In Conversation with Patrick Gale and Curtis Garner

Patrick Gale is widely considered a foundational figure in UK queer literature. Spanning a career of over 40 years, Patrick’s writing is recognized for normalising LGBTQ+ themes by seamlessly integrating them into mainstream literary fiction, family sagas, and historical narratives rather than restricting them strictly to ‘coming out’ or trauma narratives. Curtis Garner is emerging as one of the most exciting new voices in queer literature. Curtis has captured critical acclaim for writing tender, hyper-realistic, and unfiltered coming-of-age stories that navigate modern gay identity, exploring digital-age dating, body image and self-forgiveness.

You are invited to join Patrick and Curtis for a frank intergenerational conversation centred around their latest books, Love Lane and Orange – two richly emotional novels that trace the shifting terrain of queer love between men across different generations. Together, they will reflect on what it means for men to write lovingly about men across age, time and changing understandings of identity where relationships are not fixed narratives but fluid, evolving histories of desire, friendship and loss.

3-Day Festival and Sunday Pass holders: This event is free to attend with your pass, but advance registration is required as places are limited. Please book a Pass Holder Free Registration ticket to reserve your place. Without a reservation, we cannot guarantee entry.

Patrick Gale was born on the Isle of Wight and now lives on a farm near Land’s End. One of this country’s best-loved novelists, his most recent works are Love Lane, Take Nothing With You and Mother’s Boy. His BBC ‘Queer Britannia’ television drama, Man In An Orange Shirt, was shown to great acclaim in 2017 and won an International Emmy Award.

Curtis Garner is the author of the ‘instant queer classic’ Isaac, which was published in 2024 to critical acclaim. He was born in Cornwall in 1996 and moved to London when he was eighteen to study Creative Writing and English Literature. He graduated in 2017 and has been working in publishing since. In 2020 he also received an MA with Distinction from Manchester Writing School, where much of Isaac was written. In his spare time he reviews novels on Instagram (@queer_novels). Orange is his second novel.