Biography
Born in Stockport and now living in Congleton, Cheshire, John Lindleys poetry has appeared widely in magazines as well as being broadcast on radio.
He has run creative and critical workshops on poetry for all ages and abilities, including writers groups, U3A groups, at writing festivals and in prisons, schools, youth clubs and day care centres. He has also run workshops for those with mental and physical disabilities.
An experienced performer, John has read at pubs, clubs, theatres and at the Buxton and Edinburgh fringe festivals. He staged a self-written show, Screen Fever: Movie Poems, at Congleton Library in September 1999, which married poems written on the theme of cinema to film music and dialogue. The show has since been performed for arts groups and at the Jon Silkin Memorial Festival in Camelford, Cornwall and at Ledbury Poetry Festival.
John has won the Words of Silk Open Poetry Competition, been a runner up in the Jacksons Arm Poetry Pamphlet Competition, a three times prize-winner in the Lancaster Literature Festival and a prize-winner in the Manchester Open Poetry and the Blythe Spirit Open Poetry competitions.
Two booklets of his poems appeared in 1976 and 1982 and were followed by his first full-length collection, Stills from November Campaigns, which was published by Tarantula in 1998. This was followed by Scarecrow Crimes, published by New Hope International in 2002 and Cheshire Rising, published by Cheshire County Council in 2005.
John was appointed as the literary Arts Form Specialist by Congleton Borough Council to work on their 18 month Imprints Community Arts Project. Other recent commissions include running workshops in schools for Buxton Opera House for their Feeder Reader Living Book project, for Ellesmere Ports Fusion project and in day centres for Age Concern for both the WearPurple arts project and the BBCs Peoples War project. He also provides distance learning workshops for writers in Africa as part of the British Councils Crossing Borders project and travelled to Kenya to run workshops and give a reading.
He was appointed Cheshire Poet Laureate for 2004.
John Lindley can be contacted for readings and workshops at:
Tel: 01260 273219 (home)
07816 766611 (mobile)
e-mail: johnlindley@uk2.net
website: www.johnlindley.co.uk
Address: 26 Albert Place
Havannah Street
Congleton
Cheshire
CW12 2AJ
REVIEWS
The directness, the levelling craic, eyeball to eyeball, the sheer pace of these poems is exhilarating, upbeat and a tonic for our troubled times. Mike Bannister, Links
.... ranging widely in form and content, yet unquestionably in one, very authoritative voice. These well turned and elegant poems contain wit, pathos, humour, tenderness, humanity, profundity and emotional depth. They are often moving but never sentimental. He has a wry and sympathetic eye for the frailties of the famous and the unknown. John Latham, poet and novelist.
Unlocks lifes little moments with uncanny insight. Beautifully written with warm attention to detail; emotionally engaging with nice touches of humour. Agraman, The Buzz cabaret club.
His poetry, which is vibrant and taut, is wide ranging in form and theme. Sean Body, Tarantula publications.
John Lindleys poems exist in the twilight world between the merely fanciful and the genuinely disturbing iota
.... a quirky, lively talent with a way for the unexpected image. Nothing seems to escape his attention. Mary Knight, Prop.
Lindleys is an acutely observed world...(his) poetry is sexy, lyrical and by turns melancholic. Keith Armstrong, National Association of Writers Groups magazine.
An easeful voice pushes you along with a deceptive, unforced elegance. Steven Waling, City Life.
excels in startling quirky images that thrill and ground each poem in a contemporary viewpoint Paul Sutherland, Dream Catcher
a dash of grit, rough urban magic, rural charm and a healthy dose of colourful humour. Dragons Breath, Pigasus Press
Prolific writer with astute sensibilities... Ted Smith-Orr, Editor of Football: Pure Poetry.
...a superb poet. The dude is good. East African Standard
REVIEWS OF SCREEN FEVER
.... a master of observation, with a wry sense of humour...Mr. Lindleys extraordinary talent and skill with words were matched by his unassuming manner and excellent delivery. Congleton Chronicle.
.... a thrilling and enthralling event. We were delighted and so were our audience!
Charles Bennett, Festival Manager - Ledbury Poetry Festival.
