SUNDAY 30 JULY – 12.30 PM
Panel – Studio 3
Never forget to be yourself! Join Benjamin Dean (The King is Dead) as he leads Sophie Jo (The Nicest Girl), Ayaan Mohamud (You Think You Know Me) and Diana Anyakwo (My Life as a Chameleon) in a conversation about all things identity – who you are, and why that makes you brilliant. This panel will explore how identity intersects with storytelling, YA, and all things bookish – especially in writing for the bookish community, by the bookish community.
About Ayaan Mohamud
Ayaan Mohamud wrote her first ever book in lockdown and during NaNoWriMo, while also studying as a medical student, and it became her debut novel. It was inspired by her own experiences of Islamophobia and a desire to write about Somali culture, which she hopes to shine more of a light on in YA. She lives in London and can usually be found either writing or complaining about writing.
About Benjamin Dean
Benjamin Dean is a full-time author with a background in celebrity journalism. He has interviewed a host of glitzy celebrities and broke the news that Rihanna can't wink (she blinks, in case you were wondering). His award-winning middle-grade debut, ME, MY DAD AND THE END OF THE RAINBOW, was described as 'One of the most joyful books you'll read this year' (The Bookseller), and he's since gone on to publish THE SECRET SUNSHINE PROJECT and THE KING IS DEAD. Benjamin can be found on Twitter as @notagainben tweeting about Rihanna and LGBTQ+ culture to his 10,000+ followers.
About Diana Anyakwo
Diana Anyakwo grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. She is of mixed Irish and Nigerian heritage. She moved to the UK when she was a teenager and later graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Molecular Biology and a Masters in Bioreactor Systems. She spent three years in Athens, Greece where she taught English and worked as an editor at an educational publisher. She currently lives and works in Manchester as a freelance writer and editor of English Language teaching materials. She loves reading, writing and binge-watching TV series. She also loves going for long walks to help get inspiration for her writing.
About Sophie Jo
Sophie Jo is a writer of Young Adult fiction from the West Midlands. She is an ambassador for Women's Aid, a national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children. She's worked with the Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan, BBC Woman's Hour and Avon to spread the word about healthy teen relationships, and supported the charity's Media team with the construction of its Love Respect website. Sophie has worked in comms and copywriting roles across a variety of sectors, from higher education to social housing and spends her spare time reading about Disneyland and overanalysing the O.C.
