Writing and the Power of Language: In conversation with Camilla Balshaw, Emily Addeni-Holman and Boakye D. Alpha

Wednesday 24 June 2026, 7.00pm – 8.30pm
Chalkwell Hall, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 8NB

In partnership with National Centre for Writing

Join us for an evening with the National Centre for Writing’s Escalator Writers Emily Abdeni-Holman and Boakye D. Alpha, in conversation with award-winning author Camilla Balshaw about writing and the power of language, with discussion rooted in cultural histories, oppression and identity.

Tickets: Free, places limited, booking essential

Book tickets: eventbrite booking link coming soon – keep an eye out on Metal website, socials and newsletter for updates.

The panel:

Camilla Balshaw is an award-winning author. She has been published in numerous journals, and her essays have featured in the Guardian, Therapy Today and the Observer. Camilla’s debut memoir, Named: A Story of Names and Reclaiming Who We Are (2025), has been described by Diana Evans as a ‘valuable meditation on the origins of what we call ourselves, packed full of rich storytelling’ and by Bonnie Burke-Patel as an ‘utterly fascinating, insightful and meaningful memoir.’ In 2025, Named won the best Memoir & Biography category in the East Anglian Book Awards.

Named is a fascinating exploration of names, global naming conventions and identity politics woven into a moving, personal narrative about the finding of family and self. At the intersection of memoir and social and cultural history it is a truly fascinating book about the seemingly ordinary and every day.

Emily Abdeni-Holman was raised in England and Lebanon, and is particularly interested in crossing-points, of identities, languages, and places. She enjoys experimenting with different kinds of style and form and is currently working on a couple of projects: a collection of short stories, mostly converging around Lebanon; and a more hybrid work about Arab-European identity, pre- and post-October 2023.

Her first book, Body Tectonic, on Lebanon’s socioeconomic crisis, is an experiment in approaching structural disaster through poetry (Broken Sleep Books, 2024). In 2025, she was one of five writers shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award.

Boakye D. Alpha is a Ghanaian interdisciplinary creative whose works include poetry, prose, screenplays, creative nonfiction, and filmmaking. His writing has appeared in Lolwe, The Shallow Tales Review, and elsewhere. In 2025, his short story was longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Although a versatile writer, his heart lies in literary fiction, and continues to explore experimental, layered narratives that provoke reflection on society and the experiences of underrepresented voices.

His work in progress explores the reality for some women in Ghana who endure violence and systemic oppression rooted in superstition. Through intergenerational narratives, the novel exposes the haunting effects of gendered violence.

Part of Essex Writers House – A collaborative partnership between Metal and Essex Book Festival, 01 – 30 June 2026

Essex Writers House is a month-long programme hosted by Metal, based in Southend. Chalkwell Hall opens its doors through June as a creative hub, offering a range of events from talks, open advice sessions and workshops to collaborative workspaces for writers, story tellers and book lovers of all levels. Find out more at essexbookfestival.org.uk/event/essex-writers-house-2026/.