In late March, I got an email from a hero of mine.
Kit de Waal was a guest on Stranger Than Fiction back in February last year. An award-winning fiction writer, outspoken champion of diversity in the arts and FutureBook Person of the Year 2019, she is known in the book trade for making important shit happen, fast.
"I’ve been reading on social media and elsewhere about the hardship caused to many writers and literary festivals over cancellations of events," Kit wrote. "So many artists and authors (and others) depend on festivals for promotion, book sales, interaction, networking and visibility." She wanted, she continued, to create "a virtual literary festival online with capacity for say 200 - 500 audience." Would I help?
"But can you keep it to yourself for now?" she finished. "It may come to nothing and just end up being one of those nice ideas that has no teeth and no future."
Seven weeks on, and we're knee-deep in finishing touches for the Big Book Weekend: a free three-day virtual book festival supported by BBC Arts and Arts Council England, broadcast online next weekend (8th-10th May). With huge names like Neil Gaiman, Marian Keyes, Sir Tim Rice, Maggie O'Farrell and Bernadine Evaristo rubbing shoulders with rising stars and unknown debuts, it showcases the best of the cancelled UK lit fests, in a big fat joyful celebration aiming to encourage people of all backgrounds and tastes to read more books, talk more about books and realise that book festivals are for everyone.
And it has all come about because a whole bunch of people from across all four nations, most of whom have never met, have poured their time and passion into turning a nice idea with no teeth into a great beautiful chomping book beast, just because they believe in the value of stories to help people survive shitty times.
That's the power of books.
I very much hope you’ll join us. Check out the full programme here, then sign up here ready to watch.
📚🎙🙌