Editor Cherry Potts talks about Devilskein and Dearlove a young adult novel by Alex Smith, which was nominated for the Carnegie Medal on 2015. Includes Q&A with the author, animated trailer by Nick Page and a couple of readings by actors Greg Page and Peter Noble.
You can buy Devilskein and Dearlove from our Webshop. Use the discount code ARACHNEVERSARY at the checkout throughout August.
Video from our feast of food stories at the Brockley Deli as part of Brockley Max festival.
You may notice something about these videos, you may not… see below*
Snippets from the longer works, and the complete poems. Mostly the readers are the wonderful Gloria Sanders and Peter Noble, but the equally marvellous Joan Taylor-Rowan read her own story.
Peter reading from Devilskein & Dearlove by Alex Smith
Joan reading from Feeding Time
Gloria & Peter reading from Monsieur Fromage (Lovers’ Lies) by Rosalind Stopps (the full video is available on Youtube
Peter & Gloria reading from Christmas, Presents by Jason Jackson
Peter reading April is the Cruellest Month by Rob Walton
Gloria reading Laureate by Jennifer A McGowan
*A new experience for me, matching sound files to video – the aircon (or something) at the Brockley Deli interfered with the sound on the video so I had to use the recordings from my audio machine. Something of a challenge getting them in sync!
The Story Sessions are back – for a guest spot, maybe for good, depending… We are doing three events for BrockleyMAX. The first two are both on Saturday 30th May The Ladywell Gallery, (what used to be Misty Moon) behind The Ladywell Tavern 80 Ladywell Road SE13 7HS
Writing Workshop – Festival
The last of the readings before we hear whether we’ve been long-listed for the Carnegie Medal (announcement will be on Tuesday)…
Cape Town born Peter Noble takes up the Devilskein challenge, at Lewisham Library. Peter it turns out went (we think!) to the high school Erin is forced to attend, a little later into the book than this extract.
Press coverage of the reading at Brentwood Theatre (with slightly exaggerated audience number in the headline!!) Thanks to Chicken & Frog for organising!
Recording from an early section of the reading by Greg Page at Brentwood Theatre
Video snippet of Greg Page reading at The Gate Library, Forest Gate.
Arachne Press is doing another actor reading of our CARNEGIE MEDAL NOMINATED Young Adult novel, Devilskein & Dearlove this coming Thursday 5th Feb 7.45 for 8 til 9.30 at Lewisham Library 199-201 Lewisham High Street SE13 6LG.
It’s an intoxicating mix of gardens and demons, doors within doors, tragedy and hope. Great for anyone from age 9 to 900, and especially anyone who loves fantasy.
Join publisher Cherry Potts of Arachne Press and actor Peter Noble for the reading with video Q&A from the author Alex Smith, showing of the animated trailer and live Q&A from the publisher.
We will find out if we are LONGLISTED for the Carnegie Medal a couple of days later…
Free but booking advisable at EventBrite (this is purely to control numbers, don’t be put off coming by the need to get a ticket!)
Join us at Lewisham Library
199 201 Lewisham High Street
SE13 6LG
on Thursday 5 February from 20:00 to 21:30
Come and hear actor Peter Noble read from Alex Smith’s Carnegie Prize nominated tale of Erin Dearlove. From living grumpily with her bohemian Aunt Kate, Erin’s life changes when she goes to tea with Mr Devilskein, the demon who lives on the top floor. A fantastical story aimed primarily at 12-18 year olds, but in the tradition of former Carnegie medal winners Phillip Pullman, Terry Pratchett and CS Lewis entirely suitable fro anyone aged 9-900 and there is plenty for adult readers and listeners to savour.
This is a free event but please pre-book your tickets
Watch the YouTube trailer for Devilskein & Dearlove
We will have a novel Q&A on the night (like skype without the technical hiccups) – as Alex Smith lives in South Africa and isn’t able to be with us. We have asked people to get questions in early so that Alex can record her answers for the event.
Well, very nearly – do three dates constitute a tour?
We are doing readings of our CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominated young adult novel Devilskein & Dearlove by Alex Smith at:
Brentwood Theatre 15 Shenfield Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 8AG (in partnership with Chicken & Frog Bookshop)
Wednesday 21st January 2015 13:30, with Greg Page (who voices Mr Devilskein on our animated trailer) reading. We will show the trailer, together with a video of author Alex Smith answering questions from Cape Town, South Africa) and Cherry Potts, Arachne Press owner will talk a little about publishing.
£10 including a copy of the book
The Gate Library 6-8 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, London E7 0QH
Thursday22nd January 2015, 11am with Greg Page taking the reader’s role. We will show the trailer, together with a video of author Alex Smith answering questions from Cape Town, South Africa) Free.
Lewisham Library, 199-201 Lewisham High Street SE13 6LG
Thursday 5th February 2015 8pm with Peter Noble reading. Free.
We have actors to read because author Alex Smith is in South Africa. We have tried doing live video link-ups but there are too many variables, and it tends not to work, so we are doing some filming in advance, and we need your questions!
If you are coming to any of these events (or even if you aren’t) and would like to ask Alex a question, please use the form below, or tweet us at @Devilskein, BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Then Alex will record her answers and we can play them at the events, and put the video up on the website afterwards. (At the moment this will only happen at Brentwood Theatre, but we will see whether the libraries have the facilities to do the same.)
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.
We had a capacity crowd at Review bookshop for our PLF event: here are some videos of the readings and an audio file of the Q&A.
Rhik Samadder reading David Bausor‘s O Happy Day: from London Lies, a tale of weddings, street parties and sausages.
Nicky Diss reading Rosalind Stopps‘ How to Survive the Olympics with a Broken Heart from Lovers’ Lies
and Peter Noble (who stepped in at the 11th hour for which we are VERY grateful) reading Alan Graham‘s Zwo from Weird Lies, a stroy of alienation and B-movies.
The Q&A features all the authors plus Cherry Potts and Katy Darby – editors of the anthologies, talking about writing for Liars’ League, having stories read aloud, arguing, editing, Liars’ League attempts to take over the world, and our massive ignorance on the short story scene in Canada!
Thanks to all our readers, authors, audience and especially Evie Wyld (who didn’t even get to hear the stories apart from the monster roars through the floor) and Review Bookshop for hosting.
