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<\/a>This year, with the world pivoted to digital in the face of the pandemic, the 6 days of Leeds Lit Fest take place entirely online with all but 2 workshops run on a Pay As You Feel basis. 26 events feature more than 50 writers and performers. Monique Roffey (Saturday midday) is fresh from her 2020 Costa Book Award win for\u00a0The Mermaid of Black Conch<\/em>, and she talks about her distinguished career to-date with Dr Emily Zobel-Marshall. International best-selling crime fiction writer Peter James (Wednesday, 12:30pm) talks about his life, writing and the upcoming televising of his hugely popular Roy Grace series, which will appear on ITV in the Spring. We will also be celebrating the life of Andrea Levy (Thursday, 6:30pm). Journalist and broadcaster Gary Younge is joined by Andrea\u2019s family and friends for an evening celebrating her life and work. This is a partnership event with the British Library. On Friday (7pm) \u00a0LBC radio presenter, Iain Dale examines why we\u2019ve all become so disrespectful and intolerant in Why Can\u2019t We All Just Get Along. For those with a particular interest in sport, Gary Bloom (Thursday, 7:30pm) will be talking about his new book,\u00a0Keeping Your Head in the Game.<\/em><\/p>\nOn Sunday we are celebrating International Women\u2019s Day. Clare Fisher (midday) will be hosting the first Leeds Lit Fest Salon. At 1pm, award winning journalist Saima Mir talks about her critically acclaimed, debut crime thriller The Khan, a gritty thriller set among the British Pakistani community in a northern city. Debut novelists Stephanie Scott and Catherine Menon (2pm) will read from their novels and talk about creating female-led narratives set in Asia and inspired by true events in a panel discussion chaired by arts journalist Yvette Huddleston. \u00a0For the finale, join the UK\u2019s leading spoken word record label Nymphs & Thugs with an afternoon of electric spoken word poetry featuring Reece Lyons and Erin Bolens (3pm). A celebration of womxn and words to kick-start 2021!<\/p>\n
If you want to hone your creative writing skills then join one of our workshops. Abdullah Adekola\u2019s\u00a0Dreaming Through A Nightmare<\/em>\u00a0(Thursday, midday) explores poems about dreams and what they can tell us about ourselves and society. On Saturday (10am-2pm) Leeds Lit Fest welcomes The Poetry Business. Ann and Peter Sansom head over the Pennines from Sheffield for an online poetry writing session, featuring brilliant writing exercises, supportive feedback, and excellent company. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage called them \u201cthe most astute and effective tutors in the UK.\u201d And finally, going through the night from midnight to 6am on Sunday, Becky Cherriman leads the innovative\u00a0Adventures of the Night<\/em>\u00a0workshop. A group of people meet at midnight. Where do they meet, why and what happens when they do? Join in and find out.<\/p>\n Are you craving fresh new writing? We\u2019ve got 4 new Leeds born anthology launches for you to enjoy. First up is\u00a0This New North<\/em>\u00a0(Wednesday, 8pm) featuring writers from the Northern Short Story Festival Academy published by Valley Press. On Friday (1pm) poet-theologian Hannah Stone talks about her new book,\u00a0Reflections<\/em>, which is the cumulation of her uplifting and empathetic weekly blog for Leeds Church Institute on the impact lockdowns have been having on the communities of Leeds. At 8pm, there\u2019s a joint poetry reading between Leeds Irish Health and Homes and the David Oluwale Memorial Association features readers including Malika Booker, Kayo Chingonyi, and Ian Duhig. The events is launching LIHH\u2019s\u00a0Corona Ceoil<\/em>, their book of the Leeds Irish pandemic response and raises money for DOMA\u2019s campaign for a civic blue plaque for David Oluwale on Leeds Bridge. Our quartet is rounded off by\u00a0Weighted Words<\/em>\u00a0(Saturday 4pm) from the members of\u00a0 Peepal Tree Press\u2019 Inscribe Readers and Writers Group. With Jacob Ross and Khadijah Ibrahiim, celebrate this dazzling mix of poetry, short stories, confessionals and memoir where contributors with fresh perspectives interrogate race, gender, relationships with self and with family, as well as identity in contemporary Britain. Not to be missed!<\/p>\n We\u2019ve something for children too. There\u2019s a big wiggly book gobbling adventure with Harry Heape (Saturday, 11am) or you can draw along with children\u2019s book illustrator Liz Million (Saturday, 2pm) and bring your weird, wacky and wonderful characters and creatures to life.<\/p>\n As we are all missing going to the pub, cinema and theatre, we\u2019re bringing them to you. Come and test your literature knowledge in Leeds Lit Fest\u2019s first ever quiz night (Tuesday, 8pm). It\u2019s not quite a pub quiz atmosphere but you can definitely BYO of choice! Your quizmaster is Gary Wigglesworth author of\u00a0The Book Lover\u2019s Quiz Book<\/em>. Could you be the first LLF quiz champion? We\u2019ve a silent film screening with live piano accompaniment from Jonny Best (Saturday 7.30pm) and as is our tradition, we close Leeds Lit Fest with a theatre performance. Don\u2019t Go Into The Cellar theatre company will be performing their Strictly Sherlock (Sunday, 7.30pm).<\/p>\n Carl Hutton, Chair of Leeds Lit Fest said, \u201cThe format of this year\u2019s Festival is very different, but we have still been able to present a vibrant, varied and challenging 6 days featuring events for children, author talks including a Costa Award winning author, discussion panels and writing workshops. We\u2019re excited about bringing writers and performers from our city, our region and beyond to our audiences. There\u2019s never been a better time to celebrate such phenomenal literary talent.\u201d<\/p>\n Head to our website:\u00a0http:\/\/www.leedslitfest.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0and social media feeds: Facebook: @LeedsLitFest, Twitter: @LeedsLit to find out more and register for your tickets. Leeds Lit Fest is back!<\/p>\n ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n Image: 2020 Costs Book Award winning author Monique Roffey. Photo by Marcus Bastel.<\/p>\n For further information and media requests contact Carl Hutton, Chair of the Leeds Lit Fest at huttonc@theleedslibrary.org.uk | 07725 698687.<\/p>\n About Leeds Lit Fest<\/strong><\/p>\n Leeds Lit Fest 2021 will take place on Tuesday 2 March \u2013 Sunday 7 March.<\/p>\n Leeds Lit Fest is delivered by a partnership of 10 Leeds-based creative arts and literature-based organisations which are committed to celebrating and championing literature and writing in Leeds and to engaging and inspiring its people to get involved in creative activities linked to literature.<\/p>\n Current partner organisations include The Leeds Library, The Leeds Big Bookend and Northern Short Story Festival, Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds Libraries, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds Church Institute, Strix, MILIM, Chapel FM and Headingley LitFest.<\/p>\n Tickets and further information for the Lit Fest can be found at\u00a0\u00a0www.leedslitfest.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Leeds Inspired<\/a>\u00a0as well as through the partner organisations.<\/p>\n In 2020, Leeds Lit Fest won Best Literary Festival at the national Saboteur Awards after being shortlisted in 2019. The festival celebrates the vibrant and thriving literature scene that exists in Leeds with local writers and performers showcasing their talents along with national and international artists with an exciting programme of author talks, workshops, panels, performance, digital, poetry and spoken word events.<\/p>\n For full information on the Festival, including programme updates and ticket information head to its website or social media pages below:<\/p>\n