Crime Wave
Touring North East libraries: 28 January-25 February
Crime fiction authors visit libraries in the North East to discuss their books. The interactive tour will consist of workshops, murder mysteries projects and quizzes. Tickets: £1. For more details, contact your local library, go to www.durham.gov.uk/pages/eventslist.aspx?p=3&ecid=7 or call 0300 123 7070.

Live entertainment at the Tyneside Cinema
Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle: Monday 1 February, 7.30pm
Sunderland-based musician Lucas Renney plays music from his debut album, Strange Glory, supported by poetry from Scott Tyrell. Tickets: £3. For more information, see www.tynesidecinema.co.uk.

Bryan Talbot: Grandville and the Anthropomorphic Tradition
Lit & Phil: Wednesday 3 February, 6pm
Bryan Talbot presents a history of anthropomorphic representation in book and comic book illustration, exemplified by his new graphic novel, Grandville. Free to members, £2 for non-members. For more information, see www.litandphil.org.uk.

The Acoustic Kool-Aid Cabaret of the Spoken Word
The Python Gallery, Middlesbrough: Wednesday 3 February, 7pm-10pm
Event showcasing the literary works of numerous authors, including Harry Zevenbergen, PA Morbid and Bob Beagrie. Free entry (donations appreciated). For more information, email info@pythongallery.co.uk.

Tales from the Council Chamber
Bishop Auckland Town Hall: Wednesday 3 February, 7.30pm
Live talk with two former council members, Olive Brown and Chris Foote Wood, discussing their book, Tales From The Council Chamber, in an informative and amusing manner. Free entry with ticket. For more information, see www.bishopaucklandtownhall.org.uk.

Joan Bakewell in conversation with Jackie Kay
Kings Hall, Newcastle University: Thursday 4 February, 7pm
Journalist and TV presenter Joan Bakewell discusses her first novel, All The Nice Girls. Tickets: £6/£4. For more information, see www.ncl.ac.uk/ncla.

PlayDay with Cloud Nine Theatre Company
Bishop Auckland Town Hall: Sunday 7 February, 7.30pm
A live rehearsal of two new plays: Mark Robberts’ light-hearted comedy, Kiss Me Quick, plus Sean Burn’s innovative drama, Fell. Tickets: £4/£3. For more details, call 01388 602610 or see www.bishopaucklandtownhall.org.uk.

Matt Lynn: Fire Force
City Library, Newcastle: 10 February, 2pm-3.30pm
Matt Lynn talks about his new action-packed military thriller, Fire Force. Matt is the author of the Death Force series of novels, which started with Death Force in 2009, and continues now with Fire Force. To book your free place, call 0191 277 4100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

Ronald Harwood: Playing with History
Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle: Thursday 11 February, 7.45pm
Discussion with legendary dramatist Ronald Harwood. Followed by a screening of The Pianist, for which he won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Tickets: £10/£8. For more details, see www.tynesidecinema.co.uk.

Poetry School presents Poetry’s Music by Rommi Smith
Thistle Hotel, Middlesbrough: Saturday 13 February, 10.30am-4.30pm
A practical, focused writing exploration of the relationship between music and poetry, thinking about music as stimulation for ideas, imagery, rhythm and structure. £49/£35 concs. For more information, see www.poetryschool.com/?courses=1.

StAnza Poetry Festival event
Gallery North, Northumbria University: Tuesday 16 February, 6.30pm
New Writing North and the StAnza International Poetry Festival are delighted to invite you to a special evening in Newcastle with StAnza’s Artistic Director Eleanor Livingstone and poet Kei Miller, author of There is an Anger that Moves (Carcanet). Meet the festival team and find out more about the Scottish poetry scene. Free event.

You Are Here
Northern Stage, Newcastle: Friday 19 February, 7pm
Poets Colette Bryce, Daljit Nagra and Jo Shapcott come together on stage for a performance that asks, Who are you? Where are you and where are you going? Tickets: £6/£4. For more details, contact Melanie Birch at melanie.birch@ncl.ac.uk or on 0191 222 7619, or to book call 0191 230 5151.

Writing out of the Corner of the Eye with Peter Bennet
Quaker Meeting House, Newcastle: Saturday 20 February, 10.30am-4.30pm
A day about ghostly or mysterious qualities in poetry. You’ll read and discuss poems that send a shiver down the spine, and aim to produce the beginnings of a poem of your own. Beginners as well as more experienced writers welcome. £49/£35 concs. For more details, email ask@quakers-in-newcastle.org.uk or call 0191 281 2924.

Sara Paretsky: Hardball
City Library, Newcastle: 22 February, 6pm-7.45pm
Internationally best-selling crime writer Sara Paretsky is the author of 15 novels, 13 of which have featured her legendary protagonist, female private investigator VI Warshawski. She is the winner of several awards and visits Newcastle on tour to promote her new book, Hardball. To book your free place, call 0191 277 4100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

Sara Paretsky: Writings on the Wall
Wall Village Hall: Tuesday 23 February, 11.30am-1.30pm
Lunchtime event with the internationally-acclaimed best-selling crime writer, creator of VI Warshawski, the Chicago-based private investigator. Tickets: £9 (includes a light lunch) from Cogito Books, tel 01434 602555. The ticket price includes a paperback copy of Sara’s latest paperback, which may be collected when you buy your ticket.

Ann Cleeves and David Hewson in conversation
City Library, Newcastle: 23 February, 2pm-4pm
Two crime writers come face to face. Ann Cleeves’ Blue Lightning is the fourth book in the award-winning Shetland Quartet Series and is published by Pan McMillan on 8 February, while David Hewson’s latest, The Blue Demon, is the eighth novel in the best-selling Nic Costa series. To book your free place, call 0191 277 4100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

Book of Songs launch
Gallery North, Northumbria University: Wednesday 24 February, 6pm
The Book of Songs is an entertaining and diverse mixture of poems and stories about music and songs from New Writing North’s young writers’ group, which is run by Kate Fox. Join Kate and the authors for the launch and find out how you could become a mentor for young writers at New Writing North. All welcome.

Yang Lian and Brian Holton
Culture Lab, Newcastle University: Thursday 25 February, 7pm
Widely regarded as one of China’s finest poets, Lian and his principle translator, Brian Holton, will be reciting poetry. Tickets: £6/£4. For more information, contact Clare Graham on 0191 222 7619 or email melanie.birch@ncl.ac.uk.

Deadline for the next newsletter
The next edition of The Listening Post covering March’s literature events will go out towards the end of February. If you have events that you would like to submit for inclusion, you will need to send information by 20 February to olivia@newwritingnorth.com. The Listening Post is North East-specific, but from time to time may also highlight interesting writing events nationally. Promoters should also note that they can also submit information on events happening in the Tees Valley area directly to the Lit-Tees website.

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While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is correct at the time of going to press, things do change, frequently at the last minute and very often without our knowledge.