The Bridport Literary Festival has selected the debut novel of a University of Chichester lecturer to be one of its star publications.
The Devil’s Music is the work of Jane Rusbridge, who lectures in creative writing at the University of Chichester. It has been selected as The Big Read for the festival, resulting in promotional displays in Bridport Art Centre and a reading at the local Waterstones book store ahead of the festival in Dorset which runs between 29 October-7 November 2010.
At the heart of the Literary Festival is the Bridport Prize, a world-renowned short story competition. After reading Jane’s novel, Bridport Prize organiser Frances Everitt said: “I've spent the last 24 hours engrossed by it. I was completely gripped and on an emotional roller coaster. I was born in 1958 and it's so evocative of around that time - I was transported back by smells and impressions.”
Jane said: “I’m delighted that my novel has been selected as The Big Read for the Bridport Literary Festival. The central character of The Devil’s Music is a little boy whose grandfather teaches him all about Harry Houdini and knots. As Bridport has a rope-making history, once supplying the hangmen of England with their nooses, this provides an interesting link to the novel.”
As well as promoting her work and the festival in Bridport, Jane will be appearing in Chichester this summer as part of Local Authors’ Week. She will be signing copies of her book and chatting to readers in Waterstones in West Street, Chichester, on 16 August between 11am-1pm.
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