Clare Fisher

If you consider yourself a bookish soul, you'd be inclined to believe that, for a city of its size, Leeds' literary scene is decidedly underweight. Sure, there are festivals in and around Leeds such as the Big Bookend and Ilkley Literature Festival, as well as some great live literature nights such as Fictions of Every Kind. But we think it's safe to say there is certainly room for more. (Re)Writing Yorkshire is a new series of free seminars where the Leeds Beckett English Lit Team, in conversation with some of the region’s most exciting authors, examine new representations of the UK’s largest county across literature, TV, film, music and art since the year 2000. With one event each month between now and January 2016, the line-up is both intriguing and impressive. On October 8 you can hear Yorkshire’s slice of the 'Next Generation Poets', Helen Mort and Tara Bergin, in conversation with Dr Lucy Bernett. On November 17, Richard Smyth and AJ Kirkby talk 'Mapping Leeds’ Fictional Landscape' with Dr Rachel Connor. Finally, on December 8, Yorkshire-based rising star Sunjeev Sahota discusses representations of the North, Yorkshire and the future of contemporary British fiction with Dr Katy Shaw, in 'Look North'. Sahota is one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists in 2013 and his second novel, 'The Year of the Runaways' recently made it onto the Booker Prize Shortlist. Not only are all these thought-provoking events free, they take place at the Leeds Library. An independent su