Debut novelists Lauren Mooney and Saul Leslie: In Conversation

Join us for the 2026 Liverpool Literary Festival Join two University of Liverpool alumni as they discuss their debut novels, both of which – in their own unique ways – explore work, power, class and capitalism. Lauren Mooney is a writer from the East Midlands and works in theatre and audio drama, co-running the Kandinsky Theatre Company since 2015, making award-winning shows. Her debut novel Service, published in June by Manilla Press, finds comedy and horror in servitude at a landed estate. Saul Leslie is a writer and academic, teaching literature and creative writing, and is an advocate for disability rights. His academic research on disability and employment was instrumental in influencing policy that brought about the British Sign Language Act in 2022. His novel A Working Title I Want To Change explores the dizzying over-lit world of austerity Britain, revealing consumerism’s rituals and illusions in all their comedy and menace. Lauren and Saul, both of whom studied English Literature at the University, will be in conversation with fellow alumna Sara-Louise Tareen, co-organiser of Feminist Fiction Liverpool. Click here to book a festival pass. All passes will include reserved seating in the lecture theatre, plus a host of other exclusive VIP benefits. Please note, the weekend pass does not include the launch event with Roger McGough on Friday 16th October. There are a number of FREE University of Liverpool student tickets at all festival events. Students who sign up to receive their free ticket will need to add the code STUDENT26 when ordereing and show their student ID when they arrive at the venue. To visit the festival website and take a look at the rest of the programme please click here We are committed to maintaining your privacy and you can view our data protection policy and privacy statements online. Data protection policy Corporate Events Privacy Notice