Here’s to the clearing of air. Martin calls for a meet and comes over to The Riverside Rooms and we do just the stuff that I have wanted and it seems he has wanted  - we communicate clearly about projects and events. We discuss the Linda Smith mix up.    It’s the first time Martin Acting Head of Literature  has seen The Riverside Rooms I think. Certainly it is the first time I have seen him here.  But lets be clear, I only got my phone fixed last week.  And I only got PAPER for the first time last week. It’s early days adn this is a good sign.  The Patience Agbabi event is on in The Spirit Level. My involvement in The Linda Smith event is acknowledged . Communication is all that is needed. Communication is action. The Duwayne Brooks Simon Hattenstone event is a must though.

It’ a frank clear and productive discussion - way too short.   We finish at about 12.15pm.  I shall be on Friday next week.  Martin is off to Foyles on Charing Cross Road.  It’s Salt Publishings big day their today.  I know this – that its Salts day there - because some of my friends are reading there. Salt Publishing has caused a lot of noise in poetry over the past couple of years.  The Patience Agbabi event will be on in The Spirit Level in April. The other event that must happen is The Duwayne Brooks Simon Hattenstone event.  

I’m off to radio Five Live to do The Simon Mayo programme reviewing two books one being Benjamin Zephania’s Teacehrs Dead and the Other Christian Wolmar’s Fire and Steam – both authors are interviewed on the programme. It’s what makes the programme – the reviewers are sat next to the authors. Two million listeners.  And then I am straight onto a train to Hereford to do a reading for The Hay On Wye Winter Weekend Festival. I finish the broadcast at the BBC,  White City West London and then the train and  in three and a half hours I am on the border of wales deep in the dark countryside in the shadow of The Black Mountains.