Hello Hubmarine 0902

2. Feb '09

FICTION - CHRIS KILLEN, SOCRATES ADAMS-FLOROU, SIAN CUMMINS (Manchester Invasion)
POETRY - STEVE ROONEY, MICHAEL FREARSON
FILM - 3 more short films
MUSIC - JO LEWIS

Okey Dokey. It's nearly the end of the second month of 2009 so WHAM it's time for Hello Hubmarine #2. This one is a blinder n'all - we've got some amazing fiction for y'all.

If you haven't heard of Chris Killen then you're about to. His debut novel The Bird Room was published by Canongate last month to rave reviews. We've all read it and flipping love it. It's funny, weird, romantic, horny and skewered. If it were to be made into a film it would be directed by Chris Morris and star Mark Heap. If you haven't picked up a copy of it yet you may well get the chance on the night as we hope to get our hands on a few. Chris is coming down from Manchester with his friend and accomplice in disjointed-but-wildly-inventive contemporary fiction SOCRATES ADAMS-FLOROU (author of the (now sold out) chap book Flesh Feast: The Human Brain). Chris is responsible in part for the amazing 'There's No Point In Not Being Friends With Someone If You Want To Be Friends With Them' night of stories and poetry in Manchester, and so is our next surprise: SIAN CUMMINS. As if there weren't enough of a Northern invasion going on! Sian is a bit of an internet dark horse, but I've seen her name after the word 'by' on a story at Pygmy Giant.

Remember January? Well, in that month, there was a poetry slam up at the University of Derby. A man from Leicester came and made everyone laugh and won it. That man is STEVE ROONEY. You may remember him from Michael Frearson's book launch last summer. You would have been laughing, probably, at poetic narratives that take in dysfunctional romance, white transit vans, and chavs. MICHAEL FREARSON will also be making an appearance, which will be one of the last in a good long while. Michael's going away exploring, we think, the remote regions of Nepal. So as well as coming to enjoy some honest, powerful, intimate and intimidating poetry from Mr. Frearson, come down to cheer him off on his merry way (and tell him to come back soon, and to not forget to write, and to not be stranger etc.)

Everyone seemed to enjoy our little selection of short films in January so we'll deliver another three or four straight into your ears and eyeballs. Musical accomplices still to be confirmed...but still...how about that for a FREE night, on a Saturday, in the heart of the city eh?

Are you game? Then come to Big Blue on Saturday 28th of February. It's FREE. If between now and then you would like to meet other people who will be there, you can do so on our Hello Hubmarine Facebook event page.

UPDATE: We didn't think there were quite enough people from up north playing in Derby on Saturday night, so we're well proper chuffed to have JO LEWIS with her lovely voice and acoustic guitar. Jo's played at TTO nights before, as well as Michael's poetry collection launches, and every time it's awesome, and every time people sing along, and every time it's la la la la la la.