Fantasy Books

**DUE TO LIMITED SPACE PLEASE ONLY RSVP IF ATTENDING. IF NO LONGER ATTENDING PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RSVP.** Join us in the upstairs room of the Grafton Pub in Camden for another writing-focused session. Bring whatever you’re working on, whether you’re outlining a new idea or deep into your current WIP. This is a space for writers to connect, share ideas, and find inspiration. Whether you’re looking for feedback, want to brainstorm with others, or simply need a quiet place to write, our goal is to build a supportive and collaborative community for sci-fi and fantasy authors at all stages of their journey. Writing will start at 6:30, but feel free to arrive and leave at your own convenience! We will end at 8:30pm, but the pub is open till 11pm so after it ends people can mingle or go home as they please. **While we encourage collaboration and occasional chat, we ask everyone to be mindful of those focused on writing until 8pm.** **Also please support the venue by buying food or drink from the pub!**

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for June is **Yesteryear** by **Caro Claire Burke**. Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and has the social media accounts to prove it. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What Natalie’s followers don’t know won’t hurt them. Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn't her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible. [[Now being adapted into a major film starring Anne Hathaway.]] Please only RSVP if you think you'll be able to make this event. **We host three sessions per book, you only need to attend one.** Everyone is welcome! Grab your copy and join us for a relaxed and engaging discussion.

Let's catch up to discuss The temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima. Come and join us!!!

YOU CAN ALSO BOOK DIRECTLY VIA OUR WEBSITE HERE: https://www.writeandpint.com/events/flash-fiction-once-upon-a-pub-a-free-book . Hi there! For this session, we'll be using a single tarot card draw to spark fast, instinctive fiction — no deliberating, no second-guessing, just you and the story that lands. The session will be hosted by published fiction writer, editor, and general story lover, Annie Percik. If you're already writing something, great! And if you're approaching the page for the very first time — that's great, too! **Whoever you are, we'd love you to come and join us.** When you arrive, please feel free to buy yourself a drink at the bar, then come and join us in the upstairs function room and say hello to some new, friendly faces before we begin. \*\*\*No experience of creative writing is necessary. \*\*\*No pressure to read your work in front of the group. **For this session, we'll be working in the spirit of flash fiction** — tight time limits, very short pieces, and a single card draw to get you going. You'll write to a prompt, trust your first instinct, and see what emerges when you don't give yourself time to overthink it. Fast, focused, and surprisingly revealing. You're welcome to use the session to develop something you're already working on, but if you're just starting out, the constraints of flash are actually a brilliant place to begin. We've been hosting writing workshops, social events, retreats, and courses for 10+ years now and we strive to make our events inclusive, friendly, informative, and highly creative. If you have **any questions whatsoever, you're very welcome to text 07891948039** and we'll answer as soon as possible! Otherwise, please RSVP, book the date in your diary, and join us for this exciting event. Cheers! Write & a Pint

A most beautiful 8 to 9 mile walk in the Sussex English countryside at the site of the famous Battle of Hastings in 1066 culminating with a walk on the beach ! We shall buy group return train tickets to St Leonards at 9.45am for the train at 10.24am to Battle that arrives at 11.33am. Train ticket : return to West St Leonards Or you may decide to drive. The walk shall commence by 11.45am. Please bring packed lunch, water, snacks etc plus waterproof jacket and walking shoes/trainers. Walk shall commence with a visit to Battle Abbey the scene of the famous battle. We shall have a drink at the end of the walk and should be back in London by around 6.30pm. Meet up fee £5 payable by cash or in advance by bank transfer. You should have adequate and appropriate insurance for this type of activity and be able to walk 2.5 miles per hour. Please only post photos of others with their consent. My no 07714250849.

YOU CAN ALSO BOOK DIRECTLY VIA OUR WEBSITE HERE: https://www.writeandpint.com/events/flash-fiction-once-upon-a-pub-a-free-book . Hi there! For this session, we'll be using a single tarot card draw to spark fast, instinctive fiction — no deliberating, no second-guessing, just you and the story that lands. The session will be hosted by published fiction writer, editor, and general story lover, Annie Percik. If you're already writing something, great! And if you're approaching the page for the very first time — that's great, too! **Whoever you are, we'd love you to come and join us.** When you arrive, please feel free to buy yourself a drink at the bar, then come and join us in the upstairs function room and say hello to some new, friendly faces before we begin. \*\*\*No experience of creative writing is necessary. \*\*\*No pressure to read your work in front of the group. **For this session, we'll be working in the spirit of flash fiction** — tight time limits, very short pieces, and a single card draw to get you going. You'll write to a prompt, trust your first instinct, and see what emerges when you don't give yourself time to overthink it. Fast, focused, and surprisingly revealing. You're welcome to use the session to develop something you're already working on, but if you're just starting out, the constraints of flash are actually a brilliant place to begin. We've been hosting writing workshops, social events, retreats, and courses for 10+ years now and we strive to make our events inclusive, friendly, informative, and highly creative. If you have **any questions whatsoever, you're very welcome to text 07891948039** and we'll answer as soon as possible! Otherwise, please RSVP, book the date in your diary, and join us for this exciting event. Cheers! Write & a Pint

Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you. We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well. Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.

Would you enjoy a relaxed evening with fellow Science Fiction and Fantasy fans? If so, we’d love to meet you. Our next gathering takes place on **Saturday 13th June from 6pm** at **The Mad Hatter**, just by Blackfriars Bridge. Drop in, say hello, and join us for a drink. We’re a long‑running group that’s been meeting since **1998**—long before meetup sites existed. Over the years we’ve hosted celebrity meet‑and‑greets, attended conventions together, run role‑playing games, organised cinema trips, LARPs, and plenty more. These pub meetups are all about socialising and connecting with other Sci‑Fi and Fantasy enthusiasts. To help break the ice, we’ll be running a fun **team quiz at 8.30pm**. There’s no fee to attend—just pay for whatever food or drink you order at the venue.

**This event is supported by The Royal Institute of Philosophy’s [Local Partners Programme](https://royalinstitutephilosophy.org/news/fund-your-event/).** **N.B. this meeting will be held in person in the Prince of Wales pub near Covent Garden. There is also an online session held on Thursday if you are not in London or are not able to attend in-person.** Halfway through our thematic 'Quest' year, we are going back farther than we've ever been to one of the oldest surviving stories, one of the foundations of Western, and now global literature. Homer's Odyssey is the tale of Odysseus' homecoming to Ithaca after defeating the Trojans - his temptations, battles, failures and victories, all interwoven with his wife Penelope's resolve to fend off suitors, and his son Telemachus' search for news of his father. Expect discussions of duty, justice, temptation and different forms of power and leadership. The meeting starts at 7pm with drink breaks at 8 and 9. The discussion will end around 10pm, but leave whenever you need to. Here's the blurb from goodreads.com: If the *Iliad* is the world's greatest war epic, then the *Odyssey* is literature's grandest evocation of everyman's journey though life. Odysseus' reliance on his wit and wiliness for survival in his encounters with divine and natural forces, during his ten-year voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, is at once a timeless human story and an individual test of moral endurance.

Let’s kick things off with Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross! For our first meeting, we’ll be trying out The Square as a gathering spot. I’ll plan to get there a little early to grab a table. Synopsis: *Dear Matilda,* **I wrote.** I let the words flow for her. And when the ink dried, I gave my very heart **to the fire.** Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic she uses to carry words and letters through the realms. But the gods will kill for power, and Matilda holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest allies. And there is a mortal who dreams of her, though they have never met in the waking world. Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life—begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. His request went unanswered, and Vincent became a hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda . . . until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him. Matilda and Vincent were fated to find each other beyond dreams. But to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, Matilda will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: finally allowing herself to be loved.

Curl up with a good book and a hot cup of your poison of choice. Maybe start a book club to talk about your favs and read together.

…Transform Our Lives, Work, and World (2024) by Jamie Metzl, 432 pages [Genetics] • Paperback • Hardcover • Kindle • Audiobook • Library: [https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=615082](https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=615082) Check the How To Find Us section for Zoom Link **(Remember, the Zoom Link is different each month, do not bookmark)** ### Review “In Superconvergence, Jamie Metzl takes readers on a magical journey through the science of the intersecting genetics, biotech, and AI revolutions, deeply explores the implications, and challenges us to think creatively and proactively about what comes next. Very few books are absolute must-reads. This is one.”―Siddhartha Mukherjee, assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and author of The Gene: An Intimate History "During the 25 years I have known Jamie Metzl, he has always been ahead of the curve. There is no one better to help us understand and prepare for the fast-approaching technological revolutions. Superconvergence is brilliant. I can't recommend it more strongly."―Sanjay Gupta MD, bestseller author, neurosurgeon, and Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent (CNN) "Our world is defined by our science and technology—whether we like it or not. The question now is not whether to use these powers, but how best to use them. In Superconvergence, Jamie Metzl takes us on a journey through the new capabilities that are radically transforming ecosystems inside us and around us, challenging each of us to get personally involved with building the future we want."―Beth Shapiro, University of California Santa Cruz evolutionary biologist and author of Life as We Made It: How 50,000 Years of Human Innovation Refined―and Redefined―Nature "In a fine counter-blast to the pessimism of today, Jamie Metzl lays out just how spectacular the future of humanity and planet can be if we harness innovation responsibly and imaginatively to create what he calls the 'spiral of progress.'"―Matt Ridley, author of How Innovation Works, and co-author of Viral: The search for the Origin of Covid-19 “A page-turning journey through space and time that shows us how our lives will be changed by imminent technological advances we once only dreamed of.”―David Sinclair, Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and author of Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don't Have To “The superconvergence of the genetics, biotechnology, and AI revolutions provides spectacular opportunities for building a better world. It also represents an almost limitless investment opportunity. We were excited to collaborate with Jamie Metzl, one of the world's great experts on how these aspirations can best be realized, including in capital markets. Superconvergence is a master class for imagining, investing in, and building a future we'd like to inhabit."―Jeremy Schwartz, Global Chief Investment Officer, WisdomTree “A clear examination of a transitional moment in the story of life on Earth…. Metzl capably describes recent developments in genetics and biotech and looks at how AI is providing an analytical engine of unprecedented power…. An important book in which the author sets out a path for the future based on his experience and expertise.”―Kirkus “Erudite, optimistic, and timely.”―Science Magazine "[In Superconvergence] Mr. Metzl has identified an important truth: that the convergence of new technologies is galvanizing us to reimagine how to meet urgent challenges in medicine and the environment. It’s a compelling opportunity—provided we manage to sidestep self-induced catastrophes along the way."―The Wall Street Journal ### About the Author Jamie Metzl is a leading technology and healthcare futurist and the founder and chair of OneShared.World. He is the author of Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity and four other books and was a member of the World Health Organization expert advisory committee on human genome editing. Jamie previously served in the U.S. National Security Council, State Department, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee and with the United Nations in Cambodia. His work has been featured by most major media organizations around the world, including 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Fox, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, the Times of London, Le Monde, and Paris Match, and his podcast interviews with Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, and others have reached tens of millions of listeners. He lives in New York City. Visit Jamiemetzl.com.