One of the squad's 3 Awesome Reading groups - designed to think about how we can read as writers.

If you want to join us, then here's what you need to know:

We will be reading Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone's novella This is How You Lose the Time War. The text can be bought here.

Co-written by two award-winning writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space.

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading.

Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war. That's how war works. Right?

How often will the club happen?

Every three months. That means you've got tons of time to find the text, read it and think about it.

How will it work?

Francesca will choose the first couple of texts to get us rolling, but once we meet, all Awesome Prose members can start getting involved with suggestions/ideas for what we go for next. We’ll look at novels, short stories and maybe even some non-fiction.

The club Zoom itself will be relaxed. We'll just talk about what we think of the work - did it work for us, and why (or why not)?. We’ll ask ourselves: What’s the author doing here? What are the skills and techniques being used, and what’s their effect? We hope that you’ll leave the session with a sharpened idea of some of the tools available to us as writers, and how you might play with them.

It won’t be like a university tutorial (not formal or academic), nor will it be like a book club (we’ll be coming from the perspective of writers, not just readers), nor will it be like a writing workshop (no writing exercises). We'll think about stuff like structure, characters, pace, imagery; we’ll bounce around our responses to each text, and consider what we can learn from it as writers.

Will Steve D buy me the book?

No, sorry. Squad funds don't stretch that far, so you'll need to source each text yourself. But you’ll have plenty of time to track down a copy (remember that your local library may well have it, including as an e-book). You could consider organising to get one copy between a few of you, to bring expenses down. And we’ll always choose texts that are widely available in paperback.

Where will we meet?

This is an online Zoom club. We think this will make access easier for people now and going into the future too. We may sort out some real life special events / meet ups once life starts to open up, but first and foremost this is a Zoom club.

If I sign up for this awesome club, will I have to come to every Awesome Club meeting?

Never fear! You can come to as many or as few Zoom meets as you like.

What if I'm a poet or script writer, can I still come?

Yes you can. This is a club aimed at prose, but all Squad members, whatever your area of interest, are welcome. We'd love to get loads of different perspectives.

Awesome Prose - This is How You Lose the Time War