Private Rites: A Book Talk with Julia Armfield

Private Rites: A Book Talk with Julia Armfield

The super-talented author joins us in the shop to talk about her work

By First Draft Books

Date and time

Monday, June 23 · 6:30 - 8pm GMT+1

Location

First Draft Books

54 Fore Street Bovey Tracey TQ13 9AE United Kingdom

Agenda

6:30 PM

Doors Open

6:45 PM

Book Talk Begins

7:15 PM

Audience Q&A

7:30 PM

Book Signing & Mingling

8:00 PM

Doors Close

About this event

  • Event lasts 1 hour 30 minutes

Join us in the bookshop for an evening with the brilliant Julia Armfield to celebrate the paperback release of her chilling sisterly drama, Private Rites. We will explore this latest book, longlisted for the 2024 Climate Fiction Prize, as well as her other works and her life as a writer.

If you're already a fan of Julia's writing, you know that she writes evocative, slightly unsettling, deeply human stories that leave your head spinning and heart aching. Our Wives Under the Sea is one of this bookshop's favourite books ever!

Come enjoy this conversation, ask your questions of Julia and pick up a signed copy or two of her books. This is a free, but ticketed event. Please reserve your seat early to avoid disappointment.

About Julia

Julia Armfield is a fiction writer, living in London with her wife and cat. Her work has been published in Granta, The White Review and Best British Short Stories 2019 and 2021. In 2019, she was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year award. She was longlisted for the Deborah Rogers Award 2018, and won the White Review Short Story Prize 2018 and a Pushcart Prize in 2020. She is the author of salt slow, a collection of short stories, which was longlisted for the Polari Prize 2020 and the Edge Hill Prize 2020. Her debut novel, Our Wives Under The Sea, was shortlisted for the Foyles Fiction Book of the Year Award 2022 and won the Polari Prize 2023. Her second novel, Private Rites, was longlisted for the inaugural Climate Fiction Prize in 2024.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to reserve a seat in advance?

Yes, our space is limited so we do need you to let us know you're coming in advance. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee a seat on the night.

Do I need to purchase a book to attend?

Nope! You are welcome to come along and enjoy the conversation without buying a book. Though we hope, if you decide to buy a book, you do so through an independent bookstore. We appreciate your business!

How do I get to First Draft Books?

We're located at 54 Fore Street, inside Grace & Favour Home. Bus stops to / from Exeter and Newton Abbot are in the square outside the shop. Public parking lots are available within a two-minute walk from the shop on Mary Street & Abbey Road (free after 6pm).

With whom can I discuss accessibility needs?

Please reach out to Leslie at hello@firstdraftbooks.co.uk with any requirements. Note: the shop entrance has two steps up and is, unfortunately, not wheelchair accessible. Restrooms are available on the first floor up ~20 steps.

How do I reserve a copy of Julia's book(s)?

In the registration form, you can select all the books you'd like to reserve for pick-up at the night. First Draft Books also keeps a healthy stock of Julia's books that you can collect in advance of the evening as well.

Organized by

First Draft Books is an independent bookstore for curious readers of all ages in Bovey Tracey, South Devon. We are a place for curious locals and adventurous travelers to be bookish together.

FreeJun 23 · 6:30 PM GMT+1