_Vivienne Plumb was interviewed by Sonia Sly on National Radio's Kiwi Summer show this morning. You can listen to it here: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/kiwisummer/20111229.

She talks about dreams, diaries, The Cheese and Onion Sandwich and other Icons: Prose Poems, and how to make cheese and onion sandwiches. She also reads a couple of poems.

Seraph Press author Vivienne Plumb has just been announced as one of next year's Randell Cottage fellows. Vivienne's most recent publication is The Cheese and Onion Sandwich and other New Zealand Icons: Prose Poems, which was published in October.

The Randell Cottage in Thorndon, Wellington, hosts two visiting writers each year; one from France and one from New Zealand. Vivienne, who will take up the fellowship in July, will use the time to research and write a novel with political themes, which is set in Wellington.

For more information, see the announcement on the Randall Cottage website: http://www.randellcottage.co.nz/?p=739.     

The Comforter is launched, and launched!

We had our first launch, or opening ceremony launch as I came to think of it, in Palmerston North City Library on Friday evening. On Saturday, in the most gloriously sunny afternoon, we had our 'closing' launch at Buttercup Cottage in Aro Valley, where a couple of my lovely friends live.

Both launches were magical and kind of love fests for Helen and her poetry, with a good dose of lovely words for me and my books. And I've been overwhelmed by the buzz this book is generating - especially on the web, which is appropriate as that's where I first got to know Helen and her poetry, and where she has made so many connections.

Helen has blogged about the launches here: http://helenlehndorf.com/2011/12/05/the-comforter-launches-1/, and there are some pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15278633@N08/sets/72157628283741267/with/6457100141/.

If you missed the launch and would like to buy a copy, you can order directly from me, or you can order them via a good bookshop. And hopefully soon they'll be stocked by lots of good independent bookshops.