Novels-in-the-Pipeline Series

In this electrifying event, immerse yourself in the world of literature as four exceptional writers unveil tantalising glimpses of their upcoming novels. 

Get a sneak peek into novels poised to captivate your imagination, or even wield your influence over final drafts or potential book titles! 

Novels-in-the-Pipeline brings together literary talents from around the globe, spanning Australia, America, and across the island of Ireland. 

Brace yourself for a diverse array of narratives, including the gripping political intrigue of Take California by Emily DeDakis, the empowering feminocentric fiction of South Parade by Sheila McWade, the enchanting blend of romance and magical realism in Divine Will by Heather Martin, or the chilling twists of the psychological thriller in X+Y= by Elizabeth Meehan. 

From traditional literary mastery to bold experimentation, this event promises to ignite your passion for literature and perhaps lead you to discover your next beloved novel.

Emily DeDakis is a writer and dramaturg from the southeast USA, now living in north Belfast. She holds MA & PhD degrees in Creative Writing from the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University Belfast and is associate artist with Fighting Words NI, mentoring young playwrights. Emily’s writing has appeared in Dead Housekeeping, Ulster Tatler, Yellow Nib, Of Mouth, and Choice Words, and on BBC radio and television. Recent writing includes Carbon Women (Áine Mallon & Dumbworld), The Party Party (The MAC), Because Swiping Made My Grandson Stop Believing in Love (BBC Radio 4), Two by Two (Household), The Garden of Remembrance for Bygone Phallic Symbols (Origin Theatre NYC) and Last Night in Belfast (BBC 3).

Sheila McWade was born and bred in Belfast. She has an PhD and MA in Creative Writing from the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University Belfast where she taught undergraduate and postgraduate students and held the Bookfinders Chair for Creative Writing in 2020-22. Sheila was a professional actor for many years on stage and screen and continues as a voiceover artiste. She has written radio drama for RTE, published poetry and is working on her first collection of short stories under the mentorship of Danielle McLaughlin while completing final edits on her debut novel.

Heather Martin (she/her) is a writer from Meanjin/Brisbane, currently living in Belfast. Though her background is in playwriting, Heather has been writing her first novel Divine Will since 2021. As a playwright Heather has had six of her plays produced and two published. In 2016 she was shortlisted for Queensland Young Playwright of the Year, and has been steadily writing and producing theatre since. She is the founder and host of Belfast Playwrights’ Scribe Writing Group, a monthly workshop connecting Belfast-based writers. She is also co-host of ScriptJam with Colm Keegan, a playwriting workshop and theatre festival that has taken place in Dublin, Galway, and Belfast.

Elizabeth Meehan holds a PhD degree in Sociology from Queen’s University Belfast and an MPhil in Creative Writing from Trinity College Dublin. She leads Accidental Books, Accidental’s Literary Wing, addressing the gaps for writers in the community in experimental writing and practically through initiatives, such as the Writers Circle, Writers Corner and Writers Digital Showcase. She held a monthly column for the Irish News (2019-20) and has had work published in anthologies in Scotland and Northern Ireland. She reads for the Literary Journal and Kitchen Table Quarterly, which amplifies work that lays its history bare— cultural, political, geographical, and personal. A writer for the 21st century reader, she’s committed to unravelling a story’s deepest truth, exploring how the stories we tell ourselves are often as fabricated as any fictional novel.