Hastings Book Festival Update
Events
Two different recent notable events were recently organised by the Book Festival: Nathan Evans gave an interview at The Forbidden Fruit on Grand Parade, St Leonards, about his recently published novella One Last Song, which is about the growing love between two men in a care home. S. I. Martin, a Black British History specialist, gave a talk at Sugarpie Honeybuns on the history of black people in 18th and 19th century London.
Writing Competitions
There are two competitions organised through Hastings Book Festival this year – one for poetry, one for prose. They are now open for entries. The deadline for both is 7 July 2024 at 10 pm (UK time). Poems should be no more than 40 lines long. Stories can be up to 2,500 words. They can be on any theme. All the details can be found on the Book Festival’s web pages (details at the end of this article). It costs to enter (not too much) but there are cash prizes.
Also on the web pages is an additional entry form for Sussex locals, who qualify for a Sussex prize sponsored by New Writing South. New Writing South is based in Brighton, and exists to encourage both new and established writers from diverse communities. They offer a teaching program to help writers develop their skills and careers, cultivate radical thinking, and strive to inculcate joy in both writers and readers. This year there is also a special prize for UK-based LGBT+ writers, sponsored by Starcroft Farm Cabins, an organic retreat in Battle.
Planning for the Book Festival in September is now in progress, and the organisers look forward to announcing the confirmed programme later this year.
Book Festival: hastingsbookfest.org
Writing competition: hastingsbookfest.org/competitions
New Writing South: newwritingsouth.com
Starcroft Farm Cabins: starcroftfarm.co.uk/
SugarPie Honeybuns: Facebook, facebook.com/sugarpiehoneybunscoffeeshop/
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