insideKENT Magazine Issue 53 - August 2016 | Page 24

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

Maggie Gee

Salena Godden

Jay Rayner

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:

The Margate Bookie Litfest
The Margate Bookie Litfest returns on 20th and 21st August 2016 with an amazing
selection of literary treats. Highlights include Emmy-winning comedy writer David Quantick;
former chair of the Royal Literary Society Maggie Gee; and Margate-born poet Salena
Godden. Events take place at iconic venues across Margate, including the glamorous Sands
Hotel, Turner Contemporary, Bernie’s Chocolate Bar and the uber-trendy Resort Studios.

FIND INSPIRATION
Jay Rayner delivers his Ten Food
Commandments explaining, amongst other
things, why thou shalt always eat with thy hands
and worship the humble pig.
Author of Stasi Child, David Young, will share
videos of real-life escapes and never-seen-before
pictures of the locations that inspired him to write
the chilling Cold War thriller. David’s talk is part
of the Bookie’s new Crimewave programme
which also features Thanet-born Sophia Tobin,
whose novel The Widow’s Confession is set in
1850’s Broadstairs.
Author of twelve novels, Maggie Gee will open
the Literary Lounge. Jude Cook and Samantha
Ellis (who read at last year’s Bookie) will be joined
by the likes of debut novelist Emma Claire
Sweeney (whose novel Owl Song at Dawn,
inspired by her autistic sister, was released on
29th June) and Amy Sackville, who teaches
creative writing at the University of Kent.

Sebastian Baczkiewicz – who has written more
than 40 plays for Radio 4 – will present a fun and
interactive session on getting into TV and radio
drama.
And there’s more. Budding writers can learn
about creating ‘flash fiction’ and be guided
through the process of writing a short story, meet
a publisher and find out what it takes to get a
book to print, and get a glimpse into the
fascinating world of literary translation.
ENCOURAGING YOUNG READERS
This year, a children’s storytelling morning has
been added to the Bookie line up. As well as a
reading of the Gruffalo, Sam Gayton, author of
Hercufleas, and Dosh Archer of Urgency
Emergency fame, will share their stories for
children.
While the kids are having fun, journalist and
author of four parenting books, Liat Hughes
Joshi, will share her tips on getting children to
turn off their gadgets and enjoy real life.

LEARN NEW SKILLS
For aspiring novelists and writers we are offering
a series of workshops and masterclasses during
the Bookie.
Screenwriter, author and all round funny guy,
Paul Dornan, is leading a masterclass on comic
writing. Paul’s special guest is Simon Nye, who
wrote Men Behaving Badly.

Andreas Loizou

Andreas Loizou on why he set up
Margate Bookie:
“As a kid growing up in Margate I had people
around me who encouraged me to read and
inspired me to write. I want children – and adults
– to still have that today. If the Bookie can help
children to find a love of books and keep reading
as they get o