The first Write Out Sale of 2014 kicks off at the Waterside arts centre on Tuesday 21 January, with guest poets Geneviève L Walsh, pictured, and Marianne Daniels, new features - and a new host, John Darwin, too.

John said:  “I want to carry on the good work of the previous hosts that I have known, Rod Tame and Steve O’Connor. I will be encouraging new performers as well as getting exciting and varied guests to entertain us. There will be a new competition, ‘I ain’t never heard anything like it in my life’ for the best open mic performance of the night, voted for by the audience, with a mystery prize for the winner. The Big Sale Boot will be making an appearance. Whether it will be used or not, we don’t know! I want to encourage new performers. It will continue to be a caring, sharing, supportive atmosphere, and most of all I want it to be fun and enjoyable for the audience and performers.”

Geneviève L Walsh is fiery, funny, thoughtful and elegant in her poetry and performance. A rising star of the UK poetry scene, a member of the Firm of Poets collective as well as a radio host and compere of her own Spoken Weird night in Halifax. 

Marianne Daniels is a talented poet, novelist and bon viveur. A prolific and natural writer, Marianne picked up the pen before the feeding spoon and has been charming readers of her work ever since. Keenly interested in urban archaeology and cemeteries, her words of intricate beauty are gathered in a hug of understated performance.

It starts at 7.30pm, and entry is £3/£2. More details and Map