By Fernanda de Madariaga and Sofia Martinez Alvarez
The month of July brings with it a host of exciting book-related events! Read on for women-focused book clubs, authors in conversation, an exciting live podcast event and small press celebrations.
Costanza Casati in Conversation with Elodie Harper
Thursday 4 July, 7:00 p.m., Waterstones, Kingston upon Thames
Join Waterstones for an evening of myth, magic and history. Costanza Casati will be celebrating her latest release, Babylonia, and will be interviewed by author Elodie Harper. Babylonia is the extraordinary tale of Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian empire. Semiramis’ humble beginnings and the tragic prophecy she’s inherited drive her to grasp a new kind of power that only she can wield. Meanwhile, a reluctant prince and a charming warrior form a friendship that eventually deepens into something more, that is, until Semiramis arrives. Between the three of them, they will have to learn the lesson of the gods in order to survive and may even need to bend the world around them to their will. The interview will be followed by a Q&A session and a book signing. For more information and to purchase tickets for the event, click here.
The Diverse Bookshelf Podcast Live Event
Saturday 6 July, 4:00 p.m., University of Bedfordshire, Vicarage Street, Luton
Join Samia Aziz, recipient of the Woman of Wonder Award 2023, in celebrating the second anniversary of her hugely popular podcast, The Diverse Bookshelf. With over sixty author interviews including Vanessa Chan, Jassa Ahluwalia and Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, Aziz’s podcast explores the world we live in and how storytelling can tackle some of humanity’s most pressing issues. Her live event will include a discussion around literature, representation and identity in the publishing industry, where podcast supporters old and new are invited to take part. There will also be poetry performances throughout the event. Tickets can be purchased for £11.55 on Eventbrite, here.
On the Same Page: Women Only Book Club
Saturday 6 July, 2:30 p.m., Waterstones, 174–176 Argyle Street, Glasgow
This book club offers the perfect opportunity for women and BIPOC readers to discover community through literature. Previous book club discussions have included Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Alex Michaelides’ The Silent Patient and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. On the Same Page provides a safe space for women to gather, meeting regularly in different Glasgow cafes, libraries and bookshops. Attendance at this event is free. For more details, visit the event’s page here.
Small Press Alliance: Summer Launch Party
Wednesday 10 July, 6:30 p.m., 50 Victoria Embankment, London
Love to support small presses? Don’t miss out on this Small Press Alliance event, dedicated to uplifting publishing houses such as Muswell Press, Fairlight Books, Jacaranda Books, Orenda Books and more. Meet with authors from these houses, participate in signings and celebrate new book releases with other readers at this special summer event. Admission is free, however you must reserve your place online by visiting the Eventbrite page here.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club
Thursday 11 July, 6:00 p.m., Waterstones, Bournemouth - Arcade
Winner of the 2019 British Science Fiction Association Award for Best Shorter Fiction, the 2019 Nebula Award for Best Novella and the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novella, This Is How You Lose the Time War is Bournemouth Waterstones’ book of the month for their Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club. Discussing the novel by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, readers will delve into the story’s intricate and poetic time-travelling plot, with its queer romance and subversion of gender norms. The book club will meet inside the cafe at Waterstones. No tickets or reservations are required – just show up ready to discuss this unconventional sci-fi epistolary novella.
An Evening with Sean Lusk
Thursday 11 July, 6:30 p.m., Waterstones, Leamington Spa
Sean Lusk will be discussing his novel A Woman of Opinion, followed by a Q&A and book signing. This novel features the remarkable life of Mary Wortley Montagu, an 18th-century human rights advocate and poet. Mary was an aristocratic woman expected to conform to certain societal norms, but she valued her own freedom, love and adventure – qualities that were often frowned upon given her position. For more information and tickets for the event, click here.
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