For those who like their literature online, there’s plenty out there. Here’s a finished anthology, and one that’s just starting:

Best New Zealand Poems, edited by ex-pat Andrew Johnston (slumming it in Paris) has just been loaded up on the IIML website. There are 25 poems, from the likes of Michele Amas, James Brown, Jenny Bornholdt, Anne Kennedy, Brian Turner, and Ian Wedde. And with subject matter ranging from sausage rolls to saris, there something for everyone. Andrew Johnston is working in Paris as an editor for the International Herald Tribune. He has a poetry blog, and likes to keep his hand in on the writing side too.

The start-up is being put together by Mark Young, who was quite The Man here in the sixties (that's him on the right, above, with James K Baxter left, and David Mitchell in The Tie). He and a bad gang of poets and artists used to hang out at the Barry Lett Gallery declaiming their work, drinking Henderson Valley red wine and generally being extremely intellectual and probably rather rowdy. He left the country in 1969 for Australia and hasn’t come back. But the news is now that Mark’s doing an e-zine called Otoliths.

An otolith, is apparently 'one of the small bones or particles of calcareous or other hard substance in the internal ear of vertebrates, and in the auditory organs of many invertebrates; an ear stone.' Otoliths is open to submissions of textual poetry, 'vispo', fiction and essays (up to 5000 words), photographs, art and any combination of the above. Kinetic or moving pieces are also welcome provided they are pre-coded and can be temporarily demonstrated somewhere. While there will be no payment, the editor writes, 'my intention is to also bring each issue out in a print-on-demand form, and each contributor will receive a complimentary copy.' Submissions may be sent to otolitheditor@gmail.com as attachments or in the body of the email, and should be accompanied by a brief biographical note (photo optional). Submission deadline for the first issue is 30 April.

And! Bugger, I promised myself I wouldn’t do this, not yet, we’re not quite ready for the official press release, but… Mark is coming to Auckland and will be talking at the Auckland Art Gallery in May as part of the ‘Art and the 60s’ exhibition. Organised by moi – LeafSalon’s very first Event. Oh yeah. The full line-up is going to be brilliant, it’s all about what was going on in the 60s here from a literary perspective. Talks will be on Saturdays all through May and early June. So watch this space, I’ll put up the full programme next week. Very excited.