Nicole Moore, co-founder of Words of Colour, explains why she is stepping down as Creative Arts Director and outlines her future creative plans.
Olivier Award winner Bola Agbaje’s debut play Gone Too Far is blistering, intense and demands your full attention, claims Joy Francis.
Time Out feature writer and reviewer Tamara Gausi offers some pointers to budding critics including how to cope with adverse reactions to your reviews.
Susan Yearwood has launched a new literacy agency. As one of a handful of UK-based black book agents she is on the look out for talented new voices.
Read the second and final part in our series - a week in the life of a budding writer - with our short story competition winners. This time it’s runner up Mahsuda Shah.

Before you pick up the Knife I beg you seriously think twice before you make your brother lose his life with a swing of a Knife.
Is it worth it do you feel like a big man when you really could have dropped the Knife, after thinking twice.
Put down the Knife because instead of taking a life you saved a life.
A real man fights with his hands like a soldier your friends may laugh but at least you’re on the right path, too many black soldiers are needlessly dying.
How does it make you feel to watch a family Mum, Aunt, Sister, Brother, Dad crying?
Too much bloodshed too many tears a black brother killing a black brother for what just to serve years.
Black Soldiers wake up unite stand tall and proud, use all that negativity and flip it into some creativity drop tha Knife drop tha Gun you know it ain’t fun burying a loved one.
Let the tongue replace the Gun. Let the Knives stop destroying lives.
Black soldiers stand up and be a man coz you know you can.
Copyright Celise Mclean 2007
You really looked fine when I saw you the other night like a dashing black knight looking for his queen for the night.
You held me in your strong arms and we danced the night away.
We kissed passionately; it felt like we were in total fantasy.
You stroked my face tenderly and gazed into my eyes, I gazed back too.
I wanted you and you wanted me too.
It felt like we were soul mates everything just felt right on this our perfect night. You whispered in my ear as the night grew to a close, you whispered strawberries and wine this man sure knew how to dine.
You led me by the hand; I could hear my heart beating as you opened the door to your room, your windows left slightly open.
The midnight breeze filled the air as we held each other’s hand.
Deep down I could have married you, you seemed the perfect man.
You gently massaged my back with tender loving hands; I was in heaven I did not want it to end.
The next morning you awoke early and prepared breakfast for me with a glass of fresh juice I had a huge grin on my face and you and even bigger one as we shared quick glances we didn’t try to mask it.
Our love for one another became very clear.
Copyright Celise Mclean 2007
Did you know that there is a deadly disease going about, but it’s certainly not worth shouting about because it will fall on deaf ears, because no one cares?
This disease is wicked like cancer but the aftermath is ten times deadlier and uglier.
The disease starts off small with an acute virus called envy and then in later stages grows full blown into yes you guessed it jealously.
Unfortunately there is no known cure, until the heart changes and becomes pure.
The symptoms of this deadly disease are sudden jealous bouts when you see people climbing ladders, you shiver and sweat at the thought of them doing well oh how you were dying for them to fail.
They even reckon that the disease called jealously is on the increase.
Friends, sister, your brother or even your lover could have the deadly trail but there is no way to tell.
For the jealous person your diagnosis is an extremely life threatening disorder, which needs immediate medical order.
You are slowly dying a painful death as your soul is ravished and simply cannot rest; you are admitted into hospital where they perform life saving surgery to see if there is one last chance to fix your wicked jealous heart.
The operation takes hours but at last they have managed to stem the jealous poisonous flow, as your body’s response was at first very slow.
The operation has been a success, you are wheeled out from the operating table where they monitor your condition and confirm that you are stable
You awake from surgery and shudder in disbelief that jealously and envy almost destroyed your jealous soul.
Copyright Celise Mclean 2007
TV and film writer Veronica McKenzie uncovers her journey from shoe design to film production in LA.
Writer and performance poet Nick Makoha explains why his creative drive led to him giving up a career in biochemistry.
After years of writing, multi talented writer and playwright Maxine Quintyne-Kolaru shows why patience is a virtue.
Writer and life coach Jackee Holder provides a candid account of the trauma and joys of baring her soul during the writing of her second book.