Voices of Birmingham / Literature and place literary roundtable

Hosted by Professor Gregory Leadbetter, Professor of Poetry, BCU

Discussing notions of voice, region and place, their values and roles in writing, and their pressures or limitations, with some focus on experiences and advice that would benefit new and emerging writers.

Join our panel of experts to discuss notions of voice, region and place, their values and roles in writing, and their pressures or limitations, with some focus on experiences and advice that would benefit new and emerging writers.

Location: Parkside Building Room P036+ Studio A, 5 Cardigan Street, Birmingham B4 7BD United Kingdom

Panel

Bali Rai (Author of Children’s and Young Adult Fiction)
Multiple award-winning author, Bali Rai, has written over fifty young adult, teen and children's books. His culturally diverse writing often pushes boundaries and tackles a variety of themes. Extremely popular in schools across the world, he is passionate about the promotion of literacy and reading for pleasure, and the need for greater diversity both in literature, and in teaching history. His first novel, (un)arranged marriage, was published in 2001. He is currently working on two new projects and his latest title, The Royal Rebel, is out now. 

Habiba Desai (Founder of Fox and Windmill Independent Publisher) 
Habiba Desai is the co-founder and publishing and partnerships director of Fox & Windmill Books, an independent publisher for British South Asian writers. She has a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Huddersfield. Habiba has worked in various sectors of the literary industry from the Bradford Literature Festival, Waterstones and Penguin Random House. She currently sits on the Northern Advisory Board for First Story.

Osman Yousefzada (Writer and Artist, Author of ‘The Go-Between’)
Osman Yousefzada, born in Birmingham to migrant parents who were illiterate in both English and their native language, is a celebrated artist and writer. He studied at SOAS, Central Saint Martins, and holds an MPhil from Cambridge University. His work in sculpture, moving image, and textile installations has been showcased internationally at venues like the Whitechapel Gallery, MCA Sydney, and the V&A. As a designer, he has dressed stars such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Emma Watson. Osman edits The Collective and has written for Vogue, The Guardian, and The Observer. His book, The Go-Between, was longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize in 2022.