Award-winning playwright and poet, Mel Rees, once suggested that her writing career started when she was encouraged out of her reticence to read at an Oldham Write Out Loud event. Thank goodness she was brave enough to do so, or the world would have missed out, as you can witness if you attend this book launch on Tuesday and buy the book.

Sarah and Melanie met when they shared a white house on an island, next to a passing place. They waded out, sang selkie songs to a seal they named Sir Douglas, shared stories, poems, wine and secrets, and decided to create something together. Selkie Singing at the Passing Place is their potent and poetic debut collection.

“Love and joy are the predominant emotions: these are positive poems with their feet planted on the ground and their heads in the air.” Steven Waling, poet & reviewer

Sarah Miller has run workshops from Cumbria to Africa, worked as theatre director, writer-in-residence and dramaturg.

Melanie Rees is a playwright, poet, City Life Best of Manchester play award winner. A special needs and behaviour teacher, she has taught and lived in India, Israel, Poland, Chicago and Sydney, and is doing her PhD at Birmingham University.

Selkie Singing at the Passing Place, Flapjack Press, rrp £8.00. Launch 18.00, 24th March, 2015, Manchester Central Library Peter Square, Manchester, M2 5PD. Details mail@flapjackpress.co.uk