How I write – in conversation with Selina Brown

Grab a cuppa and get to know author and founder of Black British Book Festival, Selina Brown.

Selina will be in conversation with author and activist, Karen Arthur, 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 Karen Arthur (3 mins)
• Introductions to Selina Brown, and a glimpse into her creative routines (20-25 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

Selina Brown

Selina Brown is the Founder and CEO of the Black British Book Festival (BBBF), Europe’s largest celebration of Black literature.

Founded in 2021 with her own savings and no industry backing, BBBF has grown under Selina’s leadership into a major force in British literary culture. Its work now spans a flagship national festival, two Black Book Community Libraries, regional programmes in Birmingham and Manchester, schools and community initiatives, and a landmark publishing collaboration with Pan Macmillan.

A former librarian, Selina has curated literary programming at Glastonbury Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Hay Festival and Wolverhampton Literature Festival, and built partnerships with global brands including Audible, Spotify, Paramount and Penguin Random House.

In March 2026, she became the inaugural recipient of the Queen’s Reading Room Medal and was named a National Reading Hero at Clarence House. She has also been named FutureBook Leader of the Year by The Bookseller, Trailblazer of the Year at The London Book Fair and a BBC 1Xtra Future Figure.

Selina is also a Penguin Random House children’s author. Her debut picture book, My Rice Is Best, became the fastest-selling debut picture book of 2025 and received major award nominations.

Across festivals, publishing, libraries and education, Selina is building cultural infrastructure that is reshaping who gets to participate in — and influence — British literary life.

Instagram: @theselinabrown

Karen Arthur

Karen Arthur is an author, broadcaster and artist. She founded the groundbreaking podcast Menopause Whilst Black, The Joy Retreat Barbados for Black women in menopause and hosts the radio show Can We Talk? Her award winning children’s book, Grandmas Locs which celebrates the diversity of Black hair is recently out in paperback. She lives contentedly by the sea

Instagram: @thekarenarthur

Send us your questions

If you would like to send questions in advance, email SJackson@societyofauthors.org with ‘Selina Brown – 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.