The Shining Girls has launched in South Africa, the UK and Australia. It’s out on 4 June in the USA.

Here’s the schedule of events, appearances, launches and signings. Please click the links for more information or to book. Some events require purchasing a ticket.

MAY 2013 Australia

23-25 May Sydney Writer’s Festival

Thursday 23 May — 10am – 11am “The Shining Girls ” launch and talk

• Venue: Sydney Dance 1, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Details: Free no bookings.  ‘I like cute. I like dark. I like rugby-tackling social issues through fiction’, says multi-genre-skipping South African author Lauren Beukes. Michael Cathcart interviews Lauren live on ABC Radio National’s Books and Arts Daily. They traverse comics, screenplays, TV shows and her edgy new serial-killer novel, The Shining Girls. Presented with ABC Radio National

 

Thursday 23 May — 1pm – 2pm “FAN FICTION” Lauren Beukes with Amanda Hayward and David Large

• Venue: Philharmonia Studio, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Details: With the publishing success of Fifty Shades of Grey, which began its life as online fan fiction, everyone wants to know more. Where did Fan Fiction come from and what is its history? Hasn’t appropriation always had its artistic place in the world? The University of Sydney’s Joseph Brennan, undertaking his PhD in slash fan fiction, speaks to The Writers’ Coffee Shop’s Amanda Hayward, the original publisher of Fifty Shades of Grey, alongside novelist Lauren Beukes, and researcher David Large who specialises in plagiarism in early 20th century fiction.

 

Thursday 23 May — 4pm – 5pm “THE BIG READ” with Sheila Heti, Lauren Beukes, Patrick Ness, Nicolas Rothwell and Arnold Zable

• Venue: Pier 2/3 Main Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Details: A well-loved Festival institution, this year The Big Read brings together Australian and international guests, enthralling you with nuanced readings only an author can give of their own work. Featuring Lauren Beukes (The Shining Girls), Sheila Heti (How Should A Person Be?), Patrick Ness (The Crane Wife), Nicolas Rothwell (Belomor), and Arnold Zable (Violin Lessons). Hosted by Annette Shun Wah, and including the presentation ofThe Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist awards for 2013.

 

Friday 24 May — 10am – 11am “WRITING ACROSS FORMS” with Lauren Beukes, Robert Drewe, Luke Davies and Sally Heath

• Venue: Bangarra Mezzanine, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Details: While many writers struggle to master one form, others have an incredible range and flexibility. Panellists Lauren Beukes, Robert Drewe and Luke Davies talk to Sally Heath about the creative challenges, rewards and freedoms that come with writing across different forms and genres. Lauren Beukes is a South African novelist, short story writer, journalist and TV scriptwriter. Robert Drewe is a novelist, non-fiction and short story writer and has also edited two international short story anthologies. Luke Davies is a bestselling Australian poet, author and screenwriter.

 

Friday 24 May — 12:45pm – 1:45pm “THE BOOK CLUB”

• Venue: ABC TV Studios, 700 Harris Street, Ultimo
• Details: Join Jennifer Byrne, with regular panellists Jason Steger and Marieke Hardy, for the taping of a Sydney Writers’ Festival edition of The Book Club. Featuring special Festival guests, Carlos Ruiz Zafón and Lauren Beukes.

 

Friday 24 May — 4pm – 5pm “WOMEN ON THE RUN” with Michael Robotham, Tara Moss & Lauren Beukes

• Venue: Pier 2/3 Main Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Details: Authors Michael Robotham (Say You’re Sorry), Tara Moss (Assassin) and Lauren Beukes (The Shining Girls) all have one thing in common: they have put their female protagonists in grave danger. Do these feisty femmes manage to outwit their pursuers and escape from their novels alive? Find out in this compelling session with Matthew Condon, speaking to three of the best thriller writers in the business.

 

Saturday 25 May — 11:30am – 12:30pm “SPECULATIVE FICTION” with Lauren Beukes, Scott Westerfeld, David M Henley & James Bradley

• Venue: Philharmonia Studio, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Details: What is speculative fiction, and where do the boundaries start to blur between genres and sub-genres? Have the classic genres changed now that we live in a world where technology has caught up? Lauren Beukes, Scott Westerfeld and David M. Henley speak with James Bradley.

 

Saturday 25 May — 7pm – 11:45pm “FESTIVAL CLUB”

• Venue: Pier 2/3 Club Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Details: Join us in the Festival Club, featuring Sydney’s most exhilarating new and established writers alongside various personalities and musicians, all taking their turn at entertaining you with their stories. Tickets $10 on the door. Programmed in collaboration with Eddie Sharp.

 

• 9-10 pm: The Chaser’s Empty Vessel
  The Chaser’s Empty Vessel returns to lower the tone of Sydney Writers’ Festival for another year. Join Chris Taylor and Julian Morrow for more lively, irreverent and freewheeling discussions with some of the biggest and/or longest names at the Festival. Tonight’s dazzling guests will include Lauren Beukes, Graeme Simsion and Robert Greene.

 

JUNE 2013 USA  

June 5 @ 7:00pm | Poisoned Pen – Book Signing – SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

• Venue:  4014 N. Goldwater Blvd #101, Scottsdale AZ 85251
• Details: Book Signing at one of the best independent stores in the US. No ticket required
• Contact: Poisoned Pen

 

June 7 @ 7:00pm | Borderlands Books – Book Signing – SAN FRANCISCO

• Venue:  866 Valencia St., San Francisco CA 94110
• Details: Borderlands is a Science Fiction speciality store. No ticket required.
• Contact: Borderlands Books

 

June 8 @ 4:00pm | Powell’s City of Books - PORTLAND, OREGON

• Venue:  1005 W Burnside St, Portland OR 97209
• Details: Book signing
• Contact: Powells City of Books 

 

June 9  | Chicago Tribune Printer’s Row Lit Fest  – CHICAGO

• Venue:  blocks surround Polk/Dearborn, Chicago IL 60605

 

June 10 @ 7:00pm | The Friends of the Northern Illinois University Libraries - DeKalb, ILLINOIS

• Venue:  Sky Room, Holmes Student Center @ Northern Illinois University/200 Carroll Avenue, DeKalb IL 60115
• Details: Lauren will speak, answer Q&A and sign books. Books for sale. No ticket required
• Contact: @NIUlive or Friends of Northern Illinois University Libraries

 

June 11 @ 6:30pm | Murder by the Book - HOUSTON, TEXAS

• Venue:  2342 Bissonnet St, Houston TX 77005

 

June 13 @ 7:00pm | Book Court - NEW YORK

• Venue:  163 Court Street, Brooklyn NY 11201

 

MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED INCLUDING MORE UK, SPAIN AND POLAND.

I can confirm, alas, that I will not be able to make ReaderCon, SDCC or LoneStarCon this year. It’s the whole having to write a new novel by the end of the year thing.