Beer, Live Music And An Ironic Fantastic Radio Interview In Mumbles

A Giggle and Gossip in the Oystermouth Radio studio

The Bank Holiday weekend has drawn to an end and while Londoners celebrated the vibrant and colourful Notting Hill Carnival I spent the last four days in Swansea, South Wales, where I stayed near the Mumbles with my lovely friend Liz. On Saturday a group of us went beer tasting at the Brangwyn Hall, where as a fan of real ale, I got to sample a selection of some of Wales's finest locally sourced craft ales. This included a local Mumbles gravity beer 'Pilot Wrecker' and Porthmadog's 'Dark Side Of The Moose', which as a Pink Floyd fan I would recommend trying, not just because of it's name but also for the deep malt flavour from roasted barley and a fruity bitterness from Bramling Cross hops.

Working for Brains brewery, Liz of course was the perfect guide at this event. By the time we hit the Uplands music festival later that evening, I was ready to dance along to an eclectic mix of music as we watched the bands entertain the Swansea crowd.

Every girl likes a good gossip and yesterday was no exception. On Monday, I found myself being interviewed for an hour in a recording studio in the Mumbles. My visit to Swansea over the Bank Holiday weekend was of course for pleasure. But I was also there to talk about a short story and two poems that I wrote on Liz's 'Giggle and Gossip' chat show for Oystermouth Radio and play a few of my favourite tunes in between, including one by Kate Bush.

My two poems and short story have been included in the latest Ironic Fantastic anthology, which showcases the work of emerging and established international absurdist, quirky, unusual, whimsical and ironic fiction writers, illustrators and poets. Series three is edited by the writer and Oulipo poet Paulo Brito, who is based in Portugal.

I have known Paulo for several years and his enthusiasm towards promoting new writers, illustrators and poets like myself has always shone through. I know that this new anthology collection, like the previous two anthologies, will touch many people both young and old. I hope my friends will enjoy reading it as much as I will.

The first poem 'Am I Stuck Indoors? ' is dedicated to a Sri Lankan cocker spaniel and my second poem needs no introduction, as it was written for my late father, Edward Douglas Duffin. In this poem I have shared some of his experiences, including living in Egypt during the Suez Crisis and Africa as a young man, where he played rugby with Idi Amin. My short story 'Sun Dancing In Winter' is a nod towards the birth of the Blues and Rhythm scene in Ealing that emerged in the late 60s and was where music legends like The Who and The Rolling Stones first 'cut it'. Ealing is also where I currently reside and have lived since 1997.

My 'Giggle and Gossip' interview will be aired on Oystermouth Radio on Saturday 30th August,  between 5pm and 6pm. It will then be repeated on Sunday 31st August, between 7pm and 8pm. To listen to it log on to tunein.com and search for Oystermouth Radio, or like the Giggle and Gossip Facebook page and sign up to listen to the interview.

The Ironic Fantastic series 3 is free and will be released on 7th September. Watch this space for the link to download the anthology, which I will also publish on my Twitter and Facebook pages in September. You can also like The Ironic Fantastic event page on Facebook, which will keep you posted on the latest writers, poets and artists added to the anthology between now and the launch date.