In conversation with Beth Miller

*A combined ticket for both Sunday talks is £15

Bethan Roberts is an award-winning novelist, short-story writer, radio and tv and script writer.  She has written five novels and also writes drama for BBC Radio 4. Her novels are often inspired by the lives of real people and by real places.  My Policeman was inspired by E.M.Forster and his policeman lover. The story was recently adapted for film and became a major success, starring Harry Styles and filmed in many familiar local settings in and around Brighton.

Bethan’s novel The Good Plain Cook was inspired by the eccentric art collector Peggy Guggenheim and was serialised as BBC Radio 4’s book at bedtime. A radio play My Own Private Gondolier, broadcast in 2010 and starring Fiona Shaw, also explored the relationship between Peggy Guggenheim and her artist daughter, Pegeen.

Bethan’s first novel The Pools, was set in the shadow of the massive power station near which she grew up. Mother Island is partly set on the island of Anglesey, where her father was raised and her most recent novel, Graceland, is based on the life of Elvis Presley. She has taught creative writing for the Open University, the University of Chichester and at Goldsmiths, University of London, and has worked on television documentaries. Bethan lives in Brighton with her family.

Bethan will talk with Beth Miller about her writing career, her inspirations and future plans.  There will be time for questions and discussion with the audience and a book signing after the talk.

Beth Miller has published six novels.  The Woman Who Came Back to Life, her most recent book, was published in January 2022. She has also published two non-fiction books, one about The Archers and another on her love of Shakespeare.  Beth is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Brighton. She also teaches creative writing and works as a one-to-one book coach for people at all stages of their writing.