By Erin Evett and Michaela O’Callaghan
An Evening with Charles Cumming
Bath, 28 October, 8:00 p.m.
If you enjoy espionage novels, this is the perfect evening for you. Charles Cumming, the author of brilliant spy novel Box 88, is hosting an evening in Topping & Company bookshop in Bath to discuss his latest novel, Judas 62, which follows the geo-political events of the last thirty years. For more information, click here.
Petworth Festival Literary Week
30 October-7 November
This festival has a range of events for the whole family, including a Harry Potter wand workshop for the young ones. If you love learning about the significance of Alice in Wonderland, join a discussion with Kate Bailey who has recently published Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser to accompany the V&A’s current exhibition. Gill Hornby will also be in conversation with Claire Armitstead to discuss Miss Austen, a novel about the lives of Cassandra and Jane Austen. You can attend in person or online tickets are available for £5. Find out more about the range of literary events here.
Opening the Book: Working in Design
1 November, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Have you been enjoying Hachette’s Opening the Book series for publishing hopefuls? We certainly have been! Coming up is the Design event. This is your chance to learn more about what a design team does every day, how to start your career in design and what skills you need. There will also be a live Q&A section. Book your free ticket here.
Geoffrey Wheatcroft on Churchill’s Shadow
Bath, 3 November, 7:30 p.m.
If you find non-fiction more interesting, join Geoffrey Wheatcroft for this interesting evening in delving into his political biography of Churchill. Aiming to give a balanced approach, Wheatcroft explores his participation in World War II, but also his flawed character and the dangerous impact he has had on contemporary politics. For more information, click here.
Helen Oyeyemi: Peaces - Broadcast
4–11 November, 7:30 p.m.
Join Helen Oyeyemi, author of Boy, Snow, Bird and Gingerbread, as she discusses her new novel, Peaces. Published by Faber and Faber, Peaces is the story of Otto and Xavier Shin, a couple who embark on a mysterious train journey. Buy online tickets here.
The Lyrics: Paul McCartney in Conversation
5 November, 7:30 p.m.
Listen to Paul McCartney as he celebrates his new book, The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, in a world-exclusive event with author Paul Muldoon. In this book, McCartney explores his life and art through 154 songs, including his earliest boyhood compositions, The Beatles songs right up to the present. The book also includes drafts, letters and photographs. If you are a fan of Paul McCartney, this is the one for you! There are options to watch via live stream or attend the in-person event. The live stream is captioned with the in-person event BSL interpreted and STT transcribed. Find out more about the in-person event here and the live stream here.
An Evening with Giovanna Fletcher
14–24 November
For lovers of women’s fiction, there is the opportunity to listen to Giovanna Fletcher as she discusses her writing and her brand-new book, Walking On Sunshine. There will be an audience Q and A session. There will be a series of live shows in cities such as Edinburgh and London. The London event shall also be live streamed for those unable to attend in person. Find out more and book here.
SYP 2021 Conference: Publishing for the People
15–21 November
This year, SYP Oxford will be running the 2021 conference and it will take place online so we can all get involved. We can’t wait to find out more about this brilliant conference which will be packed with sessions on everything from how to make your CV and job applications shine, hot topics such as sustainability and influencer marketing. Keep an eye on SYP Oxford’s social media for more information.
Hay Festival Winter Weekend
24–28 November
This festival is over five days and includes a magical mixture of comedy, music and best of all, literature! An event not to be missed is on the first day where the winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2021 will be in conversation with Craig Brown, the 2020 Prize winner. Other highlights are:
Sunday 28, 1:00–2:00 p.m.: Jeanette Winterson talks to Claire Armitstead, associate editor at the Guardian, about her novel, 12 Bytes: How We Got Here. Where We Might Go Next. In this collection of essays, Winterson explores the topic of artificial intelligence.
Sunday 28, 2:30–3:30 p.m.: Kit de Waal, Salena Godden, Jack Underwood and Alex Wheatle on Understanding Grief. This panel event explores our changed understanding of grief as we emerge from the pandemic. The panellists draw on personal experience to celebrate literature’s power to help us make sense of the world and provide perspective.
Explore the programme here.