Our third salon in this series celebrates the short story with two highly acclaimed authors, Lisa Blower and Hannah Vincent.
Many new writers dip their toes into writing fiction through the short story and yet this can be the most demanding of literary forms. While a novel has the luxury of time and space in which to develop, a short story must be concise and finely wrought. It is only through compression and unflinching attention to detail that a great short story achieves its transforming and transfixing intensity.
Our guest author is Lisa Blower whose debut collection of short stories, It’s Gone Dark Over Bill’s Mother’s, has been winning praise since its publication in April. A champion of working-class and regional voices, Lisa will be joined by novelist and playwright Hannah Vincent whose first short story collection, She-Clown, is out next year. Both published novelists and teachers of Creative Writing, they will be talking to Myriad’s publishing director Candida Lacey about their attraction to the short story form, how writing a short story differs from writing a novel, the writers that have inspired their own work and the opportunities and outlook for short fiction in the literary marketplace. Myriad’s publicist Emma Dowson will join the discussion to explain how we promote and build an audience for our authors.
At each salon we highlight a local art-focused organisation and our September salon features the literature development organisation for the SE region, New Writing South, who support and develop bold new writing and writers (with a focus on those from diverse backgrounds) through their wide-reaching programme of activity. They’ll tell us about their recent LGBTQI+ literature festival The Coast is Queer (12-15 September 2019) and about upcoming opportunities and events for all kinds of writers. We will also hear from emerging author Danny Brunton, graduate of the NWS writing programme.
Waterstones Cafe will be open for those wanting a tea or delicious coffee, and there will be free wine and cake for all.
Lisa and Hannah’s books will be buy-one-get-one half price to celebrate the evening, with both authors available to sign copies and answer questions after their conversation.
Myriad is one of Brighton’s very own local publishers. Our first office was on the Old Steine and our roots are here in Brighton & Hove. With bases in London and Oxford too, we publish award-winning and diverse literary fiction, graphic novels and political nonfiction.
Tickets are £5. Book now: WATERSTONES BRIGHTON or call: 01273 206017