by Victoria Bromley
We already have the likes of Sylvia Plath and Joan Didion around our table for our fantasy literary dinner party from Charlie’s invites, and here is who I’m also adding to the guest list.
It’s a book lover’s dream to be able to gather their favourite writers around a table, and it’s a constant dilemma of who to choose. From my favourite contemporary writers to classic literary heroes, here is who I would love to chat to over appetisers and a large glass of red wine.
1. Jane Austen
How she could write a character so captivating as Emma Woodhouse would be my first question, then I would love to discuss how she was able to write the perfect love stories. It took me a few times to get into Austen’s writing, having tried and failed to read Pride and Prejudice in the past, before falling in love with Emma and making it a goal to read all of Austen’s work this year. I only have Love and Friendship left to read.
I probably wouldn’t mention that I’d visited her house in Hampshire as that may be a bit creepy…
2. Dolly Alderton
I think having a relationship agony aunt at the table would be a fun dynamic. I would love to hear more about Dolly’s adventures with dating and friendship and self love after rereading her memoir Everything I know about love and loving her other non fiction Dear Dolly. She’s so wise and non judgemental which would allow open and honest conversations.
3. Saba Sams
My favourite short story writer and winner of the BBC short story award 2022, I would definitely love to pick her brain about the craft of short fiction writing. Her wit and the way she brings stories to life is so mesmerising, I would bring a notepad and write down everything that she says.
Her short story collection, Send Nudes, is one I always dip in and out of for inspiration and to revisit my favourite stories and relive how I felt when I read them for the first time.
4. Emily Berry
I never used to be one for poetry. While I did very well in the poetry section of my Literature GCSE, I wasn’t particularly interested in the war and conflict poetry we studied. As a lover of witty, insightful, experimental prose, I thought I would seek out these things in poetry and that is where I discovered the poet Emily Berry.
There’s no much nuance and heart in her work and I would love to feed off her thoughts and experiences on writing. Maybe she could help me dabble in writing a bit of poetry? I would love to know more about the form and where she gets her inspiration from.
5. Emily Austin
The second Emily and Austen (kinda) at the table, would be my favourite contemporary writer, Emily Austin. Canadian, and writer of Everyone in this room with someday be dead and Interesting facts about space, I am obsessed with the humour, grit and personality of her books. I cannot wait for her third novel, We could be rats, published next year and you best bet I would be asking for a proof copy.
As an aspiring writer myself, I would love to absorb all her wisdom about writing successful contemporary fiction but also just to have a laugh and get to know her as a person.
6. Jenny Mustard
Having been lucky enough to be invited to Jenny’s paperback release party for her debut novel Okay Days, I would of course return the favour and invite her to my (although entirely hypothetical) dinner party. We had such a lovely chat about writing and getting published, I would love to continue that conversation and learn more about her second release coming next Spring, What a time to be alive.
7. Holly Bourne
My teenage self adored Holly Bourne’s feminist YA series Am I normal yet? She is the reason I got back into reading and I am forever grateful. She taught me how to be openly feminist and challenge sexist viewpoints and the way she writes female friendship is top notch. As I’ve grown up I have loved her adult fiction just as much. I think we would get along so well.
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