The literary salon is making a comeback, according to the Guardian;
http://www.writewords.org.uk/news/1290.asp
- if you run one, or attend one, let us know in this thread. We can help publicise events or meetings, run an email interview...

I sometimes attend a philosophical salon. The concept is similar although focused on philosophy. I'm guessing it would be of interest to many literary types too. The debates are so lively you often wonder whether it's about to turn physical. It's usually packed and very friendly.

It's called the Cafe Philo and takes place every Saturday at 10.30am at the French Institute in South Kensington, London. Sessions are in English and in French alternatively. I thoroughly recommend it!

http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/talks/conference/cafe-philo.html

Nancy

so members can engage in unashamedly intelligent discourse and read unfinished work to gauge reaction before redrafting.

simultaneously the atmosphere of a library, a bordello and a boxing ring

And this differs from Writewords how?

seriously, though, isn't it just a critique group? Like calling 'second hand' 'vintage'?
It does sound fun though - I would be up for going to one.

Not sure I'd trust anything that came out of the Guardian after the hammering Ian McEwan got from their readers.

Yes, I go to the shoreditch house salon (and was quoted in that piece, naomi, so I promise that bit at least is reliable... ) and have read
from my novel at it; it's excellent.

Jessica Ruston was inspired by something she heard and has just sold a serial based on it.

I hope the writer she heard it from at the Soho salon got a percentage. It rather sounds like not.

Chris

Jessica Ruston was inspired by something she heard and has just sold a serial based on it. I hope the writer she heard it from at the Soho salon got a percentage. It rather sounds like not.

Well, it was hardly that I stole an idea from someone else and went on to sell it, which is what you seem to be implying here.

To clear up any confusion... what happened is this - I was reading from my book at the salon, and Tim Teeman, who is the arts ed for the Times, was doing a slot called 'Story of my Life' - where someone, usually a journalist, talks about a book that has inspired or influenced them in some way. He was reading from and talking about 'Tales of the City', which was originally written as a serial, and then later published as a book. I had had an idea for a story told entirely through dinner parties which I had first thought I would do as a book, but which, as I was listening to him and talking to him about serials afterwards I suddenly realised might work well in that format. So I pitched it and it is appearing in The Lady; called Come for Dinner.

So no, I am not giving anyone 'a percentage' of my work, although next time I see Tim I shall buy him a drink...

Jess - sincere apologies. I can see now that I hadn't properly read the paragraph that followed the one I quoted, and had therefore got it all completely wrong. If it's an acceptable excuse, I must plead that I was visiting ww as a distraction shortly after returning from an extremely unpleasant excursion to A&E and was in no great state to do anything requiring mental activity! In any case, if I had realised that the quote referred to a fellow-ww-er, I would certainly have been more careful to think first about what I was saying. Very sorry to have caused totally unjustifiable offence.

Chris

Jess, I can't wait to read your serial!

Do you know if The Lady is now only accepting stories from writers with agents? I ask on behalf of my fellow Womagwriters who face an ever dwindling market.

Oh don't worry, thanks for the apology I would just never want people to think I had nicked something from another writer!

Jem - I don't know if they're doing any other fiction now - I contacted them direct, rather than through my agent, so if they are doing more fiction then I am sure you wouldn't have to be agented to approach them. But RJ has been doin a massive overhaul of the mag as you know, so I'm not sure what her plans are in general.

PS - hope you are OK Chris and on the mend now!

Jess - I'm out of the woods now. Thanks very much for your good wishes and for taking the stupid comment in such good spirit!

Chris

Glad to hear it

I used to go to a literary salon years back but it fizzled out after some hanky panky between the hostess and one of the members. Maybe one that's not in a private house is better because people feel constrained to behave. The one at the Institut Francais sounds great.

Sheila