Famous children's author and TV personality Cheri Bloomer will start

the New Year with a whirlwind tour of the country to promote her latest

book 'Candy Goes Crazy' - the umpteenth title in the Candy Cane series.

She's also helping to launch a range of Candy Cane junior fashion 

wear  for a high street supermarket chain with a little help from the 

Teeny Tots Troupe of pixie dancers (illustrated) You have been warned.

The young poet Arnold Beeney collects First Prize in the annual

'Praise the Lord in All His Glory Competition' for his epic poem 

"God Knows What I've Done With My Life" in eighty-seven verses.

The prize is awarded by the Gospel League for the Advancement

of Christian Values in Literature.  Arnold plans to spend his prize

money on a trip to Bangkok where he hopes to continue his work

among the sex workers of Patpong, the notorious red light district. 

Good luck with that, Arnold.

After the untimely death of Dear Leader, Supreme Commander, 

Master of the Universe, Kim Jong-il, the valiant London Workers Party

Publishers Kenneth & Livingstone (above) are forced to withdraw

their new title 'Live to be a Hundred with the Kim Jong-il Diet Plan'

Shame.

And now a final sneaky peek at next year's controversial Poetry 

Society's Celebrity Calendar.  Meet lovely Miss April, portrayed

 by the best-selling novelist Betty Buckler, Canadian-born author 

of the blockbusting Doctor and Nurses Romance Series.  

Betty asked to be photographed as her most popular heroine 

plucky Nurse Willing from 'Night Fever' and 'Fatale in Traction'

Toby Trubshaw The Readers Digest 'Young Journalist of the Year' 

 seen here being hand-operated by his mother

Another page from the Poetry Society's exciting new 2012 calendar.

Here we see Miss August, relaxing at home, portrayed by celebrated

playwright Lefty Morgan Murphy, the 'kitchen sink' feminist 

who caused a sensation at London's  Royal Court earlier this year 

performing her one-woman show 'The Fart-Arse Monologues'

A rare glimpse of poet, children's author and handbag enthusiast 

Thelma Allingham (right) seen here with her secretary and constant 

companion Phyliss Compton.  Ms Compton has just finished editing

Allingham's most recent book "Five Children and a Handbag" for

the well-known publishers Pomphrey & Wedgie-Macdonald 

(see post for Friday 15th April) Tamsin Hunter Wedgie-Macdonald

has an extensive handbag collection, said husband Piers Pomphrey. 

After following bearded wonder and celebrity author

 Salman Rushdie's guide on 'How to be Charming with Women'

 local street poet and musician Spooky Simon (above) is cautioned

by police for rude and abusive behaviour.  "There's one law

for the rich . . . " he complains later, returning to his shop doorway