Free Event: in Conversation With Emily Garside and Mikey Bell

QueerTawe and Nofela invite you to join authors Mikey and Emily to discuss writing Queer Welsh books - from grappling with labels, trying (and not fitting) into boxes, and the question: What even is 'Queer Welsh writing'?Drawing on their experiences of non-fiction and theatre (Emily) and food writing and memoir (Mikey), the discussion will open up to a Q&A around their work and the bigger questions around writing Queerly.Book signings after the Q & A session.There will be time for socialising, drinks and food either side of the event.Dr Emily Garside
Emily is a writer and professional nerd based in Cardiff. She has a PhD in theatrical responses to the AIDS crisis and is a leading expert on LGBTQ+ theatre. Since leaving academia, she has taught at Bishopsgate Institute and works as a freelance speaker/educator. A regular contributor to The Queer Review, as well as her own newsletter The Nerdy Notebook, she has also written for DIVA, The Stage, BBC Wales, American Theatre, Nation Cymru and Matinee Radio. She has published six non-fiction books, including Seasons of Love; Why Rent Matters (Applause); Gay Aliens and Queer Folks; How Russell T Davies Changed TV (Calon); and Rainbow Wales: Queer Icons Past and Present (Calon). As a passionate queer nerd, her non-fiction is about capturing the 'hidden histories' and queer cultural stories that we might have missed. When she's not doing all of that, she writes programme essays for the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team and is also a distinctly mediocre ice dancer.Mikey Bell
Mikey is a writer and former food columnist for Voice and Buzz magazines. His writing and recipes have been featured widely, including the Western Mail, Vegan Food & Living, Halen Mon, and as Nigella Lawson's Post of the Week. His debut book, How an Egg Changed My Life, featured on 2026 must-read and best books lists and reached number 1 on Amazon's new releases in British food books. A fluent Welsh speaker, Mikey lives in Cardiff with his partner and their two French Bulldogs, Waffle and Rico. www.mikeybell.comHow an Egg Changed My Life: Blending memoir, recipes, and gentle humour, Mikey Bell reflects on growing up gay, chasing success and searching for happiness that lasts. From the Welsh valleys to Italy's kitchens, this uplifting read celebrates food, identity and discovering that a fulfilling life often begins by rewriting your own definition of enough.