Josephine Lay / J.J.R. Lay
Published Author & Poet
About the author
The last two years of my life have been totally inspirational. I have been writing for over 20 years but I started focusing on poetry in 2018 after two consecutive accidents and periods of concussion. Unable to concentrate for extreme periods of time, I abandoned writing novels and found an outlet for expression in this more concise form of literature. I have two collections of poetry published by ‘Black Eyes’; ‘Inside Reality’ and ‘Unravelling’
I embrace both page and performance poetry; Anna Saunders, (CEO of the Cheltenham Poetry Festival) a good friend and mentor, says I straddle between the two; a bit ungainly but truthful. I live midway between Gloucester and Cheltenham and enjoy the differing qualities of both places, both cultures.
I thrive on diversity; I love to read page poetry but also, I enjoy listening to performance poets as well. Personally, I don't see a clear-cut boundary between the two arts. I feel it is more like a gradation of different skills; a spectrum ranging from spoken word, to the page poem. This wide range of poetic skill encompasses; flash fiction, prose poetry, confessional poetry on mental health issues and abuse, therapeutic rants, rap, slam poetry/spoken word, performance poets and, of course, the beautifully written words on the page.
Near perfection, for me, is a skilfully created page poem perfectly performed by the poet. Personally, all types of poetic skill can be considered worthy, provided that each creative writer/performer seeks to polish, improve and perfect their skills as much as possible.
It’s this reason that makes my second passion so rewarding; I love to host events; to run monthly poetry nights, I enjoy seeking out new talent and offering those poets the chance to perform before supportive and appreciative audiences. I run such a monthly event, ‘Squawkers’ at ‘The Sober Parrot’, Cheltenham, on the 3rd Friday of each month. I also enjoy promoting poetry in the community, and I am, at present, Poet in Residence at Cheltenham Library. I have worked in Libraries and enjoy connecting with the public, especially children. While running workshops, I have become heartened and amazed at the levels of talent in many young children.
My third love is helping out as Creative Adviser for ‘Black Eyes Publishing UK’. At Black Eyes, we seek to help talented people get their words published at a reasonable cost to themselves. This is especially satisfying when the book we publish is the poet’s first collection.
At the start of 2020, I had the honour of being asked if I would take over the running of the Gloucestershire Poetry Society by its then director and founder, Z.D. Dicks, aka Ziggy The Poet. Naturally, I accepted.
Josephine Lay (February 2020)
J.J.R. Lay
Josephine has a BA (hons) in Creative Studies in English & English Literature & an MA in Creative Writing for Young People (both from Bath Spa University).
In 2015, she wrote her first adult novel. This novel, adapted and rewritten, is now entitled Creating Stanley (2022).
She has also published a volume of short stories, entitled Saffron Tones (2017) and three collections of poetry: Inside Reality (2018), Unravelling (2019) and A Quietus (2021), all written under the name of Josephine Lay.
Read below about Josephine’s prose titles. For her poetry collections, click the button.
CREATING STANLEY
An unhappy woman conjures an unlikely lover
Online book launch, Tuesday 21st June 2022
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From the moment the fat man appears unexpectedly in her bathroom, the un-named writer feels compelled to create his story. Trapped in an unhappy relationship, she invents Stanley and falls in love with him.
When Stanley loses his job, he has to dig deep to find his talents. Two women friends suggest he starts an unlikely business.
This unusual and poignant story touches on the challenging issues of mental health, physical and emotional abuse, unemployment and male prostitution. But these elements are woven into the story seamlessly, and without creating an uncomfortable read.
A warm and sensitive portrayal of life, love and sensual experiences, which will enthrall the reader to the end.
Quotes
'A terrific debut novel... skilfully draws us with a seamless blend of real and imagined worlds... a sensitive... witty, compassionate and charming book...' Debbie Young
'In ‘Creating Stanley’, Josephine Lay is continuing the wonderful metatextual tradition of novels like ‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘Frankenstein’. Her story within a story speaks of identity, emotional and physical abuse and the joy sensuality can bring. Her themes are brave and ambitious and both in her narrator and her narrator’s creation, Stanley, there is a reminder of the 2006 film, ‘Stranger than Fiction’ and like the film, Lay challenges both our perceptions of reality and narrative techniques. It is a thoughtful and timely novel that deserves a wide readership.' Claire Dyer
'Creating Stanley is such a novel novel. J.J.R Lay has created an unforgettable character in Stanley. If you're looking for a vividly drawn metafiction, page turner with a twist, then this might just be for you.’ Emma Purshouse, poet and novelist
‘A gripping read…’ Silas Marne
Saffron Tones
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By Josephine Lay
Josephine Lay’s short stories focus on the human condition. This collection is all about people, their relationships and how they cope with loneliness and loss. Some of her stories are light and amusing, some darker and sadder, and some are frankly strange. They were written over a period of ten years, yet all have a thread that strings them together; a slim strand of colour… The many tones of Saffron.
The Short Story has, in the past, been less fashionable than the Novel, but it is gaining popularity in this frenetic, modern world, where people have less and less time to read. As Silas Marne says, ‘The world has accelerated; people no longer have the time to read pages and pages of literary eloquence.
Book Cover Design: Jason Conway - thedaydreamacademy.com
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