THE DIARY

SU CARROLL recommends the best events across the county this month

- SU CARROLL

LITERATURE

QUAY WORDS

Quay Words in Exeter is determined not to let the pandemic get in the way of celebrating words and stories this autumn. Their festival of writing is going ahead, although not as originally planned by Literature Works and the Exeter Canal and Quay Trust.

Bestselling Westcountry author Patrick Gale will be the writerin-residence for Quay Words Autumn 2020 which has the theme Wellbeing and is at the heart of Exeter’s UNESCO City of Literature programme.

Patrick, artistic director of the North Cornwall Book Festival, lives on a farm at Land’s End and has written 12 novels, including his latest Take Nothing With You. He will host a series of events, in person at Exeter’s Custom House and online.

He says he’s looking forward to Quay Words.

“I’m thrilled at the prospect of being writer-in-residence in such a stunning and atmospheric old building as the Custom House and of helping put together a series of public events there around the theme of Wellbeing,” he says. “Now more than ever we need the healing power of reading and writing and I’m looking forward to roping in some old friends to help me spread the word.”

At an author event on 11 November, Patrick will look at how mental health runs as a theme through his writing and on 18 November he will be joined by novelist and psychotherapist Salley Vickers for a discussion on writing, creativity and therapy.

During his residency, Patrick will also engage with six emerging writers who will read their work alongside him at Quay Voices on 2 December. There are also writing masterclasses and workshops as part of the short festival.