» Author Events

World Book Night is a celebration of reading during which thousands of passionate volunteers across the UK give out specially printed books in their communities to share their love of reading. We’re celebrating again this year with the events below, plus look out for book giving volunteers at locations across the city including Starbucks, Cafe De Vie and The Theatre Royal.

Denton Burn Library – 10:30am – 12noon
The free books being given out at Denton Burn Library are ‘The Secret Scripture’ by Sebastian Barry and ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’ by Tracy Chevalier. All are welcome for a coffee morning between 10.30am – 12noon with local author Graham Pears.

Moorside Library – 11am – 12noon
All are welcome for coffee and conversation. Copies of ‘Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal’ by Jeanette Winterson will be given. 

City Library – 5pm – 8pm
Silver Belles will be singing in the Atrium of City Library from 5pm to kick start the night of free book giving. Then become a sleuth for the night in our special Murder Mystery event, written by author Ann Cleeves. Listen to witness statements and forensic reports to guess whodunit! After the confession is read, a prize will be awarded to the audience member closest to solving the murder. Copies of Ann’s books will be available to buy on the night. Book online for the Murder Mystery.

Please note that supplies of books are limited. You can also follow @WorldBookNight on Twitter or keep up to date using the #worldbooknight hashtag.

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Film expert Barry Norman opens this year’s Newcastle Winter Book Festival at City Library with an unmissable evening of clips, chat and insider gossip. Other treats in store include the themed talks on Erotica and Tartan Noir as well as a full day on frights on Horror Saturday. 

Meet Guardian sports writer Harry Pearson, Irish crime writer John Connolly, TV producer John Ashton, horror author Stephen Volk and many more. The Festival takes place in various iconic venues across the city, each hosting events over the weekend, including the historic Lit & Phil, the Tyneside Cinema and the Discovery Museum.

For more information visit the Newcastle Winter Book Festival website. Many events are free, others are priced from £5/£3 to £10/£8 (concessions).

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Celebrated author Freya North will be the star guest at City Library next week when she stops by to talk about her career.  The author will be visiting on Thursday 20 September at 6pm and will be reading excerpts from her latest book ‘Rumours’. With 11 bestsellers to her name over the last 16 years, Freya is known for her ability to paint colourful characters and provide a modern take on traditional tales of love, family and friendship.  Tickets are £2 and can be booked by phoning 0191 277 4100.

Visit Freya North’s website.

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Sting has recently been taking some nostalgic walks around Newcastle and Tyneside from the comfort of his home in Italy! This is thanks to a new book co-authored by one of his former teachers at St Cuthbert’s High School, Peter Donaghy. Peter, along with John Laidler, has just published ‘Discovering NewcastleGateshead’ which contains twenty-six walks around Tyneside, packed with detailed information about local people, places and events.

The authors are giving a free talk about their book at Gosforth Library on Thursday 13 September at 2.30pm. To book a place phone 0191 2771400 or email information@newcastle.gov.uk.

Sting says, “This has provided me with a wonderful way to be reacquainted with the rich landscape and historical byways of my Tyneside home”. While he is full of praise for the efforts of the authors he couldn’t resist expressing his disappointment that “the great borough of Wallsend had been inexplicably excised from the authors’ selection” and suggested that it was probably worth a separate book of its own! However, the authors were quick to point out that Wallsend featured in two walks in their earlier book, ‘Metro Walks’, where they mentioned young Sting’s family home.

Peter and John, who have lived all their lives in Newcastle, say that now they are retired they have been able to examine the area much more closely and have discovered countless aspects which they hadn’t realised even existed.

Reserve a copy of ‘Discovering NewcastleGateshead’ online.

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Ros Holland will be visiting Newburn 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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