Celebrate the launch of a fantastical Welsh-myth inspired, inclusive, Own Voices middle-grade series, Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend by autistic author and editor, Lizzie Huxley-Jones.
This family-friendly in-conversation event will take place at 6.30pm on publication day, Thursday 1st June in the bookshop, followed by an audience Q&A and signing. It will be chaired by Elle McNicoll, award-winning neurodivergent children’s author and co-writer of the CBBC adaptation of her debut novel, A Kind of Spark. The in-conversation portion of the event will also be livestreamed for attendees watching from home.
Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend follows autistic twelve-year-old Vivi as she learns about her magical destiny (and how much she doesn’t want one). Just before she moves from Wales to London, she hears a call from the lake that changes everything. A ghostly dog named Gelert (who can talk) insists that Vivi is a Calon; part of a magical group of children with elemental powers who share the soul of witches from legend. However, in order to save the world as they know it, Vivi must first embrace her new friendships and learn how to harness her powers.
LIZZIE HUXLEY-JONES (they/them) is an autistic author and editor based in South London. They grew up in Rhuddlan, North Wales, and spent their childhood romping around the old castles, windswept coastline, awe-inspiring mountains and deep lakes of the Welsh landscape, exploring the real settings of the stories their Dad shared with them – many from a VHS tape called Tales of Wales. They moved to London almost 10 years ago, having lived in various areas before settling in Croydon in 2018, where they live now with their partner, and dog, Nerys. They are a vocal advocate of the importance of representative stories for all young readers and write joyful stories that centre queerness and disability.
ELLE MCNICOLL is a bestselling, multi-award-winning Scottish children’s author. Her debut novel, A Kind of Spark, won the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and she co-wrote the TV adaptation for CBBC, now available to watch on iPlayer. Her most recent book, Like a Curse, was published by Knights Of in February. She is an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing and in 2022 founded The Adrien Prize, to recognise children’s fiction that explores the disability experience. She currently lives in London.
Doors will open from 6:30pm. Signed copies of Lizzie’s book, with cover artwork by Harry Woodgate, will be available to purchase with your ticket or on the night.