Northern Young Adult Literature Festival, hosted by UCLan, was a roaring success with more than 1,000 visitors.
AdvertisementWith the event being the first of its kind, literary fans visited the University’s Preston Campus to celebrate the best young adult books and authors around.
Aspiring writers had the chance to meet critically acclaimed and international best-selling novelists, helping them delve into the publishing industry.
UCLan’s BA (Hons) Publishing team organised the free event, in partnership with Waterstones Preston and Lancashire Libraries.
A panel discussion took place on the day with Danny Weston, Teri Terry and debut author Anna Day explaining how to get work published.
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Katherine Webber, Annabel Pitcher, Lauren James and debut author Matt Killeen spoke about feminism in young adult literature.
Various ‘in conversation’ events took place with bestselling author Alwyn Hamilton and US mega star, Holly Black, being interviewed on stage by Samantha Shannon.
Organiser Hazel Holmes said: “We’re completely overwhelmed with the response.
“The excitement building up to the event was great, but then afterwards was another level.
“The fact that it was free was a big deal as it enabled a lot of children from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend.
“We had support from publishers too, they sent us merchandise and proofs that we are able to give away for free, there were lots of happy fans.”
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Author Alwyn Hamilton said: “As someone who travels frequently for book events I have noticed that my travels often miss the north of England, skipping straight from the Midlands to Edinburgh.
“And, from speaking to readers at NYA Litfest, it was evident I am not the only author this applies to.
“Readers were so enthusiastic about having a festival that was within an hour of their homes, and that they did not have to travel for, and I loved getting to chat to readers I would otherwise never get to meet.”
Discussions are already taking place about making the Northern Young Adult Literature Festival an annual event.
Did you attend the literary festival? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below