MAY
12th – United Nations’ University of Peace in Costa Rica, 12pm
American poet Christina Thatcher will be reading poems about losing her father to addiction from her new collection, More than you were.
16th – Instituto Educativo Moderno (IEM) in Costa Rica, 10am
Secondary students at the IEM are invited to attend a reading and Q&A session by American poet Christina Thatcher.
16th – Libros Duluoz in Costa Rica, 7pm
A reading and Q&A session will be held with American poet Christina Thatcher at Libros Duluoz, one of San Jose’s most famous independent bookstores. Translations will be provided by fellow poet Estaban Alonso Ramirez.
New Blog Posts on Christina's Website:
Launched – 'My favorite definition of the verb ‘launch’ is “to send or shoot (something, such as a rocket) into the air or water or into outer space”. When anyone talks of launches, I think of NASA countdowns, young children building homemade rockets, my New Year’s Eve friends setting off fireworks.'
Dying Matters – '"Dying Matters Awareness Week" in the UK ended yesterday. For those who don’t know, Dying Matters is a coalition of 32,000 members across England and Wales — including the NHS, bereavement charities, social service organisations, academic bodies and more — which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.'
About More than you were:
In July 2013, David Thatcher died of a drug overdose in America. More than you were was written by his daughter, to try to understand what came after. The result is a striking collection of poetry which explores addiction, family politics, childhood memories and grief.
Her short, sharp poems home in on situations to reveal their complex relationship and the challenges she faced after losing him. Thatcher weaves the darkest memories – the murder of pets, the burning down of a childhood home, the blood stains on white tiles – with ones which betray a tenderness and love.
A brave debut, More than you were, explores what it means to lose a father to an addiction and live on.
Christina Thatcher is a PhD student and postgraduate tutor at Cardiff University where she studies how creative writing can impact the lives of people bereaved by addiction. Christina keeps busy off campus too by delivering creative writing workshops across south Wales, running projects for organisations including Making Minds and the Welsh Writers Trust and coordinating literature events for the Made in Roath Festival. Her poetry and short stories have featured in a number of publications including The London Magazine, Planet Magazine, Acumen and The Interpreter’s House.
To learn more about Christina’s work please visit her blog: https:// collectingwords.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter: @writetoempower.
