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Fiction & Social History from the Black Country and West Midlands

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NEW TITLES   LIVE LITERATURE

NEWS:

01/06/08:    SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LAMP
The new Sunday Night At The Lamp shows opened tonight in the Dudley venue.  Louise Stokes opened the night as Kimmy Sue Anne's mother.  Brendan Hawthorne followed with set of beat poetry.  Carol Midwood read from her Edna and Arthur collection and Greg Stokes closed the half with The Protectors, a story of two time travelling Black Country men on a mission.  Louise Stokes opened the second half with another character, NHS staff nurse Sulimia Bulimia.  Greg Stokes followed with Cheap and Cheerful, a tale of a disorganised cab co.  Carol Midwood read from her Bawdy Bloody Black Country collection and Brendan Hawthorne closed the night with a mix of poems and songs.
A great night, with all performers on form.  Live entertaining literature is back on the bill at the Lamp. Next show, 13th July.

24/04/08:    PAUL McDONALD NEW DATE
Paul McDonald has had to withdraw from the Sunday Night At The Lamp Show next week as his partner has to go into hospital that weekend.  We wish Pam a speedy recovery.  Paul will now read from his new novel Do I Love You on 13th July.

17/05/08:    NEW CATALOGUE ROLLED OUT
The new Kates Hill Press Catalogue was sent out to local bookshops today.  The concept is that shops can put the catalogue on their shelves rather than stock the books.  In the precarious book trade, the Kates Hill Press regard this as a win/win situation.

04/05/08:    FIRST TITLE FOR 88 YEARS
When League Football resumed after the First World War, West Bromwich Albion won that first League Championship, and won it in some style, scoring over 100 goals.  Despite numerous promotions and cup wins in the meantime, come 4th May 2008 the Baggies had not won a league title since that post war season.  The situation on the last day was win, and the Football League Championship would come to West Bromwich. 70 minutes gone and the Albion were 1-0 up.  With Stoke drawing, the title was ours... but 1-0 is fragile, QPR could equalise and Stoke could go ahead.  Tension mounted as the clock ticked slowly down.  Then came the free kick on the edge of the Queens Park Rangers penalty area.  Chris Brunt stepped up to stroke the ball home. At 2-0 up, it was then that we knew, Stoke could do what they liked, the title was ours.  It hadn't happened in my father's lifetime, and it had taken 53 years of mine, I'd have to live a long time yet before I could adequately describe how special was that day.  May the Fourth be with you.

30/04/08:    FIRST PART OF INVISIBLE COMPLETED
The first part of Greg Stokes' novel Invisible was completed today.  Two years in the works, Greg said, "part two runs chronologically so it should be easier to write." Invisible examines the way stories are told and which stories are told, a process that often leaves families of murder victims Invisible.  For more details visit the In The Pipeline page.

14/04/08:    WRITE ON ALBION GIG CANCELLED
Due to the need for continued treatment from the haemophilia unit following his recent prostate/bladder operation, Greg Stokes has been forced to cancel the Write On Albion show scheduled for 27th April.  The show will now take place around the start of the next football season, date to be announced.

02/04/08:  LAUNCH EVENT
The seven new titles were formally launched at the Lamp Tavern tonight.  The event used a show format.  Greg Stokes kicked off procedings reading of Dud Dudley's pre execution escape from Industrial Biography.  Louise Stokes came as Kimmy Sue Anne to read from Forts of Kmmy Sue Anne, and Billy Spakemeon closed the half with readings from Tummy Jones - Odebry Mon.  Carol Hathorne opened the second half reading from All Shook Up, followed by Raymond Smout reading from Pocketful of Memories - Roseville.  Paul MacDonald read two of the miscellaneous poems from Allan Chace and other poems, and Louise Stokes closed the night as Pamela Mary Crabfish, one of the characters from Conversations With The Family Of The Grotesque.  An excellent night both artistically and commercially.

22/03/08:  FOREST OF DEAN SHOW KICKS OFF NEW LAMP SEASON
It was great to be back at the Lamp again tonight.  David Price, Dave Harvey and Maggie Clutterbuck from the Forest were joined by Brendan Hawthorne, Geoff Stevens, Louise Stokes, SG Grey and Greg Stokes from the Black Country for another show of high quality entertainment.

15/03/08: ALLAN CHACE NOW AVAILABLE
The new Black Country Classic, Allan Chace & Other Poems is now available.  See the New Titles page for further details.

15/03/08:  JULIE BANNER ON BOARD
With Greg Stokes' move back to social work practice meaning less time to run the business, Julie Banner has taken on all typesetting for the Kates Hill Press.  This will be a great help and enable us to continue to roll out new titles.

04/03/08:  LAUNCH DATE SET
The 7 new Kates Hill Press titles, All Shook Up, Tommy jones - Odebry Mon, The Forts Of Kimmy Sue Anne, Conversations With The Family Of The Grotesque, A Pocketful Of Memories - Roseville, Industrial Biography - The Black Country Chapters, and Allan Chace & Other Poems, will be launched at the Lamp Tavern on Wednesday 2nd April at 8.00pm.  All Kates Hill Press titles will be available, there'll be readings from the new titles as well as from other authors.  Admission free.  All are welcome.

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The Kates Hill Press
126 Watsons Green Road
Kates Hill
DUDLEY
West Midlands
DY2 7LG

Phone: 01384 255973
Fax: 01384 255973
Email: kateshillpress@blueyonder.co.uk

The Kates Hill Press is a Small Press. We publish what we can when we can. Our full time jobs are in other fields so if we are out when you call, please leave a message and we'll get back to you ASAP