I am new to the West Midlands Readers' Network. Having been previously oblivious to its existence, I was invited to join the committee and went to my first meeting the other week. The WMRN is an extremely active and coherent network for readers' groups right across the West Midlands, and can advise readers of any age or inclination on what like-minded people might be in their area, or support those wishing to start their own group. It commissions work, and encourages readers to commission work, and has been doing extrordinary things in the region for years.
One such thing is the third Orange Readers' Day, taking place at Birmingham's Adrian Boult Hall on 9 May. Authors attending include Kate Mosse, Joanne Harris, Sadie Jones, Charlotte Mendelson, Diana Evans, Claire Allan, Catherine O' Flynn, and Joanna Kavenna. Others might come from those currently longlisted for this year's Orange Prize for Fiction, of which Gaynor Arnold, who spoke at last year's Lichfield Literary Dinner, is one. Shortlist is announced on 24 April.
There are only 500 tickets available and 250 were already sold or allocated as at last Friday. Tickets (£5, £4 concessions/£20 for 6) are available for purchase here. [and as at today 308 tickets have been allocated]
The committee were discussing what to do to trump this for a future year. I suggested having the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction announced in Lichfield, something I've been quietly, and seemingly ineffectively, advocating for for several years. With the WMRN, it might just become possible.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment