Top picks from the Durham Book Fair
As 2020 continues to be a tumultuous year, book fairs have been forced to make the difficult decision to run their events entirely online, and Durham Book Festival is no exception.
Founded in 1990, this iconic literary event usually takes place in and around the beautiful city of Durham and is part of Durham County Council’s festival programme. Whilst it is a great shame that the fair cannot take place in person as scheduled, in turning digital, the fair is set to be even more accessible than ever. We’ve taken the liberty to showcase our top pick of events from the fair that you won’t want to miss.
The fair takes place between 9 and 18 October, and it is completely free to watch via Crowdcast. Buy tickets here:
Guided Walk: A Literary Pilgrimage of Durham
10 October, 2 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.
Download a special downloadable podcast or a filmed armchair version of a virtual walk around Durham and pretend like you’re actually at the festival. The walk lasts one and a half hours and will include stories of ancient scribes, poets, prize-winning authors, political discourse and folklore.
Richard Osman: The Thursday Murder Club
10 October, 7:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Join Richard Osman as he introduces his debut novel and the first in a brand-new crime series: The Thursday Murder Club.
Brit Bennett: The Vanishing Half
11 October, 2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Best-selling author Brit Bennett discusses her novel, The Vanishing Half.
Sarah Moss: Summerwater
17 October, 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Celebrated author, Sarah Moss discusses her latest novel, Summerwater.
How Publishing Works Online Masterclass
When? 10 October
Where? Online event, tickets £20
Silé Edwards, Literary Agent at Mushens Entertainment and Mireille Harper, Editor at Square Peg, have teamed up to host an interactive two-hour masterclass discussing all things publishing, from the idea stage to publication and beyond. The workshop aims to help demystify the world of publishing and will include an interactive presentation, interview segment and Q&A.
The National Creative Writing Industry Conference
When? 26 – 30 October
Where? Online conference, most events will be free.
This year’s National Creative Writing Industry Conference will be going virtual with a packed programme of events aimed at aspiring writers. Organised by Manchester Metropolitan University and Comma Press, the conference will open with an author keynote by Irenosen Okojie on 26 October and will include daily panel discussions from industry professionals.
For more information, see @commapress and @mcrwritingschl on Twitter for updates.
Rebel Rebel: How Books and Libraries Can Challenge Mainstream Narratives
When? 30 September, 12:30 p.m.
Where? Online
Join CLIP and the Youth Libraries Group during Banned Books Week as an exciting panel of publishing professionals and children’s authors discuss the role of books in challenging mainstream narratives. This webinar will focus on children’s publishing and the role of libraries in radical publishing.
Register for this free webinar here:
The New Statesman/Goldsmiths Prize Lecture: Bernadine Evaristo
When? 30 September, 7 p.m.
Where? Online
Join award-winning novelist Bernadine Evaristo for her lecture on ‘Why Some Novels Matter More Than Others’. The lecture comes as part of an annual lecture series in which leading authors discuss why the novel matters. Evaristo’s lecture will conclude with the announcement of the shortlist for the 2020 Goldsmiths Prize.
Register for this free event here:
Bloomsbury Festival: Looking for Bloomsbury's Lost Bookshops
When? 17 October, 3 p.m.
Where? Online tickets via Eventbrite
Explore the streets of Bloomsbury over Zoom following a virtual trail mapping out Bloomsbury’s bibliophilic history and discover the tales of the people that made their living in the rare books trade in this unique area of London.
Penguin Live: In Conversation with Dolly Alderton
When? 12 October, 7 p.m.
Where? Online, tickets via Eventbrite
Listen to bestselling author of Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton, speaking about her brand-new novel, Ghosts, from the comfort of your own home. In this special collaborative event from Penguin Live and Waterstones to celebrate the launch of Ghosts, Dolly will be discussing some of the issues relevant to the novel including the complexities of relationships, family, aging, and memory, as well as answering questions directly from the audience.
Upcoming Virtual Festivals to Watch Out For!
Ilkley Literature Festival will digitally launch various activities to take place from Autumn 2020 through to Spring 2021. A weekend of free digital talks has been announced that will take place 24 – 25 October which feature writers of all genres. More programme details are set to be announced in the coming weeks!
Frankfurt Buchmesse is hosting an interactive digital live programme for free which is due to begin on 12 October 2020 and is accessible from all over the world. Check out The Publishing Post’s next issue for a full breakdown of the programme in a special dedicated feature.
Macmillan Children’s Books has announced their virtual tour which will take place from 1October through to 10October, kicking it off with talks with talented poets associated with National Poetry Day. Follow theirTwitter account for regular updates on the upcoming events.