Jane Holland - ProfilesArchive

About Me

My name is Jane Holland and I'm a poet and novelist. I was born in 1966 in Ilford, Essex, have lived all around the UK, but I'm currently based in the Midlands where I was recently appointed Warwick Poet Laureate 2007-08.
I published my first novel, KISSING THE PINK , with Sceptre in the UK in 1999. My latest poetry collection is out now from Salt Publishing, called BOUDICCA & CO.
As you might have guessed from the photograph, I used to be a semi-pro snooker player, ranked 24th in the world at one stage, but then I got banned for life, ostensibly for bringing the game into disrepute. Just as well, really, or I would never have got into writing.
Which is what I do now to earn a living. I write poetry and novels, perform my work at open mics and poetry gigs, and spend far too much time online. My main occupation some days seems to be updating Poets On Fire - just an amazing site for live poetry in the UK that was launched about a year ago and gets thousands of visitors from all over the world every month!
I have five children and my current hobby when not doing huge amounts of housework or writing or performing my poetry is Ancient Greek, which I'm learning with the Open University this year. Very useful stuff if you're a time-traveller.
If you'd like to read some of my poems, look at more photos or catch up with my latest writing news, my web site is at www.janeholland.co.uk .

My Interests

Poetry and poets, snooker, 9-ball pool, curry - oh, how I love curry - Ancient Greek, bone-dry white wine, tea and lots of it, most things ancient, films of all types, rain, places I've connected with, beautiful women.

I'd like to meet:

Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni, armed with a large bottle of Southern Comfort and an English-Celtic dictionary. CLICK HERE TO Tell me what you really think of me!

My Blog

Camper Van Blues

Just putting my third poetry collection to bed ... a difficult and stressful time, sheets of scribbled-on paper everywhere underfoot, a thousand commas to question, too many stupid last minute excisio...
Posted by Jane Holland on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:35:00 PST

Now: Warwick Poet Laureate!

As you can see from my hilarious new slide show on MySpace, I was crowned Warwick Poet Laureate this autumn. My duties as Laureate involve writing commissioned poetry about the region, running local w...
Posted by Jane Holland on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 11:15:00 PST

New Poetry Workshops on Raw Light

Hi everybody - I feel very bad because I haven't logged into MySpace for several months. But I've made up for it now and gone through all my friend requests and messages and comments for approval ... ...
Posted by Jane Holland on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:36:00 PST

Birmingham MAC reading 20th Sept.

I'm reading at the Birmingham MAC this week on Thursday 20th September. 7 - 7.30pmish. If you're in the area, you can book tickets at the macarts.co.uk site or maybe just turn up? Best to book, I thin...
Posted by Jane Holland on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 04:48:00 PST

the blood-jet is poetry

The tide is going to turn any day now, I'm convinced of it, but for the past fortnight or so I've been writing a poem a day. That may be nothing to some people, but to me it's a Big Deal. Since starti...
Posted by Jane Holland on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 03:03:00 PST

EVICTED!

I had a great reading from Boudicca & Co last night at CB1 in Cambridge. The joint was packed, the audience laughed - and cried, which was a bit weird - in the right places, and I sold a fair number o...
Posted by Jane Holland on Wed, 09 May 2007 03:30:00 PST

Guest MC at Tin Angel, Coventry, on May 1st, to launch the inaugural Coventry Lit Fest

Looks like I'll be guest MC-ing the NIGHT BLUE FRUIT live poetry event at the Tin Angel, Spon Street, Coventry, on Tuesday May 1st. This is to launch the inaugural Coventry Lit Fest which is happening...
Posted by Jane Holland on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 06:49:00 PST

World Book Day reading - for those in the Cheltenham area, this sounds like a good evening

Three Poets Reading for World Book Day Join UA Fanthorpe, Nigel McLoughlin and Alicia Stubbersfield in a celebration of the 10th anniversary of World Book Day.7.15pm on 1 March 2007Room TC001Universit...
Posted by Jane Holland on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:02:00 PST

Fantastic Open Mic in Leamington tonight!

Briefly, as I want to watch LOST, which was recorded while I was out and I'm only waiting for the kettle to boil, I've just got back from a superb poetry night in Leamington Spa. It's an open mic even...
Posted by Jane Holland on Mon, 19 Feb 2007 04:06:00 PST

Bluebeard's Wives and Kickstarting Poetry

I was asked recently to write a poem connected to the gruesome fairy story about Bluebeard, who liked to murder his wives, until wife number 8 (I think) worked out what was going on, found the bodies ...
Posted by Jane Holland on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 10:48:00 PST