The first of a new series of free author events officially welcomes Ben Masters to Manchester and features him reading from his work and in conversation with Nicholas Royle. Ben’s first novel Noughties was published to critical acclaim in 2012 when he was also selected as one of Vogue’s 16 “Faces of the Future”. He has a host of journalistic credits to his name, has completed a PhD on post-war fiction at the University of Cambridge under Robert MacFarlane, and joined the Manchester Writing School at MMU as a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing in September 2013. Nicholas Royle – also a Senior Creative Writing Lecturer at MMU – is the author of seven novels, including First Novel, published to great fanfare earlier this year. He has written more than 100 short stories, edited 16 anthologies – including The Best British Short Stories for which he is series editor – and runs Nightjar Press, publishing original short fiction in limited edition chapbook format. Our bar will be open and there’ll be a special Blackwell’s bookstall with signing after the event. Contact events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve your tickets.