Many people will be able to enjoy “booktoker”, YouTuber, traveller, scriptwriter and acclaimed author Javier Ruescas this Saturday, 9 November in the evening, when he and Raquel Brune will lead a 42 Festival workshop on how to review books on social media. But first, we wanted to give him a space to talk about his own literary work, with notable works this year including his protest book Lo que pasó, based on a homophobic attack against his partner in 2021, and the reprinting of the post-apocalyptic trilogy Electro, co-authored with Manu Carbajo. He’ll be joined by another YA rising star, Belén Martínez of Cádiz. Martínez may be a nurse who doesn’t follow social media that closely, but she’s made it big with her fantasy and dark fantasy novels such as El vals de la bruja [The Witch’s Waltz], Sangre de dioses [The Blood of Gods] and her recent Placeres mortales [Mortal Pleasures]. What are the similarities and differences between their experiences with readers? And their approaches to writing and imagining worlds? Fellow fantasy author Manel Medina will be tasked with asking them these and other questions that will help them define their literary identities.

Guests:

Javier Ruescas

Belén Martínez

Moderator:

Manel Medina