Well, it is weird to be typing this, but we are down to the last handfilled of places in the (gulp) FINAL EVER CULT So it is now or never... #comeandjoinus and generally find out more HERE

“A Proper Poetry Pamphlet Competition” - A Poetry Pamphlet Competition  Win the chance to see a  collection of your poems, published beautifully in one of our rather lovely pamphlets Deadline: 30th November 2025 The Winning Pamphlet will be published during 2026

I know that we did Christmas last month, but I thought we'd gild that there lily one last time, as I wanted to produce our Christmas card this year and maybe even remember to send them for once. This challenge then is a bit different from the Annual, as it is just for a single poem. It is limited to a short form poem - Haiku, Tanka, …

Well, I have to say that it has been quite humbling, in the main, the nice things that people have been saying about Hedgehog - and I have already said to a few people, that I'm feeling as though I shot Bambi at the moment, but there we are. So just a thank you for the best wishes and all, but I'm happy now to just get my head down and get on with it and so that is the plan.

Well, what can I say - this week is already somewhat weird and I have a feeling that the next six months is only going to be more so. But today I am pleased to say that a truly special collection is the penultimate 'Proper Poetry Pamphlet' and will most definitely be published before the end of March 2026. But getting on with it, I am pleased to say that the Shortlisted Poets are, in no particular order:

In September 2017 Hedgehog began on a spreadsheet, developing into a plan based upon the idea that if I could find 100 like minded poetry lovers to join, what became, the Cult of the Spiny Hog, it would allow us to publish a lot of poetry collections and anthologies, without any kind of Arts Funding, or my developing the publisher’s twitch you see on the faces of all those sitting behind piles of unsold books at literary fayres across the land.

Last year we had our first Christmas Annual, and it went down so well that I thought it would be daft, even by my standards, not to make it an err, annual Annual. So this month's Challenge is to write a wee Christmas poem that has a hopefilled message for one and all in the form of a Christmas Wish.

Well, I have to say that I love the design of our wee Pocket Hedgehogs, and judging our third competition has been sooo verily tricky. Luckily, I got therein the end and I am proud to share that the Shortlisted Poets, are: Anthony Mooney Marion Horton (Commended) Alwyn Marriage Vanessa Horn Dawn Rhodes-Shaw Andrew Player Zain Azad Miranda Day (Highly Commended)

I am so verily chuffed to be able to announce the Shortlisted and Winning Entries of our Second Peacock Spine Debut Poetry Collection Competition, are now available... The Shortlist is: Catherine Long Tina Roper (Highly Commended) Sarah Targett Jermaine Rockford Samuel Parris L.P. Denning Emily Fox (Commended) Gwen Francis John Crick Lloyd Robinson This has proven to be a truly difficult decision, but in the end this time there can only be one, and I am proud to say that it is: Catherine Long for "Because" Congratulations to Catherine and many thanks to all who entered and those who were shortlisted 🙂

Well, I have to say that the Crimson Spines are truly the most gorgeous of things, and I am so pleased that the sixth competition has produced such stunning work. I am rather chuffed then to announce that the shortlisted poets are: Joanne Dixon Peter Smith Tim Tricker Julie Stensland (Highly Commended) Mary L Rosen Zelda Cahill-Patten Will Kemp Gillie Robic (Commended)

Over the course of the year, there will be Four Challenges that focus on people and families and the places that they live. There will be more details of how this fits together as we go, but the third of the four looks at the most unlikely of local tradesmen - Bill The Butcher who had a shop on the corner of Hobson Road.

Well, this is going to be a busy week - and I am rather chuffed indeed to be able to announce the winner of this, our rather special Proper Poetry Pamphlet Competition. And the Shortlisted Poets are, in no particular order: Hilary Thompson John Wright Pratibha Castle Danielle Cahill (Commended) Gareth Culshaw Mary Earnshaw (Highly Commended) Helen Dewbery Amanda Hill…

“Over 30s Pamphlet Competition” - A Pamphlet Competition Win the chance to see your collection of  poems, published beautifully in one of our rather lovely pamphlets Deadline: 31st October 2025 The Winning Pamphlet will be published during 2026

“The Crimson Spine Pocket Book” - A Poetry Pamphlet Competition Win the chance to see a  collection of your poems, published beautifully in one of our Crimson Spine Book Pamphlets Deadline: 30th September 2025 The Winning Pamphlet will be published in 2026

“Pocket Hedgehog Micro Collection Competition” - A Poetry Pamphlet Competition Win the chance to see your Micro collection of  poems, published beautifully in one of our rather lovely pamphlets Deadline: 31st of October 2025 The Winning Pamphlet will be published during 2026

“A Proper Poetry Pamphlet Competition” - A Poetry Pamphlet Competition  Win the chance to see a  collection of your poems, published beautifully in one of our rather lovely pamphlets Deadline: 31st August 2025 The Winning Pamphlet will be published during 2026

Well, what can I say - I never thought it would happen, but I am pleased to say that our wee Poetry Cult is now #30 Cults old. So if you want to #comeandjoinus for three months of Competitions, Challenges, Books and eBooks - this is the time. As ever there can only be 100 members, so don't delay, join today. Find out more HERE

The Cult of the Spiny Hog is the ultimate group for poetry lovers -Join for a Quarter and Everything is Free Cult #30 Runs from 1st of July - 30th of September 2025  

Well, it is that time again and I'm rather chuffed to say that all of the Goody Boxes are off to our brilliant Cult Members crammed with poetic-goodness, which is always a time, it has to be said, thanks to my able assistants / slave labour. In truth this year has been quite a weird one even by Hoggy standards, but there we are.

After the Pandemic (tm) - Lockdowns - Fraud, Masks and everything else, there was an outpouring of poetry as we all tried to make sense of what the hell was happening and where it would all end-up. And for some of us, it isn't all over even now, but time does give a perspective and I thought that five years later, perhaps it was worth revisiting it all.

“Pocket Hedgehog Micro Collection Competition” - A Poetry Pamphlet Competition Win the chance to see your Micro collection of  poems, published beautifully in one of our rather lovely pamphlets Deadline: 31st July 2025 The Winning Pamphlet will be published during 2026

“Peacock Spine Debut Collection Competition” - A Poetry Pamphlet Competition Win the chance to see your Debut collection of  poems, published beautifully in one of our rather lovely pamphlets Deadline: 31st July 2025 The Winning Pamphlet will be published during 2026

It has been quite a quiet while, so I am even more doubly chuffed than normal to say that the slumber is no longer quite so golden and things are-a-happening here in Hogland, UK. There will be many things to come, but today sees the unveiling of a nifty wee anthology that will see the light of day pretty soon.

We all have an inner dialogue, a voice that nags at us - whether as a conscience or a route map to where you need to be, even if it speaks a truth that we don't want to hear. Sometimes though, there is gold in those thoughts and this challenge asks you to explore your inner thought and find one of those universal truths or pieces of advice that we all need to hear.