Malini Stevenson recently read a section from Devilskein & Dearlove to a wrapt audience of (mostly) 11 year-olds and a couple of adults, at two events in South West London. Interesting questions were asked about having a bad-tempered, rude heroine; tattoos, crickets who speak Pashto, and comparisons made to Alice in Wonderland (all those locked doors). We couldn’t get a connection to South Africa, so instead of talking to Alex, we showed the animation. Not for the first time, we were asked whether there would be a full length film. Wouldn’t that be great?
Thanks to Andrea (Balham) and Heather (Tooting) for hosting us.
Two opportunities on the same day for tea with Mr Devilskein, the supergenarian companyman (aka Demon) with a need for a new heart…
Malini Stevenson is reading from Devilskein & DearloveAlex Smith‘s amazing reboot of The Secret Garden, set in Cape Town and featuring Demons, hidden gardens, a cricket who used to be a Chinese ambassador, and Erin Dearlove, possibly the grumpiest heroine in literature… but not without cause…
Catch the readings of the wildest young adult novel of the season at the following times and places:
Opportunity to buy (signed) copies of the book, and depending on the library’s policy (not checked yet – a job for Monday) we might be offering fresh baked scones…
Publication date is approaching fast. Which means we have started organising readings. A bit of a challenge with Alex being in South Africa – but does that stop us? No it does not!
You want a signed copy? No problem!
Alex is busy signing book-plates (based on Ed’s brilliant cover design) to be affixed lovingly to your copy, and we’ve got three actors as volunteer readers who can do South African accents, in Malini Stephenson, Peter Noble and Helen Belbin.
Our very first reading is actually the day before publication, at The Story Sessions: Youthful Tales on Wednesday 23rd July, in Hither Green (SE London).
Then we are reading at Balham and Tooting Libraries (SW London) on the same day, 7th August ,2.30 at Balham, 4.30 at Tooting.
Malini is covering those three.
A little later in the year, on 30th September, Peter will be reading for us at Albion Beatnik in Oxford. This is a departure for Albion Beatnik as they don’t stock Young Adult books as a rule – so come along and show Dennis there’s a market! We will be combining this reading with one for our forthcoming poetry anthology The Other Side of Sleep. Rumour has it tea will be served in between, highly appropriate for a book in which drinking tea with a demon changes lives for ever.
Exact timings tba.
If you like the sound of Devilskein & Dearlove and run a bookshop, library, reading group, museum or other suitable venue (a cafe, perhaps?) and would like us to come and read to you, please get in touch.
Publication date is approaching fast. Which means we have started organising readings. A bit of a challenge with 
