Books
The Woman's Part
Using a combination of original prose and erasure poetry, The Woman’s Part reimagines the lives and desires of Shakespeare’s women — their unspoken opinions, perspectives, and unwritten endings. Each piece is accompanied by an erasure poem made from one of the character’s speeches.
The Woman’s Part was published by Stanchion Books in January 2023.
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"The Woman’s Part tips the Shakespeare canon on its axis, taking an axe to long-held conventions. To read it is to join the rebellion. An affecting and finely-crafted masterpiece which invites us to unlearn our deepest Bard-based archetypes. Stunning, incisive and fearless writing from one of the most exciting new voices on the literary scene." — Dr Chris Laoutaris, author of Shakespeare’s Book
"This deliciously subversive collection had me hooked from the first page! The Woman’s Part defies both tradition and genre, an effortless intertwining of lyricism and raw vulnerability. Unique, hypnotic, and beautiful from start to finish." — Hannah Grieco, editor of Already Gone and And If That Mockingbird Don't Sing
"This collection by Jo Gatford is a small piece of genius. The way Gatford fleshes out these characters shows not only a profound understanding of Shakespeare, but of humankind in general. From Gatford's own brilliant words to the repurposed Shakespearean verse, every piece of this collection offers a fuller view of characters we thought we knew." — Cathy Ulrich, author of Ghosts of You
White Lies
When Matt's half-brother Alex dies, his father refuses to hold onto the memory of his favourite son's death. It was hard enough the first time but breaking his dad's heart on a weekly basis is more than Matt can bear.
Peter, Matt’s father, is terrified his dementia will let slip the secrets he’s kept for thirty-five years. Unable to distinguish between memory and delusion, he pursues one question through the maze of his mind: Where’s Alex?
Faced with the imminent loss of his father, Matt is running out of time to discover the truth about his family. Tortured by his failing memory, Peter realises that it’s not just the dementia threatening to open his box of secrets, but his conscience, too.
White Lies was published by Legend Press in July 2014.
Available from Amazon, Blackwells, Waterstones, or your local indie bookshop or library.
“This is a book that grabs you by the throat and shakes you violently before finally allowing you to limp away with a crushed windpipe and post-traumatic stress. I read it extremely quickly, gripped by a kind of mesmerised fascination.“ — Sarah Naughton, author of The Hanged Man Rises and The Blood List
“With so much going on in White Lies, there is drama and intrigue on every page. With almost every chapter concluding on a mini-cliffhanger, the reader is dragged through by an irresistible impetus. It’s a novel that feels very real. A novel in which the characters are so well drawn, that you can imagine you know them. It’s a worthy winner of the Luke Bitmead Bursary, and a brilliant start to a promising career.” — Fran Slater, Cadaverine