A Family Affair: Yvvette Edwards & Ashley Hickson-Lovence
In this warm, open conversation, novelists Yvvette Edwards and Ashley Hickson-Lovence come together to share insights into the beating heart of their latest novels.
Family trees are a kaleidoscope of personalities and perspectives, of dreams and disappointments, hope and heartbreak.
In this warm, open conversation, novelists Yvvette Edwards and Ashley Hickson-Lovence come together to share insights into the beating heart of their latest novels.
About to Fall Apart by Ashley Hickson-Lovence
Set over one weekend in the life of a sixty-six year-old man, About to Fall Apart is a thrilling kaleidoscope of thoughts, failures, disappointments and hope.
Aidy’s just punched a co-worker, but he hasn’t got time to deal with the fallout. With a deadline fast looming he must get home, knuckle down and finish the story he’s been working on, a story he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about. It’s the story of a falling plane and of a grieving mother.
Set across one weekend, About to Fall Apart is the exhilarating story of a man of mixed heritage — living on the Irish border — as he tries to stay positive, reconnect with his children and maybe, even, find his own birth mother.
Poignant and tender.
Good Good Loving by Yvvette Edwards
The warm, funny and vibrant story of a multi-generational British-Caribbean family across five decades.
Ellen’s beloved, beautiful, complicated family are gathered around her hospital bed as she prepares to slip away, and boy, is she ready. You’d think she could finally get some peace and quiet, but instead her children have chosen now of all times to have a never-ending discussion about her failings. Every single tiny thing they think she’s done wrong over the years — and the one big thing too. After all the sacrifices Ellen has made for every last ungrateful one of them, they still take their father’s side. If only they knew the whole story.
Full of big personalities, big mistakes, burning love and quiet heartbreak, Good Good Loving moves backwards in time through some of the most dramatic turning points in the life of Ellen and her family. Their story is as devastating as it is joyous.
A powerhouse writer. Every Yvvette Edwards book makes me excited. The rich psychological tapestries she creates for her characters are second to none.
Yvvette Edwards is a British East Londoner of Montserratian origin and author of two novels, A Cupboard Full of Coats and The Mother. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and broadcast on radio. Her work has been nominated for a number of literary awards including the Booker Prize.
Ashley Hickson-Lovence was born in London in 1991 and is a former secondary school English teacher. He earned his PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at the University of East Anglia. He has lectured English and Creative Writing at Brunel University, Arts University Bournemouth, University of East Anglia and the University of Suffolk. He is the author of the poetry collection Why I Am Not a Bus Driver, the acclaimed novels The 392 and Your Show, and the 2024 prize-winning YA novel in verse Wild East.
Image: Yvvette Edwards © Ella Edwards
Explore more events
A Celebration of New East Anglian Writing
Join us for a celebratory evening showcasing the brilliant writers, books, publishers, and bookshops of the East of England.
Thursday 12 February
No Filters: Communication and Connection with Rowan Egberongbe & Christie Watson
Wednesday 18 February
Who Wants to Live Forever? Hanna Thomas Uose & Simon Watt
Join speculative fiction author Hanna Thomas Uose and biologist-writer Simon Watt as they tackle the question of immortality.
Thursday 19 February