Lala Books 1st Birthday Extravaganza

We made it! Join us for a first birthday celebration, featuring an evening of readings from some of our favourite authors, including Cecilia Knapp, Harriet Armstrong, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, William Raynet Hunter and Jess Cole.

Harriet Armstrong is the author of To Rest our Minds and Bodies, our 2025 fiction book of the year. It was also named by the Guardian as a book of 2025. In addition to her critically acclaimed debut, she has had short stories published in Cōnfingō Magazine, The Georgia Review, the Virginia Quarterly Review, Giramondo's HEAT literary magazine and Forever Magazine.

William Rayfet Hunter is a British-Jamaican author, poet and DJ whose debut novel Sunstruck, a poignant story exploring race, class, and love, won the Merky Books New Writers' Prize. Their writing, published in outlets like VICE and Dazed, often delves into modern British society, queer relationships, and privilege.

Cecilia Knapp is a poet and novelist and the former Young People’s Laureate for London. Her debut poetry collection Peach Pig was published by Corsair in 2022 and her poems have appeared in The Financial Times, Granta and The White Review. Her debut novel Little Boxes was longlisted for The Authors Club Best First Novel Award. Her second novel Lack is due to be released in April 2026.

Ashley Hickson-Lovence is a novelist, poet, literary critic and lecturer of creative writing. He has published three books: The 392, Your Show, and Wild East. Your Show was longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and shortlisted for the East Anglian Book Awards. His fourth novel, About to Fall Apart, is due to be released on Faber in April 2026.

Jess Cole is a writer based in South London. She has written for Vogue, The New York Times, The Guardian, and is a regular contributor to MARFA. Her creative practice spans dramaturgy, performance pieces, and prose. Her debut novel Retail Therapy was published in 2025 on Worms.

Tickets are £12 and include complimentary drinks. Books will be available to purchase on the night.

If you'd like to come but can’t afford a ticket, please select a free ticket or email hello@lalabooks.london — we have a limited number of free tickets and books available through our community pay-it-forward scheme.