As part of Black History Month 2025 and to celebrate National Bookshop Day, four northern writers will be in conversation at the Bembe Cafe in Alexandra Park on Saturday 11th October 2025. Chorlton Bookshop will be providing a pop-up shop at the event to sell books by the participating writers.

The Panel of writers consists of:

Diana Anyakwo whose debut novel ‘My life as a Chameleon’ won the Children's Africana Book Award Best Chapter Book in the US and was shortlisted for both the KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards and the Diverse Book Awards and was longlisted for the Jhalak Prize.

Yvonne Battle-Felton, whose debut Remembered was longlisted for The Women's Prize for Fiction, shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize, and second novel Curdle Creek won The Shirley Jackson Award.

Marcia Hutchinson MBE whose debut solo novel ‘The Mercy Step’ is one of The Observer's best debut novels of 2025. Together with Kate Griffin (writing as Lila Cain) she is also the author of The Blackbirds of Saint Giles.

Peter Kalu, a Manchester Literary institution who will be launching his new novel ‘Act Normal’ at the event

Festivities begin at 5pm with non-alcohoic cocktails followed by readings and a question and answer session, then a fabolous Swahili buffet meal provided by the Bembe Cafe followed by music and dancing. The event ends at 9pm.

All are welcome

Black History Month Literature Evening

Lineup