Lucinda Hawksley

My latest article for RLF Collected, ‘The Mystery around Dickens’s Death’ https://www.rlf.org.uk/showcase/the-mystery-around-dickenss-death/

In 1842, Charles and Catherine Dickens set sail from Liverpool for a 6-month tour of the USA and Canada. In this online event, I’ll be talking about their journey and how it inspired Dickens’s writing. This is the first in a series of talks I’ll be giving over the next year, inspired by the book I’ve just finished writing, Dickens and Travel (which will be published later this year, pandemic permitting!). https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/charles-dickenss-first-trip-to-north-america-tickets-142223553477

On 26 Feb, I’ll be talking to YA author Kate Darbishire about her novel ‘Speechless’. We’ll be talking about #writing, representations of disability in popular culture, especially Cerebral Palsy, & what it’s like to self publish. Join us for this Online Event via Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/whats-it-really-like-to-self-publish-lucinda-hawksley-kate-darbishire-tickets-141836206913

In the 1850s, Augustus, the youngest brother of Charles Dickens, abandoned his wife in London and ran away to America with his pregnant girlfriend. He was barely spoken about in the family again. A few years ago, I travelled to Chicago to research what had happened to my great x4 uncle and Bertha, the woman who had been brave enough to run away with him. Join me for this online talk and find out about the life and quite extraordinary lies of Augustus – the original owner of the nickname ‘Boz’. 

It’s happening on Tues 26 Jan, at 6pm UK time, but joinable from anywhere in the world https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-life-and-lies-of-augustus-dickens-tickets-136183030109

In between lockdowns, I managed to do some filming, including working with the lovely Paul O’Grady on his Great British Escapes programme, for ITV. It’s available to watch on catch up. https://www.itv.com/hub/paul-ogradys-great-british-escape/10a0768a0003

I’m so pleased to have been asked to take part in this writing festival in Melbourne – even if it’s only possible via the power of the internet. I’ll be speaking about Dickens with my friend and fellow patron of the Dickens Museum, Miriam Margolyes. Tickets are on sale now – and FYI, if you’re in Europe, it’s a morning event, not at evening event as it states in the write up (it’s an Australian evening!).

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/for-the-love-of-writing-festival-tickets-134046882835

This portrait of Charles Dickens was painted at the exact time he was writing A Christmas Carol, in 1843 – and then lost for almost 175 years. Join me to discover what was happening in Dickens’s life while he was working on his most famous Christmas book. I’ll also tell you about the talented female artist who painted his portrait and how she helped to inspire his writing. Fnd out the remarkable story behind the “lost portrait”, how it was re-discovered and how it can help us understand the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim.

The talk is taking place at 6pm UK time, and is joinable from all over the world. Tickets are on sale via Eventbrite, but the event will be on Zoom.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/begin-your-festive-season-with-dickenss-great-great-great-granddaughter-tickets-129469267063

My next event in the #InConversationWith series is ‘Secrets and Surprises in Biography’, with fellow author Julie Summers, on 22 September. This is an online event, starting at 7pm UK time, but joinable from all over the world. Tickets and more information are available on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/secrets-and-surprises-in-biography-lucinda-hawksley-julie-summers-tickets-119874404571 The event itself will take place on Zoom (NB you cannot access the event through the Eventbrite website, that’s only a platform for buying tickets.)

Have you ever wanted to write your memoirs, or are you yearning to write the story of someone else’s life? Why not turn the surreal year that is 2020 into the time when you make that dream a reality?

I have created this 8-week online course in Life Writing to enable you to develop your writing and research skills, give you the confidence to move forward with your ideas and help you to improve your manuscript. 

My weekly classes will be taught in a small-group format via Zoom. You will learn how to begin and plan your book, how to overcome writers’ block, and how to analyse and critique your own work, all in a very supportive – and friendly – environment. This course is suitable for all levels, from aspiring authors to published writers wishing to hone their life-writing skills.

The course will begin on Wednesday 9 September 2020 at 2pm-6pm UK time. It includes eight online classes, guided writing tasks with feedback from the tutor, and a final one-to-one tutorial for each student. There will also be an opportunity to arrange ongoing tutorials after the course has ended, should you wish. Enrolment is open to participants from all over the world. The course costs £450 and can be booked any time up to 6 September. For more information and to book, please email info@lucindahawksley.com

Today I should have been giving a talk about my book ‘Elizabeth Revealed’ at the lovely Langham Hotel in Eastbourne. Sadly, for obvious reasons, we’ve had to postpone it, BUT my author talk will be happening in 2021! (FYI, isn’t this book jacket gorgeous? Well done to the team at Scala books and HRP publishing.)

Come on a pogonographic journey into the history of facial hair in art! A few years ago I was commissioned to give several lectures and tours of the National Portrait Gallery about hairy history, and this resulted in my book Moustaches, Whiskers & Beards, inspired by the gallery’s collection. It’s a fun look at history of art as well as the social history of bewhiskered men and women, taking place on Thursday 30 July, at 6pm UK time – but joinable from all over the world. You can book tickets by following the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-hairy-history-of-art-tickets-114670971964 Or by searching for “hairy history” on your Eventbrite app.

Once you have booked a ticket, please wait for an email, which will arrive on time for you to join the talk. That email will contain the zoom joining details of meeting ID and password. Please ensure you check your junk mail folders for the email, thank you. Please note I don’t record my talks, so I’m afraid it won’t be possible to watch the talk later. 

Take care and stay safe in this surreal time.

I’ve started a series of online lectures to help us through this strange time of staying at home. The first was a virtual tour of the National Portrait Gallery’s collection and the second is about Katey Dickens – aka the artist Kate Perugini – and it’s happening at 6pm London time on Wed 3 June. More info and ticket sales via this link on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/manage/events/107229462208/tickets

Please spread the word, thank you. It is joinable from all over the world, to anyone who is awake at 6pm UK time!

Take care and stay safe.

If you’re looking for something to listen to during this strange time of lockdown, here’s a link to the podcast I made with Philip Mould, Emma Rutherford and others about the Lost Portrait of Charles Dickens. It’s in 3 episodes. https://browse.entale.co/show/790c94fe-cc89-45b5-90f3-b0defc7c7e24

On 10 October, I’ll be talking about my newly updated book Charles Dickens at Wanstead Library, as part of the Fabula Festival. Tickets are available now on Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-lucinda-dickens-hawksley-tickets-69690926437?fbclid=IwAR32yFKkgCJuXqP5GL5ZGpIdYCt8xA-pt5BgxmTOJ0zDrje8C438lK_ghrU

I am really looking forward to being a tutor on this upcoming writing course for the Arvon Foundation. Narrative Non-Fiction is taking place at Lumb Bank in Yorkshire, the former home of the poet Ted Hughes. The course is taking place on 23-28 September. https://www.arvon.org/writing-courses/courses-retreats/narrative-non-fiction-2/

Book your tickets now from for a Weekend by the Seaside with Dickens in Manly, Sydney, on 18 & 19 May. Check out the programme here: (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cac5e7516b640584a438447/t/5cc1170a58c0ed00012da828/1556158229852/25+April+-+2019+Weekend+Away+Flyer.pdf)  Two of Dickens’s sons moved to Australia and, aptly, this year’s theme is “Dickens and the Family”. I’ll be talking about my books and family history in two talks entitled “The Great Expectations of the Children of Charles Dickens” on the Saturday and “Katey: Dickens’s Artist Daughter” on the Sunday.

If you’re dreaming of your next holiday, gain inspiration for your travels, with my beautiful book, The Writer Abroad, published by The British Library. It’s available from all good bookshops and from the British Library shop – either in person or online. https://www.bl.uk/shop/the-writer-abroad/p-922

On 26 January, I’ll be talking about my book ‘Bitten by Witch Fever: Wallpaper and Arsenic in the Victorian Home’ at Te Papa in Wellington, New Zealand. Tickets and more info here: https://www.friendsoftepapa.org.nz/event/beyond-te-papa-bitten-by-witch-fever/

On Thursday 22 November, I’ll be talking about Dickens and Christmas at Fleet Library in Hampshire. Tickets are available from the library.

This Historic Royal Palaces blog is taken from my new book, Elizabeth Revealed: https://blog.hrp.org.uk/16-facts-about-the-queen/

You can buy my book from good bookshops or online from the publisher: http://www.scalapublishers.com/title.aspx?category=&subcategory=&id=3906

This is my new book! Elizabeth Revealed: 500 Facts about the Queen and her World is available now worldwide, published by Scala together with Historic Royal Palaces. You should be able to get it at your local bookshop, or you can order it online here: http://www.scalapublishers.com/title.aspx?category=&subcategory=&id=3906 (isn’t this a beautiful book jacket?)

On 19 December, the 175th anniversary of ‘A Christmas Carol’, I’m going to be leading two special Dickens and Christmas walking tours of London, the first at 10am (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dickens-christmas-tickets-52174894514) & the second at 2pm (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dickens-christmas-tickets-52174903541). Both are on Eventbrite and bookable now!

On 19 September, I’ll be talking aboout March Women March at Barking & Dagenham Library. Tickets are free but need to be booked in advance. https://ww2.lbbd.gov.uk/event/lucinda-hawksley-march-women-march/

Queen Victoria and her Tragic Family begins on TV in the UK this weekend, starting on Channel 5 this Saturday (19 May), for 3 weeks: https://www.tvguide.co.uk/detail/2994683/138685784/queen-victoria-and-her-tragic-family I’ll be on it talking about Princess Louise. Hopefully it’ll be shown elsewhere around the world soon.

Last night I had great fun chatting with the presenters of The Project NZ (on TV3) about my book Moustaches, Whiskers & Beards, and about the Auckland Writers’ Festival. If you can access facebook, you can watch this video of the interview: https://www.facebook.com/TheProjectNZ/videos/1223716704431647/

Tickets are now on sale for Also Festival, 29 June-1 July, “the best independent ideas festival in the country” – and I’ll be speaking there. (Wellies at the ready, just in case….) Find out more here: https://www.also-festival.com

This November, I’ll be speaking about my book “Charles Dickens and his Circle” at the Gibraltar Literary Festival.

http://www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com/speakers/2017/lucinda-hawksley-62

Last night I launched my new book The Writer Abroad, an anthology of historic travel writing, from authors as diverse in time and style as Herodotus and Roald Dahl. It’s being published by the British Library on 23 February, this photo has just been tweeted by the library – the start of the book signing after the event.