Cures

From a sapient pig to human extinction, syphilis to broken bones, a woman who births rabbits to changelings in the crib, this collection explores the full range of human fallibility as well as the eternal quest for hopefulness.

Cures is filled with strange characters: volcanic women, a rat catcher on the brink of retirement, a bonesetter, a drunkard, a mermaid; the collection is brimful with both the uncanny and the familiar, exploring the joys of parenthood, the folly of dissipation and reflecting on lives lived – mixing words in search of a tonic.

From the author: “I think we are all driven by the quest for cures, things to make us feel better, stronger, younger and happier; I also think we can all be a little misguided sometimes in our search. This collection contrasts human folly with positive and meaningful elements like family, feeding a curious mind and expressing our creativity. The collection combines the personal with the universal, the historical with the present and asks you to explore the strange and the familiar in equal measure.

On a personal note there are poems about my journey as a new parent and transitional aspects of my own life. I have a love of history and am passionate about rediscovering forgotten voices, particularly women’s voices. I wrote a collection stuffed with all the characters and stories that interest me and that I hope will be of interest to others.”

Author Biography

Jo Brandon was born in 1986 and is based in West Yorkshire. Her prime writing time is during her toddler’s nap and she loves rediscovering the magic of language with him. Jo has worked for a number of literature and arts organisations including the Poetry Society, Poetry School, Koestler Trust and Southbank Centre, she has been an editor, workshop leader, tour guide, market stall holder and a domestic for the Royal Household; the strangest of all her occupations is definitely Poet. Jo has a pamphlet, Phobia, and a full-length collection, The Learned Goose, both with Valley Press. Her poetry has been published widely in magazines and anthologies and she is former editor of Cadaverine magazine. Jo was Bradford Literature Festival’s first Digital Poet in Residence. Find out more at: www.jobrandon.com