Join us for our first Queer Books - In Conversation event!
Celebrating queer, British writers.
Sappho Events founder, Maryann Wright will be speaking with novelists Laura Kay (The Split) and Daisy Jones (All The Things She Said) about their latest books (now on sale), the importance of LGBTQIA+ literature, and the representation of queer women and non-binary people in books.
Laura and Daisy will do a book reading, and answer questions after the conversation, with a book signing at the end.
After the conversation, you're welcome to hang around and chat at the Glass House in-house bar venue.
Glass House is London's newest LGBTQ+ venue - functioning as a bookshop in the day and a bar at night.
We have added a live-stream option for those joining us outside London. You can enjoy from your living room via zoom.
The Split, by Laura Kay
A brilliant, heart-warming and intensely funny story of love, heartache, friendship and family.
Brutally dumped by her girlfriend, Ally is homeless, friendless and jobless… but at least she has Malcolm. Wounded and betrayed, Ally has made off with the one thing she thinks might soothe the pain: Emily’s cat.
After a long train journey she arrives home to her dad in Sheffield, ready to fold herself up in her duvet and remain on the sofa for the foreseeable. Her dad has other ideas. A phone call later, and Ally is reunited with her first ever beard and friend of old, Jeremy. He too is broken-hearted and living at home again.
In an inspired effort to hold each other up, the pair decide to sign up for the local half marathon in a bid to impress their exes with their commitment and athleticism.
Given neither of them can run, they enlist the support of athletic, not to mention beautiful, Jo. But will she have them running for the hills… or will their ridiculous plan pay off…?
Laura Kay is a writer and editor. She has an MA in American History from the University of Sheffield, and now lives in East London with her wife and cats. In 2018 Laura was selected as one of the ten PRH WriteNow mentees. The Split is her first novel.
All the Things She Said, by Daisy Jones
A personal, modern guide to the queer culture of women.
All the Things She Said explores the nature of queerness and queer culture from the dingy basement clubs of east London to the realms of TikTok and award-winning films like Carol, showing the multifaceted nature of ‘being a lesbian’ in all its glory.
Here journalist Daisy Jones unpicks outdated stereotypes and shows how, over the past few years, lesbian culture has emerged into the mainstream. Daisy explores this new understanding of queerness through personal experiences, speaking with many others and by looking at music, TV and film, dating and mental health and how they all serve to create and reveal a new language and culture.
The book will delve into the never-ending process of coming out, and what it’s like to date as a queer woman, to the disproportionate impact of mental health issues on the LGBTQ+ community and the decline in spaces for the lesbian queer community.
Daisy Jones is a journalist and editor, writing about LGBTQ culture, UK nightlife, music, and popular culture. She worked as the Music Editor at Dazed & Confused before becoming the Managing Editor of Noisey at VICE. She has become a trusted queer voice in the mainstream media, having had her work appear in The Guardian, VICE, i-D, Dazed and Refinery29, and more DIY publications like Polyester zine and HUCK. She’s spoken on various panels about LGBTQ issues, music and journalism. Daisy lives in Dalston.
Date: Friday 15 October, 7-8:30pm
Location: The Common Counter, Glass House, London (118 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6DG)
Cost: £10 (in-person), £5 (live-stream)
Sappho Events produces events for LGBTQIA+ women, trans and non-binary people to connect over common interests across the UK. More information at: www.sapphoevents.co.uk.