Repping the Rainbow & Writing with Pride
Hosted by Global Wordsmiths
Thursday 31 October
Broadway
6-7pm
We’re bringing together a diverse group of LGBTQ+ writers to explore the vibrant spectrum of queer storytelling. The panel aims to celebrate the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community while addressing the complexities of writing with pride. The authors will delve into the unique challenges and triumphs of representing LGBTQ+ identities in literature, focusing on the importance of authentic voices in creating narratives that resonate across communities. By sharing experiences and strategies, the panelists will inspire others to embrace their identities and contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of queer literature.
The authors are: Simon Smalley, Jo Fletcher, JP Preston, Victoria Villaseñor and Nicci Robinson.
Simon Smalley
Born in tough, working-class Nottingham in the 1960s, and consumed with an obsessive desire for glamour, music, and literature, Simon Smalley has led an unconventional life. His dream of becoming a published author was fulfilled with his debut volume of memoirs, That Boy of Yours Wants Looking At.
JP Preston
JP Preston lives in England with a long suffering wife and kids. She like Algerian coffee, Syrian hamsters, cold cider, and books. Audible is her best friend, but music is her lifelong lover. She's prone to staring into space, blinking and sometimes mouthing words while she dreams up characters and plot twists. Sharing the products of this malady seemed like a better option than ignoring it, so here she is.
Jo Fletcher
Jo Fletcher is a passionate, queer reader turned sapphic romance author who lives with her wife and son in the heart of England. Inspired by the real life stories of authentic women, Jo paints compelling portraits of relationships that end in happily ever afters.
Victoria Villaseñor
Victoria Villaseñor and her wife run a writing consultancy in the UK and travel as often as humanly possible, creating stories as they roam. She has an MA in creative writing with specialties in the classics and women’s studies, and still adores teaching even after nearly twenty years in the publishing industry.
Nicci Robinson
Nicci Robinson lives in England but enjoys traveling all over the world in search of writerly inspiration. She loves to create complex characters to weave into stories exploring the darker side of human nature in the hope that we might cultivate the light, and she adores working with other writers to help them achieve their authory dreams. She lives in the UK with her author and editor wife, where they play with other people's words all day, every day.