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RLF Writers’ News: February 2026

Publishing

Ian Seed’s latest collection of poetry, Forgetfulness, has been published by Shearsman Press, following a launch reading at Swedenborg Hall, London.

Described as “a tragicomic navigation of different forms of loss, Forgetfulness moves from the allegorical to the abstract lyric, through to the surreal-absurd, and finally to a series of splintered memories. It is a collection which seeks to re-construct and re-inhabit the past through the truths of imagination and fiction.”

Jim Beckett’s second book in his Buzz Sausage Wolf series of children’s books, Buzz Sausage Wolf and the Smelly Cat, has been published by Hachette.

Buzz Sausage Wolf has a new neighbour – but it’s a CAT, and everyone knows, cats and dogs are NEVER friends…

This silly full-colour illustrated story about making friends is ideal for newly independent readers moving on from picture books.

Sanjida O’Connell’s short thriller Meat, written as Sanjida Kay, is being published in The Monster, Capital, edited by Ra Page and David Sue at Comma Press, on 26 February.

The story follows artist Lily, who is about to stage her first solo show in her husband Lars’s gallery. Determined to succeed, she decides to incorporate lab-grown meat from Lars’s company WildHeart into her exhibition, constructing living memento mori sculptures. But as the opening approaches, Lily begins to understand the true consequences of her decision and uncovers the dark secrets her husband has been hiding. 

Wren James has sold the rights to their new YA graphic novel, The Victors.

Featuring art by Beth Fuller, it follows a former superhero and his ex-nemesis as they navigate life as university flatmates in a magical city.  

The Victors has been acquired by Walker Books and will be published in May.

More info here.

Events

On 10 February, WritersMosaic will be live at the Conduit Club in London as part of their Poets on Film series, created in partnership with the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation.

Poets Anthony Anaxagorou and Marjorie Lotfi will perform their poems and discuss the films, alongside filmmakers Rob Akin and Savannah Acquah.

WritersMosaic Director Colin Grant will chair the discussion, which will also feature screenings of the films from poets Jason Allen Paisant and Jo Clement.

More information here.

Maisie Chan, whose most recent book Nate Yu’s Blast From the Past was released in June 2025, will be celebrating Lunar New Year with a family event at Waterstones Liverpool on 21 February.

Activities include creating a lantern, and writing riddles for the Lantern Festival. Tickets are free, but spaces are limited.

For more information and to book tickets, visit the Waterstones website.

As part of the 2026 National Year of Reading campaign, Maisie Chan has also been appointed the Inverclyde Storyteller in Residence.

She will visit all 20 primary schools in Inverclyde to promote reading for pleasure, sharing stories about her author journey and delivering free resources for libraries and schools to encourage reading.

More information here.

Collected: Live 

This month’s Collected: Live panel events include:

• Inspired to Write: Conversations with Writers from the Royal Literary Fund with writers Harry Man, Christy Ducker and Bob Beagrie at Middlesbrough Library on 7 February. Tickets here.
• Writers Love Libraries with panelists Leila Rasheed (chair), Maeve Clarke and Ashok Patel at Hall Green Library in Birmingham on 14 February. Details here.
• RLF Writers Celebrate National Year of Reading with panelists Zoë Howe, Dave Swann and Sophie Duffy at Liverpool Central Library on 27 February. Tickets here.

Faversham Literary Festival 

A number of RLF writers will be appearing at Faversham Literary Festival (20 February – 1 March), including:

• RLF Fellow Andrew Miller, whose recent novel The Land In Winter was shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize and won the 2025 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. He will be speaking with Daniel Hahn on 20 February. Tickets here.
• JB Priestley Award recipient Adam Weymouth, whose book Lone Wolf retraces the steps of a young wolf named Slavc on an extraordinary thousand-mile journey from Slovenia through the Alp. He will be talking with Carol Donaldson on 22 February. Tickets here.
• RLF Fellow Francis Spufford will be talking to Claire Armitstead about his new novel set in London in 1939, a blend of speculative history and literary adventure with the city on the brink of catastrophic war on 28 February. Tickets here.
• JB Priestley Award recipient and multi-award winning novelist Ali Smith will be talking about her new book, Glyph, with Claire Armitstead on 28 February. Tickets here.

Productions

Babs Horton’s play In The Lady Garden is continuing its 2026 tour, following sold out shows at the Yvonne Arnaud and Nottingham Playhouse.

A bold and powerful show that raises topics rarely discussed in theatre including what it was like growing up as a girl in the 50s and 60s, the menopause and the invisibility of older women, In The Lady Garden is directed by Deborah Edgington with details of future performances on her website.

More information here. 

Jonathan Tulloch’s novel The Season Ticket, which became the cult film Purely Belter, has been adapted into the hit play Gerry & Sewell. The play follows friends Gerry and Sewell, who are on a mission to secure a season ticket to their beloved football club, Newcastle United.

Directed by Olivier Award-winner Jamie Eastlake, the show has just finished a very well-reviewed limited West End run at London’s Aldwych Theatre, after sell-out performances across the North East. Gerry & Sewell will be back at Newcastle Theatre Royal later in the year – details here.

Awards

Penny Boxall’s debut children’s novel, Letty and the Mystery of the Golden Thread has been longlisted for the Branford Boase Award.

Set up in memory of award-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase, one of the founders of Walker Books, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author and editor of the year’s outstanding debut novel for children. The Branford Boase Award is the only award to honour the editor of the winning book, highlighting the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. 

More information here.

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