Yay. The publication of a debut poetry collection is, to our mind, always a cause for celebration. Even more so, however, when the poet in question has a bit of a connection to Litro. Then we temporarily set down the gin and tonic so customarily attached to our right hand, assume something of a more parental pose and, beaming, clasp our hands together and proprietarily say, “See? We told you she was a genius!”
  
Case in point: Julia Bird, whose first poetry collection, Hannah and the Monk, debuted in September (that’s Julia in the picture below reading at her launch party at Scooterworks Cafe last month). Julia’s poetry has previously appeared in Litro, so it came as no surprise to us that her recent work has been praised for its ‘charm, freshness and agility’ and called ‘keenly observant … confidential, elegiac and tender’. You can get a taste of that talent here, on Julia’s blog. The complete collection is put out by and available from Salt.
 
From your Litro fans and supporters: Congratulations, Julia!