By Erin Evett and Sophie Dickinson
Coralie Bickford-Smith for The Squirrel and The Lost Treasure
4 September, 7:00 p.m.
Topping & Company Booksellers, Bath
Coralie Bickford-Smith is one of the most renowned illustrators in the publishing industry, celebrated for her iconic covers of Penguin’s clothbound classics. She has won prizes for her children's books, which are loved by children and adults alike. She will be at Topping’s bookshop to celebrate the release of her new book, The Squirrel and The Lost Treasure, an enchanting clothbound fable about growth, new life and finding hope in unexpected places. For more information and tickets, click here.
An Evening with Catherine Ryan Howard & Jane Casey
5 September, 7:00 p.m.
Waterstones, Colchester
Join Ireland's finest crime writers, Catherine Ryan Howard and Jane Casey, as they discuss their latest novels in Waterstones, Colchester. Howard's novel The Trap blends the intensity of true crime with a nail-biting plot twist. Her book follows a woman determined to discover what happened to her missing sister, who everyone believes to have been kidnapped by a predatory killer. Casey's novel The Close is the eleventh highly anticipated instalment of the Maeve Kerrigan series. Kerrigan once again returns with DI Josh Derwent to discover the dark, murderous secret in a seemingly picture-perfect suburb. For more information and ticket prices, click here.
Emma Southon in Conversation with Elodie Harper
6 September, 6:30 p.m.
Waterstones, Kensington, London
Take advantage of the opportunity to meet ancient historian Emma Southon and bestselling author of The Wolf Den trilogy Elodie Harper in Waterstones, London, Kensington. They will be discussing Southon's latest book, A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women. Southon takes an alternative approach to Roman history in this gripping book, as she reimagines what life would have been like in the Roman Empire through the lives of twenty-one fictitious women. Harper's second instalment of her trilogy, The House With The Golden Door, will also be available to purchase on the night in anticipation of the final instalment, The Temple of Fortuna, which will be coming out in November. For more information and ticket prices, click here.
Society of Young Publishers South West Social
9 September, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Exeter St Davids Train Station, Exeter
The South West branch of the Society of Young Publishers is holding its first in-person meet-up! Meet at Exeter St Davids train station before embarking on a bookshop tour of the city. The event will feature trips to both second-hand bookshops, indie bookshops and Waterstones, and is a great way to get to know some fellow publishing hopefuls. Tickets are free and can be found here.
Regency Assembly
13 September, 6:30 p.m.
Waterstones, Bath
Don't miss this Pride and Prejudice-themed soirée, with a competition for best regency costume. If you're interested in writing, there will also be an open mic night, so bring your best bits of poetry, story extracts, songs and letters! There will be drinks and canapés during the night. For more information, ticket prices and a submission point, click here.
No Worries If Not! by Lucy Nichol
13 September, 6:30 p.m.
Collected Books, Durham
If you're yet to find your perfect summer read, then this event will be perfect for you. Lucy Nichol will be present at Durham's independent and feminist bookshop Collected as she talks about her latest feminist rom-com novel, No Worries If Not. Promising to be a hilarious read, it centres on Charlotte, a young woman who finds herself constantly apologising. However, when she decides to stop being walked over in her everyday life by not apologising for every little thing, she finds that it is not as easy as it seems, especially when the perfect man comes into her life unexpectedly. For more information and ticket prices, click here.
Northern Fiction Alliance Seminar Partnered with The Publishers Association
14 September, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester
In partnership with The Publishers Association, the Northern Fiction Alliance is offering a day filled with enlightening seminars on the publishing industry, including Translation Rights with Diane Spivey, Beyond the Book: Adaptations for Screen, Stage and Beyond with Emma Topping and a final session on sustainability in the industry. Whilst specially curated for members of the Northern Fiction Alliance, these seminars are also available for publishers outside of the alliance. The shared goal of this conference is to promote sustainability at the heart of the industry, creating workshops packed with tools and information on best practices to boost your skill set and knowledge. With some very impressive speakers and an excellent opportunity to network, this event is not one to be missed. Click here for more information about tickets.