[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-emirates-festival-of-literature-dubai-2023":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Where to start, describing the most EPIC week I had at the \u003Ca href=\"https://emirateslitfest.com/\">Emirates Festival of Liberature\u003C/a> in Dubai? \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1194876_original-a36aaec9e9.jpg\" width=\"550\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by a member of the Emirates Lit Fest team: me, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/RobBiddulph\">Rob Biddulph\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/aoliverjourno\">Ally Oliver\u003C/a>, CEO of the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.elfdubai.org/en/home\">Emirates Literature Foundation\u003C/a> Isobel Abulhoul, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thesolitarybee/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/CarmelRosato\">Carmel Rosato\u003C/a>\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nThis year marked the fifteenth year of the festival, so everything was even a bit \u003Ci>more\u003C/i> fabulous than I'd seen in my two previous visits (\u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.livejournal.com/625071.html\">in 2014\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.livejournal.com/772069.html\">in 2017\u003C/a>). The theme was '\u003Cb>Old Friends\u003C/b>', which felt right, because I'd missed seeing people from those past visits and it was wonderful to catch up. I've just caught sight of the festival's official photos and here's one they snapped of Emirati illustrator \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/maithaalkhayat/\">Maitha Al-Khayat\u003C/a> (from Ras Al Khaimah) and me, seeing each other for the first time since we'd done the most rollicking pirate event together in 2017 and had such a good laugh, way back before Covid and lockdown and not getting to see people and catch up. Even that by itself gave any extra element of joy to the whole experience. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1208411_original-de5501c9e0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by the Emirates Lit Fest team, dress by \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/estherblessed/\">Esther Blessed\u003C/a>\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nOn the first evening, all the authors, translators, illustrators, performers and team went out to the sands for the 'Desert Stanzas', which was magnificent. (I don't usually get to ride a camel into events.)\\r\n \\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1196284_original-1fe9478c7c.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by Philip Reeve\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for LOTS more under the cut!-->\\r\n(...Or hold a falcon, for that matter.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1196424_original-fdc4495aa4.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by Philip Reeve\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nWhen I was little, I was obsessed with the desert and Arabian horses. I read every single Black Stallion book, and every second-hand copy of \u003Ci>Arabian Horse World\u003C/i> magazine that I could get my hands on. I'd stick the magazine pictures to bits of cereal-box cardboard, cut them out, and stable them in a 'Hickory Farm' barn box my mother found for me. (Since the horses were practically 2-D and very slender, I could fit hundreds of horses into my stable, with a little section cordoned off as the tack room.)  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1196619_original-b5dd24ad70.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nSo being able to visit the desert as an author and illustrator was very much like stepping into a story, it gave me goosebumps. This blog is going to be long, but that's really for me, because I'm so glad I blogged on previous trips; I've gone back to look at those blog posts many times to relive the adventures. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1208681_original-e2a06ac328.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by the Emirates Lit Fest team\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nThis was the view from my desert sofa, where we all got to see amazing singers, dancers, poets, whirling Sufis and more, before a magnificent dinner. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1197023_original-e4f8eba3d5.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nBack at Dubai Festival City, at the InterContinental Hotel, I was able to attend some talks, one being Maitha Al-Khayat's picture book event about \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://magrudy.com/clothing/aishas-pearl-by-julia-johnson-9789948884224/\">Aisha's Pearl\u003C/a>\u003C/i>. It's a very relevant subject to Dubai, as pearl divers were something the area was known for before the city appeared. Here's Maitha in the performers' lounge (the 'Green Room'), fabulously dressed up as a jellyfish: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1200977_original-9b283820c3.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by Philip Reeve, my dress by \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/christylavivatche/\">Christy Lavivatche\u003C/a>\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nMaitha gave a very interactive talk to the little ones and their families, and I drew a picture of her leading two girls on an adventure game. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1201247_original-1e5eb27e6a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nMy co-author \u003Ca href=\"https://philipreeve.com/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a> was also invited, and I remarked more than once to him that I wasn't always quite sure if I was dreaming or awake; a lot of the encounters felt like dreaming and I had to double-check a few times. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1195576_original-d02a0b9984.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Left photo by Philip Reeve (dress by \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/estherblessed/\">Esther Blessed\u003C/a>), right photo by me\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nOne encounter which felt like a dream was when the head of the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.elfdubai.org/en/home\">Emirates Literature Foundation\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ummansoor\">Isobel Abulhoul\u003C/a>, invited Philip and me and a few other festival people to have tea in the Green Room with HH \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/latifamrm1/\">Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum\u003C/a> and her team of assistants. Sheikha Latifa is the Chairperson of the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/DubaiCulture/\">Dubai Culture\u003C/a> and Arts Authority and a member of the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dubaicouncil/\">Dubai Council\u003C/a>. As her job suggests, she's very interested in the arts, and she has children, so we were able to talk a bit about children's books, and she told us some funny stories from her own unusual childhood, growing up as daughter of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who's Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. She had her own photographer swirling around us with a fancy camera, so it didn't feel appropriate to pull out my own phone and start snapping, but I nicked a photo from the cover of Vogue, and you can read \u003Ca href=\"https://en.vogue.me/culture/cover-story-hh-sheikha-latifa-bint-mohammed-bin-rashid-al-maktoum/\">the magazine's accompanying story about her here\u003C/a>. Thanks for taking time to meet with us, Sheikha Latifa! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1200578_original-5355053d97.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">\u003Ci>Photo on left by Paola Kudacki for Vogue Arabia September 2021; video still on right from \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/latifamrm1/\">@latifamrm1\u003C/a> on Instagram\u003C/i>\\r\n\u003C/span>\\r\n\\r\nSeeing as the United Arab Emirates is very much about HORSES, we were wondering how our roly-poly flying pony, Kevin, would go down with people in Dubai. Kevin probably isn't the sleek kind of pony a Sheikh or Sheikha would keep in  their stables, or appear on Emirates airline posters, but because he has little wings (and is surprisingly aerodynamic), he might fare all right there after all. Big thanks to everyone who came along to our event, drew Kevin with us, and played the game! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1201600_original-ebe446914c.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIf you missed the event, here's a video from \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.co.uk/books/\">my website\u003C/a>, showing how you can draw Kevin, step by step:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Clj-embed id=\"5018\"/>\\r\n\\r\nSeveral children brought along their own drawings, and this lovely girl, \u003Cb>Fatima\u003C/b>, brought along several books she had made, that showed amazing design skill and real promise. It was fun saying that I looked forward to getting her to sign my book when she was sitting on the other side of the signing table. I have no doubt she'll be there in a few years!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1197243_original-0f6403662e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nPhilip Reeve and I also visited nearby \u003Ca href=\"https://arcadia.sch.ae/\">Arcadia School\u003C/a> and talked with them about our latest book, \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.co.uk/kevin-vs-the-unicorns/\">Kevin vs the Unicorns\u003C/a>\u003C/i>. Big thanks to \u003Cb>Emma Stott & Mel\u003C/b> for helping us get around; here we are, posing with their library's 'Author of the Month' stand. (Thanks, Arcadia!)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1199533_original-833de212f7.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nBack at the festival, I did a joint event called 'Story Carousel' with fab fellow British authors \u003Ca href=\"https://onjaliqrauf.com/\">Onjali Raúf\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Ben-Miller/100920632\">Ben Miller\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://www.christopheredge.co.uk/\">Christopher Edge\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1195946_original-9c880c4cd6.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWe'd never done this event together, and for a format, we decided to lead the children in making their own books. We had a group of children at each of our tables, and every fifteen minutes, the four of us swapped tables and worked with a different group on another element of making their book, with a half hour at the end for them to finish. So at my table, I talked with the group about illustration and the most important elements of cover design, Onjali led them in drawing and creating their story's main character, Ben led them in a world-building exercise, creating a map, and Christopher walked them through inventing a plot for their story. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1204706_original-60ff14c5d0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIt was kind of interesting to plan out, because they met with us all in different orders, so their books were sparked off and driven in different ways: cover-driven, character-driven, world-driven, plot-driven. And all are valid ways of creating a story, it was fun. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1209353_original-83e050f084.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI wasn't able to go to \u003Ca href=\"https://philipreeve.com/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a>'s Railhead event (the futuristic world of its trilogy of books so fitting for Dubai, and partly inspired by it!). But I did manage to squish myself in to see his packed-out event about his amazing Utterly Dark books: \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.davidficklingbooks.com/shop/ItemDetails.php?pubID=320\">Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep\u003C/a>\u003C/i> and its new sequel, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.davidficklingbooks.com/shop/ItemDetails.php?pubID=344\">\u003Ci>Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild\u003C/i>\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1198846_original-2d0fac62ca.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd I did another event drawing! I was trying to capture a sense of the menacing sea over the island of Wildsea, and the spectre of the Ghorm, a mysterious creature of legend, seaweed and shipwrecks who haunts the sea... or perhaps even \u003Ci>IS\u003C/i> the sea. (She would have made quick work of the stage decor.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1199037_original-212f2c727f.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIt was great seeing enthusiastic readers queuing up to get their books signed. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1199315_original-cd42f70ba4.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOne of the great things about the festival is that it puts a lot of young people into the spotlight, introducing our events. They're remarkably good at public speaking, they've obviously been trained and very well prepared. We went along to see one of our young moderators, \u003Cb>Inaya Fathia Faeez\u003C/b>, win an award as a partipant in the \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://vofg.vofgarabia.org/books\">Young Voices of Arabia\u003C/a>\u003C/i> collection, published by ELF (the Emirates Literature Foundation). \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1199847_original-92826a2df2.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWe only caught a glimpse of the writing, but the illustrations showcased in the video were top-notch; the publishers have obviously put a lot of thought and budget into the creation of this book, showcasing these young writers. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Clj-embed id=\"4959\"/>\\r\n\\r\nAnother thing I got to do was help judge the festival's \u003Ca href=\"https://www.elfdubai.org/en/book-in-a-box-competition\">'Book in a Box' competition\u003C/a>, sponsored by the Arcadia School that Philip and I visited, Magrudy's bookshop and Emirates. I was glad to see \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MaithaALkhayat\">Maitha Al-Khayat\u003C/a> was joining me on the judging panel, as well as illustrator \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/StobbsGreg\">Greg Stobbs\u003C/a>, whom I'd never met, but heard about from the writer of his picture book, Lemn Sissay. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1209745_original-d846060a70.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by the Emirates Lit Fest team\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nAnd here are a couple of the entries! Here's the second place winner, \u003Ci>The Library Lion\u003C/i>, by a class at \u003Ca href=\"https://www.uips.online/\">United International Private School\u003C/a>, a Philippine school in Dubai. As judges, we loved its artistry, simple boldness, and the textured patterning of the books and seed-pod roofing, all created from recycled materials.  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1197764_original-7d95f49598.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThe first prize went to '\u003Ci>As an Oak Tree Grows\u003C/i>' by a class at \u003Ca href=\"https://www.pristineschool.com/\">Pristine Private School\u003C/a>, for the taking the idea of 'box' in a very clever and innovative direction: each of its hexagonal sides folded down to reveal a different tableau, showing different timeline scenes from its featured book. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1197973_original-7259b7fad8.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIt was great watching the children and teacher go up to collect their prize, and that little boy third from the right even did a series of ethusiastic and impressive jigs. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1198220_original-37426703ee.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAh, here's judge \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/StobbsGreg\">Greg Stobbs\u003C/a> again, and that book of their that \u003Ca href=\"https://www.lemnsissay.com/\">Lemn Sissay\u003C/a> was talking about, \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://canongate.co.uk/books/3736-dont-ask-the-dragon/\">Don't Ask the Dragon\u003C/a>\u003C/i>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1198452_original-6f79cd11ce.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOh, and Lemn himself! We got a bit carried away taking selfies, and even got in Anil Seth at one point. I love Lemn's enthusiasm; the first time I ever heard him perform was on Trafalgar Square in London on World Book Night. He read a Shakespeare poem and, you know how in comics, they sometimes show lines radiating from a person's face to express bliss or intense emotion? Well, Lemn had lines radiating from his face, I've never heard words spoken with so much joy in them. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1201713_original-9b5748318d.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOne of my events was at the festival's other venue across the Creek, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. I was thrilled to get the chance to have a peek at it. The last time I was in Dubai, it had just been a building site! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1206756_original-497b0ec283.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAs you can see, it's built to look like an open book sitting on a lectern, and it's pretty impressive. Dubai doesn't do things by halves. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1195157_original-c02c7e0877.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere, have a little wander around the library itself: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Clj-embed id=\"5060\"/>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1206359_original-754ace6290.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd here's my comics workshop! Here I'm talking about my comic book \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://bog-eyed-books.com/books/vern-and-lettuce/\">Vern and Lettuce\u003C/a>\u003C/i>, which ran for awhile in The DFC magazine, The Guardian newspaper, was initially owned by Random House, then David Fickling Books, and now Bog Eyed Books. (It has quite a past! Do check out \u003Ca href=\"https://bog-eyed-books.com/\">Bog Eyed Books\u003C/a> in the UK, they publish amazing comics for children, as well as David Fickling Books' impressive comics, including the \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.davidficklingbooks.com/shop/ItemDetails.php?pubID=66\">Bunny vs Monkey\u003C/a>\u003C/i> series by Jamie Smart.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1195509_original-04d011942e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by Philip Reeve\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nPhilip Reeve helped me demonstrate a 'Comic Jam', an interactive comic game where we took turns coming up with a panel of story (a bit like the game of Consequences). \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1203527_original-0f5913f9a7.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI started by having the participants design their comic story's characters, and used guinea-pig rascals Neville and Beyoncé from our book \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.co.uk/kevin-and-the-biscuit-bandit/\">Kevin and the Biscuit Bandit\u003C/a>\u003C/i> to start them off. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1203783_original-2045ab8ecd.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIf you missed the session, here's a half-hour Comics Workshop that you can do on your own or use with your family or class (visit \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.co.uk/kevin-and-the-biscuit-bandit/\">my website page for extra materials\u003C/a>): \\r\n\\r\n\u003Clj-embed id=\"4979\"/>\\r\n\\r\nHere's a festival photo of some of the participants: see that little boy in the middle? He came with his sister, and he was a little young to be taking part in the Comic Jam. But he was very involved: he and his mother drew a terrific picture of the Burj Khalifa while the rest of us were making and passing around our comics. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1208123_original-8b27a67d5b.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">\u003Ci>Photo by Emirates Lit Fest\u003C/i>\u003C/span>\\r\n\\r\nSee his colouring? The Burj Khalifa REALLY looks like that! Some of the festival people took us there for dinner one night, to a restaurant at its base, and the lights and laser show every half hour were jaw-droppingly spectacular. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1203225_original-9da7d3d45a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nBig thanks to the team working for \u003Ca href=\"https://magrudy.com/\">Magrudy's bookshop\u003C/a>, for doing such a great job stocking and selling our books! I know when I was at the \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.livejournal.com/832457.html\">Abu Dhabi Book Fair\u003C/a>, a lot of families would do all their book-buying for the year in one big swoop, and this festival really gave them a chance to browse, listen to the speakers, and browse some more. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1202099_original-58520bbb0e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWhile Emirates Lit Fest was running, this group were holding a parallel conference of international festival organisers, and it was lovely when our groups overlapped. Here are people from Botswana, India, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Cyprus and lots more countries, all working incredibly hard to run festivals in their own countries, at vastly varying size and scale. The unifying thing for all of them seemed to be that they were already incredibly busy people before they decided to take on a festival AS WELL, and I have no idea how they do it - hats off to them! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1204179_original-c3fa660ec2.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>Photo at the libray tweeted by \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/lolashoneyin/status/1622009304617304067\">Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Lyndsey_Fineran/status/1621511055280312321\">Lyndsey Fineran\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nI already knew one of the organisers, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/lolashoneyin\">Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn\u003C/a> of the \u003Ca href=\"https://akefestival.org/\">Aké Arts & Books Festival\u003C/a>, whom I met something like ten years ago at the Edinburgh Book Festival. In 2021 I'd done an online event for Nigerian illustrators, with the\u003Ca href=\"https://www.acain.ng/\"> Association of Children's Authors & Illustrators of Nigeria (ACAIN)\u003C/a>. Great to see you, Lọlá!  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1204282_original-f58fe7a695.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd a few more pics with fellow authors: \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/philipreeve1\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kwebberwrites\">Catherine Webber\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kevtsang\">Kevin Tsang\u003C/a>. (Catherine also goes by Katie Tsang on her joint \u003Ca href=\"https://katieandkevintsang.com/\">Sam Wu and Dragon Realm books\u003C/a> with her husband, Kevin.) And with Jo Browning Wroe, author of \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571368334-a-terrible-kindness/\">A Terrible Kindness\u003C/a>\u003C/i>. \\r\n \\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1204823_original-4e9108727d.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWith \u003Ca href=\"https://onjaliqrauf.com/\">Onjali Raúf\u003C/a> (author of \u003Ci>The Boy at the Back of the Class\u003C/i>), \u003Ca href=\"https://wendymeddour.co.uk/\">Wendy Meddour\u003C/a> (author of \u003Ci>Howard the Average Gecko\u003C/i>), \u003Ca href=\"http://www.olaffalafel.com/\">Olaf Falafel\u003C/a> (comedian and author of Blob Fish) and \u003Ca href=\"http://adventuremice.com/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a> (my co-author, with a \u003Ca href=\"http://adventuremice.com/\">new series in March called ADVENTUREMICE\u003C/a>!)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1205136_original-17a4edbc94.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI spent several evenings hanging out with \u003Ca href=\"https://www.christopheredge.co.uk\">Christopher Edge\u003C/a>, his landscape architect wife \u003Cb>Christina Edge\u003C/b>, and Philip. It was wonderful getting the chance to talk at length. With most festivals, there's only time for a couple air-kisses in the Green Room and then one of us is off to catch a train; I love how the Emirates Lit Fest gives us time to get to know people better. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1205431_original-b9748d8f53.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's Christopher with author \u003Ca href=\"https://www.hannahgold.world/\">Hannah Gold\u003C/a> (she created \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.hannahgold.world/the-lost-whale\">The Lost Whale\u003C/a>\u003C/i> with artist Levi Pinafold), and Onjali Raúf with her wonderful mother, who was kind of the life and soul of the party, everyone loved having her around and she seemed to know everyone. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1205717_original-b88beea79a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>Photo tweeted by \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/edgechristopher/status<i>/1623334870112997378\">Christopher Edge\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nHere's Philip Reeve with two excited \u003Ca href=\"https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/the-railhead-trilogy\">Railhead\u003C/a> fans, and Olaf Falafel with \u003Ca href=\"https://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/\">Alexander McCall Smith\u003C/a>. Philip and I managed to go along to one of his events and he is a brilliant and funny storyteller, as well as being the perfect gentleman. (I adore his No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency books.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1205849_original-6a280e5e2b.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWe had a Quiz at the festival's Farewell Dinner, and here's Olaf Falafel demonstrating impressive plasticine skills in creating that beloved picture book character, Superworm. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1206192_original-83cd046576.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOh look, here are all the authors, together in one photo (which is like herding cats)! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1210337_original-beff35d380.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 0.9em\">Photo by the Emirates Lit Fest team\u003C/span>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nCan we just talk about the food? The festival would be worth it for the food alone, we ate like KINGS, mostly in the InterContinental Hotel's 'Anise' restaurant, which has lots of food stations featuring different fantastic foods from all over the world. (I had sushi and waffles for breakfast one morning, don't judge me.) I would always go in, saying that I was only going to have a \u003Ci>light\u003C/i> meal this time, but there were too many things that I knew I'd probably never get back in Devon, and I just had to make the best of it, etc, etc.... I took this first photo of Christopher Edge, looking so ecstatic over his pudding that he asked for a reshoot the next night, so he could look a bit more authorial.  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1200049_original-f937fce5cb.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nSo many new things I just \u003Cb>\u003Ci>had\u003C/i>\u003C/b> to try! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1200759_original-564c3fe7db.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThe Green Room was a wonderful place to go to before and after events, but also just to drop by and see what was going on. There I met \u003Ca href=\"https://annhiatt.com/\">Ann Hiatt\u003C/a>, who grew up about ten minutes away from where I did, in a suburb of Seattle, and who was a head person at Amazon right in the early days, and Google, too. She's the author of \u003Ci>Bet on Yourself\u003C/i> and she's well worth checking out. She's talking with \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/HeyBrandyScott\">Brandy Scott\u003C/a>, New Zealand author of \u003Ci>Not Bad People\u003C/i> and presenter of the Business Breakfast on \u003Ca href=\"https://www.dubaieye1038.com/\">Dubai Eye Radio.\u003C/a> If you look over Brandy's shoulder, the woman on the far right is \u003Ca href=\"http://womenmuseumuae.com/eng/?page_id=908\">Dr Rania Obaid Ghubash\u003C/a>, UAE University professor and founder of The Women's Museum in Dubai. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1200186_original-191538fb3a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIt takes a huge and enthusiastic team to run such a spectacular festival! Where do I even start in thanking them?! There are so many people to thank, and I didn't even catch everyone's names, so a big thank you to all of you, even if I haven't listed you here. Thank you to \u003Cb>Isobel Abulhoul, Ahlam Bolooki, Mary Ann Miranda, Karen Peralta, Tamreez Inam, Farah Ali, Aliya Khan, Aira Jane Anupol, Cassandra Brown, Yasameen Firas, Annabelle Corton, Yvette Judge, Daisy Line, Jo James, Carmel Rosato, David Perry, Emma Stott and the teachers at Arcadia, our moderators, the team at Magrudy's, my teams at OUP, Scholastic, David Fickling Books and Bog Eyed Books, the hotel and restaurant staff, the desert camp crew, the drivers and the photographers\u003C/b>! \\r\n\\r\nFestival team, Author Liaison Officer \u003Cb>Mary Ann Miranda\u003C/b>:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1207576_original-a1e855ae2c.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nGreen Room team Tia & \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/dubaiwomble\">Daisy Line\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jojames.co.uk/\">Jo James\u003C/a> (from \u003Ca href=\"https://www.handheldevents.co.uk/\">Hand Held Events\u003C/a>), \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/lit_ed\">Yvette Judge\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://uk.linkedin.com/in/david-perry-8863897?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F\">David Perry\u003C/a>:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1207324_original-58ae7c1d92.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nYou all were amazing, thank you so much!! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1207987_original-a88cab8635.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd, of course, to the big sponsor, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.emirates.com\">Emirates Airlines\u003C/a>! The great perk of them being the sponsor is that we get to fly on them, and gosh, is it SWISH. Honestly, they take what, with most airlines, is the tedious experience of flying and turn it into a special treat to look forward to. Here I am, relaxing in one of the lounges: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1202680_original-e2866d7b5d.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nA Mixed Mezze starter course (look at all that leg room! I am six feet tall and appreciate this GREATLY):\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1202700_original-1e54c31b83.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd even a bar at the back of the plane, where I can hang out with Philip and \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/CarmelRosato\">Carmel Rosato\u003C/a>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1203080_original-1a9f552ee9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI already miss breakfasts on the InterContinental hotel balcony. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1202209_original-d2f9b153c9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI love the odd juxtopositions in Dubai, I wish I had even more time to explore. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1206975_original-08a407b88f.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nGoodbye, Dubai! I hope I get to see you again before too long! xxx\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/1207241_original-a61c3a783e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">","2023-02-08T13:43:00.000Z","emirates-festival-of-literature-dubai-2023",[],"Emirates Festival of Literature, Dubai 2023",1776628731624]