Behind the Spider at #RaworthsLitFest
Lady Hale won global attention in 2019 when she found the prorogation of Parliament to be unlawful. Yet that dramatic moment was merely the pinnacle of a career as a pioneering reformer and smasher of glass ceilings. From a small Yorkshire village to President of the Supreme Court, she’ll join us at Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival on Sunday 23 October at 11.30am to share her story,
We were lucky enough to ask her a few questions ahead of her visit to Harrogate this weekend. Read on to find out what’s top of her reading list and all about her writing quirks.
Q. What do you want audiences to be discussing over coffee (or a glass of wine) after your event?
A. I hope the audience will come away excited by the stories I have to tell and realising the importance of justice in all our lives.
Q. Describe your latest book in 3 words
A. An inspiring life.
Q. One thing we always love to know, what does your typical writing day look like? Do you have any writing quirks?
A. A typical writing day: Get up slowly. Do puzzles while drinking coffee and listening to Radio 4. Get to my desk during or after Women’s Hour, depending how riveting it is. Write, read, do emails etc. Pop out for newspapers (short or long walk depending on whether I’m in Yorkshire or London) before light lunch listening to Radio 4. Back to work but not before The Archers have finished. Write, read, do emails etc. Tend to break around 7.00 pm but it depends what has to be finished that day. I like to reach a good place to stop writing but supper has to be cooked.
Q. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
A. ‘Unlawful Killings: Life, Love and Murder: Trials at the Old Bailey’, by Her Honour Wendy Joseph QC, retired Old Bailey judge. The title says it all.
Q. Why do you think literary festivals and events are important?
A. From the publishers’ point of view, literary festivals help to sell books; from the authors’ point of view, they are also great good fun; and from the readers’ point of view, they bring the world of books to life.
As a proud citizen of North Yorkshire, I am excited to be coming to beautiful Harrogate for the literature festival instead of the shops.
The Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival runs from Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 October 2022 in its celebratory 10th anniversary year. Find out more and book tickets here.