ESEA Authors Lit Fest 14th Sept 2024 at SOAS

On East and Southeast Asian Heritage Month, let's talk about diaspora, and all the people and places we call home. Come join our celebration of new, exciting ESEA novels in the UK, from children’s and YA fiction, to adult fiction — literary, fantasy, speculative, and crime. Panel chats, book signings, and meet ESEA authors.

Venue and support provided by Dr Cristina Martinez-Juan, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, SOAS.

Please note: Purchasing a ticket allows ticket holder free entry to the event for the entire day, however, due to seat limitations of the venue, a seat is NOT guaranteed at each panel discussion. Please consider arriving 10-15 minutes earlier to ensure you get a seat, as you may not be allowed in the theatre room if arriving late and the room is at capacity.

If you would like to be updated on current and future events, as well as latest news, signup for our newsletter at , and visit our website at

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COVID Precautions and Guidelines: Panels will be held in an enclosed lecture room in addition to mingling in the foyer. Please do be mindful of attendees who may be vulnerable and/or at higher risk. If you are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you stay home. Masks are not required at the venue but attendees are welcome to wear them for added safety measures.

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In 2018, Maisie Chan offered one year's free mentoring to an unagented British Chinese novelist. The connections she made led to the creation of the Bubble Tea Writers Network, for ESEA writers and creatives. Join Maisie as she discusses her journey from scared aspiring writer to multi-award winning children's author and how the power of community can lift us all.

Dragons are cool but the ESEA bestiary is packed with plenty of other cool mythic creatures: headless horses, white snakes, zodiac animals, ghosts and demons. And what about hydrogen punk cities, mysterious landscapes and bewildering islands? Come for a big explore with an exciting selection of authors for all ages.

Chaired by Anne Chen (The Silver Cube, OUP), with Eva Wong Nava (East Asian Folktales, Myths, and Legends), Mina Ikemoto Ghosh (Hyo The Hellmaker), Maisie Chan (Tiger Warrior series) and Eliza Chan (Fathomfolk)

This panel explores the crucial role of inclusion in storytelling. Children’s book editors, authors, illustrators will discuss how diverse representation fosters empathy, broadens perspectives, and enriches young minds. Discover strategies for creating inclusive narratives that reflect the varied experiences of all children.
Chaired by Wendy Shakespeare (Editor, Reviewer for Inclusive Books for Children), with Candy Gourlay (Is It A Mermaid?), Natelle Quek (One Day At A Time), Nadia Mikail (The Cats We Meet Along The Way), Sojung Kim-McCarthy (The Girl Who Became A Fish)

Join us for a fun and creative session of comics round robin! This is a hands-on session where we’ll be making 4-panel comics with a twist. Come watch our illustrators in a quickfire round of comics drawing, and then have a go yourself! Paper and pens will be provided. Please note that this is NOT a "Learn to Draw" workshop, but rather serving as a relaxing drawing session for anyone who'd like to get some creative juices flowing in between the panel discussions.

Illustrators involved in the session will be Natelle Quek (One Day At A Time), Emma Farrarons (My Hair is as Long as a River), Sojung Kim-McCarthy (The Girl Who Became a Fish) and The Mollusc Dimension (The Weird & Wonderful Surviveries of Squid Horse)

Whether set in glitzy Hollywood or the domestic home, the commercial crime genre allows us to discuss some very real issues. Meet some ESEA women authors whose page turners will have you reading long into the night.
Chaired by Winnie M. Li (Complicit), with Tania Tay (The Other Woman), Callie Kazumi (Cuckoo), Ivy Ngeow (The American Boyfriend)

Multiple and mixed heritage in storytelling – how do you depict the experience of multiple ethnicity and growing up mixed race? How do you navigate rejection and inclusion? How do you market your author identity when your multiple selves are not easily categorised?
Chaired by Mina Ikemoto Ghosh (Hyo the Hellmaker), with Alex Barrow (If I Had a Dragon), Lui Sit (Forthcoming Book), Anna Sulan Masing (Chinese and Any Other Asian) and Emma Farrarons (My Hair is as Long as a River)

Living in diaspora, experiencing the colonial paradox, these poets find the words to represent the ESEA experience in the United Kingdom.

Chaired by Christina Juan (Editor, The 1762 British Invasion of Spanish-Ruled Philippines : Beyond Imperial and National Imaginaries), with Hongwei Bao (The Passion of the Rabbit God) and Khairani Barokka (Ultimatum Orangutan)

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COVID Precautions and Guidelines: Panels will be held in an enclosed lecture room in addition to mingling in the foyer. Please do be mindful of attendees who may be vulnerable and/or at higher risk. If you are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you stay home. Masks are not required at the venue but attendees are welcome to wear them for added safety measures.

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Please note: Purchasing a ticket allows ticket holder free entry to the event for the entire day, however, due to seat limitations of the venue, a seat is NOT guaranteed at each panel discussion. Please consider arriving 10-15 minutes earlier to ensure you get a seat, as you may not be allowed in the theatre room if arriving late and the room is at capacity.

Venue and support provided by Dr Cristina Martinez-Juan, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, SOAS.

If you would like to be updated on current and future events, as well as latest news, signup for our newsletter at , and visit our website at

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS London, Torrington Square, London, United Kingdom