How I write – in conversation with Gemma Cairney

Grab a cuppa and get to know multi-award-winning broadcaster, author and activist, Gemma Cairney.

Gemma will be in conversation with marketer, event producer and audience development consultant, Micallar Walker to discuss her work and career and to offer a glimpse into her creative routines.

Online in conversation events – free for all + donation

All donations made go towards the Society of Authors’ Access Fund. The fund is to help provide authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats. If you would like to make a donation with your booking, please do so when registering for the event below.

Programme

• Welcome, introductions and housekeeping from Micallar Walker (3 mins)
• Introductions to Gemma Cairney, and a glimpse into her creative routines (20-25 mins)
• Gemma will do a short reading from her book (2-3 mins)
• Q&A with audience (10 mins)
• Summary and closing comments (2 mins)
• This event will be moderated by Sophia A Jackson – Head of Events & Engagement, SoA

The Line-up

Gemma Cairney 

Gemma Cairney is a multi-award-winning broadcaster, published author, production company founder, magpie, and life enthusiast.

Gemma is a writer, broadcaster, documentary maker, journalist, and cultural producer. A former Brit School pupil and fashion stylist, Gemma has presented across the breadth of the BBC, having been the regular presenter of the 1Xtra Breakfast Show, 1Xtra’s 1-4 afternoon’s slot, the Radio 1 Weekend Breakfast Show, Radio 1’s Early Breakfast Show, The Surgery and is host of series The Leisure Society (BBC6 Music) and The Sound Odyssey (BBC Radio 4 & BBC World Service).

She has written for, edited, and contributed to The Guardian, Company Magazine, Red, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. She has won Sony awards for her documentaries on subjects such as domestic abuse and produced podcasts and theatre productions. Her drive is humanity and communication in all areas of her wide-spanning work.

Website: https://www.gemmacairney.co.uk/ | Instagram: @gemagain

Micallar Walker

Micallar Walker is a cultural marketer, event producer and audience development consultant with 20+ years’ experience across books, film and the arts. She founded inclusive consultancy Dark Matter in 2021, curates Picturehouse Cinemas’ author events, broadcast live nationwide, and is English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation in Dubai.

Instagram: @MicallarWalker | @DarkMatterMktg | Website: www.darkmatteragency.co.uk 

Send us your questions

If you would like to send questions in advance, email SJackson@societyofauthors.org with ‘Gemma Cairney – Question’ in the subject header. We will prioritise questions sent in advance and answer as many as we can from the audience on the day.

Accessibility

• Attendees will have the option to turn on the live transcript, to watch with subtitles
• If you require BSL interpretation for this event, please email events@societyofauthors.org

Booking

Please either use the form titled ‘Register – no donation’ or the option of the different ticket options with a donation amount depending on how much you would like to donate towards the Society of Authors Access Fund.