This book will be released in April 2025.
Pre-orders are charged at time of order and the book will be posted to you as soon as it becomes available.
UK postage is 99p per order.
'Tracey Rhys conjures a myriad of voices, from the every woman Bathsheba finding somewhere safe to bathe, to Flood, who fears nothing but jugs, sandbags and isolation. These characters capture the power, chaos and vulnerability within us all. Perhaps the most prevalent voice, however, is Rhys' own – considered and astute as she asks "where is the flow if not inside me?"' – Mari Ellis Dunning
‘An accretion of highly inventive, thrilling, intense poems, which are both visually and textually alive and vivid on the page. Thematically powerful and cleverly linked, these poems lead like many tributaries to become a visceral, swirling sea. Each poem is an emotive cry – Rhys’ voice is strong and expertly controlled, yet so often calm, contemplative and punctuated with such moments of beauty that I have been one moment swept away upon the tide, and in the next moment, have quieted, and have sighed.’ – Jane Burn
‘Particularly endearing is Flood, the effortlessly stylish protagonist of the second half of the collection who’s drawn to “modish hessian” and prone to “making a Severn Bridge of herself” with such panache you can’t help but fall in love with this character’s voice. Tracey Rhys has the knack of getting so close to the reader there is nothing else for it but to hold on for the ride, which in this book is a watery tour de force through a landscape that becomes blurred under layer after layer of water, forcing the reader to feel a rush of energy as Flood swamps familiar landmarks.’ – Samantha Wynne Rhydderch
Tracey Rhys’ captivating debut collection has two strong leading ladies: Bathsheba and Flood.
Bathing on the Roof reclaims the Biblical Bathsheba as an everywoman of the ages, creating a collage of female experience in all its sensual complexity. Whether finding herself living on the streets, arriving in the Garden of Eden, giving birth, or shopping in Beverley Hills, Bathsheba negotiates the edgy boundaries of her relationships with men while navigating the confines of her body.
Act-of-God-turned-celebrity diva, Flood likes to make an impression. She wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, makes a Severn Bridge of herself, parties with lightning, pouts for the paparazzi and drowns far more than she means to. Explored through the lens of the media and fame, these poems imagine how Mother Nature might respond to humanity’s interference, were she as flawed and determined as humanity itself.
