Author profile: New Contexts 8

A keen language enthusiast, Brenda Abou Khalil has extensive experience in teaching, editing, and proofreading the written word. Having published many forms of writing over the years, she is currently focusing on literary fiction.
John Adlam lives in Brixton, South London. He’s a group psychotherapist and independent researcher and a Trustee of ‘Survivors’ Poetry’. His poems have been published in the Madrid Review, Full House Literary, Snow lit rev, Atrium, South and Asylum, among others.
Susan Andrelchik is a writer of short fiction and poetry. She is the recipient of the 2023 Terry Kay Prize for Fiction. Her works have appeared in Nunum and Funny Pearls, among others. Susan resides in Atlanta with her husband.
Sam Aureli thrives on working with his hands, a passion rooted in his early blue-collar roles. Sam turned to poetry later in his journey as a refuge from the chaos of daily life and as a way to deepen his connection to nature. His debut collection, On the Edge of Knowing, is just out.
Elizabeth Barton’s debut pamphlet, If Grief were a Bird, was published in 2022 by Agenda Editions. Her poems have appeared in magazines including Acumen, Agenda, Crannóg, Mslexia, South and The High Window. She is Stanza Rep of Mole Valley Poets and editor of their anthology.  
Charlie Bell is a writing tutor and well-known Tunbridge Wells poet, having chaired the Tunbridge Wells Poetry Festival for three years. In 2023 he won an international competition and had his poem performed as part of the play Desert Horse at the Cockpit Theatre.
Margaret Beston is widely published in magazines and anthologies. She is the author of three collections, Long Reach River, 2014, Timepiece, 2019, Kintsugi, 2024, and a pamphlet When the Ground Crashed Upwards, 2020. She is the founder of Roundel, a Poetry Society Stanza, in Tonbridge, Kent, where she lives.
David Birkett is a husband, poet, cyclist and vegan, although not always in that order. He will, if unchecked, discourse at length on what he believes to be the overlooked poetry of Mervyn Peake.
Susan M. Breall’s short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. By day she handles cases involving abuse, abandonment and neglect of children. By night she writes fiction.
Jakob Brønnum’s latest books are A Poetry Encyclopedia of Dreams and Dreamscape Journeys (both Cyberwit 2025). He has previously contributed to New Contexts. He has written more than 50 books in his native Danish.
Amanda Brookfield left a former life as a teacher down south to move to West Yorkshire where she is tracing her family roots going back generations. Her poetry looks to the natural world, current events and relationships for inspiration.
Joseph Chaplain is a writer who lives in the Peak District. His poetry has appeared in New Contexts, The Rebis, The Crank Mag and At the Fraying Edge of History by Derby Stanza Poets (Coverstory Books, 2025). 
Annemarie Cooper lives in Tower Hamlets and has had poems in various magazines. Here latest published pamphlets are Proof of Identity and No Overall Plan (both with Poetic Cat Press). She loves walking and gardening.
Gaia Aurora Costa is an Italian poet, student social worker and maternity nurse. Her poems explores themes of love, loss, and the complexities of grief. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences, Aurora crafts poems that are both intimate and universal.
Christopher Dadson is a British poet and playwright, born in Belfast, raised in Birmingham, and currently living and working in London. He has published two collections of poems, both available here: https://www.austinmacauley.com/author/dadson-christopher
Philip Dunkerley is active in poetic circles in South Lincolnshire, where he lives. His poems quite often sneak past editors, and he loves inflicting them on all-comers at open mic events.
Adele Evershed is a Pushcart-nominated poet. Her work has appeared in in Poetry Wales, Comstock Review, Literary Mama and Modern Haiku, amongst others. Her poetry includes the collection, Turbulence in Small Spaces (Finishing Line) and a forthcoming volume, In the Belly of the Wail (Querencia).
Melanie Faith is a poet, writer, educator, frequent doodler, and photographer. Her next poetry collection, The Price of Breathing, will be published by Vine Leaves Press (autumn 2026). Learn more about Melanie’s creative work at: https://www.melaniedfaith.com.
Lindsay Fursland is a former teacher, living in Cambridge. He is the Poetry Society’s Stanza rep in the city, leading monthly workshops, where he also helps to host regular open mic poetry events.
Jeremy Grant lives in Leicestershire. Previous poetry publications include Magma, War, Literature and the Arts, Before the Cameras Leave Ukraine: An Anthology Raising Funds for Ukrainian Refugees, The Emma Press Anthology of Fatherhood, and New Contexts: 7.
Isabel Greenslade is from and of London where a meagre pension enables her to be a poet. Her poems have appeared in several journals including Orbis, Tears in the Fence, and she was shortlisted for the Frogmore Prize 2025.
Diana Hills is a Sussex lady who performs and writes for local open mic nights and writing groups – when she has time.
Oliver Hipkins teaches English at Dulwich Prep & Senior, London. His first novel Wreck will be published in 2026. He lives with his wife and two children in South East London.
Alison Hramiak is a poet, writer and tutor from West Yorkshire. She has been published in several Forward Poetry anthologies, New Contexts, and on various websites. She reviews books for websites aimed at giving immigrants and refugees a voice. Her work can be found at http://www.poetryforlives.co.uk. 
Ben Hramiak is an author with a Bachelor’s Honours in English Literature and Creative Writing. He is currently writing a historical novel set in feudal Japan.
Abdullah Bin Imran is a 15 year-old emerging author and poet of Pakistani descent. He has previously self-published a poetry chapbook, The Fractured View, and his work has been featured on ‘Academy of the Heart and Mind’. He is currently based in Tanzania, and is working on multiple fiction projects.
Jeffa Kay has had 2 pamphlets published and been in various anthologies. She has had some competition successes including shortlisted in the Bridport prize. She is retired but kept busy with 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren!
Shashi Knott is an English teacher and writer. She also co-runs The Story Sanctuary, curating writing workshops and literary retreats. She teaches creative writing at BEAM in Hertford, where she creates spaces for writers to experiment and find their voice.
Dave Kurley lives in central Portugal. His first book of poems and photographs is Irritating the Silver Lining. He has a website crammed full of his poetry and photographs at http://www.davekurley.net. You might also bump into him on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/badvibrations62.bsky.social.
Thomas Larner was brought up in Cheshire on the Wirral Peninsula. He currently works as an archivist in Greater Manchester. He has been writing poetry since 2018 and has been published in New Contexts, The Littoral Magazine, Crank Magazine, The Cannon’s Mouth and many others.
Richard Lister’s poetry draws you into stories of intriguing characters, images and places. His Scattered with Grace is ‘a sumptuous collection, sprinkled with humour and a generosity of spirit’. In Edge & Cusp, he ‘captured life like a vibrant painting’. His work is also widely published including Acumen & Orbis.
Alan Mansell is retired and lives in Shropshire and writes mainly poetry. In recent years a number of poems and flash fiction items have been listed/commended in competitions and/or published in various magazines/anthologies. His interests include conservation, music and history.
Alwyn Marriage’s eighteen books include poetry, fiction and non-fiction. She gives readings throughout Britain, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Her latest two poetry collections, both published in the last four months, are Travelling Light and From Darkness to Light.
Iain McClure, originally from the North of Ireland, lives and works in England, teaching literature and politics. He writes about Ireland, the near and distant past, the natural world and landscape. His most recent work explores the intersection of lyrical and scientific language.
Helen Overell has published widely in magazines and anthologies. Her publications include collections Inscapes & Horizons (St Albert’s Press, 2008) and Thumbprints (Oversteps Books, 2015) and a pamphlet Measures for lute(The Lute Society, 2020).
Jonty Pennington-Twist is an English poet, residing in Edinburgh. His work has been published in several magazines, anthologies and international collections and he is currently closing in on the final selection for his first collection (due to be published in 2026).
Janet Philo is chairperson of Ashbourne Writers’ Group and began writing after bringing up her family and a career in education in the North East. With work in two solo pamphlets, and numerous anthologies, she loves to share her poetry live and mix it up with her husband’s guitar music.
Jenna Plewes has published 4 full collections and 6 pamphlets. A Heart-squeeze of Beginnings and Endings is her latest from Hedgehog Press. Her pamphlets are sold in aid of ‘Doctors without Borders’ and ‘Freedom from Torture’ and are available from her, jenna.selvas@googlemail.com.
Stephen Poole is a retired policeman. His poems have appeared in The Ekphrastic Review, Poetry on the Lake, LPP Magazine and in various anthologies. He has performed his poetry to live audiences at venues including The Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden, Maidstone Fringe Festival, and Maidstone Radio.
David Punter is a poet and academic, and has published ten collections, the most recent of which are Stranger (Cinnamon, 2021), Ship’s Log (2022) and Fantasia: Lands of Dream (2024).
Jenny Robb has been writing poetry since retiring from a career in children’s and mental health services. Her debut collection is The Doll’s Hospital, (Yaffle Press 2022.) Her second collection is Hear the World Explode, (Yaffle Press 2024.) She lives in Liverpool.
Gillie Robic was born in India and lives in London. She has 3 collections and a pamphlet for Ukraine (all Live Canon) and a pamphlet – Visiting Hours (Clayhanger Press) – responding to doodles by husband Michel, inspired by his stay in hospital.
Kevin Russell-Pavier was born in 1947, in Leeds, Yorkshire. Educated at Leeds Grammar School and then at various universities: Newcastle, Dublin, London, Essex. He spent his career teaching History and Politics in various places: Grammar School, FE and university. Retired 2008.
Barbara Sapienza – inspired by her granddaughters – has written Anchor Out (2017), The Laundress (2020), The Girl in the White Cape (2023). She dances, paints and does tai chi.
John Scarborough’s poems have appeared in a variety of publications including: Orbis, Acumen, Dreamcatcher and Black Bough. His debut collection, In the Blue Hour, was published by Coverstory Books in June 2025. John can be contacted at johnscarboroughpoet.com.
Susan Shaddick is a writer of poetry and fiction, as well as a multimedia artist.  Inner and outer travels inspire her work.
Judith Shaw’s poetry has appeared in The Frogmore Papers, Ink Sweat and Tears, Consilience, Black Iris and in Ten Poems about Getting Older by Candlestick Press. She is Poet-in-Residence for the Cuckmere Pilgrim Path for 2025-6www.cuckmerepilgrimpath.org.uk
Dave Smith is currently working on a short collection of poems which reflect life in the 1960s. His debut collection Standing Alone, Leaning Against (written alongside Jim Friedman) was published in 2022.
Catherine Sweeney lives in St Leonards on Sea. She started writing in 2021, completing an MA in writing poetry in 2025. Her poems have appeared in Ink, Sweat and Tears, The Alchemy Spoon, Live Canon Anthology 2025, Poet Town 2025.
Martina Swift is a poet in training whose muse is the great outdoors. To keep her feet rooted in reality she teaches young people. She holds a masters in psychology.
Debra Tillar has been an archaeologist, a teacher, and a freelance travel and food writer. Debra spends most of her time writing, creating art from natural and found objects, and traveling. She grew up in New York City and now lives on the Seacoast of New Hampshire.
Eleanor Jane Turner is happiest when swimming. She enjoys the outdoors, especially remote Scotland. She presents her creative writing at the Forest Hill stanza.
Bill VanPatten is an award-winning author of novels and short stories. Because of his background, gay and Latino characters tend to populate his stories. He left a successful career in academia to return to his native California and write full time. On occasion, he still performs standup comedy.
Zac Walsh’s work has appeared in many journals as well as in the anthologies Extrasensory Overload, Blood on the Floor and Small Batch.  He lives in a small, unincorporated town in Oregon with his wife and a very old dog.
Patrick Williamson is a poet and translator. His latest collection is Get up eight(Cyberwit.net). He is a member of editorial board of The Antonym.
Keith Willson celebrates words in poetry, prose, and song, performing regularly around East Sussex at open mikes and on local radio. His poetry has appeared in Dream Catcher and New Contexts, and his stories in Bridge House’s Good News anthology, The Frogmore Papers, and Scribble Magazine.
Charlotte Wilson lives in Ripon, North Yorkshire, where she is inspired by nature, spirituality and the ways we find meaning in our ordinary – or extraordinary – lives. She has had poetry published in New Contexts and the Ripon Poetry Festival anthologies for 2023 and 2024.
Robin Lindsay Wilson is an award-winning playwright, director and poet. He has three collections of poetry published by Cinnamon Press. His new collection will be published by Cinnamon in spring next year. His work has appeared in many literary magazines internationally and in the UK.