Retold: Stories from the Other Side

Date - Friday 17th July      Location - Afrori Books       Doors Open - 6.30pm

Join us for an evening with two incredible authors as we look at what it's like to write about overlooked women, and the power of retelling stories. It's an event you won't want to miss. 

Elle Machray grew up in Birmingham to St Lucian and Scottish parents. After graduating from the HarperCollins Author Academy, their debut novel Remember, Remember was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Prize, judged by Hilary Mantel, and shortlisted for Scotland’s National Book Award – First Book of the Year. Elle has also featured on The List’s Top 100 influential people and won the Somewhere: For Us Culture Award. When she isn't hunched over a manuscript, you'll find Elle talking about books and history online, or exploring iconic literary locations across Europe and beyond. 

Havisham - Charlotte Havisham has a secret. She's been underestimated for too long: by her former fiancé, Compeyson; by her family; and by society. But now her true heart's desire is within reach for the first time.
And she will stop at nothing to get it. This is the story of Miss Havisham as you've never heard it before. And she will exceed all expectations.
A thrilling and immersive historical novel, Havisham is a queer feminist reimagining in which Dickens' most infamous female character tells her side of the story at last. 

E.S. McLeod is an author and podcaster. She has written two YA novels under the name Ella McLeod: Rapunzella, Or, Don’t Touch My Hair is a retelling of the Rapunzel story that explores themes of race, gender and coming of age. It was nominated for the prestigious Branford Boase Award and received rave reviews in Kirkus, the Irish Times, and the Guardian. Her second novel The Map That Led to You is a romance which interweaves pirate and Caribbean mermaid mythology, and was a Guardian Best Books Pick. Both were published by Scholastic in the UK and Yellow Jacket at Little Bee in the US.
Ella graduated first in class in English Literature with Theatre at Warwick University and also hosts the podcast Comfort Creatures. Andromeda is her first adult novel.

Andromeda - A myth rewritten. A name reclaimed. Blessed by the gods with unparalleled beauty, Andromeda lives a life of ease within her Aethiopian palace walls. The young princess has no concerns other than the royal expectations – until a single, fateful proclamation changes everything. When the queen defies the gods with blasphemy Poseidon, fearsome God of the Seas, delivers a deadly ultimatum that puts the queen’s life in Andromeda’s hands. Poseidon sends his loyal servant, the shape-shifting Ceto, to seal the princess’s fate. But Ceto is not just a servant. With a sharp tongue and hardened heart, she has little interest in the princess’s appearance or the god's games. Yet an undeniable tension begins to blooms, and both realise Andromeda’s beauty is not only a gift, but a weapon. As Poseidon’s judgement draws closer, the two find themselves pulled into something far more passionate – and dangerous – than either could have predicted...