Happy International Women’s Day!
From debut authors through to prize-winning artists, let’s take a look at some of the bad-ass women making waves this year across the books, arts and culture scene…
Literary queens and influential female voices to follow
Dalvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra by Laura Galloway is a heart rending memoir of Laura’s time in a reindeer-herding village in the Arctic, forging a solitary existence as she struggled to learn the language and make her way in a remote community for which there were no guide books or manuals for how to fit in. Her time in the North opened her to a new world.
Available now in bookstores and online!
Follow on @LauraGalloway
How to kill your best friend by Lexie Elliott is the latest crime thriller novel from the author of The French Girl, that follows a group of friends trapped on an island resort following the mysterious death of one of their friends. Full of secrets, suspense, and deadly twists, this novel will make you look at your best friends in a completely different way.
The paper-back edition comes out July 2022 in the UK. How to kill your best friend is currently available in hard-back in bookstores and online.
Follow on @elliott_lexie
Tell me your lies by Kate Ruby is a debut novel that tells a tale of rivalry, manipulation and revenge. The story follows Lily Appleby, who will do anything to protect the people she loves. She’s made ruthless choices to make sure their secrets stay buried, and she’s not going to stop now.
Tell me your lies will be available to purchase and read on 28th April 2022.
Follow on @katerubybooks
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell is the new book from the best-selling author of Hamnet. The historical fiction novel follows a younger duchess Lucrezia de Medici, who after the untimely death of her older sister the night before her wedding, is forced to become bride to the ruler of Ferrara, Modena, and Regio.
You can read an exclusive excerpt of the book in EW.com. The Marriage Portrait will be out 6 September 2022.
A Poet for… anthology poetry series by Ali Esri curates poems for every moment, season and special holiday, with familiar favorites and new discoveries.
You can purchase any of the series in bookstores and online via Allie’s website.
Follow on @AllieEsiri
Animal by Lisa Taddeo is the hugely anticipated, compulsive thriller from the brilliant, brazen, daring, sexy mind of the writer behind Three Women, the book that changed how we think about desire. Animal opens with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head of an unrequited lover and becomes a road-trip to California, centering on a woman who is driven to extremes by the violence of her past.
Animal is available to purchase in bookstores and online.
Follow on @lisadtaddeo
Paola Diana returns with the latest series of her YouTube show and podcast, Unleashed: The Game Changers, available to stream on all platforms.
Paola is a successful female entrepreneur, political activist and single mum, renowned for digging beneath the surface to uncover what constitutes a patriarchal society. Paola is particularly focused in helping victims of domestic violence and abuse, and campaigning for better policies that could help prevent these types of crimes still widespread in our societies.
Follow on @paoladiana
We urge you to listen back to The Culture Shot’s inspiring episode with Lola Shoneyin (@lolashoneyin), founder and director of Ake Festival. The Culture Shot podcast is your regular shot of what’s new and noteworthy in the world of culture. Host Ben Monro-Davies (@benm_d) spoke to Lola last year about why the world needs a festival devoted to African and African Diaspora voices now more than ever.
Listen to the episode here
Follow on @akefestival
Women dominating prizes and events
Swansea University’s Dylan Thomas Prize announced the 2022 longlist, celebrating female voices from around the world including: interdisciplinary London artist Tice Cin (@ticecin), American novelist Patricia Lockwood (@TriciaLockwood), American writer Dantiel W. Moniz (@dantielwmoniz), British writer Fiona Mozley (@fjmoz), Irish literature Megan Nolan, and British-born Prague-based Helen Oyeyemi.
In addition to the writers, there are two female poets up for the £20,000 Prize including American poet Desiree Bailey @DesireeCBailey) and Indian-born Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe (@AriaEipe).
Head to the website to find out more about this year’s longlist and follow on @dylanthomprize.
Bookshop.org celebrates the Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist with free shipping. The book-buying website that supports independent bookshops, will be doing free shipping on all longlisted titles – from the moment of the announcement through to Sunday 13th March.
Find out more by visiting the website and following on @bookshop_org_UK
The London Book Fair – the global marketplace for story creators, publishers and deal makers – returns to Olympia, London for the first physical Fair since 2019, reuniting the publishing community for three days of business, networking, and learning. Many inspiring women feature in the programme from authors, illustrators to industry leaders, including Maggie O’Farrell, Afra Atiq, Diane Ewen, Milly Johnson, Louise Candlish, Lizzie Damilola, Natasha Carthew, Chrissy Ryan/BookBar, Sam Missingham/The Empowered Author and more, check out full programme here.
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