Tickets for the 10th Bookworm International Literary Festival on Sale Now

The 2016 Bookworm Literary Festival, now in its 10th year, brings an impressive collection of authors from around the world to take part in talks, panel discussions, and workshops from March 11-27. A limited number of tickets went on sale Friday afternoon at 2pm – see the list of those here, and purchase at The Bookworm or via Yoopay (see links next to event listings on their schedule). These are some of the highlights so far.
 

Saturday, March 19

In Conversation with Xinran (moderated by Joe McKee)
Ages 10+. Xue Xinran, who writes under the pen name Xinran (read our recent interview with her here), is a British-Chinese journalist, author, and advocate of women’s issues. She will talk about her books – including international bestseller The Good Women of China and her latest, Buy Me the Sky, about China’s one-child generation – and her other work, past and present. Moderated by Joe McKee, Dulwich College Beijing Academic Director. Registration required. Free. 7-9pm. Dulwich College Beijing (6503 2050, info@chinabookworm.com)

Thursday, March 24

Nonfiction Writing by Edward Platt
For teens and adults. Award-winning nonfiction writer Edward Platt will introduce key literary techniques in creative nonfiction and discuss how to structure an appealing concept in the genre. He will look at common problems faced by writers in the research and writing process, and offer advice on how to approach agents and publishers with an idea. Platt will begin by introducing his books, how he came to write them and the form they take, before moving on to group writing exercises (e.g., autobiographical writing, character invention, scene-setting, etc.). 7.30-8.30pm. RMB 200. iQiyi (6503 2050, info@chinabookworm.com)

Saturday, March 26

Cartoon Creation from Concept to Finish by Larry Feign
For teens and adults. From comic strips to graphic novels to animation, here’s a workshop for all ages, from child to adult, and any level of drawing experience, from none whatsoever to advanced. Learn the process of cartoon creation from a master of the genre, the very funny and award-winning Larry Feign, who has published 15 books and whose works have appeared in publications such as Time, Newsweek, The Economist, Fortune, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Der Spiegel, and Pravda.  RMB 200. 2-3.30pm. The Opposite House (6503 2050, info@chinabookworm.com)
Note: this will be a “digital” drawing workshop ... meaning FINGERS, not electronics. Drawing materials – 1) black pencil (2B hardness recommended), 2) light blue pencil, 3) eraser / rubber, 4) white paper – will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own if they would like.

Prominent participating authors

David Bandurski
A researcher at the University of Hong Kong's China Media Project and editor of their website, he is the author of Dragons in Diamond Village, and co-author of Investigative Journalism in China.
 

Tim Clissold
Having lived in China for over 20 years and successfully co-founding a private equity company, Clissold is the author is the memoir Mr. China, which has recently been translated into 12 languages.
 

Larry Feign
Cartoonist who's work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, The Economist, Fortune, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Der Spiegel, and Pravda. 

Ken Hom
American-born celebrity chef, TV presenter, and author of more than 80 books, he has spent more than three decades on UK television and is acknowledged as a leading expert on Asian and Chinese cuisine.
 

Jason Y Ng
Hong Kong-born globetrotter who spent his adult life in adult, the United States, and Canada, before settling in Hong Kong to write the recently published Umbrellas in Bloom, the first English-language book to chronicle the pro-democracy political movement in Hong Kong in 2014.
 

Mark O'Neill
Hong Kong-based journalist whose latest book, The Miraculous History of China's Two Palace Museums, is about China's two most famous museums in Beijing (Palace Museum in the Forbidden City) and Taipei (National Palace Museum).
 

Nury Vittachi
Hong Kong-based journalist and author of the comedy-crime novel series The Feng Shui Detective which has been translated into multiple languages and published worlwide.
 

Qiu Xiaolong
This Shanghai-born author wrote the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels Death of a Red Heroine, A Loyal Character Dancer, When Red is Black, A Case of Two Cities, Red Mandarin Dress, and The Mao Case.
 

Xinran
British-Chinese journalist, author, and advocate of women's issues. Her first book The Good Women of China was an international bestseller when it was published in 2002. She also wrote Sky Burial, Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love. 

We'll be back when there's more information about specific events when these are announced, of course. To check out the full list of authors, take a peek at the festival's website.

– Nimo Wanjau and Margaux Schreurs contributed to this article.

Photos courtesy of The Bookworm Literary Festival