The Power of Saying It as It is

My guest this week is Jan Brierton, a mam, a fashionstylist, and a poet.Her first collection What Day Is It? WhoGives a F*ck was published in 2021 after Jan’s first ever poem went viralduring lockdown.Everybody Is a Poem: Midlife in Rhymes isJan’s second collection published by New Island. In this pocket-sized book Jan riffs onmenopause, midlife, the mental load, friendships, relationships, loss, and self-acceptance.On its release, Jan’s second collectionmade the top 10 paperback non-fiction book charts.Plain-speaking and completely relatable,each of these 52 poems are served with Jan’s signature combination of humour,wit, and poignancy.This is poetry for everybody. Since the publication of her debut book,Jan has appeared on RTE Nationwide, TV3’s Six O Clock show, RTE Radio 1’sBrendan O Connor Show, Ray Darcy Show, 2Fm, 98FM, The Irish Times Women’spodcast and Mamia & Me with Amy Huberman. Jan’s poems have been shared onsocial media by Jo Whiley and Emma Barnett (BBC Women’s Hour) with over 30Kviews. Jan is the resident poet on the Ray Darcy Show on RTE Radio 1. With her passion for keeping poetryaccessible, Jan’s poems come to life with her engaging live performances. InMay 2024 Jan opened with her hero Dr John Cooper Clark in Dublin’s 3OlympiaTheatre, where she debuted her homage to his world famous ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ with her modern love poem ‘You’ll Always Be ForMe’ She has read her poems on The Word andManifesto stages at Electric Picnic, The London Irish Centre, The MutinyTheatre, St Annes Park Rose Festival, Five Lamps Arts Festival, Drogheda ArtsFestival, Dublin City Libraries and the Liberties Festival.Jan’s poems ‘But’ and ‘Sound Body’ havefeatured in both of Aoibhin Garrihy’s poetry anthologies.Jan brought her live show Wild Words toDublin’s Ambassador Theatre in November 2024, celebrating the power of poetryand prose with Donna Ashworth, PJ Gallagher and Emmet Kirwan.2025will see Jan open for John Cooper Clark in The London Palladium, The NottinghamRoyal Concert Hall and the Manchester Co-Op Arena.Jan continues to write and performalongside her mam duties and her career as a creative director and fashionstylist. Instagram: @jbgoodtome   LiteraryAgent: Faith O Grady at Lisa Richards [email protected] Live:  Eavan Kenny at Lisa Richards  [email protected] Our business sponsor this week is Infinite Wellbeing. Offering In Person & Online: Systematic Kinesiology, Reiki, Coaching, Mentoring, Workshops, Talks, Communications Training, Indian Head Massage (in person only)Based: Limerick Website: www.infinitewellbeing.ieSocial Media links: FB https://www.facebook.com/kinesiologywithhelena Instagram: @infinitewellbeing1Helena is offering a discount to my podcast listeners. €10 discount off first kinesiology session  - quote SFPODCAST10 when booking.If you would like to be a guest on the show or sponsor an episode of this podcast please contact Sharon through her website www.sharonfitzmauricemindfulness.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sharonfitzmaurice.substack.com