Calling all London bookworms. Next week sees a celebration of the best writing by women in a series of amazing pop up events organised by the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction.
They’re all taking place in the basement bar of the brand new Waterstones Tottenham Court Road branch and feature a pretty impressive line-up of authors.
We’re busy reading the 2016 shortlist at the moment (I have my money on Cynthia Bond’s Ruby to win) and you can hear all six books brought to life by actors Tori Allen-Martin and Jim Rastall on Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes.
Plus, anyone who buys one of the shortlisted titles will get a free Baileys cocktail. And then each evening the bar will host events and cocktails, check out the diary below to make sure you don’t miss out.
Monday 16th May
The winner of last year’s prize, Ali Smith, chats to novelist and the prize’s co-founder Kate Mosse and reads from the winning novel, How to be Both.
Wednesday 18th May
An incredible panel of businesswomen talk about the books that have inspired them. Hear from Margaret Mountford of The Apprentice-fame who is chairing the judges this year, literary agent (and sister of Emily) Felicity Blunt and Siobhan Moriarty from Diageo, Baileys parent company.
Friday 20th May
Bringing the week to an end with a special evening with Eimear McBride, the winner of the 2014 prize for A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing. She’ll be in conversation with Kate Mosse and reading from her new novel, which isn’t published until the autumn. After that there’s be a party featuring more variations on Baileys cocktails than you ever realised existed and a DJ set.
The evening events all begin at 6.30 at Waterstones Tottenham Court Road and cost £6 which includes a Baileys cocktail or coffee. Over 18s only.
Tickets can be bought here
Words by ELLE Literary Editor Anna James
