also be joining Helen Shay for her programme about open mics and those who run them.

The Bees' Breakfast

Mark's poem, The Road to Achininver will feature in the next Beautiful Dragons anthology, The Bee's Breakfast, which will be published in April 2017.

Half Moon Books

Mark is thrilled to have been appointed as a director and managing editor of Half Moon Books, formerly OWF Press, the publishers of his debut poetry pamphlet, Life is a Long Song.

WORD CLUB Birthday Bash

Join Mark and friends for WORD CLUB's 2nd Birthday Bash on Friday 27th January 2017 at The Chemic Tavern in Leeds. Our headliners this month are Matthew Hedley Stoppard, Rosalind York and Geoff Hattersley. Open mic slots available. Kick off is 7.30 pm.

News 2016

WORD CLUB Christmas Do

Join Mark and friends for the WORD CLUB Christmas Do on Saturday 17th December at The Chemic Tavern in Leeds. John Foggin will be headlining, with support slots from Gill Lambert, Robert Eunson, Simon Widdop, Lorna Faye Dunsire and Alicia Fernandez. Open mic slots available. Kick off is 1.30 pm.

50 years of Horsforth Trinity University

Mark's poem, Advice From a Bookshelf, will feature in an anthology to celebrate 50 years of Trinity University in Horsforth, which is due out in March 2017 from Indigo Dreams.

More Exhibitionism

Mark will be reading his three poems included in Stairwell Books' latest anthology, More Exhibitionism at the launch at The Exhibition Hotel, York, on Sunday 11th December 2016.

December issue of Prole Magazine

Mark's poem, Rented Rooms, will feature in the December issue of Prole. This is Mark's fourth consecutive appearance in this award winning literary magazine.

Not a Drop: Oceans of Poetry

Mark's poem, Far Alaska, features in the latest anthology by Beautiful Dragons, Not a Drop: Oceans of Poetry. Mark will be performing at the Leeds launch event in early 2017.

The Pop-up Poetry Shop

Mark will be performing at The Pop-up Poetry Shop, along with other OWF Press poets at 9A Westgate, Otley, from 11.30 am on Sunday 27th November.

Word Club Special

Mark's WORD CLUB SPECIAL at The Chemic Tavern, Leeds, on Friday 25th November will feature Kate Fox, Antony Dunn, Becky Cherriman and Tom Weir. This is a ticket only event (£8) but tickets can also be purchased on the door.

Armley Press at Leeds Central Library

Mark will be reading with other Armley Press authors at Leeds Central Library on Saturday 19th November. Kick off is 12 noon.

Anything Prose

Mark will be the compere of 'Anything Prose', the new WORD CLUB bi-monthly spoken word night, on Friday 18th November at The Chemic Tavern, Leeds. He'll be reading from Stickleback with guests slots from Nathan O'Hagan and K D Thomas. There will also be an open mic.

Drystone Radio

Mark will be a special guest on David Driver's Drystone Radio show on Tuesday 18th October from 7.30 pm. He'll be talking about and reading from his novel Stickleback, his poetry pamphlet, Life is a Long Song and his forthcoming collection, Nothing is Meant to be Broken. He'll also be selecting songs that have inspired his work.

Poems about Pubs

Mark's poem, The Chemic Tavern, appears in the new OWF Press, anthology, Half Moon - Poems about Pubs.

A Night with Armley Press at Ilkley Lit Fest

Come and join Mick McCann, John Lake and Mark Connors from local punk publishers, Armley Press, on Monday 10th October, 9 pm, at The Ilkley Playhouse (Wharfeside) reading from their acclaimed books: Coming Out as Bowie Fan, Amy and the Fox and Stickleback.

The inaugural Shaken in Sheep Town

Mark will be performing at the inaugural 'Shaken in Sheep Town' a brand new poetry night in Skipton, on Thursday 8th September. The night will be run and compered by the lovely Gill Lambert. Mark will be joined by fellow poets, Joanna Sedgwick, Hannah Stone and Joanna Ezekiel. There will also be an open mic. The event takes place at Bojangles Bar, 20 Newmarket Street, Skipton.

The Interpreter's House

Mark's poem, Mono Lake, will feature in Issue 63 of the prestigious long-running poetry journal, The Interpreter's House, due for publication in October 2016.

New anthology from Stairwell Books

Three of Mark's poems, Butcher's Row, Soonest Mended and Put your Lips Together, will feature in the new anthology from Stairwell Books due out later in the year.

Another Appearance in Prole Magazine

Mark's poem, A Fairy Tale from Nowhere, features in the latest issue (20) of Prole which took first prize in the best Poetry Magazine category at this year's Saboteur Awards. Mark has appeared in three consecutive issues of this popular poetry stalwart.

Interview: Yorkshire Times

Mark has been interviewed in The Yorkshire Times by fellow poet, Rosalind York. The interview covers Mark's debut novel, Stickleback, Armley Press and WORD CLUB. Click here to read it.

Not the Booker Prize longlist

Mark's debut novel, STICKLEBACK, has been long listed for the prestigious Not the Booker Prize run by The Guardian. The long list also features novels by Julian Barnes, Graham Swift, Rachel Cusk, Lionel Shriver, Justin Cronin and fellow Armley Press author and managing editor, John Lake. The short list will be published around Friday 12th August.

Yorkshire Day

Mark will be reading with 8 other local poets to celebrate Yorkshire Day at Heart Cafe, Headingley, on Saturday 30th July from 3.30 pm.

Poetry at the Parsonage Festival

Mark and Joanna Sedgwick have put together the fantastic line-up for the inaugural Poetry at the Parsonage Festival on behalf of the Bronte Society. The society, in association WORD CLUB, will host the event on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July 2016, bringing together over 100 poets and performers over two days. The festival will take place over three venues in Haworth and will be headlined by Helen Mort and Alan Buckley on the Saturday and Kate Fox on the Sunday. There will also be a series of workshops run by Char March, James Nash, Charlotte Wetton and Glynis Charlton. See below for the line-ups for both Charlotte's Stage and the fringe events on Emily's Stage. Mark will also be compering and performing over the two days. The festival kicks off in the Old School Rooms from 12 noon on Saturday 2nd July.

Word Up West Leeds

Mark will be appearing with Armley Press, reading from his debut novel, Stickleback, Word Up West Leeds event on Friday 10th June, at the New Wortley Community Centre, Tong Road, LS12 1LZ. Kick off is at 4 pm. Armley Press will be on at around 7 pm up to press. Apparently, there's a pay what you feel Bistro!

Dream Catcher Magazine

Mark's Twitter Tale, Sometimes, will appear in Issue 33 of the International Literary Journal, Dream Catcher. To order a copy or subscribe, click the link.

Life is a Long Song Performance

Mark is the special guest poet at Puzzle Poets on Monday 9th May at The Blind Pig, Sowerby Bridge. Kick off is at 7.30 pm.

Cleckheaton Literature Festival Performance

Mark will be joining fellow authors from Armley Press, Mick McCann and Nathan O'Hagan, to read from and discuss their work. The event takes place at Cleckheaton Library on Sunday 24th April 2016 between 4 – 6 pm.

Life is a Long Song Performance

Mark is the special guest poet at The Speakers' Corner on Wednesday 11th May at The Golden Ball pub in York. Kick off is at 7.30 pm

Two gigs in one day on Saturday 23rd April 2016

Mark will co-headlining this month's Jackanory with Joanna Sedgwick. Kick off is at 2 pm at Westgate Studios, The Prudential Building, 55 Westgate, Wakefield. WF1 1BW. Mark will be reading from his debut novel, Stickleback, from his poetry pamphlet, Life is a Long Song, and Mark and Joanna will be performing their poetry cycle from The Leads to Leeds Project, a collaborative poetry venture set up by the poet, Helen Mort.

Mark will also be performing at Inkwell Arts Centre, from 6 pm that evening, in celebration of World Book Night. He will be joining fellow authors from Armley Press to read from Stickleback and performing a set of poetry with OWF Press.

Another Appearance in Prole

Mark's poem, A Cooking Wound, appears in the April edition of Prole Magazine.

Mark's debut novel, STICKLEBACK

Mark's debut novel, STICKLEBACK, is out now through Armley Press. You can purchase a copy here via Amazon. Please see the Stickleback page for full details of the book launch event on Friday 11th March 2016.

East Leeds FM interview

Mark will be interviewed by Peter Spafford on ELFM Radio on Tuesday 15th March at 8 pm. He'll be talking about his debut novel, Stickleback, out soon through Armley Press.

My Dear Watson book launch

Mark, and a host of other poets including Joanna Sedgwick and Gill Lambert, will be appearing at the book launch of My Dear Watson: The Very Elements of Poetry, (published by Beautiful Dragons in 2015)at Lancaster Library as a part of the Lancaster Literature Festival on Saturday 19th March between 2 – 3 pm. Tickets are priced £8 - £10. Click here for further details.

Life is a Long Song performance

Mark will be appearing at Red Shed Readings at The Red Shed in Wakefield on Thursday 3rd March 2016 to kick off his Life is a Long Song Spring tour. Kick off is at 7.30 pm at The Red Shed, Vicarage Close, Wakefield. WF1 1QX.

Surprise View Book Launch and Open Mic Competition

Mark will be appearing at the launch of Surprise View: Poems About Otley, out now through OWF Press. Mark will be reading his two poems from the anthology along with a host of other contributors. After the launch, Mark will be the compere for the Otley Literature Festival's Open Mic Compeition, judged by Char March. Both events take place between 2 – 6 pm on Sunday 6th March 2016 at Korks Wine Bar, Otley.

A Flock of Words - Poetry Slam

On Feb 17th, Leeds Libraries is hosting one of the biggest poetry slams the city has ever seen at Central Library, featuring the comperes and performers of Word Club, Verbal Remedies, Poetry and a Pint and Otley Poets. The running order looks something like this (and it could get nasty!):
Ralph Dartford vs Mark Connors
Sandra Burnett vs Chris Singleton
Victoria Garbutt vs Jane Kite
Joanna Sedgwick vs Representative of Verbal Remedies
Simon Widdop vs Joe Williams

Stickleback Launch

Armley Press presents: STICKLEBACK by Mark Connors. Come and join Mark and some special guests for the launch of his debut novel, STICKLEBACK, at The Chemic Tavern, Woodhouse, Leeds. LS6 2NG, from 7.30 pm, on Friday 11th March 2016. He'll be reading from the book, there will be a Q & A session and he'll be signing sold copies on the night.

News 2015

The Sunday Poem

Mark's poem, Life is a Long Song, the title piece from his debut pamphlet published by Otley Word Feast Press, featured as The Sunday Poem on the weekly blog of the celebrated poet, Kim Moore, this week. You can read Kim's blog and comments about Mark's poem here.

My Dear Watson

One of Mark's poems features in My Dear Watson: The Very Elements of Poetry, out now through Beautiful Dragons. Each poem in the book was inspired, however loosely, by an element contained in the Periodic Table and all 118 elements are catered for. The book can be purchased online at Beautiful Dragons.

Surprise View: Poems about Otley

Two of Mark's poems feature in Surprise View: Poems about Otley, out now through Otley Word Feast Press. Copies can be purchased at this month's Farmers' Market taking place on Sunday 29th November from 9 am to 1 pm, or Just Books and The Post Office in Otley. Alternatively you can purchase online from OWF Press.

December's Prole Magazine

Two of Mark's poems, The King of Wishful Thinking and Bath Night will feature in the December edition of Prole Magazine.

Avis Magazine Launch

Mark will be performing with the brilliant Clare Shaw at Kro bar, Oxford Road, Manchester, on Monday 23rd November. The evening will be hosted by Keith Hutson to launch Avis, a new magazine brought to you by Manchester University. Kick off is 7.30 pm. Open mic slots available.

Ilkley Literature Festival's Open Mic winner for 2014 and 2015!

Mark is on cloud nine again after winning the Ilkley Literature Festival's Open Mic for 2015 for the second year in succession, performing a poem from his recently published pamphlet, Life Is a Long Song. He also received a cheque for £200. Fellow Otley Poets, John Hepworth and Joanna Sedgwick took 2nd and 3rd places respectively, with Jane Kite awarded with a special commendation.

Life is a Long Song performance

Mark will be one of the special guests at Spoken Weird at Victorian Craft Beer Café, 18-22 Powell Street, Halifax HX1 1LN on Thursday 5th November 2015.

Life is a Long Song performance

Mark will be appearing at Jackanory, at Mooca Moocho Cafe in Wakefield WF1 1PH on Saturday 24th October 2015, from 2.00 pm. Other performers include Ian Whiteley and Susan Fothergill.

The Dawntreader

Mark's poem, Zion, appears in the Autumn edition of The Dawntreader, published by Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd.

Life is a Long Song performance

Mark will be co-headlining with Steve Pottinger at The Fox & Newt on Monday 2nd November 2015. They will both be performing poetry from their new books. Open mic slots available. Kick off 7.30 pm.

Life is a Long Song performance

Mark will be performing poems from his debut pamphlet, Life is a Long Song, (published by Otley Word Feast Press) at Wordspace, The Medusa Bar, Town Street, Horsforth, Wednesday 7th October 2015. There is also the usual open mic with slots available on the night.

Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe

Mark will be performing at the Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe with fellow poets, Joanna Sedgwick and Rachel Kerr at Ilkley Playhouse Wildman on Thursday 15th October 2015 between 9 pm and 10 pm. Inspired by the past, the future, foreign lands and other elsewheres, enjoy an intimate, amusing and moving poetry reading from three strikingly different poets; each writing about the notion of 'elsewhere'. Together Joanna Sedgwick, Rachel Kerr and Mark Connors promise an entertaining and thought provoking evening.

Two events in one day!

Mark will be performing poems from his debut pamphlet, Life is a Long Song, at two events on Thursday 8th October 2015. In the afternoon, Mark will be readings at the Poetry Alive Open Mic at Vaults, Ilkley, between 2 - 4 pm. In the evening, Mark will be joining Helen Mort, Becky Cherriman, James Nash and other local poets for a reading in Headingley at the library on North Lane. Kick off is 7.15 pm.

Poetry Banquet

Mark will be performing poems from his debut pamphlet, Life is a Long Song, at the annual Poetry Banquet at Pastiche Restaurant, Ilkley, for the Ilkley Literature Festival on Monday 5th October 2015. Kick off is 8 pm.

Morley Literature Festival

Mark will be performing poems from his debut pamphlet, Life is a Long Song, at Morley Literature Festival. The event will take place at St Mary's Church, Woodkirk, on Thursday 1st October 2015. Other performers include Jimmy Andrex, Susan Darlington, Jonathan Eyre, Susan Fothergill and Michael Yates. Kick off is from 7.00 pm.

Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing poems from his debut pamphlet, Life is a Long Song, at Poems, Prose and Pints on Wednesday 16th September 2015, at The Tap and Spile, Harrogate. This month's headliner is the fabulous Helen Burke.

ELFM Radio

Mark will be reading on Love the Words, hosted by Peter Spafford at ELFM Radio, from 7.15 pm on Tuesday 15th September 2015. He will be officially launching his debut poetry pamphlet, Life is a Long Song, published by Otley Word Feast Press. He will also be discussing his debut novel, Stickleback, which is due to be published by Armley Press in 2016. The programme will also feature a song or two from Mark's recent recorded work with the duo Atkinson & Connors.

Word Club

WORD CLUB 7 will take place on Friday 31st July 2015, from 7.30 pm, at The Chemic Tavern, Leeds. Our headliners this month are Siobhan Mac Mahon, Andrew Brown and Ian Whitely, as well as the usual crew of ultra-talented open micers that would grace any Literary event!

Dream Catcher Magazine

Three of Mark's poems, One Step Beyond, One Step Closer and Loch Na Keal appear in Issue 31 of the International Literary Journal, Dream Catcher. To order a copy or subscribe, click the link.

Bridlington Poetry Festival

Mark will be performing at the open mic at Bridlington Poetry Festival on Saturday 20th June 2015. The event will be hosted by A FIRM OF POETS at Sewerby Hall. Entry is free. Kick off 8.45 pm.

Leeds Waterfront Festival

Mark will be performing at the open mic hosted by Blank Page Industries for Leeds Waterfront Festival on Saturday 27th June 2015. The event will take place on a narrowbaot moored outside The Pour House. Kick off is 7 pm.

Poetry and a Pint

Mark will be the special guest at Poetry and a Pint, run by a Firm of Poets, on Thursday 11th June 2015. The night will be hosted by the brilliant Geneviève Walsh, at Cafe Lux, in Pudsey, from 7 pm. Limited open mic slots will be available on the night on a first come first serve basis but it won't harm your chances reserving a slot with A Firm of Poets via Facebook.

Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at Poems, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 20th May 2015. Kick off at 8 pm. The special guest this month is Steve Pottinger.

Sarasvati magazine

Six of Mark's poems, Life is a Long Song, Cannonball, On Not Going Gently, Caravan, In Box and Swallow appear in Issue 37 of the Indigo Dream Publishing Ltd magazine, Sarasvati. Copies are available at www.indigodreams.co.uk

Leads to Leeds

Mark has completed an 8 poem collaborative poetry cycle with Otley poet, Joanna Sedgwick, for the Leads to Leeds project, run by Helen Mort at Leeds University. The cycle is now live on the Leads to Leeds website.

The Garden

OWF Press will officially launch their second anthology, The Garden, at Korks Wine Bar, Otley, from 2 pm on Sunday 19th April 2015. The event will be hosted by Kate Fox (who regularly features on Radio 4) and will feature readings from 28 poets (including Mark) whose work appears in this fine anthology.

The Dawntreader

Mark's poem, Loch Na Keal, features in the Spring edition of The Dawntreader, an imprint of Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd.

York Mix Poetry Prize 2015

Mark's poem, The Bothy, was longlisted for the York Mix Poetry Prize 2015.

Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at Poems, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 15th April 2015. Kick off at 8 pm.

The Art of Falling

Kim Moore's first collection, The Art of Falling, makes its first appearance in Yorkshire at poetry By Heart in Headingley, Leeds, on Wednesday 29th April 2015. Kim will be supported by Mark Connors, John Foggin, Andrew Forster, Keith Hutson and Peter R White.

Friday Night Live @ The Chapel Spring Season

Mark will be performing a 20 minute set of poetry and twiction live at The Chapel, York Road, LS14 6JB. The night will be headlined by the magnificent Matthew Hedley Stoppard and The Glass Delusion.

Compere of Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark has been asked to compere Poems, Prose and Pints again at The Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 18th March 2015. He will be reading a selection of his recently published poetry. The special guests for March are Henry Raby and Jenn Hart.

Word Club

Mark's new monthly open mic night, WORD CLUB, will have it's second outing on Friday 27th February 2015. It opens its doors at 7.30 pm at the Chemic Tavern, Woodhouse, Leeds. The headlining acts are Char March, Chris Singleton and Dan Whitaker, along with a number of open mic slots. The first rule of WORD CLUB is... we ALWAYS talk about WORD CLUB.

Sarasvati magazine

Nine of Mark's poems have been accepted for future editions of the Indigo Dreams Ltd magazine, Sarasvati. Dates to be confirmed.

Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at Poems, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 18th February 2015. Kick off at 8 pm.

Shindig in Hebden Bridge

Mark will be performing a special guest slot at Shindig at Nelson's Wine Bar in Hebden Bridge, on Tuesday 17th February 2015. Kick off is at 8.00 pm.

Word Club

Mark's hosting a new monthly open mic night called WORD CLUB. It opens its doors at 7.30 pm for its inaugural bash on Friday 30th January, at the Chemic Tavern, Woodhouse, Leeds. The headlining acts are Jane Kite, Sandra Burnett and Rosalind York, along with a number of open mic slots. The first rule of WORD CLUB is... we ALWAYS talk about WORD CLUB.

The Dawntreader

Mark's poems, Loch Na Keal, and Some Better Day have been accepted for publication by Indigo Dreams for future editions of The Dawntreader. Dates TBC.

ENVOI magazine

Mark's poem, Different Devil has been selected by the long running poetry magazine, ENVOI. It will feature in their Spring issue.

News 2014

A Firm of Poets

Mark will be performing a selection of his poetry at A Firm of Poets - Poetry and a Pint, at Cafe Lux in Pudsey on Thursday 8th January.

Saltaire Books event

Mark will be reading at a joint event to promote Otley Word Feast's The Garden and a new anthology from The Beehive Poets. The venue is: Saltaire Books, 1 Mrytle Place, Saltaire, BD18 4NB.

The Garden

Mark's poem, From out of Nowhere features in the anthology The Garden published by Otley Word Feast Press. Mark's poem is commended in the introduction, written by Bob Flowerdew of Gardener's Question Time fame! To purchase a copy, visit Otley Word Feast Press.

Compere of Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark has been asked to compere Poems, Prose and Pints again at The Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 19th November 2014. He will be reading a selection of his recently published poetry and Twitter Fiction. The special guest for November is the fabulous writer, Char March.

Dream Catcher Magazine

Mark's poem, Above Yellowstone appears in Issue 29 of the International Literary Journal Dream Catcher. To order a copy or subscribe, click the link.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine is publishing another batch of Mark's Twitter Tales in December 2014. This follows a Twitter Tale commissioned by the Oklahoma based Twitterzine to commemorate their 5th birthday.

UEA140Story

Mark has been commissioned to provide a number of Twitter Tales for publication by UEA140Story, a Twitterzine about to celebrate their 1st birthday. The magazine is based at the esteemed University of East Anglia.

Ilkley Literature Festival's Open Mic winner for 2014!

Mark is on cloud nine after winning the Ilkley Literature Festival's Open Mic for 2014, performing a selection of his Twitter Tales. He also received a cheque for £200. Poets, Steve Nash and Jo Peters took 2nd and 3rd places respectively.

The Ilkley Literature Festival's Open Mic Competition

Mark will be performing at The Ilkley Literature Festival's Open Mic Competition on Sunday 19th October at the Ilkley Playhouse. Kick off is 8.30 pm.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at Poetry, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 15th October 2014. Kate Fox is the special guest this month.

Three appearances in one day!

On Thursday 9th October, Mark will be performing at the following events/locations:
2:00 pm -Ilkley Moor Vaults - An event hosted by this year's poet in residence, Kim Moore.
5:30 pm - ELFM at the Chapel. Mark will read some Twiction and some of his recently published poetry live from ELFM's new studios at the magnificent Chapel in Seacroft, Leeds.
7:00 pm - Mark will be one of the support acts for Antony Dunn, who will be performing at Cafe Lux on Robin Lane in Pudsey, a night hosted by Matthew Hedley Stoppard from A Firm of Poets.

The Poetry Banquet

Mark will perform at The Poetry Banquet on Wednesday 8th October at Panache Restaurant, Ilkley, an event hosted by this year's Poet in residence at Ilkley Literature Festival, Kim Moore.

Perspective

Mark's poem Found In Translation, has been published by Perspective. The poem went live on their website at www.persepctivelit.com on 1st October 2014.

The Dawntreader

Mark's poems, To the Lighthouse, and The Old School House feature in the Autumn edition of The Dawntreader, an imprint of Indigo Dreams.

Forget Me Knot Festival

Mark has been asked to perform at and help co-ordinate poets for the Forget Me Knot Festival, which takes place at The Left Bank, Cardigan Road, LS6 1LJ between Midday and Midnight on Saturday 4th October 2014. Mark will perform with other members of The Otley Poets between 12 - 5 pm.

Words on Tap compere

Mark has been invited to compere Words on Tap at The Chemic Tavern, Woodhouse, Leeds, LS6 2NG on Friday 26th September by regular host and dapper poet, Matthew Hedley Stoppard. Matthew has asked Mark to read a selection of his work in and around the other acts performing on the night. Kick off is at 7.30 pm.

How am I doing for Time? at Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at the launch party for the anthology How am I doing for Time? This will take place at Poems, Prose and Pints at The Tap & Spile in Harrogate on 17th September 2014.

How Am I Doing For Time?

Mark's poems, Boys Don't Cry, This Be the Verb and a selection of his Twitter Tales, have been included in the anthology, How Am I Doing For Time? The anthology, published to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the long-running Harrogate spoken word open mic, Poems, Prose and Pints, will be published in September. Edited by renowned poet, Tim Ellis, it will also feature work from some of the biggest names on the northern literary circuit, including Joolz Denby, Matthew Hedley Stoppard, Oz Hardwick, Steve Nash and Gaia Holmes.

Words on Tap

Mark will be performing a selection of his recently published poetry at Words on Tap at The Chemic Tavern in Woodhouse, Leeds, on Friday 25th July 2014.

The Dawntreader

Mark's poems, Ben More, The Old School House and Summer Skin have been accepted for publication by Indigo Dreams for future editions of The Dawntreader. Dates TBC.

Home is Not Sad

Mark's poem, Home is Not Sad, a play on Larkin's famous piece, Home is so Sad, has been accepted for publication by Prole Books and will appear in their Summer edition which will be published in August 2014.

Compere of Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark has been asked to compere Poems, Prose and Pints again at The Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 16th July 2014. He will be reading a selection of his recently published poetry and Twitter Fiction. The special guest for July is the fabulous poet, Matthew Hedley Stoppard.

The Poetry Slam

Mark will be performing at The Poetry Slam in City Park, Bradford, as part of the Poetry into the City festival, which is running in conjunction with the Bradford Curry Festival between 20th-22nd June 2014.

Words on Tap

Mark will be performing a selection of his recently published poetry at Words on Tap at The Chemic Tavern in Woodhouse, Leeds, on Friday 20th June 2014.

York Belles Poetry Competition 2014

Mark's contribution to the York Belles Poetry Competition 2014 to celebrate the joy of cycling, took one of the runner-up spots with the following tweet-sized poem:

This is my time.
You are welcome in my thoughts, my hopes, even my desires,
but this saddle is all mine.

Congratulations to the winner and the other runner up, Oz Hardwick.

Guest poet

Mark will be one of the guest poets reading at the York launch of Andrew Brown's book, SKYDIVE: Leaping from the Ledge, published by Stairwell Books. The launch party takes place at The Black Swan, York, on Wednesday 25th June 2014.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing a selection of his recently published work at Poems, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 18th June 2014.

Guest poet

Mark will be one of the guest poets reading at the Harrogate launch of Andrew Brown's book, SKYDIVE: Leaping from the Ledge, published by Stairwell Books. The launch party takes place at The Tap and Spile, Harrogate, on Wednesday 5th June 2014.

Hank's New Song

Mark's short story, Hank's New Song is being published by FlashFiction Magazine. The story goes live on their website from 26th May 2014.

Babe, I'm on Fire

Mark's poem, Babe, I'm on Fire, features in a new anthology being published by Stairwell Books to celebrate the Grand Départ 2014. The book is entitled: A Still Life with Wine and Cheese. The launch party will take place at The Spurriergate Centre, York, from 7.45 pm, 12th June 2014.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing a selection of his recently published work at Poetry, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 21st May 2014.

Issue 28 of Dawntreader magazine

Mark's poem, Inishmaan appears in issue 28 of The Dawntreader, a magazine published by Indigo Dreams.

I'd Know that Smile Anywhere

Mark's poem about Alzheimer's, I'd Know that Smile Anywhere, has been published in the Spring newsletter of The Faculty for the Psychology of Older People (FROP) of The British Psychological Society. Anyone interested can buy a copy here: BPS Shop.

Published in Confettifall

The American Twitter Fiction magazine, @confettifall, are publishing another of Mark's Twitter Tales. It will go live on 22nd May 2014.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine, based in Oklahoma, U.S.A, is publishing another two of Mark's Twitter Tales. They go live on 11th April and 18th April 2014 respectively.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at Poetry, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 16th April 2014.

Confettifall Finalist

Mark came 3rd in the Twitter Fiction Final of the @confettifall, competition, based in the U.S.A. A fellow Twiction Addiction author, S Kay @blueberrio took 1st prize.

Otley Word Feast Open Mic Competition 2014

Mark came 4th in the 2014 Otley Word Feast Open Mic Competition and was awarded a commendation from the esteemed judge, Char March, for a reading of some of his Twitter Tales.

The Fiction Festival

Some of Mark's Twitter Tales will feature in The Fiction Festival @TWFictionfest between 12-16 March 2014. This high profile Twitter festival is sponsored by USA Today and a variety of major publishers.

Otley Word Feast

Mark will be performing at Otley Word Feast's open mic competition at Korks Wine Bar between 4-6 pm on Saturday 29th March 2014.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at Poems, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 19th March 2014.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine, based in Oklahoma, U.S.A, is publishing another of Mark's Twitter Tales. it goes live on 11th March.

Dream Catcher Magazine

Mark's poem, Above Yellowstone has been accepted for publication by the International Literary Journal, Dream Catcher. It will appear in Issue 29, date TBC.

Confettifall Finalist

Mark has had two twitter tales accepted for publication by Confettifall, a twitterzine/ezine based in the U.S.A. They were entered into a competition and both tales were selected for the final round with six other stories from which a winner will be chosen at the end of March.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine, based in Oklahoma, U.S.A, is publishing another two of Mark's Twitter Tales. They go live on 21st February and 25th February 2014 respectively.

Sarasvati magazine

Four of Mark's poems,Then, Now, Before, Closer to the Heart, List and Inisheer feature in the latest edition of the poetry magazine, Sarasvati. To purchase a copy, visit Indigo Dreams.

Trapeze magazine

Another of Mark's more speculative fiction tweets has been accepted by Trapeze Magazine. Date TBC.

Poems, Prose and Pints

Back by popular demand, Mark's wife, Lesley Connors, is the compere at this month's Poems, Prose and Pints, at The Tap & Spile, Harrogate, on Wednesday 19th February. Mark will be reading a couple of his poems and some of his recently published Twitter Tales.

Love the Words on East Leeds FM

Mark will be a reading a selection of his Twitter Tales on Love the Words, broadcast by East Leeds FM, on Tuesday 18th February. He will also be discussing the launch of his new Twitterzine/ezine, Twiction Addiction, which will go live on 1st March 2014. Submission details for writers will be available on Mark's website in the very near future.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine, based in Oklahoma, U.S.A, is publishing another two of Mark's Twitter Tales. They go live on 31st January and 4th February 2014 respectively.

Confettifall

Mark has had a twtter tale accepted for publication by Confettifall, a twitterzine/ezine based in the U.S.A.

UEA140Story

Mark has had four twitter tales accepted for publication by UEA140Story, a twitterzine based at the esteemed University of East Anglia.

Dream Catcher Magazine

Mark's poem, How to Behave at Funerals, appears in Issue 28 of the International Literary Journal, Dream Catcher, due out in February 2014. To order a copy or subscribe, click the link.

Dream Catcher launch party

Mark will be reading a selection of his poetry at the launch party for Issue 28 of Dream Catcher. The event is taking place at According to McGee Art Gallery, 8 Tower Street, York. YO1 9SA, on Saturday 1st February 2014. The poetry readings will commence from 3:30 pm.

Poems, Prose and Pints

Mark has been asked to compere Poems, Prose and Pints at The Tap and Spile in Harrogate again on Wednesday 15th January 2014. He will also be reading a selection of his recent work.

The Spoken Word

Mark will be reading a selection of his poetry at The Spoken Word, Exhibition Hotel, York, on Tuesday 7th January 2014.

News 2013

Love the Words on East Leeds FM - Listen again

If you missed it, Mark's guest slot on the radio is now available to listen to at East Leeds FM. Click on LTW Hughes/Connors to hear poems by Mark and blogs by the terrific Lucy Hughes, while in conversation with Peter Spafford.

Love the Words on East Leeds FM

Mark will be a reading a selection of his recently published poetry on Love the Words, a regular community arts programme presented by James Fernie, broadcasted on East Leeds FM. Tune in on Tuesday 17th December to hear Mark and a selection of other local writers read their work.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark's wife, Lesley Connors, is the compere at this month's Poetry, Prose and Pints, at The Tap & Spile, Harrogate, on Wednesday 20th November. It's her first time at the mic at such an event and she will be revealing truths from a muse's perspective about what it's like to live with a poet! As usual, Mark will be performing a selection of his recent poems and worrying what Lesley will reveal about him!

Dawntreader magazine

Mark's poems, Gurteen Bay and One Day Like This appear in the Autumn edition of Dawntreader, available now at Indigo Dreams.

Sarasvati magazine

Mark has had a selection of his poems accepted for publication by Indigo Dreams for Sarasvati magazine for a feature issue in early 2014.

Rugby League!

Mark will be one of 100 Poets featuring at a poetry event at The Carengie Stadium, Leeds, on Friday 8th November. Poets will be positioned around the entrances to the stands, reciting poetry to the public before the match between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Should be a blast!

Horsforth Open Mic

Mark will be performing a selection of his recent work at the Horsforth Open Mic, at The Sandbar, Horsforth, on Wednesday 6th November.

The Otley Poets

Mark will be reading a selection of his work with The Otley Poets, at Korks Wine Bar, on Tuesday 5th November.

Morley Literature Festival

Mark will be performing at Morley Literature Festival on Friday 11th October, at The Altar, St Peter's Church, Morley. Kick off is 7.30 pm.

Ilkley Literature Festival

Mark will be performing at The Ilkley Literature Festival's Open Mic Competition on Sunday 20th October at the Ilkley Playhouse. Kick off is 8.30 pm.

Two Sentence Stories

Mark's Twitter Tale, Suspects, has been accepted for publication by Two Sentence Stories.

Dawntreader magazine

Dawntreader a magazine published by Indigo Dreams have accepted five of Mark's recent poems for publication in future issues. Dates to be confimed.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing a selection of his recently published poems at Poetry, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 18th September 2013. This month's special guest is the excellent Antony Dunn.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine is publishing another of Mark's Twitter Tales. It goes live on 10th September 2013.

The Alarmist Magazine

Mark's poem, Ode to Donner, appears in Issue 3 of The Alarmist Magazine. Click the link for details of how to purchase a copy.

Eunoia Review

Five of Mark's poems are being published by Eunoia Review (based in Singapore) this week. They go live from 5th August 2013.

Compere of Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark has been asked to compere Poetry, Prose and Pints at The Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 21st August 2013. He will be reading a selection of his recently published poetry and Twitter Fiction.

Another poem published

Mark's poem, Cocoon has been accepted for publication by Indigo Rising UK. It goes live on their website at the end of June 2013

Live performance

Mark will be reading a selection of his Twitter Tales and poems at The Tap and Spile, Harrogate, on Wednesday 19th June 2013.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine have published another of Mark's twitter tales. It went live on Saturday 25th May 2013.

Twitter fiction competition winner!

Mark has won the twitter fiction competition at this year's Dartmoor Literature Festival (Chagword). He received the first prize (a £25 book token) and also took the runner up slot!

Here is the winning tweet and the two runners up:
Winning entry:
A wise man once told him: You are what you are, not what you do. Alan sticks the ticket to the windscreen and walks on, whistling.
Runners-up:
I was affected by issues raised in the programme. I rang the help line. A woman answered. She told me to stop watching soap operas. [also from Mark Connors]
'Dear God take me back,' Adam yelled. 'He won't hear you,' Eve said, removing her fig leaf. 'It's just you me and the Devil now.' [from Michael Kirby]

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine is publishing another of Mark's Twitter Tales on Tuesday 30th April.

Poetic Republic competition 2013

Mark has submitted a couple of poems to Poetic Republic's 2013 competition, where poets judge other poets for prize money and inclusion in the Poetic Republic Anthology 2013. Winning poems/poets will be announced in the summer of 2013.

Interview with Atmosphere Magazine

Mark's recent recent interview with Atmosphere Magazine is available to view here.

Poetry, Prose and Pints

Mark will be performing at Poetry, Prose and Pints at the Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 17th April 2013.

Twitter Tales

For those of you following my Twitter Tales, I made another annoying error so had to delete a story and post it again a couple of days later. I can't even proof read my own tweets!

Claire Shaw's launch party

Mark will be performing at Claire Shaw's launch party for her new 2013 collection at The Red Triangle Cafe in Burnley, Lancashire, on Saturday 20th April 2013.

Open Pen magazine

London based Open Pen magazine are publishing Mark's first flash fiction piece, based on a recent series of his fiction tweets. The story is called Shucks and will feature in Open Pen's Berg's Little Printer in the near future.

Trapeze magazine

Trapeze Magazine have just published another of Mark's more speculative tweets. Have a look at this and other speculative fiction tweets at trapezemag.wordpress.com. Dates to be confirmed.

@escarp

@escarp, an established twitterzine based in Lubbock, Texas, will finally be publishing one of Mark's tweets. They've been a tought nut to crack, these guys!

The Otley Poets

Mark will be joining The Otley Poets at Korks Wine Bar on Tuesday 2nd April for a night of poetry. He will be reading a small selection of his recently published work.

Mark's first literary prize

Mark has won the Twiction competition at North London Literature Festival! It's his first literary prize. He might just have to increase his word count for the Booker. His work will be displayed at the Middlesex University campus throughout the festival. Here is the winning tweet:
He finishes the tree house. Now he needs a son. He scours the personals, looking for a provider.

The Alarmist

Mark's poem, Ode to Donner, has been accepted for publication by The Alarmist, a zany international literary magazine based in the UK. The poem will appear in their next issue. Date tbc.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine is publishing two more of Mark's Twitter Tales on Friday 22nd March 2013 and and Tuesday 2nd April 2013.

Twiction at North London Lit Fest

Mark is participating in the North London Lit Fest twiction challenge at Middlesex University. Fiction tweets will be re-tweeted and displayed on 'Twitter Walls' at the campus during the festival on 26th and 27th March 2013.

Live poetry and Twitter fiction in Harrogate

Mark will be reading some of his poetry and fiction tweets at The Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 20th March 2013.

Trapeze magazine

Two of Mark's more speculative fiction tweets have been accepted by Trapeze magazine. Dates to be confirmed.

Seedpod Publishing

Seedpod Publishing has accepted three of Mark's Twitter Tales, Hint, Dawn Patrol and Goodbye Old Friend. Mark's stories will be published on their Twitter stream and website. Dates TBC.

Interview for Atmosphere magazine

Mark was recently interviewed for Atmosphere, a new magazine to be launched in April, featuring up and coming talent in the creative arts. They came across Mark via his Twitter Tale a Day campaign and asked him a range of questions relating to his fiction tweets, poetry and novels. Watch this space for further details.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine is publishing two more of Mark's Twitter Tales on Tuesday, 26th March 2013 and Friday, March 29th 2013.

Indigo Dreams

Mark's poems, Beyond Dervaig and Common Birds, have been accepted for publication by Indigo Dreams for upcoming issues of their magazines The Dawntreader, Reach Poetry and Sarasvati.

OneFortyFiction.com

Mark's Twitter Tale This Be The Verb has been selected for publication by OneFortyFiction.com.

Cuento magazine

Cuento magazine (based in Oaklahoma, USA) is publishing two of Mark's tweets on Tuesday, 26th February 2013 and Friday, 8th March 2013 respectively.

Trapeze magazine

Trapeze magazine (based in Arkansas, USA) are publishing Mark's story, It Happened Here. It goes live later this week.

200th follower

Mark has just received his 200th follower of his Twitter Tales @markywriter since starting his fiction tweet a day project for 2013 on New Years Day. A big thanks to everyone following.

Live poetry and Twitter fiction in Harrogate

Mark will be reading a selection of his poetry and fiction tweets at The Tap and Spile in Harrogate on Wednesday 20th February 2013.

OneFortyFiction.com

Another of Mark's Twitter Tales A New Landscape has been selected for publication on OneFortyFiction.com. The date is to be confirmed.

Twitter Tales

For those of you following my Twitter Tales, please note that one of my tweets sent on 6th February was originally tweeted on 4th but deleted due to an annoying typo!

OneFortyFiction.com

Two of Mark's Twitter Tales Irony and Nearly Popping the Question have been selected for publication on OneFortyFiction.com. Dates are to be confirmed.

The Spoken Word

Mark will be reading a selection of his poetry and fiction tweets at The Spoken Word, Exhibition Hotel, York, on Tuesday 5th February 2013.

News 2012

OneFortyFiction.com

Mark's Twitter Tale In The News has been selected for publication this week on OneFortyFiction.com. Mark's story will be published as 'Today's Story' on Wednesday, January 16th.

Dreamcatcher Magazine

Mark has had three poems shortlisted for the long running poetry magazine Dreamcatcher, for upcoming issues in 2013.

Cover Versions

Mark's new short story, Cover Versions, will be available to read on the short story page by 12th December 2012.

Twitter Tales

From 1st January 2013, Mark is embarking on an ambitious Twitter project and will tweet a story a day, in 140 characters or less, for the entire year. Watch this space for further details.

Novels

Mark's two novels. Tom Tit and the Maniacs (2010) and Stickleback (2012) will be available on Amazon Kindle in early 2013.

The Spoken Word

Mark will be reading a selection of his poetry at The Spoken Word, Exhibition Hotel, York, on Tuesday 4th December 2012.

Café Lento Performance

Mark will be performing at Café Lento in Headingley on Thursday 22nd November 2012.