Brixton BookJam with be returning on Monday 6 May to the Hootananny with a smashing new line-up. The BookJam is a free quarterly literary event that is unpredictable, eclectic, and curates the very best in South London writing. Kick off is at 8pm.
From A-listers to talented unknowns, authors are encouraged in the time to choose their best bits to grab the audience’s attention.
Twelve invited writers and book-people are each given five minutes to either read from their work or talk about a book-related subject that interests them. They will be around at the end to answer any questions about books and book-nature.
In between there will be food, drink, conversation, pitches and signings, and at least one really good argument about typefaces.
While entrance is free they’d really appreciate it if you bought some books. The books for sale are from the authors performing, so when you hear something you love the full story isn’t far away. All of the money goes to the writers.
There are also more details at brixtonbookjam.com
Or email info@brixtonbookjam.com if you’d like to read at, or propose a reader for, one of their future events.
Brixton BookJam takes place at: The Hootananny, 95 Effra Road, Brixton, London SW2 1DF. Kick-off is 8pm
This time around you’ll be hearing from: Joshua Idehen, Jim Bob, Greg Chivers, Naomi Foyle, Ian Maleney, Hanna Jameson, Emma Grae, Maximilian Hawker, Will Eaves, Mark Bowsher, Zelda Rhiando and Gaar Adams …presented by crack librarian Glenda Read. There’s more about each writer and their work below.
Joshua Idehen is a mercurial poet, spoken word genius and leader of ‘fro-funk band Benin City and founded renowned poetry/music magazine Poejazzi. As a poet, he has performed at most major festivals, appeared in anthologies alongside Linton Kwesi Johnson. @BeninCitizen
As singer with Carter USM Jim Bob had a number one album and headlined Glastonbury. 
Jim has written four novels –‘Storage Stories’, ‘Driving Jarvis Ham’, ‘The Extra Ordinary Life of Frank Derrick’ and ‘Frank Derrick’s Holiday of a Lifetime’ (as J.B. Morrison). Jim’s memoir ‘Goodnight Jim Bob’ was published in 2004. The sequel ‘Jim Bob from Carter – In the Shadow of My Former Self’ was published in March 2019. @mrjimBob
Greg Chivers is a writer and television producer. He’s a Brixton native and for most of the last twenty years he’s been making documentaries about science and history for US cable TV networks. The Crying Machine is his first novel. @defnotscifi
Naomi Foyle is an award-winning poet, SF novelist, verse dramatist and essayist. Her 
poetry collections include The Night Pavilion, a 2008 PBS Recommendation, The World Cup and the forthcoming Adamantine, which contains poems about women warriors, Palestine and her 2016 cancer treatment. @naomifoyle
Ian Maleney is a writer based in Dublin, Ireland. Born and raised in the Irish midlands, he works as a freelance arts journalist in print and audio, and as the online editor at The Stinging Fly. His debut essay collection, Minor Monuments, was published by Tramp Press in March 2019. @ianmaleney
Hanna Jameson wrote her first book at the age of seventeen. She has worked for the
NHS and travelled the USA, Japan and Europe.
The Last is her first novel for Penguin, and she wrote her first book, which was shortlisted for a CWA Dagger Award, at the age of seventeen @Hanna_Jameson
Emma Grae is a writer and journalist from Glasgow who currently works as a journalist and editor at the London-based media house Jungle Creations. She finished the manuscript for her first novel, ‘be guid tae yer mammy’, in March 2018, and it was selected for publication by Unbound in January 2019.
Maximilian Hawker has been a sufferer of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) since he
was a child and explores the diagnosis in his latest venture, Rory Hobble and the Voyage to Haligogen, a sci-fi children’s book currently crowdfunding with Unbound. In April 2018, his debut novel, Breaking The Foals, was published. @MaxHawker
Will Eaves is a poet and novelist. His most recent novel, Murmur (CB Editions), has also been shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize, and is the joint winner, with Lucia, by Alex Pheby, of the Republic of Consciousness Prize for Fiction 2019. @WillEaves
Zelda Rhiando lives and works in Brixton, and has written two novels (Caposcripti and A
Fistful of Cherries).
When she’s not writing she makes digital things and runs after her kids. She will be reading from her third book, Good Morning Mr Magpie. @badzelda
Mark Bowsher was born in Gravesend but has since moved to London to make films professionally. His first three shorts won Best Short awards at festivals in the UK and the US and gained praise from the Huffington Post and the BFI. The Boy Who Stole Time is his first novel.
Gaar Adams is an American writer and longform journalist. After a decade in the Middle
East, Gaar recently relocated to Brixton where he is completing a nonfiction book on queerness and migration. @gaaradams
