The writers were:

• David Hart, 1997/8 Birmingham Poet Laureate
• Catherine O’Flynn, winner 2008 First Novel Award at the Costa Book Awards
• Katherine D’Souza, author of the Birmingham-set novels “Deeds Not Words” and “Park Life”
• Gaynor Arnold, whose work “Girl in a Blue Dress” was long-listed for the 2008 Man Booker Prize
• Jo Ind – yes, that’s me – author or Memories of Bliss, former Birmingham Post journalist.
  

I greatly enjoyed being able to choose any book I wanted from the store to sit on my shelf.  It was better than being a child let loose in a sweet shop.

Rarely, do I allow myself just to pick what I want.  Normally my book selections are constrained by concerns about money and whether I will have time to actually read whatever title I’m considering.  For The Curated Shelf, I could just pick what I fancied and there was a luxurious freedom in that.

My shelf turned out to be biographical.  I chose books I had enjoyed as child and enjoy reading with my own little boy (Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle), novels where I had interviewed the author through my work as a journalist, sheet music because I love singing and playing the piano, a book on language to reflect my enduring interest as a philosopher and writer.  In picking whatever I wanted, I found a story of my life displayed through the spines on books. That felt pleasurable and somehow important to me.

I hope people enjoyed looking at the curations as much as I enjoyed selecting the items – but I doubt that they could have done simply because I enjoyed it so very much.

First of all the treasure trove which is the Oxfam Bookshop on Kings Heath High Street, Birmingham will be celebrating its refurbishment.  Still cosy, still welcoming, it will be enjoying a brand new look.

Secondly, that treasure trove which is Katrice Horsley will be there telling tales in a way that only a national storytelling laureate can.

Thirdly, the theme of the morning will be motherhood and creativity (one of my top topics) – and I shall be there discussing it with Katrice and you too, if you would care to come along.

Do you see motherhood as the ultimate creative act – or something that makes it impossible to get on with your own creative work? What’s the difference between raising a child and making art?

We will be telling stories, reading texts and sharing anecdotes on the theme of motherhood and creation at 11am to mark the re-opening of the Oxfam store.

Anyone is welcome but please note the event is for adults rather than children.

• Motherhood and Creativity with Jo Ind and Katrice Horsley is on Wednesday 25 February 2015 at 11am at the Oxfam Bookshop, 110A Kings Heath High Street B14 7LG.