We have returned! Although, actually (like most of you, I suspect), we haven’t been anywhere. Perhaps we should say: We are still here! – also an achievement. We hope you’ve had a reasonable summer and are returning to your desks refreshed.
Apologies first: we had hoped to meet you In Person on September 8th at Europe House for our first ELNet-Networking of the New Era but we’ve decided to cancel because, understandably, you are still cautious about Real Life gatherings. We are rescheduling to 15:00-18:00 on Tuesday 26th October at Europe House (32 Smith Square, London SW1P 3EU). As always, please register your attendance by emailing Anna Blasiak at contact@eurolitnetwork.com and rest assured that all Covid precautions will be taken. Should we also have to cancel the next Real Life event we will retain the same time slot and create either a hybrid networking event, or, transfer totally online. We won’t give up! A New Era will dawn! However, as you know, the European Literature Network is always open for online business and we always welcome your news, dates, publicity and blogs, which we are happy to publish on our website and distribute far and wide.
On a positive note, more of you will now be free to attend the ONLINE discussion I’m hosting at 10:00 (BST) on 8th September on the future of UK-EU Cultural Relations post-Brexit. I cannot stress how important this topic is. The panel is top-notch and high-profile and you’ll be able to ask questions too, but you must register here).Please attend and help make a difference.
We have a busy cultural and literary autumn ahead. As well as some great book events and festivals (see you in person at Marlborough and Cheltenham! – check the calendar), this month we are kicking off a new podcast series of Riveting Interviews with our new best friends Europe Readr. I’m delighted to be returning to my BBC-broadcasting roots to host these podcasts and interview riveting authors across Europe. You can find all you need to know about Europe Readr and the podcasts here.
Also, later in September you’ll hear more about our plans for The Italian Riveter, as we begin to commission features and reviews. Thank you already for your advice, books and ideas, and bumper thanks to the Italian Cultural Institutes of London, Dublin and Edinburgh who are funding us. As I wasn’t able to travel to Italy this summer my Italian reading for the magazine has created a welcome distraction.
Italy is never far from our ELNet hearts and Katherine Gregor’s regular column on Italian literature and translation, The Italianist,has been a joy (do watch her video blog on translation here). Katherine will ofcourse be collaborating on The Italian Riveter magazine. By now you’ll also be familiar with our column on Spanish literature, La Española, penned by Alice Banks from her home in Madrid. If any of you would like to write regular blogs on the other literatures of Europe, I’m open to ideas.
Anna Blasiak and Lisa Kalloo continue to excel with their monthly blog, Poetry Travels, and we must never forget the monthly #RivetingReviews, edited by West Camel and Deputy Editor Rosie Eyre. If you are interested in reviewing or sending books then please email them both at our dedicated reviews address: reviews@eurolitnetwork.com. The submission and pub dates for reviews this month are: deadline 13th, publication 17th. Our focus this month is Children’s Literature in Translation, to reflect the wonderful initiative, WorldKidLit. A heads-up already for your Novemberreviews when we plan to focus on Romanian Literature in English, to support the second Romania Rocks Festival taking place in the first week of November, organised by the Romanian Cultural Institute in London. Contact West and Rosie E now if you have ideas or books for reviews of Romanian fiction, non-fiction, children’s or poetry. (Details on Romania Rocks 2 will be on the RCI website soon.)
All in all I’d say that European Literature is enjoying a successful Rentrée!
Love, Rosie the Riveter