Upcoming Publishing Events

By Erin Evett, Maria Sadek, Sophie Dickinson and Sabeehah Saleq

An Evening of Terry Pratchett with Rob Wilkins

30 November, 7:00 p.m.

Waterstones, Norwich – Castle Street

If you’re a big fan of the late and renowned author Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld series, this event is perfect for you. Join Rob Wilkins, one of the people who knew Pratchett best, as he discusses the biography he has written about his friend. He draws on Pratchett’s own unpublished notes and interviews from his friends and family to create a biography worthy of this fantastic author. For more information and ticket prices, click here.

How to Job Search in Book Publishing

30 November, 9:15 a.m.

The Booksellers Association, London

If you’re a publishing hopeful, you probably know just how competitive and cut-throat the recruitment process in the publishing industry can be. Some applicants spend months, even years, dealing with countless rejections from their dream jobs. The key is to keep learning more about the industry and finding ways to increase your knowledge surrounding the application process. The perfect event to help you with this has arrived!

This November, bookcareers.com are hosting “How to Job Search in Book Publishing,” an all-day event which aims to teach attendees all about the publishing industry and how to break into it. The event will cover CVs, covering letters, interviews, application questions, networking and so much more! This is aimed atfor[1] entry-level candidates who have some industry knowledge, as well as at those who have industry experience but may have been out of a job for some time. This event is in partnership with The Book Trade Charity and is supported by The Booksellers Association. Find out more or get tickets here.

An Evening with The Candid Book Club and Hafsa Zayyan

1 December, 7:00 p.m.

Waterstones Piccadilly

Join Hafsa Zayyan in Waterstones Piccadilly as she discusses her debut novel We Are All Birds of Uganda with The Candid Book Club. Her novel is rooted in Uganda during the brutal regime of Idi Amin, but also explores themes of immigration and identity that are so relevant in today’s world. The book is inspired by Zayyan’s own mixed background and has also won the Merky Books New Writers’ Prize in 2019. Copies of Zayyan’s debut novel will be available on the evening. For more information and ticket prices, click here.

Adrian Tchaikovsky in conversation with Claire North

5 December, 7:00 p.m.

Waterstones Tottenham Court Road

Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke award and a Sunday Times bestseller, Adrian Tchaikovsky will be joining fellow fantasy author Claire North to discuss his new novel City of Last Chances. Merging fantasy and dystopia, this new novel looks at the occupied city of Ilmar, where criminal activity, stark class divides and an ancient curse are launching the city towards revolution. This event will be perfect for anyone who is a fan of fantasy books or looking to learn more about an author’s writing process. To find out more information or to book tickets, click here.

Literary Fiction Book Club – After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

24 November, 6:30 p.m.

Waterstones Oxford

Gather in the second floor cafe to enjoy an evening of bookish discussion, focusing on After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz. You’ll get a free hot drink and the opportunity to discuss the book with like-minded people. After Sappho is told in a series of cascading vignettes and is a joyous reimagining of lives of a brilliant group of feminists, sapphists, artists and writers in the late 19th and early 20th century as they battle for control over their lives, for liberation and for justice. Including familiar names such as Virginia Woolf and Colette, this is not a read to miss! Tickets are free and more information can be found here.

Society of Young Publishers: Annual Autumn Conference

26 November

Birkbeck University, London

The theme of this year’s SYP Annual Conference is “Publishing Inside Out: Reflect, Engage, Grow” and will explore the challenges and opportunities for the future of publishing through a variety of pre-recorded, live and physical panels. The majority of events for the conference will take place on Saturday 26 November, but a variety of online events are taking place the week commencing the 21 November. The programme for the conference promises helpful sessions for publishing hopefuls, such as nailing job applications and paths to publishing. For more information and tickets, click here.

Centre for Equity and Inclusion Annual Lecture #BH365: Jade LB

8 December, 6:00 p.m.

London Metropolitan University

Jade LB shook up the publishing industry last year when, after nearly two decades, Merky Books published the coming-of-age story, which Jade had posted to the platform Piczo at the age of thirteen, known as Keisha The Sket. This event will givegives you the opportunity to hear Jade discuss topics such as language, black British culture and more. Incredibly, this event is actually free! But you can reserve a spot here.

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