Blog

This is Mark's blog.

Mark Pirie privately publishes biography of Tom Lawn

In December 2018, I produced a hardback edition of my biography Tom Lawn, Mystery Forward, for my family and research libraries or museums in New Zealand.

The book took me around six years to research, edit and produce. I hope it contains some information of value to fellow researchers of farm machinery/implements and rugby of the 1920s and 1930s in Auckland and Canterbury.

I see it as mainly a family history project, and haven’t tried to market or sell it commercially.

It was privately published by Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop and included in their non-fiction list.

Mark Pirie's new book Electrimotive published

My new collection of poetry, Electrimotive, a book of music poems, has recently been published by Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop.

Subjects are diverse and typically range across musical genres: jazz, blues, pop, rock, soul, country, metal and classical.

The book is no. 33 in the relaunched ESAW Mini Series.

Here's the link: 

https://michaeloleary.wordpress.com/2019/03/12/earl-of-seacliff-mini-series-relaunched/

HeadworX publishes new books by Margaret Jeune and Michael Duffett (USA)

In the first half of 2019, my publishing company HeadworX will release three new poetry books: The Presence of Love: Poems Selected and New by Michael Duffett, California, USA, and Flight Paths and Upbeat: Selected Early Poems 1969-1987 by Margaret Jeune. Upbeat is published under Margaret's maiden name Margaret Webb.

Michael Duffett’s selection (which I put together) comprises mainly new material along with some earlier poems and an article about his lecture tour and visit to New Zealand in 1979. It’s a significant addition to his poetry publication history and the HeadworX list. As an Associate Professor at San Joaquin Delta College, Califorinia, he has published extensively in prose and verse. As an actor (among other roles) he has appeared in the final episodes of the TV series, Magnum, P.I.

Margaret Jeune has been writing since childhood when she was first published in the Children’s Page of the Wellington newspaper, The Evening Post. Her two books represent mainly the best of her poetry that she wished to have collected at this stage. Upbeat covers her early writing period (1969-1987) and Flight Paths covers her writing from the past 30 years.

It's another significant editing achievement to select and publish these titles.

For more details on each book, please visit the HeadworX website:

The Presence of Love: Poems Selected and New by Michael Duffett

http://headworx.co.nz/poetry/presence

Flight Paths by Margaret Jeune

http://headworx.co.nz/poetry/flightpaths

Upbeat: Selected Early Poems 1969-1987 by Margaret Webb

http://headworx.co.nz/poetry/upbeat

Mark Pirie publishes NZ Rugby Museum article

The Winter 2018 issue of Poetry Notes, the newsletter of the Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa (PANZA), included my article on poetry archived at the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North.

The article covers a range of poetry kept by the museum from the turn of the 20th century up till the present day.

I am very pleased to have my article published. It involved a field trip to Palmerston North in June 2018 and some work uncovering the poems from folders stored away in boxes at the Museum.

In May I was also an invited contributor to the first NZ Rugby Jamboree held in the foyer entrance to the Museum. I set up a table to sell my rugby poetry and other sports poetry items.

The New Zealand Rugby Museum do a great job keeping the history of New Zealand’s game alive for the public.

Thank you to the Director, Stephen Berg, for his help locating the poems for the article.

Here's the link:
http://poetryarchivenz.wordpress.com/newsletters