Polis Loizou is an award-winning Cypriot author. ✍️🌈 His books include: Disbanded Kingdom, The Way It Breaks and A Good Year. 📚️ His one-act theatre shows have toured the UK Fringe circuit and his short fiction has featured in various anthologies. 🎭️ For more about Polis: www.polisloizou.com

Our last drop of books recs, all by queer writers in the East Mids! 📚️🌈 ✨️ Men Holding Hands, Thom Seddon ✨️ The Loch, Fran Dorricott ✨️ Love at Frost Sight, Charlie Novak ✨️ Genre Fluid, Dan Webber ✨️ Write Queer, issues 1 & 2 Look out for our final writer profiles this week as we prep for Notts Pride!

So Sparham is a writer and poet from Derby, as well as a co-director of our good friends Derby Poetry Festival! ✍️🌈 Alongside their latest collection, The Man Who Ate 50,000 Weetabix, they've also been commissioned by BBC Radio 4 and won the 2024 Nature and Sustainability short story competition. 🌱

Full lineup of activity for next Sunday! ✍️☀️ ➡️ 11 am: Drop-in activities & prompts ➡️ 1.30 pm: Workshop with poet Mr Shay ➡️ 3.30 pm: Open mic hosted by Priya Gill Celebrating writing with South Asian Heritage roots at Inspirate's An Indian Summer Festival. Find out more here! bit.ly/WEMSPIRATE

Victoria Villaseñor is a queer East Mids author writing under three pen names. 🖋️✒️🖊️ Ally McGuire writes award-winning WLW romance, Brey Willows pens spec fic, and J.J. Taylor retells the stories of women that history has badly misrepresented. 💖🚀 Find her books here: allymcguireromance.com

Queer writing and art wanted! 🌈 The next edition of our magazine is on the theme of Queer Writing. We want you to design its front cover and send us your writing! 🏆️ Cash prizes on offer 🏆️ For the writing competition ✍️➡️ bit.ly/QUEERWRITERS For the art competition 🖌️➡️ bit.ly/QUEERARTISTS

Meet queer author Nicci Robinson! ✍️🌈 As Robyn Nyx, she writes thrillers and adventure romance; as RJ Nyx, she writes sci-fi; and as Helena Harte, she is the author of chart-topping sapphic romance. ❤️‍🔥 Find her books here ➡️ helenaharte.com

Fran is the author of six novels featuring gothic mansions, spooky crimes, queer love and sometimes all of the above! 👻 You may recognise her as crime novelist Fran Dorricott or as fantasy writer Francesca May. ✍️ Either way, you should go check out any of her books for an exciting Pride Month read!

More Pride Month book recs! 🌈📖 🔖 Queer Literature in the Sinosphere, Hongwei Bao 🔖 Unspoken, Helena Harte 🔖 This Vicious Hunger, Francesca May 🔖 The Tighthead, Charlie Novak 🔖 Threads of the City, Wren Archer 🔖 Relics of the City, Wren Archer All from writers in the East Mids. Enjoy! 💕

Following our writing workshop with Mr Shay: our FREE open mic! 🎤 Hosted by the amazing Priya Gill! 🫶 Taking place at An Indian Summer Festival in partnership with Inspirate, next Sunday. Both performers and audience members welcome. Sign up here. ⬇️ bit.ly/WEMSPIRATE

East Midlands poets, this is your last chance to enter the East Midlands Pamphlet Prize! 📖🏆️ Run by the legendary Bad Betty Press and judged by Little Betty Editors and poets Vanessa Kisuule and Anja Konig. Bad Betty will be publishing two winners in 2027! 📚️ Click here to enter! ➡️ bit.ly/BADBETTY

FREE writing masterclass for 18-25s! ✨️⬇️ Theatre producer and marketer Laurie Owen joins our ALCS WEMTerns internship programme to share useful resources and platforms for writers who want to raise their profile and build their audience. 📈 Register here: ➡️ bit.ly/WEMTMYAAAW

We’re proud to be working with Culture Leicestershire on the new Lutterworth Legends project celebrating local heroes who’ve made a difference to their community! 🐎📖 These images are from our creative consultation day at Lutterworth Library, led by writer Ben Macpherson and illustrator Katy Dynes ✨️

Online playwriting masterclass coming soon! 🎭️✍️ In just under 2 weeks, writer, director and theatremaker Jess Telling is coming to your screens to share her key techniques for worldbuilding, voice and storytelling. Accessible ticket prices available. Book yours here! ➡️ bit.ly/BTSSTAGE

Another prompt for you or your young writer! ✍️ This week, we're asking our audience of 7-25s to think about our planet's future. 🌍️ What are your hopes? What are your worries? Keep an eye out for more prompts as part of the Solstice Nature Prize for Young Writers! 👀🌱

Thom Seddon is a writer by day and drag artist by night (AKA THE Nana Arthole)! ✍️✨️ You may also recognise Thom as the Lead Writer and co-producer on our very own ALCS WEMTerns programme for 18-25s! 💕 Find out more about Thom here: artholethom.com 📸: Sarah Woolf

It's National Writing Day! ✍️🎉 Join us in finding a shady patch in the sun and taking to the page! ☀️📝 This year's prompt is brought to you by award-winning author and First Story Ambassador Lawrence Patrice. Find it here! ➡️ buff.ly/YHBNL8s

Leicester's first ever Poet Laureate is coming to an Indian Summer Festival! ☀️ Join poet Mr Shay for a FREE writing workshop and open mic on Sunday 5th July at Leicester Guild Hall. ✍️🎤 Sign up here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMSPIRATE

Judging the East Midlands Pamphlet Prize: Vanessa Kisuule and Anja Konig! ✍️✨️ Both poets are editors for Bad Betty's Little Betty pamphlet imprint and will be selecting the prize's first ever winners from the East Mids. Find out more about the prize here ➡️ bit.ly/BADBETTY

Rose Shenton is a transwoman writer, English teacher and one of our current mentees working alongside author Nikki Valentine. ✍️💕 You can find her most recent short story published in the latest volume of SapphFic Eclectic. 📖 Free download here: ➡️ buff.ly/YtKqqnp

Alternative Routes to Publishing masterclass and panel pics. 📸📚️ BIG thanks to George from Comma Press, Amy from Bad Betty, Paul from Bearded Badger, Charlie Novak, Andrea from Troubador and Victoria/Ally from Global Wordsmiths for your insights. Also Waterstones for hosting us and to all who came!

Wren Archer is an Autistic indie author writing queer fantasy in Nottingham. 🔮✨️ Their published books include Maleficium and Threads of the City, with their sequel novel Relics of the City releasing in July! 📖💫 Find out more and get your copy here ➡️ bit.ly/STARPRINCE

If you live in Nottingham, you ought to know CJ DeBarra! CJ is the founder of community-led, unfunded project Notts Queer Archive, preserving the LGBT+ history of Nottingham from 1770-2026. Their Queer Nottingham history books are published by Five Leaves with a third to be published soon! 📖🌈

Young writers' prompts! ✍️🌱 This week's prompt: Write about the elements! 🌱🌬️🔥💧 🪨 Earth, Wind, Fire, Water... and what else? How do these interact with one another? What happens if we take one away, or have too much or another? 🌳 All info about the Solstice Writing Prize 2026 here: buff.ly/ROZsWph

Join us at An Indian Summer Festival in Leicester! ☀️✍️ In 2 weeks, we're teaming up with Inspirate to celebrate writing with South Asian roots. Through FREE drop-in exercises, a workshop with Leicester's first ever Poet Laureate Mr Shay and a sparkling open mic. 🎤✨️ Full details ➡️ bit.ly/WEMSPIRATE

Applying to our FREE writer development programme? Here's everything you need to know before you submit your writing. 📝 Full FAQs on the webpage here: ➡️ bit.ly/WEMMENTOR Remember: Applications close 5th August 2026 at 11.59 pm.

Another rec for your TBR: Ben Macpherson's Fat Man Found! 📚️ Ben Macpherson is a Nottingham poet and performer.✨️ His latest poetry pamphlet explores plus size bodies and paths to masculinity, blending myth, pop culture and storytelling with queer experience. 🌈 Grab your copy here. ➡️ buff.ly/l6GOzeX

East Midlands writers! Here are some LGBTQIAP+ events coming to you next week... 🌈✍️ 🫕 Hot Pot, a play by Hongwei Bao: 25th June, 7.30 pm 🏳️‍🌈 Raise Your Flag! flag making workshop: 27th June, 12 - 6 pm 📚️ Queer the Shelves, LGBTQ+ lit festival: 27th June, 10 am - 9 pm More info on the WEM website! 💻️

ONE WEEK to go until Beyond the Spectrum's online masterclass with Gemma Lees🖌️✍️ Learn about the histories, cultures and languages used by GTRSB people, and explore traditional GTRSB arts and crafts! Accessible ticket prices available from Beyond the Spectrum website! 🎟️ buff.ly/hToaOcK

Leo Forfar is a Nottingham poet and member of Write Queer. ✍️ You may recognise Leo from his performance in Notts Pride's 2025 lineup. 🏳️‍🌈🎤 His work has been published in Write Queer's first two collections, and he's currently working on his debut pamphlet, telling stories from the Rainbow Quarter. 🌈

Tara Singh is a queer, ND poet, facilitator and co-founder of Shaded Writers, a UK Black Pride-sponsored initiative for QTIBiPOC writers. ✍️🌈 Their debut pamphlet, ✹Fr⚘gm∞nts⊗, was published by Five Leaves and longlisted for the Jhalak Prize. 🏆️📖 It explores race, queerness, gender and trauma.

Happy WEMsday folks 🧡 Want to hear all the latest events and opportunities from the East Midlands? Look no further! ✍️ Check out the 'Whats On' page our website for all these and more: buff.ly/x7ieJqq

Book recs for Pride month! 🌈⬇️ 🔖 Wild and Wicked Things, Francesca May (fantasy) 🔖 Drama Queen, Charlie Novak (romance) 🔖 The Passion of the Rabbit God, Hongwei Bao (poetry) 🔖 Sapphic Eclectic, anthology 🔖 Echoes of the Heart, Ally McGuire (romance) 🔖 Mr Universe, Rich Goodson (poetry)

Our book & poetry publishing masterclass is THIS SATURDAY! 🚨 Publishers speaking: Troubador, Global Words Press, Comma Press, Bad Betty Press, Bearded Badger and author Charlie Novak. ✍️📖 This is your LAST CHANCE to buy tickets. Get yours here: ➡️ bit.ly/ARTPWEM

Two weeks to apply for this publishing opportunity for poets! 🕑️ Open to poets living, working and studying in the East Mids. YOUR pamphlet could be published in 2027. 📖 Submissions close 30th June 2026. Full guidelines: ➡️ buff.ly/6o19qNb

Charlie Novak is a Notts-based author of over 30 queer romance novels. 💘 Including their most recent: Licked, an ice cream shop romance set in North Yorkshire! 🍦 For queer novels full of heat, heart and humour, visit her website: www.charlienovak.com

Our creative writing competition for children and young people is open! ✍️🌱 All throughout summer, we'll be sharing prompts to inspire your young writer's creativity and encourage them to engage with nature. 🌲🌻 For more info about the competition, click here: bit.ly/WEM_SOLSTICE

Our book publishing panels come to Nottingham next week! 📢 Here are some of the books published by the publishers (and author) who will be sharing their advice with you all. 📖✍️ Find out more and book your tickets here: bit.ly/ARTPWEM

Becki Jayne Crossley is the Nottingham author behind Tart! 🍰 A queer coming-of-age and friends-to-lovers romance. 👩‍❤️‍👩🌈 As a bisexual author, Becki is passionate about queer YA stories that portray the realities of coming out and discovering your sexuality. 💖

LGBTQIAP+ book recs from East Mids authors! 🌈📖 🔖 Self-Portrait as a Banana, Hongwei Bao (poetry) 🔖 Fat Man Found, Ben Macpherson (poetry) 🔖 Tart, Becki Jayne Crossley (YA) 🔖 The Final Child, Fran Dorricott (thriller) 🔖 Licked, Charlie Novak (romance) 🔖 Queer Nottingham, CJ DeBarra (nonfiction)

Our FREE writer development programme is OPEN for applications. 📝 Here are some FAQ's and our answers to them. ✍️ Full info & application window on the website here: bit.ly/WEMMENTOR Or send us an email: [email protected] 📧

We're celebrating queer writers of the East Mids this Pride Month 2026. 🌈✍️ Dr Hongwei Bao is the academic and author of both nonfiction books and poetry collections exploring queer, diasporic, East Asian identity. Find his books at local bookshops like Five Leaves and The Pride Shop in Notts! 📚️

In just 2 weeks, Beyond the Spectrum are running this online masterclass with Romany Gypsy artist and writer Gemma Lees! 🖌️✍️ Learn more about the histories, cultures and languages used by GTRSB people, and find out how to make the arts more inclusive! Get your tickets here! ➡️ bit.ly/GTRSBBTS

Beyond the Spectrum's summer programme has launched! 🚀 Featuring 100% online writing masterclasses with an accessible ticket price system. 🎟️ Book now for workshops on self-editing, writing for the stage, securing funding as a writer and more! 🎭️✍️ Get your tickets here! ➡️ bit.ly/BTSBUYBOOK

Author reveal! 🎩🪄 Charlie Novak is speaking at our upcoming self-publishing panel in just 11 DAYS! 🗣️ Find out about her journey as a self-published author and see what you need to do to get your books into the hands of readers! 📖🤲 Get your tickets here! ➡️ bit.ly/ARTPWEM

LAST MINUTE TICKETS : Writing Memoir with CJ DeBarra! ✍️📖 If you have a story to tell, find out how to put it on paper. 📝 Our online masterclass takes place tomorrow evening. Suggested, concessionary, free and pay-it-forward tickets available. 🎟️ Get yours here! ➡️ bit.ly/CJMEMOIR

During July and August 2026 Leicester Writers' Club opens for Guests. Hybrid meetings: attend in person or via Zoom. If wanting to attend via Zoom, please contact the club for the meeting link. leicesterwritersclub.com/contact-us/ @writingeastmidlands.com

Support East Mids Queer Writers! 📢🌈 By reading THESE books: 🔖 Queering the Asian Diaspora, Hongwei Bao (nonfiction) 🔖 Fragments, Tara Singh (poetry) 🔖 The Tree, R.D.K. Marjoram (fiction) - LAUNCHES TOMORROW! 🔖 A Good Year, Polis Loizou (folk horror) More recommendations to come. Stay tuned... 📖👀

Hey WEM friends! Here is our Writing Community round up - here's all the newest events, opportunities and awards from the East Midlands and beyond ✍️ All these and more via our website on the 'What's On' page 🧡 buff.ly/6uEW37L

NEW interview with CJ DeBarra! 🌈✍️ We sat down with Nottingham LGBT+ Historian, CJ DeBarra ahead of the launch of the second volume in their 'Queer Nottingham' history trilogy 📚 Click here to learn more about CJ's work and Nottingham's LGBT+ History💻️ buff.ly/atWwPbV