Literary Calendar

Former Eastenders Executive Producer Diederick Santer and scriptwriter for The Archers and Ambridge Extra Keri Davies discuss writing and production with the biggest soaps on TV and radio. Relationships between writers and producers can be difficult as well as creative -find out more about what goes on behind the scenes to bring you Albert Square and Ambridge. Diederick produced EastEnders for 3 years, creating new characters such as the Masoods and the Mitchell Sisters, while also bringing back favourites Ricky&hellip

Shakespeare’s Local: Six Centuries of History Seen Through One Extraordinary Pub Pete Brown used to advertise lager for a living, until he realized that writing books about beer was even more fun, and entailed drinking even more beer. He appears regularly on television as a beer expert and writes on beer for a variety of publications. In this wonderful book Pete takes us through the history of the George Inn in Borough and tells us how it has survived six centuries while all around&hellip

In ‘From Bow to Biennale: Artists of the East London Group’, David Buckman reveals for the first time how charismatic teacher John Cooper inspired working class East Enders into becoming one of the most successful exhibiting groups of the 1930s. Over many years he traced six then-surviving members to record their memories. Progressing from evening classes in Bow, its artists achieved shows at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Tate Gallery, in the provinces and annual exhibitions in the West End. In 1936,&hellip

“Things I wish I knew when I started …” A humorous look at the life of an author, with anecdotes about the industry, writing, and how Michael works. Michael Jecks is the author of thirty-two novels published by Headline and Simon & Schuster. A past chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, he is also a founder of the Historical Writers’ Association and Medieval Murderers – a performance group of historical crime writers. In quieter moments he has written short stories&hellip

The Gentle Author will talk about his new book ‘The Gentle Author’s London Album’. Between the covers of this magnificent album you will discover more than 600 of the Gentle Author’s favourite pictures of London, setting the wonders of our modern metropolis against the pictorial delights of the ancient city, and celebrating the infinite variety of life in the capital. This is London seen from an easterly direction – as the centre of gravity in the city has shifted, The&hellip

Alison will be talking about the writing of her novels, reading from her books and taking questions. Alison Moore’s first novel, ‘The Lighthouse’, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2012 and in the New Writer of the Year category of the National Book Awards 2012 before going on to win the McKitterick Prize 2013. Her short stories have been published in various magazines and anthologies, including ‘Best British Short Stories’. The title story of her debut collection ‘The Pre-War&hellip

The Importance of Being Interested Award winning comedian and science enthusiast Robin Ince follows up his Happiness Through Science show with a look at his favourite scientists – Charles Darwin and Richard Feynman. Find out why we have eyebrows, why bald dogs have bad teeth, how heavy metal music makes pigs deaf and why spaghetti snaps into four pieces. It is a loving look into the minds of two giants of human imagination who changed our worldview. He’ll also stop&hellip

A Greedy Man in a Hungry World “The doctrine of local food is dead and farmers markets are merely a lifestyle choice for the affluent middle classes” Restaurant critic and BBC One Show reporter Jay Rayner combines hardnosed reporting with witty memoir to take you on a journey through the world’s edible landscape. From debunking a supermarket trolley full of myths to shooting the food world’s most cherished sacred cows, this talk will change the way you shop, cook and&hellip

Director and writer Paul Bryers gives an illustrated talk on the ingredients of a successful ghost or horror story, with examples from his own work and that of Stephen King, Bram Stoker, Thomas Harris, Angela Carter and Charles Perrault – master, or manipulator, of the fairy tale. “Why are we, and our children, so keen on being scared out of our minds?   Why are we so fascinated by horror – and the supernatural?   What’s behind the apparently insatiable vampire craze?  &hellip

Stella Duffy will read from her novels, talk about her work as a writer in many genres and also as a theatre director. There is every chance she will also mention that not only posh people can be writers, that Equal Marriage is a very exciting thing, and how the Fun Palaces Project is taking over her life. Stella Duffy has written thirteen novels, fifty short stories, and ten plays. ‘The Room of Lost Things’ and ‘State of Happiness’ were both longlisted&hellip

Kate Fox shares some of her funny, thoughtful, topical poems, spoken word and comedy. She’s a regular on Radio 4′s Saturday Live, has been Poet in Residence for the Glastonbury Festival 2013 and the Great North Run and did her comedy show ‘Good Breeding’ at this year’s Edinburgh Festival. Sarah Millican says she’s “Funny, quirky and a wonderful writer”, the Sunday Telegraph says she’s “Funny and endearing” and Three Weeks says she’s “A wonderful storyteller”. Sign up to the Kate&hellip

The back-to-back adventures of a full-throttle life from the maverick broadcaster, pioneering DJ, and unstoppable foreign correspondent: Andy Kershaw. Andy Kershaw truly has no off switch. Already he’s lived ten lives to everybody’s one. As a teenager, he was promoting major rock gigs at LeedsUniversity. He was Billy Bragg’s driver and roadie one day and presenting Whistle Test and Live Aid the next. A passionate music enthusiast, he is a man with an obsessive curiosity about the world. Over a&hellip