Last updated September 2022
I used to be a teacher in the days when I was called Ros Kloos (and the school kids called me Inspector Kloos-eau). I miss those kids with their quick wit and passion for life and I still occasionally visit schools to give talks about Richard III (and sell the odd copy of The Children's Book of Richard III while I'm at it).
These days I spend much of my time writing poetry. My writing is fuelled by my love of nostalgia and of history - my first degree was in history. There are endless fascinating events from the past tucked away inside dusty books waiting for someone to breath new life into them.
I have co-ordinated a number of Heritage Funded projects, recording and writing about the lives of older people in Leicester's Jewish Community and researching past lives from the headstones in the local Jewish cemetery. Sharing Our Heritage was also paid for by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The book was written by four of us during Covid using Zoom as our meeting room. It was awarded the David Hyman Prize by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain.
PUBLICATIONS
Books:
- Sharing Our Heritage, a history of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation and winner of the David Hyman Prize. Email centremanager@lhcong.com to purchase a copy.
- Children's Book of Richard III, The Reading Shop Oadby, July 2014, ISBN 978-0-99293-020-2
- Children’s History of Leicester, Hometown World Publishers, May 2011, ISBN 978-1849931496
- Bathtime Rap, Picture book, Franklin Watts, 2008, ISBN 970-0-7496-7951-4
- Jewish Voices, A collection of reminiscences and history of a community affected by World War II, National Lottery Heritage Fund project, 2009
- Departures, Literary Mama Poetry 2022
- The Passing of Time on Peddars Way, Songs of Eretz Poetry Review 2022
- Post-war Kids, Green Ink Poetry 2021
- Forgotten school lessons, Allegro 2021
- Dancing Across Canvas, The Copperfield Review 2021
- The Circus Barker, The Pomegranate London 2021
- Living Statue, 81 Words 2020
- Unprecedented,100 Words of Solitude 2020
- From Far Away, The Copperfield Review 2020
- Tempus Fugit, The Ekphrasis Review 2020
- End of the Day, The Ekphrasis Review 2019
- Fresh Canvas, winner of the G.S. Fraser award 2018
- Youth, The Ekphrasis Review 2018
- Klezmer Dancers and Klezmer Men, The Jewish Literary Journal 2018
- Top Class, winner of Artbeat Poetry Competition 2017
- Onion, The University of Leicester MA Collection 2017
- Market Day 1963, The Welcome to Leicester Anthology 2016
- Lives Behind the Stones, a National Lottery Heritage Fund research project creating a website with information about Leicester's Jewish cemetery, researched stories of lives 'behind the stones' and a database providing full genealogical search facilities. 2015
- The 1950s Menu, Yours Yearbook 2010
- Bathtime Rap poster and musical rap feature, the Scholastic Nursery Education PLUS Magazine, October 2009
- The work behind the project: Jewish Voices, NAWE Quart. No. 48 Summer 2009
- With Two Hats On: therapeutic writing workshops, Lapidus Quart. Autumn 2007
- Birds' Eye View; taking part in the bird count, The Lady August/September 1999
- 12 short stories published in Yours, Woman's Weekly, Bella, Best, Take a Break, Chat and My Weekly from 1998 to 2002.
TEACHING/TUTORING WORK
- Creative writing tutor
- Writing workshop leader
- Primary and secondary school teacher
QUALIFICATIONS
- Masters in Creative Writing with distinction at University of Leicester 2017 to 2018
- History degree BA (Hons) 2:2 at University of Leicester 1979 to 1981
- Post-graduate certificate in education at University of Leicester School of Education 1982
- Adult tutor certificate
- Certificate in Counselling skills
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| Book launch with Alice Povey, illustrator, on my left. |
