London History: Stranger the Fiction. With Travis Elborough and Max Décharné.

Friday October 11th at The Big Green Bookshop

£3. BUY TICKETS HERE.

We're kicking off the Festival with a wonderfully entertaining evening in the company of Max Décharné and Travis Elborough

Travis is a journalist and author, whose books include The Bus We Loved, a history of the Routemaster bus; The Long Player Goodbye, a hymn to vinyl records; and Wish You Were Here, a survey of the British beside the seaside. His most recent title, London Bridge in America: The Tall Story of a Transatlantic Crossing, was published earlier this year.

Max is a rock’n'roll musician, author and journalist who was drummer for swamp rock band Gallon Drunk. His writing career has encompassed short stories, journalism, songwriting, books on hipster slang (Straight From The Fridge, Dad) and cinema (Hardboiled Hollywood). His latest book Capital Crimes, looks at the seedy underbelly of London over the last 700 years.
They’ll be sharing strange but extraordinary, but true stories based in and around the capital. 

Tickets are £3 and available HERE

Children's Events at the Literary Festival

Wood Green Literary Festival 

A one stop guide to the kids events happening throughout the weekend 

As well as all the events listed here, there'll also be lots of FREE book related craft activities for kids to enjoy at the school, so please come along and help ensure that we can do this again next year!

For more information about the Festival, please visit woodgreenlitfest.org.uk

All children's events will be taking place in 

Noel Park Primary School. Gladstone Avenue N22 6LH 

(3 minutes walk from the Bookshop)

Saturday October 12th

1.00pm - London’s biggest and most explosive songs & stories for under 5s (and older if you like).

BIG SONGS!! BIG STORIES!! BIG FUN!!

Join in the fun with Tim and friends, as he entertains your little ones in his own inimitable style.

———————————————————————————————–

2.00pm - GUY BASS.  LIVE and UNTAMED!! - FREE

Here’s your chance to witness something quite remarkable.

The award winning writer, author, actor, singer and oh, I don’t know, lots of other things too will be joining us for an hour of spectacular entertainment.

————————————————————————————————

3.00pm - How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth with Michelle Robinson and Kate Hindley - FREE

Does your mammoth need a wash? I imagine if it was woolly it probably would. Thankfully Michelle Robinson and Kate Hindley have written a very useful book which will show you how to do it!

———————————————————————————————-

3.00pm-4.00pm - Comic Book Workshop with Zoom “The Zoom”Rockman. £5

We’re thrilled to be putting on a comic workshop event with the amazing Zoom Rockman, creator and artist of ‘The Zoom’ comic.

———————————————————————————————–

4.00pm - Sally Nicholls Exclusively Reveals her New Novel, Close Your Pretty Eyes. - FREE

Sally Nicholls is the multi-award-winning author of novels including the bestselling Ways to Live Forever and All Fall Down.

In her new book, Close Your Pretty Eyes, Sally has weaved a story around real-life Victorian mass-murderess Amelia Dyer. The book isn’t published yet, and the Festival will be the first opportunity you’ll have to get your hands on copies!

———————————————————————————————–

5.00pm - Monsters, Magic and Mayhem with Sam Enthoven, Steve Feasey and Conrad Mason. FREE

Demons, trolls, vomiting bats, werewolves, elves, hybrid monsters. This has it all! Meet three of our most magical kids authors for an hour of out of this world fun. Sam, Steve and Conrad will be taking you through their fictional worlds, chatting about fantastical fiction and offering great advice to anyone interested in writing.

Sunday October 13^th

1.00pm - Ciaran Murtagh – The Man, The Legend, The Author. - FREE

Have you ever watched The Legend of Dick and Dom?

How about Hotel Trubble or The Slammer?

Maybe you’ve watched Planet Ajay, , Shaun the Sheep or The Numtums?

If you have, there’s a very very good chance that Ciaran Murtagh wrote the script to it. Because that’s just one of the things that he does!

—————————————————————————————————————–

2.00pm - Uncovering Ancient London with Catherine Johnson and Lydia Syson. FREE

Together, and maybe with your help, Catherine and Lydia will be talking about how they’ve used London as a location in their novels and the importance of building a realistic sense of place for their readers. There’ll be fascinating insights into how they researched for their books and no doubt a few surprises on the way.

—————————————————————————————————————–

2.45pm - 45minutes of Ellie May-hem with Marianne Levy - FREE

Here are some things you need to know about Marianne Levy

1. She likes cheese
2. She owns a horrible cat called Boots*.
3.  When she was young she wanted to be an incredibly famous actress
4. Thankfully she isn't an incredibly famous actress, because if she was, her amazing Ellie May books might not exist

Marianne's live events are always a real treat and we couldn't be happier that she's coming to join us at the festival.

—————————————————————————————————

3.45pm - Edgy Fiction, with Keren David and Hilary Freeman. FREE

There’s a big debate about the way some modern Young Adult fiction tackles gritty realistic subjects, and a number of people have questioned whether teenagers should be exposed to it like this. Recently, American Library censors were targeting this genre and removing titles from their shelves.

Thankfully, there are authors like Keren David and Hilary Freeman, who despite this, continue to write realistic, thought provoking books, which don’t shy away from tough subjects.

——————————————————————————————————————-

4.30pm - Here's our big Finalé.

The LONDON FACTOR?- With judges Holly Smale, Sophia Bennett and CJ Daugherty

We want you to write a story, no longer than 200 words, with the title

"A London Journey"

The best stories will reach the final where you'll have a chance to read out your story LIVE in front of an expectant audience and our 3 ace judges.

All finalists will receive a £5 Big Green Bookshop Voucher, but there are three incredible prizes for the winners.

The winners can choose from these three amazing prizes;

- Having a character in Sophia Bennett's new book named after them!

- CJ Daugherty will write the winner into her next novel!

 - You and 3 friends can enjoy a slap up meal with Holly Smale!

All entries MUST be in by midnight on Wednesday 9th of October.

Please email your entries to woodgreenlitfest@gmail.com, with your name, age and the best way to contact you.

The competition is open to EVERYONE.

Marianne Levy joins us for 45 minutes of Ellie May-hem

Sunday October 13th. 2.45pm at Noel Park Primary School

Here are some things you need to know about Marianne Levy

1. She likes cheese
2. She owns a horrible cat called Boots*.
3.  When she was young she wanted to be an incredibly famous actress
4. Thankfully she isn't an incredibly famous actress, because if she was, her amazing Ellie May books might not exist

Ellie May, however, is an incredibly famous actress and film star and Marianne's hilarious stories about her antics have been flying off the shelves. And rightly so. 

Now here's your chance to meet Marianne as she tells you about what got her into writing books and some of the fun things she's done. her stories may or may not include centipedes, hairbrush singing and her first film role in the Ali G movie!

Marianne's live events are always a real treat and we couldn't be happier that she's coming to join us at the festival. 

Her books will be available throughout the Festival and also at the event and Marianne will be very happy to sign copies for you. 

This is a FREE event, but please contact the Big Green Bookshop to reserve a place, either by email on enquiries@biggreenbookshop.com or by phone 020 8881 6767

*I'm sure Boots is lovely really

Sally Nicholls Exclusively Reveals her New Novel, Close Your Pretty Eyes

Saturday October 12th. 4.00pm at Noel Park Primary School

Sally Nicholls is the multi-award-winning author of novels including the bestselling Ways to Live Forever and All Fall Down.

In her new book, Close Your Pretty Eyes, Sally has weaved a story around real-life Victorian mass-murderess Amelia Dyer.

The book isn't published yet, and the Festival will be the first opportunity you'll have to get your hands on copies!

"Eleven-year-old Olivia has been in care since she was five, and is just beginning her fifteenth placement. But her new home holds dark secrets. Olivia discovers that it was once a notorious baby farm, where unwanted children were left to die. She becomes convinced that the place is haunted, and is desperate to save her new family from the ghosts. The danger is real - but does it come from the twisted mind of a very disturbed child?"

Sally will be reading from and discussing the fascinating characters in the book, including the horrific Amelia Dyer, who is believed to have killed over 400 people in her lifetime. 

As a past winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, we are delighted that Sally can join us at the Festival

Suitable for young people aged 9+

This is a FREE event, but please contact the Big Green Bookshop to reserve a place, either by email on enquiries@biggreenbookshop.com or by phone 020 8881 6767

Holly Smale, CJ Daugherty & Sophia Bennett judge The LONDON FACTOR!

Sunday October 13th. 4.30pm at Noel Park Primary School

Have You Got the LONDON FACTOR?

With Holly Smale, Sophia Bennett and CJ Daugherty

AMAZING PRIZES UP FOR GRABS!

Do you want to have a character in a book named after you? 

Do you want to go for a slap up meal with on of the UK's most exciting new authors?

 Now's your chance!!

We want you to write a story, no longer than 200 words. The title of the story is 

"A London Journey"

Once you've written it, email it to woodgreenlitfest@gmail.com

include in the email. 

• Your Name
• Your age (if under 18)
• Your story
• Your contact number (if you don't check your emails very often!)

The best of these will then be put through to the final. 
Those lucky enough to reach the final will have a chance to read out their story on Sunday October 13th, LIVE in front of an expectant audience and 3 ace judges

Holly Smale - Holly is the author of the huge bestselling Geek Girl series. She spent her teenage years hiding in the school toilets followed by two years modelling, falling over on catwalks and breaking things she couldn't afford to replace. These experiences inspired her to start writing Geek Girl.  

Sophia Bennett - In 2009, Sophia won the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition with her debut novel, Threads, set in the world of London fashion. This was followed by the two sequels in the THREADS trilogy. The LOOK, a sensitive and wittily observed take on the modelling industry was published in 2012. YOU DON’T KNOW ME, Sophia’s latest book was published earlier this year.

CJ Daugherty - CJ Daugherty has been a travel book writer, a journalist for Reuters and a crime and investigative reporter for newspapers and magazines here and there.

Over the years she's also worked as a hostess at a Cajun restaurant in New Orleans, a researcher for a university, a typist for an oil company, a ham seller at a Honey Baked Ham store, and a civil servant. She quite liked selling hams.

These days she writes thrillers. The third in her bestselling Night School series has just been published.

All finalists will receive a £5 Big Green Bookshop Voucher, but there are three incredible prizes for the winners. 

The winners can choose from these three amazing prizes;

- Having a character in Sophia Bennett's new book named after them!
- CJ Daugherty will write the winner into her next novel!

 - You and 3 friends can enjoy a slap up meal with Holly Smale!

All entries MUST be in by midnight on Wednesday 8th of October. 

The competition is pen to EVERYONE. 
GOOD LUCK!

Writing Edgy Fiction with Keren David and Hilary Freeman

Sunday October 13th. 3.45pm at Noel Park Primary School

There's a big debate about the way some modern Young Adult fiction tackles gritty realistic subjects, and a number of people have questioned whether teenagers should be exposed to it like this. Recently, this has been further highlighted during "Banned Books Week", where it was suggested that, particularly in America, Library censors were targeting this genre and removing titles from their shelves. 

Thankfully, there are authors like Keren David and Hilary Freeman, who despite this, continue to write realistic, thought provoking books, which don't shy away from tough subjects.  And They'll be here to read from their books and discuss why this is such an important genre.   

There'll be a chance to ask them questions and they'll be happy to offer advice to budding writers.

Keren David is the author of When I was Joe a contemporary thriller about  the life changing dangers of knife crime. It was shortlisted for the prestigious Branford Boase Award and was followed by a sequel, Almost True, which explored further gang culture.

She's also written Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery, a lighthearted novel about a teenager who wins £8 million on the Lottery.

Hilary Freeman is a journalist, agony aunt and novelist, who has now published six books for young adults. Mainly focusing on relationships, her Camden Town Tales series, follows Sky, Rosie and Vix as they hang around the Market, celeb spot and head off to gigs. What Hilary manages to do is give the reader an insight into the mind of the modern teenager.

Their books will be available throughout the festival and also at the event, and Hilary and Keren will be happy to sign copies for you. 

Suggested Age. 10+

This is a FREE event, but please contact the Big Green Bookshop to reserve a place, either by email                           on enquiries@biggreenbookshop.com or by phone 020 8881 6767

SMOKE: A London Peculiar.

Wednesday October 9th. 7.00pm at The Big Green Bookshop

 

Tickets £3 (redeemable on any purchase on the night)

BUY TICKETS HERE

 

Smoke: a London Peculiar was a small magazine of words and images inspired by the capital. After sixteen issues, its editors, Jude Rogers (Guardian, Observer, Q, New Statesman, Elle, Red, The Word, the BBC) and Matt Haynes (Sarah Records, NCP car parks), were inspired by the collapse of Borders to relaunch the magazine as a website (www.smokealondonpeculiar.co.uk) and embark on a series of one-off projects.

 

 

The first of these, Soho!, was a board game based on the two things for which that small, historic patch of London is famous around the globe: its pubs and its one-way system.

 

And the second is From the Slopes of Olympus to the Banks of the Lea, a book about the ways in which London changed between the summer of 2005, when it was awarded the Olympic Games, and the summer of 2013, when the 97 was re-routed via Stratford International. It features ghosts in Bow, missiles on Blackheath, and the loss of Tom Cruise’s hands in Leicester Square, but very little running, jumping or splashing: instead, there’s cough syrup made out of rose petals gathered from a sunken Lea barge, the melancholy song of a nocturnal Greenwich dustman, and the unexpected kidnap of Boris Johnson by a flock of seagulls (the birds, not the band, though in retrospect that might have been even better). Oh, and Will Self consoles Iain Sinclair when the latter discovers that some of the ley lines dug up to build the Basketball Arena had been there since the time of King Lud.

Tonight’s event will feature readings and a chat/Q&A with the editors, who’ll be more than happy to discuss such things as how to make and sell your own book/magazine, how to befriend someone who owns a copy of Adobe InDesign, and how to respond to poets while staying within the law.

 

Buy tickets HERE.