Christopher James won the National Poetry Competition in March 2009 for his poem ‘Farewell to the Earth’. He also won the Bridport Prize in 2002 and the Ledbury Poetry Prize in 2002 and 2006. His most recent collection is The Invention of Butterfly. Christopher is also the recipient of an Eric Gregory award from the Society of Authors. His poems have appeared in The Rialto, Smiths Knoll, London Magazine, Iota, Magma and other periodicals. He has read at the Cheltenham Literary Festival, the Ledbury Poetry Festival and twice at the Aldeburgh Festival, most recently in 2008 as part of its New Voices event.
Christopher James was born in Scotland in 1975 and educated at Newcastle and UEA, where he graduated with an MA in Creative Writing. He now lives in Suffolk with his wife and young family. He works in London as Head of Corporate Communications for the Scout Association, the UK’s largest coeducational youth movement. When not writing poems, editing magazines or changing nappies, he enjoys Bruce Springsteen, running, sea swimming and Suffolk ale. He also admires Simon Armitage, Neil Finn and Paul McCartney, three men with substantially the same haircut.
Bibliography
The Invention of Butterfly, Ragged Raven Press, Stratford-upon-Avon, 2006 (available at www.raggedraven.co.uk)
Links
Article on www.guardian.co.uk about Christopher James winning the UK National Poetry Competition
Christopher James’ publishers, Ragged Raven Press
Watch Christopher James read his winning poem at the prize-giving ceremony www.poetrysociety.org.uk
