That’s What She* Said Live

This year, For Books’ Sake – the hardworking indie organisation behind critically acclaimed, award-winning night That’s What She* Said – celebrates its tenth birthday, and, to celebrate, you’re invited to a special online birthday party. Championing women and non-binary writers across the UK and beyond via writing workshops and retreats, along with live events and spoken word nights in Manchester, London and Bristol, For Books’ Sake have grown the operation since 2010 with zero external funding.

Join them for this special That’s What She* Said Live online on 21 August and help raise money for more great programming while getting to enjoy “three of the best spoken word performers around AND a chance to win some absolutely amazing prizes, from us and a selection of our all-time favourite writers, publishers and other organisations”. The Birthday Raffle includes books and goodies from the likes of Rosie Garland, Toria Garbutt, Boudicca Press and Burning Eye Books, editing and feedback sessions, creative coaching packages with FBS founder Jane Claire Bradley and more.

The evening itself, meanwhile, features two lots of performances each by EMY.P, Malaika Kegode and Maria Ferguson. EMY.P is an award-winning spoken word artist, BBC London-featured poet and musician born and raised in Essex, and featured in the list of Top 50 Neurodivergent Women 2019. Bristol-based Malaika Kegode is a poet, promoter and workshop facilitator, working with organisations such as Arvon and Cheltenham Literature Festival. Malaika’s debut poetry collection Requite was published by Burning Eye Books in 2017 and she has performed around the UK, from London’s Tongue Fu to BBC at the Edinburgh Festival.

Maria Ferguson is an award-winning writer and performer from Essex, whose debut poetry collection Alright, Girl? was published by Burning Eye Books in March and described by Salena Godden as: “Flawless. An essential read for the 2020s.”  She has been a resident artist for the Roundhouse and Battersea Arts Centre and has been commissioned by the Royal Academy of Art, Stylist magazine and BBC Radio 1. Her debut show, Fat Girls Don’t Dance, won the Saboteur Award for Best Spoken Word Show. Her follow-up, Essex Girl, was shortlised for Soho Theatre’s Tony Craze Award and won Show of the Week at VAULT Festival 2019. Both are published by Oberon Books.