The Dublin Book Festival is fast approaching, with an array of fantastic events, readings and interviews for you to enjoy.
Here’s the low down on the annual book fest:
What is it?
The Dublin Book Festival is one of Ireland’s most successful and vibrant book festivals, running since June 2006. The annual festival showcases, supports and develops Irish publishing. It is a celebration of Irish authors and publishers and is a not-to-be-missed event for those interested in writing.
When is it?
The Dublin Book Festival takes place from 2nd until 9th November, with Smock Alley Theatre as the festival hub.
What should I check out?
There are too many great events to mention, but here are just a few of the highlights taking place over the literary weekend.
Friday November 3rd
The Art of the Short Story
With Christine Dwyer Hickey, Martin Malone and Sean O’Reilly
In conversation with Paula Shields
National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street
1.00pm – 2.00pm November 3rd
“Sit in on this informative chat and come away with a fuller understanding and appreciation for the craft of short story writing. Author and playwright, Christine Dwyer Hickey introduces her eighth and latest novel The Lives of Women (Atlantic Books), an uncompromising portrayal of the suburbs and the cruelties brought about by the demands of respectability. Well-versed in the art of short story writing, Martin Malone’s newest collection of tales in This Cruel Station (Doire Press) explore what it is like to be Irish — and new Irish — in today’s society. Sean O’Reilly is the author of multiple books including the new collection Levitation (The Stinging Fly Press), an anthology of ten short stories. This engaging talk will be guided by Paula Shields, a top arts journalist and researcher for RTÉ.”
Saturday November 4th
Mindshift: Social Media for Writers
With Kirstie McDermott
Irish Writers Centre, Parnell Square
10.30am – 4.30pm November 4th
“Writers of all kinds use social media to attract an audience for their work and the importance of establishing an online presence has never been more vital. From the basics like having a website to the complex world of social media it’s in the writer’s best interest to be accessible for festival programmers and events curators as well as publishers and agents. How it can benefit your career has endless possibilities. Over this one-day course, discover the basics of starting your website and blog to using social channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn for promotion and discovery of your content. Getting your voice heard in today’s noisy online landscape, building your reputation using groups, smart promotional tactics along with case studies to learn from, plus practical tips, will also be included.”
Rick O’Shea Book Club
In conversation with Lisa Harding, Eoin Macken, Andrew Meehan and Stefanie Preissner
Main Theatre, Smock Alley Theatre
1.45pm – 3.00pm
Ticket cost €7/€5 concession
“Storytelling transcends many art forms – whether it is through the written word, the visual arts or the physical realm of acting. RTÉ presenter Rick O’Shea will engage four transmedia storytellers about their experiences working across multiple mediums during the current Golden Age of Television. Actress and playwright Lisa Harding’s debut novel Harvesting (New Island Books) tells the harrowing story of two teenage girls thrown together in a Dublin brothel. Andrew Meehan is a short-fiction writer, screenwriter and former Head of Development at the Irish Film Board. His first novel One Star Awake (New Island Books) is a fractured fairy tale, by turns heartbreaking and hilarious. Actor, filmmaker, model and author Eoin Macken will discuss his new novel Hunter and the Grape (Ward River Press), a touching tale tracing a young man’s obsessive journey to Los Angeles to track down his lost love. Stefanie Preissner is the creator of the comedy-drama series Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope, documentary How to Adult, best-selling one-woman theatre show Solpadeine Is My Boyfriend and author of Why Can’t Everything Just Stay the Same? (Hachette Books Ireland).”
Friday November 9th
Children’s Voices: Are We Listening?
With Orla Kenny and Victoria Ryle
In conversation with Martin Drury
The Ark, Temple Bar
10.30am-4.00pm
Free entry
“Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership, as part of its 20-Year anniversary celebrations, will host a 2-day sectoral event, in partnership with Dublin Book Festival and The Ark, exploring the value of publishing with children, and interrogating how we can support children to be seen and heard within our literature, culture and society. With the ambitious vision of current policy to reach all children through cultural tuition by 2022, Kids’ Own seeks to ask how we make space for quality and depth of engagement to support children as cultural makers and creators in their own right.
Through a series of presentations and discussions hosted by Kids’ Own Creative Director, Orla Kenny and Kids’ Own co-founder Victoria Ryle, the day will involve explorations and case studies of the Kids’ Own archive, followed by discussions involving a chaired panel of guest speakers, and focused conversations, where participants will be invited to explore and interrogate a series of questions, including:
– How do we make space for quality and depth of engagement to support children as cultural makers and creators in their own right?
– How do we recognise and give value to authentic arts practice with children and young people, alongside professional artists?
– How do we give visibility and credence to the work of children and amplify children’s voices within mainstream culture and literature?”
As you can see, there is plenty to see and do, and you can find a full list of events at Dublin Book Festival
We are very excited about the festival here at Selfpublishbooks.ie and will be sure to popping up to some of the events.
Don’t forget you can get in touch with us here about publishing your own book and next year you might just be one of the Book Launches at the festival.
