L.R. Lam's Blog, page 4
November 4, 2019
Scotland in Space Anthology Launch Tomorrow in Edinburgh
As usual, I am pointing this later than I should have!
Tomorrow is the launch of the Scotland in Space anthology that arose from an interdisciplinary project between Edinburgh Napier, the University of Edinburgh, and the Edinburgh Futures Institute. It’s at 18.30 at the Project Room at 50 George Square at the University of Edinburgh. My group, the “Fringe in Space” contingent, will be discussing process and how my story (“A Certain Reverence”), essays, and art came together. There might be wine!
“Scotland has big plans for its space industry in the next decade: opening Europe’s first orbital spaceport, expanding further its satellite research and manufacturing industry, and developing a £4 billion space industry by 2030. Scotland in Space: Creative Visions and Critical Reflections on Scotland’s Space Futures presents dialogues between literary authors, natural and social scientists and scholars working in the humanities, to envision some of Scotland’s potential space futures.
At this book launch, we will present the Edinburgh Futures Institute funded project that led to this book. This was a pilot project for producing and exploring alternative visions of Edinburgh and Scotland’s futures as they relate to science and technology, and using these to prompt discussion among different publics. To give a flavor of the book, one of the authors will present excerpts of their story. Several of the participants, including a representative of the publisher, Shoreline of Infinity, will share their experience of the process. A reception will follow.
Please join us for lively, cross-disciplinary discussion on ways to prompt engagement and debate over research trajectories and policy choices around space and our sense of the possible futures of this country, this world and, perhaps, other worlds.”
On the 14th, there’s another event at the Shoreline of Infinity monthly science fiction night at the Frankenstein pub. I’m not participating in that one but I’ll be there in the crowd cheering people on!
October 15, 2019
Gollanczfest Schedule!
If you’re at Gollanczfest in London this weekend, here is my schedule!
The Phoenix
11:45am – 12:45am: Author Speed-Advice Sessions: Participants will be put into groups of four to five people and sat around small tables with a Gollancz author. Participants will then have the chance to ask whatever questions they’d like about the writing process, trouble they’re having with their novels, or how to get published. Every 15 minutes the experts at the tables will rotate giving groups a new person to speak to and a different perspective. Everyone will have four sessions in total. This session will be run by Marcus Gipps, Editorial Director of Gollancz & SF Gateway. Authors participating in these Speed-Advice Sessions include, Garth Nix, Joe Abercrombie, Vic James, Laura Lam, Elizabeth May, Tom Toner, Gavin G. Smith, Adam Roberts, Justina Robson, Tricia Sullivan, Mike Shackle, Tom Lloyd, Ed McDonald, Catriona Ward, Edward Cox and Mark Stay.
The Phoenix
12:45pm – 1:00pm: Signing: Featuring Garth Nix, Joe Abercrombie, Vic James, Laura Lam, Elizabeth May, Tom Toner, Gavin G. Smith, Adam Roberts, Justina Robson, Tricia Sullivan, Mike Shackle, Tom Lloyd, Ed McDonald, Catriona Ward, Edward Cox and Mark Stay.
Foyles
4:40pm – 5.20pm Panel: Worldbuilding in the Future: Where do you start when writing the future? How do you go about creating a world that no one else has imagined yet? Featuring Elizabeth May, Laura Lam, Gavin Smith & Tom Toner. This panel will be moderated by author Justina Robson.
Foyles
6:00pm – 7:00pm Signing: Featuring Joe Abercrombie, Vic James, Garth Nix, Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson, Edward Cox, Laura Lam, Gavin Smith, Tom Toner, Tom Lloyd, Elizabeth May, Mark Stay, Adam Roberts, Justina Robson, Ed McDonald, Catriona Ward, & Tricia Sullivan
October 4, 2019
Book News: Goldilocks
As I’ve plastered on social media all yesterday, I have a book out next April that’s just been announced.
Official press release:
Wildfire has landed a speculative feminist thriller dubbed “The Power set in space” by Laura Lam.
Commissioning editor Ella Gordon acquired world rights, including film and TV, for Goldilocks from Juliet Mushens at Caskie Mushens. The book, set in the near future, where earth has been ravaged by environmental disaster and oppression, will be published on 30th April 2020.
Its synopsis states: “Despite increasing restrictions on the freedoms of women on Earth, Dr Valerie Black is spearheading the first all-female mission to a planet in the Goldilocks Zone, where conditions are just right for human habitation. It’s humanity’s last hope for survival, and Naomi, Valerie’s surrogate daughter and the ship’s botanist, is ready to step out of Valerie’s shadow and help make a difference. But when things start going wrong on the ship, Naomi starts to suspect that someone on board is concealing a terrible secret, and realises time for life on Earth may be running out faster than they feared. “
Gordon said: “In Goldilocks Laura has written something quite special – an incredibly pacey, beautifully plotted thriller that packs a real emotional punch. She deftly engages with some of the most frightening issues facing humankind, while still offering a vision of hope. This is The Martian by way of The Handmaid’s Tale, and I cannot wait for everyone to read it.”
Mushens said: “Laura is one of the most imaginative SF writers I know, and in Goldilocks she addresses questions about the future of our society in a fascinating way, all woven around a gripping plot.”
Lam added: “I’ve been obsessed with space and NASA’s plans for the Moon, Mars, and beyond for years. I’m also afraid of what the future holds for our planet and society. These anxieties coalesced into Goldilocks. I’m so grateful to everyone at Wildfire for their faith, enthusiasm and support. I have a newfound admiration for our small place in the universe and look forward to readers meeting Naomi, Valerie, and the rest of the Atalanta 5.”
US and translation rights for Goldilocks are controlled by Rebecca Folland and Nathaniel Alcaraz-Stapleton, respectively, at Hachette UK, and film rights by Emily Hayward-Whitlock at The Artists Partnership.
—
It’s nice to be able to finally yell about it! I sold this book earlier this year through a strange series of happenstances and kismet. I was confident enough to try writing something so scientifically based in no small part due to the Scotland in Space project, an interdisciplinary endeavour through Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Edinburgh, and the Edinburgh Futures Institute, which I was involved in last year with writers like Pippa Goldschmidt (who wrote a beautiful short story about Mars & refugees) & Russell Jones (who wrote an innovative, mindbending love story involving opposite sides of the universe). My story is a diary written by the youngest member of a ship heading to Proxima Centauri b to try and convince the aliens already there through art & performance to help Earth–it’s basically the Fringe in space! The launch of the resulting anthology, which has the stories, some essays from scientists, social scientists, a museum curator, etc, as well as illustrations, will be out next month. I learned enough about astronomy and science to build on that foundation for the bulk of the research required for Goldilocks.
I’ve tried to stay as accurate to science as I can, aside from the main liberty that warp drive is somehow feasible a few decades from now (even so, I’ve modeled it on the Alcubierre drive, which theoretically doesn’t break the laws of physics if we can figure out how to harness negative energy). Researching this book took me some strange and interesting places. I was also able to interview people with incredibly cool jobs: a professor of space law, a doctor who looks after astronaut health at NASA, the former head of life sciences at the Johnston Space Centre, an evolutionary biologist who looks at climate change through algae, another algae expert looking at growing food on Mars, two astrophysicists, writer friends with scientific backgrounds, experts in vaccines, viruses, and infectious diseases…so many wonderfully intelligent people were willing to spend time helping me, and I’m so grateful. Full details in the acknowledgements!
Goldilocks has a lot of anxieties about the future–climate change, the erosion of women’s rights, the potential repercussions of the commercialisation of space. I also was inspired by the Mercury 13 and female astronauts in general (and was super excited to meet Jeanette Epps & Nora Patten at Worldcon this summer! Here’s a photo of me geeking out). Writing Goldilocks was an interesting experience because it just kept getting more and more timely.
So yep, two books about women in space out next year! One is near future for fans of The Power & Vox, and one is far future and great for fans of Rogue One and Ann Leckie. Both are feminist as hell.
Publishing is, as ever, a roller coaster. At the moment, things are on a tentative upswing, and I’m making the most of it and feeling very grateful that I’m able to share stories with people. Readers get a chance to peek into the weird chaos of my imagination, and that’s pretty damn awesome.
I hope you enjoy taking a ride on the Atalanta next April.
Translation Rights: Nathaniel Alcaraz-Stapleton @ Headline
US Rights: Rebecca Folland @ Headline
Film/TV Rights: Emily Hayward-Whitlock @ The Artists Partnership
Other queries: Juliet Mushens @ Caskie Mushens
August 5, 2019
Dublin Worldcon Schedule
Hello! I will be in Dublin for Worldcon, which is fast approaching! Please feel free to say hi–especially during the autograph in the reading when I always worry I’ll be sitting there by myself. My schedule is below.
Autographs: Friday at 11:00
Format: Autographing
16 Aug 2019, Friday 11:00 – 11:50, Level 4 Foyer (CCD)
Mary Robinette Kowal, Juliet E McKenna, Kelly Robson (SFWA), P C Hodgell, David Demchuk, Laura Lam (Edinburgh Napier University)
Refreshing European Epic Fantasy Tropes
Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 15:30 – 16:20, Odeon 3 (Point Square Dublin)
Castles, horses, and knights are the building blocks of European epic fantasy literature, but are we on the verge of having dredged these tropes dry? Is there still a sense of discovery for readers who are browsing the shelves of Eurocentric fantasy, especially in light of the exciting selection of epic fantasy literature from around the world? And how do we revive and/or reshape new epic tales that are rooted in Europe’s fantastic past?
Marcus Gipps (Gollancz) (M), Jared Shurin, Laura Anne Gilman, Scott Lynch, Laura Lam (Edinburgh Napier University)
Anniversary: The Left Hand of Darkness (book)
Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 20:00 – 20:50, Wicklow Hall 2B (CCD)
It is the 50th anniversary of The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. For many, this book has been an eye-opening presentation of gender. How has it influenced and shaped gender in SFF books? Where has the genre gone since?
Cheryl Morgan (Wizard’s Tower Press) (M), Laura Lam (Edinburgh Napier University), Dr Nick Hubble (Brunel University London), Ell Schulman
Reading: Laura Lam
Format: Reading
19 Aug 2019, Monday 11:00 – 11:20, Liffey Room-3 (Readings) (CCD)
Laura Lam (Edinburgh Napier University)
May 13, 2019
Romancing the Page Collection – Out Now!
The first paperback release of my Laura Ambrose novellas is out today! And if you buy the paperback, you get the ebook for free. It’s quite cool to hold a physical object of something I self-published.
Thank you to Emmy Engbert for formatting, Matthew Preston for the cover & marketing help, and Katy Lees for proofreading.
If you’ve read the novellas or if you do pick these up, I’d really love some reviews. I’m hoping to try for a Bookbub ad or similar, and having reviews makes your chances of being accepted much higher. And, of course, help spreading the world is also much appreciated. Spotlights on blogs, social media, just telling your friends who enjoy f/f romance. I appreciate it all so much.
Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy!
Romancing the Page Collection #1
A Hidden Hope
Natalie and El used to be writing critique partners, sharing their work chapter by chapter. Falling in love off-page was like the next part of the story.
Now three years have passed in bitter silence. So when Natalie attends a convention and El’s appearing under a pseudonym, she’s horrified. When ignoring each other proves to be impossible, she begins to contemplate the unthinkable. Should she let a hidden hope fly?
A Perfect Balance
Emma does not want a relationship; she has a career as a science fiction editor to think about. But when that career brings her face to face with Sage, a casual fling, things get complicated.
Now the two must work together, and it’s hard to know where the boundaries begin or end. Because the biggest debut of the year is heating up, and that could upset the perfect balance…
An Unheard Song
One time bestseller Annalie’s dreams have crumbled. She’s lost her words, just like her music. Locked up as a recluse, she hires Cam as an author’s assistant to try to rebuild.
And to her surprise, as they work together, she does get a wonderful hint of recovery’s potential. But with it comes new tensions and new desires. Just how fragile is this unheard song…?
A Laura Ambrose romance always features strong, complicated women in the science fiction and fantasy world of publishing. Guaranteed to be sweet and steamy.
“These novellas are like f/f candy!” – Love in Panels
Purchase: Amazon US / Amazon UK. Available on Kindle Unlimited. Or buy the paperback and get the ebook free!
Note links above are affiliate links.
May 9, 2019
Upcoming Events & Books Read in April
I have finally updated my Visits & Events page
In May:
May 21: Love Panel with Noelle Harrison, Tracy Gow, Laura Lam & Sandra Ireland, Blackwells North Bridge, Edinburgh. (There will be paperback editions of the first Romancing the Page collection available here!)
May 23: Envisioning Space Exploration: Scotland in Space and the Literary Imagination. University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. I’ll be reading from my short story A Certain Reverence, which was written as part of an interdisciplinary project funded through the Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Also evidently some of my events for Cymera are close to filling up (like the worldbuilding workshop), so grab some tickets if you’re in Edinburgh and planning on coming! Lots of other great events on, so check out the full programme.
June 7: Historical Fantasy with Elizabeth May, L.J. MacWhirter & Laura Lam, Cymera, Edinburgh, 4 pm.
June 7: Potions & Poisons with Melinda Salisbury and P.M. Freestone Chaired by Laura Lam, Cymera, Edinburgh, 6 pm.
June 8: World-building with Laura Lam. Cymera, Edinburgh, 10 am.
June 9: Building a Career with David Bishop. Cymera, Edinburgh, 1.30 pm.
Next up, here’s what I read last month. On top of 50 student essays and 140k of Seven Devils and 20k of a to be announced project. God, I’m tired.
Books Read in April
1. Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) – Amy Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
2. The Planet Factory: Exoplanets and the Search for a Second Earth – Charles Wohlforth & Amanda Hendrix
3. Unmasked by the Marquess (Regency Imposters #1) – Cat Sebastian
4. Ink (Skin Books #1) – Alice Broadway
5. The Blazing World – Margaret Cavendish
Total: 25/80 books
April 24, 2019
Last Day of A Perfect Balance Sale & Glasgow Event with P.M. Freestone & Alice Broadway Tomorrow
I meant to post this days ago…and yet here we are. The crunch of end of trimester marking & two writing deadlines.
Tomorrow the price for A Perfect Balance, the second Romancing the Page novella, goes back to $2.99. It’s currently 99 cents. So grab it while you can! Or read whenever via Kindle Unlimited.
A Perfect Balance
Emma does not want, or need, a relationship and everything that comes with one. She has her career as a science fiction editor in London keeping her busy, and she needs to overcome her own writer’s block. Every few weeks, she meets the mysterious S and has no-strings-attached dalliances. It’s the best way to satisfy her needs and wants without all the extra bells and whistles.
Sage has never had a relationship. She’s always been the love-them-and-leave them type. At least until one of the editors walks into the board room on Sage’s first day at her new job—and it’s the anonymous girl she meets in hotel rooms.
They break off their arrangement. Emma used to take Sage’s orders, but now she’s giving them. That, Emma doesn’t mind, but she’s getting to know the woman behind the mask. Emma is in danger of developing real feelings for Sage, but the other girl has made it clear she’s not girlfriend material.
With the marketing campaign for the biggest debut of the year heating up, there are far too many late nights or trips away that could upset their perfect balance. Is it worth it?
Purchase: Amazon US / Amazon UK, or any other territory.
Glasgow Event!
Tomorrow I’m in Glasgow Argyle St again, this time with P.M. Freestone & Alice Broadway. Come here us talk about Shadowscent and the Ink trilogy!
Info: Two fantastic young adult fantasy authors come together for one brilliant night of conversation!
Alice Broadway brings her brilliant Ink trilogy to an explosive conclusion in Scar, the culmination of Leona’s journey in a magical world where actions are tattooed permanently into your skin… and now, she wants to sieze control of her destiny!
P. M. Freestone’s debut, Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom, sets the Shadowscent series in motion, in a world where scent is literally magical… and where our heroine, Rakel, is confronted by intrigue and betrayal at every turn!
These two writers will be discussing their work, building new worlds, magic, intrigue, and more together in this fantastic event, chaired by Laura Lam, author of the Micah Grey series!
April 14, 2019
Books Read in Feb & March
February
1. The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron
2. January Embers (A Year in Paradise Book 1) – Hildred Billings
3. Hidden Figures – Margot Lee Shetterly
4. My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite
5. Moon: The Art, Science and Culture of the Moon – Alexandra Loske
6. The Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon
7. Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery – Scott Kelly
March
1. An Unheard Song (Romancing the Page #3) – Laura Ambrose (I let myself count my own books once since I read ’em so many times)
2. Beyond Earth: Our Path to a New Home in the Planets – Charles Wohlforth & Amanda R. Hendrix
3. The Burning – Laura Bates
4. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print – Renni Brown & Dave King
5. The F*ck it Diet: Eating Should be Easy – Caroline Dooner
6. Amphibian – Christina Neuwirth
Total: 19/75 books
March 4, 2019
March News (New Laura Ambrose Release, Student Events, Cymera Programme, Love Panel event in St. Andrews, Aye Write in Glasgow w/ Laura Bates)
Happy March, all!
This is a full month. Here’s what I’m up to.
First, the third Romancing the Page novella, An Unheard Song, is released March 12th! My side project as Laura Ambrose continues. Here’s the blurb:
Annalie’s dreams came true when her first book became the bestselling debut fantasy of the decade. Awards and accolades were overwhelming and incredible, just like when she used to play professional violin before a manipulative ex silenced her. After her second book tanked with poor sales and worse reviews, her dreams crumbled. She lost her words just like she lost her music. She hasn’t left her flat in Edinburgh in months.
Cam is devastated when she doesn’t get the fellowship she needs for her PhD in music history. She suspects it’s because she turned down sleeping with the famous violinist on the board, Melanie. Hard up for cash, Cam takes a part-time job as an author assistant to Annalie Chevalier. Cam didn’t expect to find her so gorgeous.
As they both struggle for courage to rebuild their dreams, they can’t deny their attraction. When Cam realises Melanie is Annalie’s ex, they plot a little light revenge. But will the risks silence the fragile song growing between Annalie and Cam?
An Unheard Song is the third installment of the Romancing the Page series (A Hidden Hope, A Perfect Balance), which features well-rounded, complicated women in the world of writing and publishing. A Laura Ambrose romance is sweet, sexy, and more than a little geeky.
If you could consider pre-ordering, I’d be immensely grateful. Pre-orders help with first day sales rankings which improves visibility. In January I had both A Hidden Hope (still 99 cents FYI!) and A Perfect Balance in the top 100 of lesbian romance, which was pretty neat. As ever, leaving reviews for the first two if you’ve read them is also super helpful. I hope you enjoy!
Next: Events!
March 9th my students who are doing the community engagement strand of our outward-facing Authorship module are having an event at the Central Library in Edinburgh. It’s called Your City, Your Story, and you can walk in and out of it any time from 11 am to 4 pm. Blurb:
The Whispers and Shouts collective presents Your City, Your Story; a day of writing, drawing, thinking and expressing for people who do not consider themselves writers or storytellers.
Do you live in Edinburgh and have stories to share about the area you live in, stories that are rarely told or are not yet known? Then we want to hear from you!
Your City, Your story is a one off, drop in event focused on exploring the untold stories of Edinburgh and Scotland through the medium of storytelling. As residents of Scotland, old and new, we want to know what tales, myths and folklore from your heritage you think are missing from the story of Scotland as we know it.
March 11th: Tickets go on sale for Cymera!
This is the science fiction, fantasy, and horror book festival taking place June 7th to 9th in Edinburgh. I’ve helped programme the YA strand. The full programme went live a few days ago and you can view it here. My events:
Historical Fantasy with Elizabeth May, L.J. MacWhirter & Laura Lam
Friday, June 7, 2019
4:00 PM 5:00 PM
Join L. J. MacWhirter, Elizabeth May, and Laura Lam as they discuss their work, which blends historical research with fantasy. L. J. MacWhirter is the author of Black Snow Falling, set in 1952. Elizabeth May has written the Falconer Trilogy, set in an alternate Victorian Edinburgh, and Laura Lam drew from Victorian Scotland to craft her magical circus in Pantomime. Laura and Elizabeth have also co-written a book called Seven Devils, which (though science fiction) draws from research about ancient Rome.
Find out more about: L. J. MacWhirter, Elizabeth May and Laura Lam!
Chaired by Eris Young
Running time: 60 minutes
Tickets: £8/ £6 concession
Potions & Poisons with Melinda Salisbury and P.M. Freestone
Friday, June 7, 2019
6:00 PM 7:00 PM
Melinda Salisbury is the bestselling author of young adult novels, her newest being the political fantasy State of Sorrow and its soon-to-be-released sequel, Song of Sorrow. She joins P. M. Freestone, author of lush scent-based fantasy, Shadowscent. Together, they will discuss the potions, poisons, and alchemy of cooking up new worlds.
Find out more about: Melinda Salisbury and P. M. Freestone!
Chaired by Laura Lam
Running time: 60 minutes
Tickets £8/ £6 concession
Saturday, June 8, 2019
10:00 AM 11:30 AM
Award-winning author Laura Lam leads this workshop on world-building, packed with top tips and entertaining exercises to help you build more compelling worlds for your stories.
About Laura
Originally from sunny California, Laura Lam now lives in cloudy Scotland. Her next novel is the feminist space opera, Seven Devils, co-written with Elizabeth May. Lam is also the author of BBC Radio 2 Book Club section False Hearts, the companion novel Shattered Minds, as well as the award-winning Micah Grey series Pantomime, Shadowplay, and Masquerade. Her short fiction and essays have also appeared in anthologies such as Nasty Women, Solaris Rising 3, Cranky Ladies of History, and more.
Running time: 90 minutes
Tickets: Free
This workshop is supported by the Edinburgh Napier University’s MA Creative Writing.
The Masters in Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University loves science fiction, fantasy and horror, making it unique among postgrad degrees. The MA focuses master-class feedback and one-to-one mentoring instead of the usual peer review workshops, preparing students for life as professional genre writers. It offers specialist modules on writing graphic novels and YA fiction, important creative areas ignored by other writing programmes.
Sunday, June 9, 2019
1:30 PM 3:00 PM
Laura Lam and David Bishop lead a session looking at different ways to make writing your profession, and how to create a portfolio career across a range of storytelling media.
About Laura
Originally from sunny California, Laura Lam now lives in cloudy Scotland. Her next novel is the feminist space opera, Seven Devils, co-written with Elizabeth May. Lam is also the author of BBC Radio 2 Book Club section False Hearts, the companion novel Shattered Minds, as well as the award-winning Micah Grey series Pantomime, Shadowplay, and Masquerade. Her short fiction and essays have also appeared in anthologies such as Nasty Women, Solaris Rising 3, Cranky Ladies of History, and more. She lectures part-time at Edinburgh Napier University on the Creative Writing MA.
About David
David Bishop is programme leader for Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland. The author of twenty published novels and an award-winning screenwriter, he helped found the innovative MA Creative Writing programme at Edinburgh Napier in 2009. David is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers’ Association. He is a trustee of the Cymera Festival of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing, which launches in June 2019. He was awarded a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship by Creative Scotland in 2017. .
Running time: 90 minutes
Tickets: Free
This workshop is supported by the Edinburgh Napier University’s MA Creative Writing.
The Masters in Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University loves science fiction, fantasy and horror, making it unique among postgrad degrees. The MA focuses master-class feedback and one-to-one mentoring instead of the usual peer review workshops, preparing students for life as professional genre writers. It offers specialist modules on writing graphic novels and YA fiction, important creative areas ignored by other writing programmes.
March 13th: Another group of students doing the public events strand are–you guessed it–putting on a public event called How to Thrive as an Author on March 13th at The Glassroom at the Merchiston Campus in Edinburgh. Blurb:
The Writer’s Collective invites you to join us for an evening at Edinburgh Napier University with five guests who are at different stages in their writing careers. We will be discussing “How to Thrive as an Author” focusing on the areas of publication, privacy and literary citizenship.
We will be joined on the panel by;
Iain McKinnon, the author of multiple published works including The Dominion of the Dead Trilogy and Denying Thanatos.
Mary Paulson Ellis, the author of The Other Mrs. Walker, Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year in 2017 and with an upcoming novel named The Inheritance of Solomon Farthing.
P.M. Freestone, the debut author of Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom and was the winner of the Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Award in 2016.
Myfanwy Rodman, a recent graduate from Edinburgh Napier University who has been featured in the anthology Airship Shape & Bristol Fashion. Her debut novel Blood and Thorn will be published in the near future through Kristel Ink Publishing.
Laura Leahansson, a current student on Edinburgh Napier’s Creative Writing MA and aspiring author who is currently working on her first novel as part of the course.
Following the panel discussion, there will be a Q&A session and then a chance for everyone to relax, mix and chat.
Facebook event page. Tickets must be booked via Eventbrite!
March 14th: Love Panel event at Waterstones St. Andrews!
Love is and has always been a preoccupation of humankind. It is the thread connecting us all and so writers will always write about it. From romance through to familial love and its associated entanglements, love is the knot we are always trying to unpick. So why is Romance not given the same literary weight as some other genres? Why is writing about sex considered more risque than writing about murder?
Join our panel of authors Sandra Ireland, Laura Lam, Tracy Gow and Noelle Harrison with Dawn Geddes as chair in our store on the 14th March as they discuss the enduring relevance and mysteries of the love story. You will also receive a free glass of House of Elrick’s beautifully crafted artisan gin as well.
Tickets are £2 and will be redeemable against any of the authors’ books. Please contact the shop via email, telephone or in person to reserve your place.
Last but not least: March 16th: Chairing Laura Bates for The Burning at Aye Write in Glasgow.
Fire is like a rumour. You might think you’ve extinguished it but one creeping, red tendril, one single wisp of smoke is enough to let it leap back into life again. Especially if someone is watching, waiting to fan the flames…
New school.
Tick.
New town.
Tick.
New surname.
Tick.
Social media profiles.
Erased.
There’s nothing to trace Anna back to her old life. Nothing to link her to the ‘incident’. At least that’s what she thinks, until the whispers start up again. As time begins to run out on her secrets, Anna finds herself irresistibly drawn to the tale of Maggie, a local girl accused of witchcraft centuries earlier. A girl whose story has terrifying parallels to Anna’s own…
The compelling YA debut from Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project and bestselling author of Girl Up.
Chaired by Laura Lam
Event page.
February 4, 2019
Books Read in December and January
Today I am catching up on various things, including my monthly books read posts! I don’t leave reviews but I like signal boosting what I’ve read so others might give them a go.
December:
Underground Worlds: A Guide to Spectacular Subterranean Places – David Farley
Spellswept (The Harwood Spellbook #0.5) – Stephanie Burgis
A Perfect Balance (Romancing the Page #2) – Laura Ambrose [yes, I count my own stuff once since I read it like 10x]
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth – Chris Hadfield
Behind her Eyes – Sarah Pinborough
My Giant Geek Boyfriend – Fishball
Spare and Found Parts – Sarah Maria Griffin
Diary of a Cosmonaut: 211 Days in Space – Valentin Lebedev
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood (re-read)
The Killer you Know – S.R. Masters
January:
No Time to Cry (DC Constance Fairchild #1) – James Oswald
How to Break Up with Your Phone – Catherine Price
The Organised Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload – Daniel J. Levitin
Creatures of Near Kingdoms – Zedeck Siew
Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft – ed. by Jess Spotswood & Tess Sharpe
Heartstopper: Volume One – Alice Oseman
My time is so crunched for the moment that I have to just link to Goodreads rather than also pasting them here, but check them out!
My 2019 reading goals are to aim for 75 books and make sure I’m reading diversely.
