MANI LIT FEST
This is a free festival. No need to reserve, except for workshops.
FRIDAY 6th OCTOBER 2023
10.30 WORKSHOP: COSY CRIME (WITH CAROL MCGRATH)
10.30 WORKSHOP: SHORT STORY WRITING (WITH ALIZON ROBERTSON)
13.00 WORKSHOP: TRUTH TO TALE (WITH RITA WILSON)
13.00 WORKSHOP: MEMOIR WRITING (WITH ANN RICHARDSON)
16.45 LINDSAY BENNETT FORD READS HER STORY ‘ORDINARY PROMISES’
17.00 EVAN FALLENBERG: HOW A NOVEL GETS MADE: FROM IDEA TO BOOKSTORE (A CASE STUDY).
17.45 THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
18.30 REGINA HERMANS READS HER FAIRY TALE: ADVENTURES OF A FLIP-FLOP
18.45 CAT/PERSON BY CHRIS HEATH, FEATURING BARBARA SPITZ
“Anyone who had given up hope of finding an audio sitcom that actually makes them laugh will be delighted to learn that Cat/Person is really, really good. Purr-fect comedy – with heart.” (Radio Times)
A live, exclusive reading of the upcoming second series of the audio sitcom, Cat/Person. Written by and starring Chris Heath and featuring (for one night only) Barbara Spitz as Hobson the Cat.
In the hit Podcast Sitcom, Cat/Person serves up a series of overheard conversations between a broken man Matthew (Chris Heath) and Hobson (Sue Vincent), his sarcastic, selfish, sociopathic rescue cat. Matthew is doing his best to keep himself from falling into a black hole following an unhappy divorce. To get him through the dark days, his friends recommend that he gets himself an emotional support animal. Unfortunately, after a trip to the local Animal Shelter, he chose Hobson.
Matthew is sentimental, messy and lonely.
Hobson is hungry and insisting on a treat. Immediately.
Click to find out where to listen to the first series
19.15 CLAIRE PAPAMICHAEL TALKS ABOUT DAMON GALGUT (BOOKER PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR OF ‘THE PROMISE’)
Claire Papamichael has recently translated Galgut’s ‘The Promise’ and describes him as ‘one of the finest writers I’ve ever read’ and ‘a privilege to translate’.
20.00 QUIZ: UNIVERSALLY CHALLENGED, HOSTED BY JOHN AND MARY HAYES
The organisers of the Lit Fest emerge from backstage to take on a team of challengers from this year’s participants. Can the authors beat the Lit Fest team this time? (Quiz compiled by Mike Heath).
20.45 DEBORAH SWIFT: REINVENTING THE RENAISSANCE AND WORLD WAR TWO
USA Today bestselling author Deborah Swift gives us an insight into two of her recent works of historical fiction.
21.30 THE MUSIC EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
SATURDAY 7th OCTOBER 2023
10.30 WORKSHOP: BEGINNING WRITING (WITH DEBORAH SWIFT)
10.30 WORKSHOP: TWO GREEK POEMS: MEANINGS AND FEELINGS (WITH CLAIRE PAPAMICHAEL)
13.00 WORKSHOP: POETRY: ‘EKPHRASIS’ (WITH HUGH MCMILLAN)
13.00 WORKSHOP: HOW TO CRAFT A TWITTER/X PITCH (WITH GAIL ALDWIN)
13.00 WORKSHOP: IN PRAISE OF UNRELIABLIE NARRATORS (WITH STEVE POTTER)
16.30 GAIL ALDWIN READS FROM HER LATEST NOVEL 'THE SECRET LIFE OF CAROLYN RUSSELL'
17.00 MARIA STATHEA ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΖΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΗΣ ‘ΤΟ ΑΤΑΧΤΟ ΑΣΤΕΡΑΚΙ’ (THE NAUGHTY STAR) (this event is in Greek)
17.15 THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
17.45 RITA WILSON: FROM TRUTH TO TALE: A WRITER’S EVOLUTION
Rita Wilson, author of ‘Greek Lessons’, discusses the challenges and surprises in her transition from writing memoir and biography to writing fiction and shares a peek at her upcoming novel.
18.30 OPEN MIC: HOSTED BY PAT WOOLFE
Now it's your turn! You've done the workshops, been inspired and entertained by our speakers and now we look forward to hearing your work. Step up to the mic!
19.00 HARA NIKOLA READS HER STORY 'PRICKLY PEARS'
19.15 ISMINI KONSTANTOPOULOU READS HER STORY 'THE FIRST COAT'
19.30 PEDALO PERIL, HOSTED BY STEPHANIE ROUSE
Our popular balloon debate variation is back, featuring another motley crew of fictional characters enjoying a pedalo trip out in the Messinian Bay. On the way back they run into a strong current, and no amount of furious pedalling stops them from hitting a huge rock. The only way to stop the pedalo sinking is to reduce the weight in the boat – who gets to stay on board, the decision is yours!
20.30 SKITSOFRENIS
Talk and live creation of a work of art
21.00 KATERINA GYFTAKI BECK: A TALE OF THE FAR EAST
21.30 HUGH MCMILLAN:
Hugh McMillan will read from his latest books of poetry. ‘One of the most entertaining and thought provoking poets I have ever heard’ Ali Smith.
