Kikinda Short 06

So, in a mere matter of days, I’m heading off to Serbia to read and speak at Kikinda Short, an international short story festival. This is very exciting! Perhaps I might see you there. Give me a nudge if so. And here’s the website, if you’re interested: http://kikindashort.org.rs/?lang=en

New Chapter/wordPLAY

I returned from the wilds of west Wales this week full of ideas, inspiration and insight from the New Narratives conference held last weekend. It was a great event, and if I met you there, hello again! If I did not, however, I will be reading at two wonderful events soon. Details are below…

24th March, Wrexham Library, 7pm.

To celebrate the relaunch of Wrexham library, Hedd ap Emlyn will host New Chapter night. 7pm at Wrexham Library, Rhosddu Road, Wrexham LL11 1AU.

For further details contact Hedd ap Emlyn on 01978 292620.

6th April, The Good Ship, Kilburn, London, 7pm.

I’ll also be reading at Wordplay, a monthly event of literature and music, at The Good Ship, along with Kate Tempest. More details and directions can be found here. The full address is 289 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn NW6 7JR. The nearest tube stop is Kilburn, on the Jubilee line.

See you soon!

Thanks once again…

I just wanted to post briefly to thank everyone who came to the Clapham reading last weekend. It was so good to see everyone there, and answer your questions. The after party was a good one, too! I’m hoping to add a photo gallery to the site soon, and post reading pictures there, so keep your eyes peeled for that. If you have any photos from past events you want to be added, just let me know.

I’m not doing any more readings for a little while now, so have a very happy Christmas and I hope to see you ‘on tour’ in 2010!

Reading in Clapham Library/Cinnamon Anthology Update

Just a quick entry tonight…

Firstly, I just want to remind you that I’m reading from The Schoolboy on Saturday 5th December (this Saturday) at 7pm in Clapham Library. The nearest tube station is Clapham Common. It’s free entry, and there will be a wine reception. I’ll be reading, followed by a Q&A, and signed copies will be available to buy.

Secondly, Jan and I are currently emailing respondents to the Cinnamon prose poetry/microfiction anthology. You should hear from us about the status of your piece(s) in the next week. We received far more entries than we ever expected, and because of this we have taken a little longer to get back to you than we originally anticipated. Thanks for your patience.

On Tour

I have been up and down Wales promoting The Schoolboy over the last few weeks. The last venue was Bangor, and I’d like to thank everyone who made the effort to attend on such a blustery, rainy evening.

But I will also be bringing The Schoolboy to London. The last leg of my 2009 ‘tour’ will be on Saturday, 5th December at Clapham library, from 7pm. There will be refreshments available (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and it’s free to get in. Here’s a map to help you find it. The address is 1 Northside, Clapham Common SW4 0QW. The nearest tube station is Clapham Common. See you there, I hope!

One down…

So, I had a lovely audience at the Aberystwyth reading, and some fabulous, startling and intelligent questions. Thanks to all of you who attended. I have two scheduled readings left in the next two months, which are:

Saturday 7th November (this Saturday!), Blue Sky Cafe, Bangor, 7.30 pm.

This is a free event with bar. Blue Sky is tucked away up an alleyway on the south side of the High Street. It shares its building with Gecko, a clothes shop. See www.blueskybangor.co.uk.

Saturday 5th December: London.

Clapham Library, 7 p.m. 1 Northside Clapham Common SW4 (near Clapham Common tube station). This is a free event with refreshments available.

If you missed my launch in Cardiff, and my reading in Aberystwyth, it’d be lovely to see you at another event.

In other news, I am still carefully sifting through microfictions and prose poems submitted for the anthology I’m co-editing. The submissions were well into the thousand mark, so please be patient as we want to make this a great book, and we want to take time and care going through the pieces. Thanks again if you sent in your work; we will get back to you as soon as humanly possible.

Cordially Inviting You (Yes, YOU) to The Schoolboy Launch

Invitation from Cinnamon Press:

An invitation to the launch of Holly Howitt’s brilliant and controversial debut novel, The Schoolboy

Cinnamon Press and Holly Howitt in association with Academi invite you to the launch of The Schoolboy

Tuesday September 15^th, 7.30 pm

Bar One, (upstairs) Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Street, Cardiff.

Free event with bar. RSVP to jan@cinnamonpress.com

If you can’t make the launch please support this fantastic novel by buying a copy from www.cinnamonpress.com – currently on offer at the pre-order/introductory price of only £6.00 inc p+p in the UK

Or look out for other readings coming up soon in Aberystwyth, Bangor and London.

About The Schoolboy

Controversial, dark and funny; The Schoolboy is an astonishing psychological study of a disturbed adolescent mind, a commentary on morality and society and a gripping read from one of the most talented young writers around.

The Schoolboy follows Nick in his last year at school. Plagued by secrets, self doubt, guilt and fury, the flaws in his character inevitably lead him into the hands of the damaged, unscrupulous and malevolent. With his options rapidly closing Nick, as insecure as he is angry, has to make decisions fast.

“The Schoolboy is an astonishing debut from an outstanding young writer. With her sharp, uncluttered prose and spiky wit, Holly Howitt explores a teenage boy’s inner violence and sexual rage with a finely-tuned ear for the nuances of spoken language and a superb eye for detail…a brilliant and shocking novella from a highly talented young writer.”

Richard Gwyn

Reading in Cardiff

I’ll be reading in Cardiff on 2nd March at Milgi’s, 217 City Road (just before the junction to Albany Road/Crwys Road), from around 6pm. It will be free entry to the reading. Please do come along! For further details contact Richard Gwyn: gwyn@cardiff.ac.uk.

More readings

I’ll be reading next Wednesday, 26th November at Wrexham Library from 7pm onwards, along with poet Zoe Skoulding. Admission is £4/3 (concessions). Please do come and support me, ask me questions, buy my book… You know the drill. Phone 01978 292620 for further information if you need it. The library is on Rhosddu Road.

Report from Hay

I got back from Hay about a week ago, but it’s taken me this long to put anything up, so apologies for that. Hay was amazing, in the true and proper sense of the word. It was odd, and somehow rather wondrous to be treated like a VIP, if only for one day. Me, Kate, Mike and the Cinnamon team were assigned a PA/guide who was lovely and looked after us, escorting us to the stage and then on to sign books in the main tent. I think the reading was OK – the venue wasn’t full, which was disappointing, but there was a great crowd and there were laughs and gasps. That was great for me, because at my launch I couldn’t really hear the audience’s reaction. I also had lots of interesting questions posed at the reading, and I loved being able to discuss my work with the audience. I then went for a massive celebratory lunch of steak (steak! I know!) and felt thoroughly sick on the way home.

Oh, and note to self: don’t wear a rara dress in the wind.

I will put up pictures from Hay as soon as I have them. Unfortunately I put a bit of a ban on any flash pictures as the venue was so dark it was distracting (as it was, I could barely see to read!), so some are quite blurry.

Thanks to all who came for such a marvellous day!