Portsmouth BookFest is back in real life. Where is it hosted? When is it on? Which authors will be there?

But for authors the woes of the pandemic have meant for some, inspiration has been lacking.

Gone were the times writers could freely meet a mate in a pub to bounce off each others ideas about an extract from their latest piece, or the mundaneness of sitting in a cafe, gazing idly out of the window to watch as passers-by stride down the street waiting for the next big idea to pop into their head.

Back then, the norm was snatched from our grasp.

And last year, Portsmouth’s annual literary festival moved online with most events taking place via Zoom.

But now in its 10th year, Portsmouth BookFest is back for a host of face-to-face events and there’s a shared feeling of relief and excitement of what’s to come for authors and bookworms.

Jointly organised by Hayling Island Bookshop and Portsmouth City Library Service, Bookfest runs from February 21 to March 13.

Events are aimed at all ages and interests from creative writing workshops, talks by successful authors and even a workshop on writing for procrastinators run by novelist and teacher, Will Sutton.

What’s more, the venues are spread across central Portsmouth so visitors can pop in and out to whichever activity suits them.

From Southsea Library, Portsmouth Central Library, Cumberland House Natural History Museum and the University of Portsmouth’s Eldon Building the hubbub of artistic wisdom will echo around the city.

Cllr Ben Dowling, the cabinet member for culture at the city council said: ‘BookFest is back with a fantastic programme of activities and speakers. There’s something for everyone whatever your literary or writing tastes or talent.’

One of the most anticipated authors this year is commentator and lawyer Mohsin Zaidi who will talk about his award-winning memoir via Zoom on March 3. He’s the author of A Dutiful Boy, a coming-of-age tale on growing up in a gay Muslim household in Britain.

In 2021, it was awarded the Lambda Literary Award (which recognises the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world) for gay memoir and biography.

Other speakers include shadow foreign secretary David Lammy who will talk about his life and book Tribes at University of Portsmouth on March 4. Loree Westron, an academic mentor and American author from Portsmouth, will be involved in three workshops.

Her book Missing Words was published in August but she missed out on the ‘live in-person launch’ she longed for. ‘A lot of writers who’ve published books in the last couple of years haven't been able to hold a launch, like a live in-person launch with people and that was my case.’ Instead, Loree settled for a virtual one, which just wasn’t the same.

Now, at her first BookFest as a speaker, she will read from her books and answer questions from those who have read Missing Words.

‘It's one of those things most of us don't get to do in our ordinary daily life. I think most writers like the opportunity to talk about their own work so I think it will be exciting,’ she says.

‘You would think [lockdown] would be quite a good time to write and be creative. I was furloughed from one of my jobs for quite a few months during the first lockdown so I did have a lot of time at home and for me it was helpful.

‘But in talking to other writers, many people found it difficult to be creative and not to be out in the world so much and being able to feed your imagination by being among other people and doing normal things.’

Will Sutton, the creator of the Victorian detective Inspector Lawless, will host an editing club on Zoom for people with an ongoing piece of writing. His team of novelists will edit it to a standard that could be sent to a publisher. For the procrastinators’ workshop one of the two sessions will be in person. ‘I can’t wait to actually see human beings,’ he says.

‘Zoom's got breakout rooms but it's not the same as telling people “can you have a look at this?” Or “I've got this idea!”’

Will has three Victorian novels set in the capital. ‘They're the untold stories of London’s underclasses. The urchins and the sex workers and the immigrants. I’m going to talk about it in a pub tomorrow evening with someone from my editing club and I thought, “oh my goodness, I haven't done that for ages!”’

For Loree, Bookfest puts Portsmouth on the modern literary map. ‘We've got a rich literary tradition here going back to Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There have been many other writers coming out of the Portsmouth area.

‘Bookfest is a way of spreading that history and showing Portsmouth isn't just a working class community. It is a literary community in its own right and it should be celebrated.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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