Victoria Bennett



"...creating a world that is full of beauty, clarity and strength..." (Angela Readman)

A Bit About...

I am a writer, poet and creative producer. I founded Wild Women Press in 1999 and have spent the last 21 years facilitating creative experiences and curating platforms for women to share ideas, stories, inspirations and actions for positive change, including the global #WildWomanWeb movement and #WildWomanGamer.  I hold an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University (2002). Previous awards include the Northern Debut Award for non-fiction (2020), the the Mother's Milk Writing Prize (2017), The Writing Platform Digital Literature Bursary (2015), Northern Promise Award for Poetry  (2002), and the Waterhouse Award for Poetry (2002). With nearly three decades experience working as a freelance writer and artist, my work includes poetry, non-fiction, video-game narrative, creative writing facilitation, and publishing. I am a co-director of The Wizard and The Wyld, an immersive digital-storytelling partnership.

My latest poety pamphlet, To Start The Year From Its Quiet Centre is published by Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd

“...controlled, spare and with the particular magic of inviting the reader in right-up-close. An agonisingly beautiful, closely observed and compassionate love letter and leave-taking for a much loved mother.” (Deborah Alma -- Poet, Editor & Founder of The Poetry Pharmacy)

"...So glad to have been part of bringing this story to a wider audience. It is extraordinary work..." (Ronnie Goodyer, Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd)

"...you've captured my lifetime in palliative care. Just wonderful..." (Dr Kathryn Mannix, author 'With The End In Mind -- How To Live And Die Well)

I am currently working on All My Wild Mothers, a nature memoir that examines motherhood, loss, and the ancient art of wortcunning. This work- in-progress was long-listed for the Nan Shepherd Prize (2019) and the Penguin WriteNow Programme (2020). I am grateful to New Writing North and  The Society of Authors, for awarding me the Northern Debut Award and an Authors' Foundation grant to complete this work.

"...All My Wild Mothers is so good! Really distinctive, interesting writing...I've never read anything quite like it..." (Amy Liptrot, Northern Debut Award).

I am also currently developing an extended project, Human Geographies - an XR memoir project exploring narratives of absence and how literature can collaborate with immersive, digital spaces to share our grief stories. This work is supported through a DYCP award from the Arts Council of England.

I live with a rebellious body, caused by a collision of Genetic Haemochromatosis, a hereditary metabolic disorder which leads to a toxic accumulation of iron in the body; Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (a hereditary connective tissue disorders), and Dysautonomia. These unruly genes result in chronic and disabling illness. I live in rural Cumbria with my husband and son, for whom I am also a full-time carer and home-educator. When I am not juggling home-ed, freelance creative projects, research, study and chronic illness, I can be found howling with the Wild Women, my creative tribe. 




To Start The Year From Its Quiet Centre

“... This collection is a journey into loss: not the big crashing ideas of death, but the gentle; quiet hours of waiting and the delicate structuring and un-structuring of routine around the inevitable. Skilful, moving and careful with no head first fall into sentimentality, these are poems that translate the language of humanity into art and in doing so benefit all ...”  (Wendy Pratt -- Poet, Editor)

Published by Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd.  (August 2020).

Signed copies are available to buy direct from me, with £2 from each sale going to support Mesothelioma UK. Please use the contact form below to request details. 

Or you can buy direct from the publishers using this link, and support a fantastic independent press.

Buy Book

Awards


Human Geographies - explores how literature can collaborate with immersive, digital spaces to share our grief stories - recipient of an ACE DYCP Grant 2021  

All My Wild Mothers - recipient of an Authors' Foundation grant - The Society of Authors

All My Wild Mothers - Winner Northern Debut Award (non-fiction)- New Writing North (2020)

All My Wild Mothers -- longlisted  Penguin WriteNow Programme (2020)

#Wild Woman Gamer - Shortlisted for Winston Churchill Fellowship (2020)

All My Wild Mothers - Longlisted for The Nan Shepherd Prize (2019)

Calendar - Highly Commended Charroux Festival Memoir Prize (2019)

Portrait of Care - Highly Commended - Carers UK  Photography Prize (2018)

Muddy Hands -  Staff/Volunteer Choice - CarersUK Writing Prize (2018)

Wild Women Press - Winner CommonUnity Award - Post Office UK (2018)

Axis - Winner Mother’s Milk Non-Fiction Writing Award (2017)

Artist in Residence Bernheim Research Forest 
Kentucky (2016)

My Mother's House - Winner - Digital Lit Bursary - The Writing Platform (2015)

Unsung Heroes Awards - shortlisted - Arts Council England (NW)

Northern Promise Award for Poetry - Winner - New Writing North (2002)

Andrew Waterhouse Award - Winner - for ‘an exceptional new or emerging poet whose work reflects a strong sense of place or the natural environment’
(New Writing North (2002)

Anchoring The Light - Winner - Millennium Mind Award (1999)

Poetry



Butcher's Dog Magazine Issue #14

To Start the Year from its Quiet Centre pamphlet, Indigo Dreams (2020)

The Bloody Amazing Anthology 

Yaffle Press/Beautiful Dragons (2020)

The Mountain We Cannot See Anthology
Slice of the Moon (2020)

Imagining Life After COVID-19
June Issue, Womawords Literary Press

International Times (April 2020)

The Beach Hut (December 2019)

As Above, So Below Issue 1  (December 2018)

#MeToo - A Women’s Poetry Anthology
Fair Acre Press, 2018
(Saboteur Best Anthology Winner 2018)

The Golden B00k - Fifty Years of Arvon
Arvon Foundation (2018)

Keeping Well, Keeping Connected Anthology
CarersUK (2018)

Deep Song - Awakening To Love
Troubadours of Divine Bliss (2012)

Rowing Home: A Journey Through Grief Anthology
Cruse Bereavement Charity (2009)

The 3am Club Anthology  (2006)

Byron Makes His Bed (2006)
Fragments  (2006)
Fragile Bodies (2004)
Wild Women Hot Pot of Passion Anthology (2000)
Anchoring The Light  (1999)
Howl At The Moon: Writings by Wild Women (1999)
Wild Women Press 

Training/Academic



MRes Creative Practice
Research: exploring the landscape of loss and the construction of narratives of absence through poetry, memoir and XR technology
University of Highlands and Islands (Shetland) 
(currently suspended due to COVID-19)

MA Creative Writing, Poetry 
Thesis "Byron Makes His Bed", exploring poetry, sexuality and the trope of the mad, bad and dangerous poet
Lancaster University, 2002

Level2 Person Centred Counselling
Centra, Ullswater College, 1998

Arts & Disability Training for Trainers Hertfordshire University 1997

BA (Hons)
English, Creative & Critical Studies (2:1)
Dissertation
Creativity and the Autistic Spectrum,
 
Portsmouth University 1996

Performance/Talks/
Interviews


Cheltenham Poetry Festival
, 2020
Digital Past, 2020
Deer Shed Festival, 2019
Barnsley Literature Festival, 2019
Greenbelt Festival, Literature Tent & The Red Tent, 2018
Saboteur Awards, 2018
UcLan Literary Events, 2018
Stanza Poetry Festival, 2018
Greenbelt Festival, Digital Gaming Tent, 2016
Minecon, Los Angeles, 2016
Mix Conference, BathSpa, 2015
Naked Muse Tour, 2011/12
Poetry Cafe, 2006
Glastonbury Festival, Poetry & Words Tent, 2005
Sheffield Literary Festival 2005
Stirling Poetry & Sexuality Conference, 2004
Brewery Arts Centre, 2004
Arts in Mental Health Festival, 2000
Wild Women Press Events, 1999-2002
Interview on Minecraft and Grief, 2017, Gimlet Podcast, New York City
Interview on #MeToo & Harvey Weinstein, 2018, TRT World
Interview on My Mother's House: Grief, Poetry & Digital Gaming, 2015
Guardian Newspaper
Interview on The Naked Muse Photo-Poetry Project, 2011/12 -- Guardian/BBC/Huffington Post/WriteOutLoud/PhillyMag/View From Here/Poetry Foundation
The Convent, 2006, BBC1
Participant in 6 week documentary following life in a Poor Clare convent

Self-Employment



Wild Women Press 
Founder & Project Director 1999 - present
Founder of the rural, radical Wild Women Press. Programming, delivering & producing Wild Women workshops, projects, live events & publications in rural Cumbria and beyond, working with over 2000 women. Curating the global #WildWomanWeb. Co-ordinating multi-artist projects and touring. Organising annual creative retreats for 20 years. www.wildwomenpress.com

The Wizard & The Wyld Ltd 
Director 2018 - present
Immersive digital storytelling and official Minecraft Marketplace Content Creator. www.thewizardandwyld.com

Bernheim Research Forest 
International Artist In Residence, 2016,
2 month collaborative artists residency (poetry and Minecraft), Kentucky

The Common People
Researcher & Game Writer  2012-2020
Working with digital creative producer, Adam Clarke, on high profile digital gaming and culture engagement projects including TateWorlds (Tate Britain), Fire1666! (Museum of London), RammCraft (RAMM, Exeter)

Invisible Orchard Studio
Studio Director
, 2014-2017
Establishing and running a family-centered community studio space offering traditional and digital arts workshops and event

Blissfool Books,
Founder/Editor, 2007 - 2011
Publishing “Wounded Angels” (bestselling Franciscan author and poet, Fr. Murray Bodo) and “Orange Dust” (Foreword by The Dalai Lama) - Kenneth Wilson

Lancaster University
Creative Writing Tutor, 2003 - 2006
Creative writing tutor on BA(Hons) 

Bright Sparks Community Arts
Project Artist (various) 1996 - 2002
Engagement and advocacy projects within health and social welfare sector.

Survivors' Poetry
Facilitator,
1993 - 1996  
Poetry workshops for survivors of mental health services

Community Broadcast Leicester
Assistant Editor - Internship
1991 - 1993
Assistant Editor Internship for community magazine programe

VR-Poetry-Music Video, in response to the poems within the #MeToo Women's Poetry Anthology, created in collaboration with Adam Clarke and Beth Porter

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