» Author Events

Ros Holland will be visiting Outer West and City Libraries to celebrate the publication of ‘The Black Pencil Woman: A Portrait of My Mother’. Ros will talk about her new memoir, a heart wrenching portrayal of grief, growth and family life in a Northumberland mining community.

Thursday 24 May 2012
Outer West Library – 2pm
City Library – 6:30pm

To reserve your place at this event please call 0191 2774100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

View details of the book on the Book Guild Publishing website.

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Crime and punishment in the North East
Tuesday 1 May
2pm
Fenham Library

Author Lorna Windham will visit Fenham Library to recall the days of Border Reivers, press gangs and public executions. A vivid account of villains of yesteryear and times of tough punishments and rough jails. A free event, but places are limited.

Book your free place at any library or phone 0191 2774100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

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The Swiss writer Robert Walser (1878-1956) has had a huge influence on a long list of literary, artistic and philosophical figures from Franz Kafka, W.G. Sebald, J.M. Coetzee to Heinz Holliger and the Brothers Quay.

Festival Robert Walser takes place at venues across Newcastle from 19 – 23 March 2012. We are hosting the event below at City Library.

The Job Application
Monday 19 March 2012
6pm, City Library
Short stories by Robert Walser to be read by Tim Bennett, Gabriele Heller and Claire Webster-Saaremets.

“Walser’s fictions are charged with compassion: awareness of the creatureliness of life, of the fellowship of sadness. He is a truly wonderful, heartbreaking writer.” – Susan Sontag

The Festival Robert Walser will bring together local and international writers, artists and academics to celebrate the work of Robert Walser through exhibitions, performances, book lauches and discussions.

Free, no need to book. For more information about the festival visit the Institute Robert Walser website.

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Author Hazel Osmond will be here to talk about writing fan fiction for the internet – her route into becoming a published author.  Fan fiction or ‘fanfic’ is when fans of a television programme, book or film write backstories, alternative endings or new storylines for their favourite characters. Tickets for this event are free.

‘…while there are some weird stories getting written out there in fanfic land there are also plenty of great ones. Fanfic is a nice gentle way to try your hand at writing, whether it’s a short story or a many chaptered piece.” Visit Hazel Osmond’s website.

6:30pm
Thursday 19 January
Level 6, City Library

To book your place phone 0191 2774100, email information@newcastle.gov.uk or ask at your local Newcastle library.

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Local author Myra Robinson will visit Jesmond Library to talk about her book ‘Fried Flowers and Fango’. The book is set in an Italian village once famed for having the best healing mud in the country. Fango is Italian for mud but you can ask Myra about the fried flowers!

6:30pm – 7:30pm
Monday 17 October
Jesmond Library

To book your free place phone 0191 2774100, email information@newcastle.gov.uk or ask at your local library.

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If you’re a fan of classic crime then don’t miss the chance to attend this talk by bestselling authors Simon Brett and L.C. Tyler.

Simon Brett is the writer responsible for the Charles Paris, Mrs Pargeter and Fethering series of crime novels.

L.C. Tyler is a writer of humorous crime fiction. His Elsie and Ethelred mysteries feature Ethelred Tressider, a crime writer, and Elsie Thirkettle, his literary agent. His latest book is called ‘The Herring in the Library’.

Both authors write comic crime fiction that has a nod to ‘Golden Age’ classics. The event should appeal to all fans of classic crime fiction.

6pm – 7:45pm
Thursday 4 August
City Library

Tickets are £5 (non library members) and £3 (library members) and include a glass of wine. To book your place phone 0191 2774100, email information@newcastle.gov.uk or ask at your local library.

View Simon Brett’s books on the library catalogue

View L.C. Tyler’s bookson the library catalogue

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Neal James divides his time between accountancy and writing, which he has done with great success for the last three and half years.

He cites his main influences as being James Patterson and Thomas Hardy and he writes a variety of genres including crime, humour and romance. His work has been very well received by both critics and readers alike – his latest book is the thriller ‘Two Little Dicky Birds’.

Neal will be visiting Jesmond Library and Outer West Library to talk about his work and aims to prove that even though he is a professional accountant he certainly isn’t boring!

Thursday 21 July
2pm, Jesmond Library
6pm, Outer West Library

To book your place phone 0191 2774100, email information@newcastle.gov.uk or ask at your local library.

Find out more about Neal James

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Raymond Scott from Tyneside came to be in possession of a first folio edition of Shakespeare’s work, valued at around £15million. In 1998 when he tried to sell it in order to build a new life with his Cuban fiancée, it sparked a worldwide investigation which involved the British police, the FBI and Interpol. Come and meet Mike Kelly, co- author of the book ‘Shakespeare and Love’ which explores this most extraordinary tale.

This astounding crime book has stunned people around the world including Howard Marks and Goodfella, Henry Hill, who has described Raymond ‘as the most disorganised criminal in the world’.

Thursday 28 July
6.30pm
City Library

This event promises to be compelling and hugely entertaining, so reserve your place today. It would be a crime to miss it! Phone 0191 2774100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk to book your free place.

Find out more about the book ‘Shakespeare and Love’.

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In her haunting new novel, ‘Letters to Charlotte’ established author, Caeia March, explores the life-long friendship between Charlotte Brontë and her dearest friend Ellen Nussey.

Based on meticulous research, Caeia’s seventh novel reveals a hidden history through real letters from Charlotte and reconstructed replies from her “dearest Nell”. Reserve your place today for your chance to meet Caeia at this entertaining event.

Friday 15 July
2pm
City Library

To book free tickets phone 0191 2774100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

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Thursday 30 June
6.30pm
City Library

Robin Tudge will be visiting City Library to promote his new book ‘The No-Nonsense Guide to Global Surveillance’ – a detailed and fascinating history of this controversial and complex subject.

Robin is co-author of ‘The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories’, has published articles in The Guardian and Daily Telegraph and has been interviewed by the BBC and other radio stations.

Tickets for this event are free and you can reserve your place by phoning 0191 2774100 or emailing information@newcastle.gov.uk.

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Exciting new writer Beda Higgins burst on to the region’s literary scene by winning first prize in the Mslexia Short Story Competition in 2009 and then went on to win the Northern Writers’ Award in 2010. Beda will be visiting the library to talk about her new work ’Chameleon’,  a collection of 12 short stories exploring the human condition.

Thursday 23 June
6:15pm, City Library

Reserve your place today for your chance to meet an exciting new voice in local literature. For your free ticket phone 0191 2774100 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

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