As it's National Poetry Day, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on Byron. The celebrity cult of Lord Byron began while he was still alive, boomed when he died, and still continues today. He remains an object of fascination, scandal, and appeal. I've been interested in him since I first read about him in a "Famous People" encyclopaedia. It was a children's book, so it did not explore the more infamous aspects of his life. But it was enough to inspire me to delve further into research on the man and the myth - including the puzzle of the mirror . Ultimately, Byron went on to become a major inspiration for my first published book Day's Dying Glory , right down to its title. His early poems (generally my favourite ones) feature heavily in the book, and I enjoyed weaving in lines and references which Byron-fans would spot where others might not even notice them. Poets and poetry have inspired hundreds of writers. It is fascinating that language can be so power...
One of the great joys about being an independent publisher is that you can make up your own rules for the office. Naturally, a principal rule is: "dogs must be present at all times". So today, we thought we would introduce you to the Crowvus puppies. These three canines have transformed our industry from publishing to puplishing , and the results have all been positive. Meet Orlando Orlando has been with Crowvus since the beginning, making him the founding puplisher. During his long and illustrious career, he has featured in a handful of books, been a poster boy for a Sprocker charity, and sat in on more meetings than we can remember having! Orlando is in his retirement now, which tends to feature long naps and 24hr cuddles. Meet Jess Jess joined the Crowvus team in 2022. She's very much an only girl and has perfected the timely swing from princess to tomboy and back again. Whilst she tries to be helpful, she is a very jealous Jess, and fills most of her Crowvus time dem...