Young adult authors Holly Bourne (Am I Normal Yet? and How Hard Can Love Be?) and Eve Ainsworth (Crush) discuss the female friendships that have inspired them in books, film and TV; why they’ve chosen to write their own friendships, and why they believe positive depictions of female friendships are vital for young adult readers.
Holly and Eve will be in conversation with Dr Ginette Carpenter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at MMU whose research centres upon women’s writing, cultures of reading, feminist theory and gender representations. This is the perfect event to bring your friends along to and celebrate the power of your friendship!
Holly Bourne writes bestselling young adult novels. She is the author of Am I Normal Yet? which received wide-spread critical acclaim for her no-holds-barred portrayal of mental health, and the day-to-day struggles of teen life and love – all with a good dose of feminism. It has also features on the World Book Night 2016 book list. Holly’s latest novel – How Hard Can Love Be? is about love in all it’s weird, wonderful and painful forms. Love for your friends, love for your parents, love for a boy…
Eve Ainsworth has worked extensively in Child Protection and pastoral care roles, supporting teenagers with emotional and behavioural issues. Her debut novel Seven Days was released in 2015 and has been nominated for a string of awards including the Carnegie Medal. Her second novel, Crush, is out March 2016.
Holly and Eve’s books will be available to buy on the day