The Writers of Wales Database

JONES, GEOFF

35 Troon Tamworth Staffordshire B77 4RB
Tel: 01827 703765
Email: geoffreyj.jones@sky.com
Website: www.poetrymine.net

Born in 1940 in Beaufort Monmouthshire, Geoff grew up in Nantyglo within the same county. Now lives in Tamworth Staffs, the former capital of the Anglo Saxon kingdom of Mercia in which King Offa built his palace. The very same Offa who constructed the dyke separating England form Wales. Geoff taught in schools in London and Birmingham. After early retirement he gained an M.A. Creative Writing at Bretton Hall (Leeds University).

Nantyglo Grammar School instilled a love of poetry which developed into writing his own, supported by poetry group memberships, day courses, workshops and residential weekends. Geoff has taught poetry within the Open Studies Creative Writing Certificate and Undergraduate Skills Certificate at the University of Warwick and in Continuing & Professional Education at Keele University.

Geoff organised and tutored a poetry residential in the Vale of Usk and day courses in Tamworth, Staffordshire in 2004 and performed a selection of his own poetry at the Birmingham Fringe Festival in the same year. He directed Tamworth Big Poetry Day in 2005. He is a founder member of Tamworth Writers, a member of Cannon Poets, Birmingham and continues to offer workshops in creative writing.

Geoff has been published in the following poetry magazines: Aesthetica, Broadside X, Cannon’s Mouth, Chillout, Earth Works, Lookout, Raw Edge, Tamworth Writing, The Journal, The Magazine & Word Play. He has written a childhood memoir and an historical novel based on the Monmouthshire Chartist risings one of which started at his own childhood village. His first poetry collection, Poetry Mine was published in Spring 2009 and he is already working on a second one. Like Stephen Fry he is Bipolar, and in the process of writing a book (Successful Depression) concerning his experiences with the condition.

Reviews:
With respect to Poetry Mine (Caneri Press, 2009)

"…Geoff Jones is most assured with the history of landscape and the decline of working people in his beloved South Wales…"
Don Barnard, Birmingham Poet Laureate 2004/5

"…This is a treasure house of thought and feeling. Read it!..."
Bill Parkinson, Keele University

"...His poems capture the essences of time and place..."
John Alcock, Former Director of Open Studies Creative Writing, University of Warwick, Associate Member of the Welsh Academi


Selected Publications:
Poetry Mine (Caneri Press, 2009)





Poetry Mine (Caneri Press, 2009)

A debut collection of poems by Geoff Jones exploring the history of landscape and the decline of working people in South Wales. Passion, anger and humour inform his history and his poignant returns to his valley. His subjects are everyday, his concerns loss and memory in a changing world. For Geoff, new doesn’t necessarily mean better, and old not necessarily good. Like the past, the outside is never far away; the wind, sun and rain may come at the turn of a page.

To purchase this title go to www.poetrymine.net and follow the guidelines at the foot of the home page