Events Diary 2010
Gangster Girl Book Launch
Friday August 6, 6.30-8.30pm
Join us to celebrate the launch of the paperback edition of Gangster Girl:
Waterstones
11 Islington Green
London N1 2XH
Contact Jamie for more info: jamie.frost@hodder.co.uk
Gangster Girl Tour
I will be giving out free sample chapters from Gangster Girl and some free copies of Geezer Girls with my hard working Geezerettes at the following places:
Thursday 5th August - Tower Hill Underground Station.
Saturday 7th - Waterstones at The Galleria, Hatfield.
Wednesday 11th August - Birmingham shopping area
Thursday 12th August - Leicester shopping area
And plenty more places - so watch this space!!!
Open Book, Radio 4,
Sunday 22 August, 4pm
I will be sitting in for Mariella Fostrup and presenting Open Book. Watch this space for more details.November
Thursday 4 - Peckham Library, 6.30-8pm
I will be going across the river to read and talk about Gangster Girl. Big thanks to Mike for the invite.
Tuesday 2 - Reading Prison
I will be talking and hosting a writing workshop with some of Reading's younger residents. Big thanks to Jacky and Madeleine for the invite.
October
14-17: Bouchercon By The Bay
Me and Tony are off to San Francisco to the legendary Bouchercon crime and mystery festival. I've always wanted to go to San Fran so lucky me. Guests include the wonderful Lee Child and Denise Mina. For more info checkout the festival website here.
Wednesday 6 - Prison Libraries Conference
A big thanks to WF Howes for inviting me to be their guest speaker.
September
Sunday 19th, 4pm - The Reading Crime Festival
So great to have been asked back! I will be joining Erin Kelly and Patrick Lennon to dissect crime and the life of a Hodder author.
August
Wednesday 25th - Holloway Prison - Words On Wednesday
I will be joining residents to read from Gangster Girl and talk about how I got started as a writer.
Sunday 22nd - Open Book, Radio 4, 4pm
I will be sitting in for Mariella Fostrup and presenting Open Book. Watch this space for more details.
Tuesday 10th - Front Row, Radio 4, 7.15pm
I will be swapping notes with Lindsay Johns about the new Blaxploitation spoof, Black Dynamite. In the words of Isaac Hayes, "Right-On..."
July
Thursday 22nd to Sunday 25th – Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival held in Harrogate
This year's programme promises to be as explosive as ever, including names such as Jeffrey Deaver, Joanne Harris, Karin Slaughter. I will be chairing the panel celebrating the 120 years of Agatha Christie and examining the evidence to decide whether her long lasting popularity signals true greatness. Checkout the Harrogate Crime Festival website for more info
Tuesday 20 - Front Row, Radio 4, 7.15pm
I will be joining Mark Lawson to chat about the BBC's modern day re-working of Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock.
Saturday 10 - Saturday Review, Radio 4, 7.15pm
I will be joining Presenter Tom Sutcliffe, Film maker James Runcie and ICA Director Ekow Eshun to review some of this week's cultural highlights, including the play La Bete starring David Hyde Pierce, Joanna Lumley and Mark Rylance.
June
Saturday 12th - Women's Word Festival
Join me, authors Natasha Cooper and Jessica Mann and Transworld publisher's crime fiction director, Selina Walker as we thrash it out on a panel about women and violence in crime fiction. The event will be held at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge University. Click here to find out more.
Friday 4th - Stoke Newington Literary Festival.
I will be joining Mark Billingham and Louise Walsh on a panel about crime writing. Lucky me!
Wednesday 2nd - Front Row, Radio 4, 7.15pm
I will be chatting with the lovely John Wilson about the new indie film Kicks which focuses on two, young wannabe WAGs, but what happens when they kidnap a premier league football star?
May
Thursday 20th: Waltham Forest Literature Festival; 7.30pm
Yet another hurrah! I appeared as the guest speaker at the festival's inaugural year and so it has been great to be asked back. Massive thanks to Nigel for the invite.
Friday 14th: WF Howes Showroom Event
Hurrah! WF Howes have invited me again to one of their amazing events for librarians. Checkout more about WF Howes website. Big thanks to Dominic for the invite.
Wednesday 6th: Front Row Radio 4, 7.15pm
I will be joining Mark Lawson to discuss the politically charged film, Sus written by Barrie Keefe the writer of the legendary movie The Long Good Friday.
April
Mslexia April Issue
First draft, final version feature I chatted with Mslexia editor Daneet Steffens about the process of editing which i think is one of the most important parts of writing a book. I shared with Daneet how I managed to develop the character of Gangland queen-pin Stella King in Gangster Girl. Checkout the amazing Mslexia website.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Secondary School
I will be working with a group of girls supporting them with their GCSE English GCSE coursework. Mega thanks to Marina for inviting to back to an amazing school.
Saturday 24th – Young Crime Writers' Competition, Shepherd's Bush Library
The Crime Writers' Association and libraries will be running this fab competition for writers aged 11-18. Many thanks to the committee for asking me to help judge and present the area award for London. Watch this space for more details.
Tuesday 20th, 7.15pm – Front Row, Radio 4
I will be joining Mark Lawson to review the BBC drama Five Daughters, which portrays the real life events of the discovery of five murdered women in Ipswich in 2006.
Tuesday 20th – Ashmount Primary School
Every year the school holds it's fabulous Aspiration programme, where guest speakers talk about their lives to the children. And what an honour for me to have been asked. Massive thanks to the fab Jenny for inviting me back to one of the most welcoming schools I know.
Saturday 10th, 7.15pm – Saturday Review, Radio 4
I will be joining John Cleary, Catherine O'Flynn and presenter Tom Sutcliffe to chat about what's new in the arts world, including BBC 2 documentary Welcome To Lagos and Tilda Swinton's newest movie, I Am Love. Hope you can join us!
March
Thursday 25th – Front Radio Radio 4, 7.15pm
I will be getting deep into Ireland's gangsterland with Kirsty Lang as we swap notes over new crime caper Perrier's Bounty, which has an amazing cast
Friday 12th – Wisewords Book Fest
The Women's Library in Old Castle Street, EC1
I will be joining my crime writing buddy Claire Seeber for this great, new festival. Big thanks to Maggie for the invite and for her years of work at the helm of the fantastic, and much missed, Spitlit Festival.
Claire Seeber is an amazing writer so check her out here
Wednesday 10th – East Sutton Park Prison
I will be discussing my life's journey with some of the residents. Big thanks to Andrea and Amanda for the invite.
Saturday March 6 Radio 4: Saturday Live - 9am
I will be joining Fi Glover for a fun chat on this lively programme. Massive thanks to Simon for inviting me. Find out more about Saturday Live. Listen here.
February
Thursday 11 – Fose Centre Library, Leicester - The reading agency mentoring project
The reading agency and Leicester Library will be hosting a panel discussion with secondary schools on the topic of gun crime. And they have asked me to join them as one of their guests. Massive thanks to Sandeep for the invite. Leicester Libraries are also running the brilliant Best Shot writing competition for young writers.
Wednesday 10th - Book Slam and The Red Bull Academy Special, Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT
This is London's premier literary nightclub, featuring top writers, poets, comedians, MCs and, of course, music. I will be reading from Geezer Girls and chatting with the crowd. Find out more at Book Slam. Massive thanks to author Patrick Neate, (the brainchild behind Book Slam) and Angela for inviting me back to my old east end stomping ground.
Thursday 5th – Drayton Park Primary School
I will be running a series of writing workshops using a programme I developed called The Write-On project, which uses rap lyrics and music to teach creative writing.
Find out more about the project in this interview I did with the Times Education Supplement in October last year – The Write-On Project. Massive thanks to Rosie, Adam and Doris for welcoming back to one of my favourite schools.
January
Saturday 30th - The Saturday Review Show, Radio 4, 7.15pm
Catch me chatting about the powerhouse movie, Precious, Peter Carey's latest novel, Parrott and Olivier In America, a celebration of the work of artist Chris Ofili at Tate Britain and the play Three Sisters at the Hammersmith Lyric. Tune in to find out what I'm recommending you do on your nights off.
Friday 22th - The Group Analytic Society Film Night
I will be joining the group to discuss the issues raised in the dark crime movie Gone Baby Gone, which is an adaptation of a Dennis Lehane novel. Big thanks to Roberta and Peter for inviting me.
For more information about their fantastic screen nights checkout Group Analytic Society website
Thursday 14th, 7.15pm – Front Row, Radio 4
I will be reviewing new British gangster movie, 44 Inch Chest, which stars Ray Winstone, Ian Mcshane, John Hurt and Tom Wilkinson. Tune in to find out if it's as hardcore as it sounds.