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Steve O’Connor devised and co-hosted Freed Up, which revolutionised the Manchester poetry scene, worked with Write Out Loud and transformed their Trafford-based poetry open mic night, and co-edited all three volumes of Best of Manchester Poets. A Mancunian living in West Yorkshire, he teaches creative writing at colleges and libraries and runs bespoke distance learning courses. extraño is his first full collection of poetry. He hopes that you like it. “These are painful and beautiful poems, worn on the sleeve and inked with care and precision.” Tony Walsh AKA Longfella, poet & educator “A celebration of the human existence in its smallest observations. Women in this collection have inner lives more vast and important than their outer appearance.” Anna Percy, Stirred Feminist Collective “From urban grits of scuffling cityscapes to fully-flown romances of human experience, Steve’s poetry simply/complexly soars.” Gerry Potter, poet & playwright “Lifelines of creativity and compassion for those of us who’ve taken more than our unfair share of beatings. Defiantly hopeful.” Dominic Berry, Saboteur Awards’ Best Spoken Word Performer “You can’t beat Steve O’Connor for intelligent realism, for observation of humanity and quiet compassion. Impossible to read this without wanting to hug the man.” Cathy Thomas-Bryant, Puppywolf “A celebration of small moments as the means of having greater understanding, and a profound refinement from everyday emotions and thoughts. Sensitive but secure.” Robert Cochrane, The Bad Press