2012

January 1

OBE

Rachel was delighted to be awarded the OBE .

The commendation read ‘Author, Vice-President of English PEN, for services to Literature’.

January 5

** Poppy’s Hero**

Publication by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books of [Poppy’s Hero] (/books/poppy’s-hero/).

May 10

** Maria and the Admiral**

Publication by Orion books of [Maria and the Admiral](/books/maria-and-the- admiral/).

Previous Events

2011

September 23

Kennaway House Readers and Writers Festival

RB speaks about her work.

Location: Kennaway House, Sidmouth , Devon at 19.30

May 17

Digby Stuart Lecture

RB delivers the annual Digby Stuart Lecture

Location: Digby Stuart College, Roehampton University, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PH at 18.00

May 7

Chipping Campden Literary Festival

RB speaks about her writing at the Chipping Campden Literary Festival Location: Town Hall, Chipping Campden Time at 18.30

April 16

West Country Writers Association Annual Lunch

As president RB attends lunch and addresses the West Country Writers Association at their 60th Congress.

Location: Elfordleigh Hotel, Plymouth, Devon at 12.30

March 30

High Sheriff Award

Rachel receives an Award from the High Sheriff of Greater London, Ranjit Mathrani, for ‘community service and outstanding contribution in relation to the criminal justice system’.

March 8 -13

Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Rachel will be attending the Festival in Dubai UAE and speaking at the following events.

Thursday 10th March

Writing for Children: what difference does language make?

Rachel Billington in discussion with Abir Ballan.

Time: 17:30-18:30

Venue: Al Khaimah, InterContinental Hotel, Dubai

Saturday 12th March

Fact & fiction in all its forms

Rachel Billington in discussion with Hilary Spurling.

Time: 13:30-14:30

Venue: Al Baraha 2, InterContinental Hotel, Dubai

Feb 17

The Missing Boy

Paperback publication by Orion Books of The Missing Boy.

Feb 17

One Summer

Paperback re-issue by Orion Books of One Summer.

Feb 17

The Space Between

Paperback re-issue by Orion Books of The Space Between.

January
Sentenced

Rachel Billington (Inside Time) chairs a discussion between Wilbert Rideau, American author (In One of Justice) and former death row inmate and Erwin James, the acclaimed British prison writer (A Life Inside) and journalist.

6.30pm Tuesday January 11th. English PEN Free Word centre. 60 Farringdon Rd. London EC1R 3GA

PEN members £5 non-members £8 020 7324 257 or www.freewordonline.com

Previous Events

2010

October 10

Wells Festival of Literature

Book Group Event. Presentation of The Missing Boy and presentation and discussion of Lies and Loyalties. Chair Hilary Cain.

Location: 2.30 pm at Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset

October 31
Bridport Literary Festival

‘The Missing Boy’

Location: 4.0 pm at the Bull’s Head Hotel, Bridport, Dorset

October 1

The Lukan Fund

A ‘Literary’ family, twenty novels and a prison newspaper: Rachel Billington talks about her life and work. In aid of St.Luke’s Church, Wincanton .

Location: 7.0 for 7.30 at St.Lukes’s Church, Wincanton, Somerset

September 20
Hampstead and Highgate Literary Festival

’ The Missing Boy’

Rachel Billington talks to Bridget Galton

Location: 12.00- 1.0 pm at Ivy House, London NW11 7SX

August 26
Edinburgh International Book Festival

‘The Missing Boy’

Location: 10.15 am in Highland Park Spiegeltent, Edinburgh

August 26

Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers series

Location: 5.30 at Peppers Theatre, Edinburgh EIBF

April 17

West Country Writers Association Annual Lunch

Location: The Mercure White Hart Hotel, Salisbury.

RB attends as President of the West Country Writers Association

March 25

The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival

‘Writing Fiction’

Rachel Billington talks about her latest published novel Lies and Loyalties, and her new novel The Missing Boy, to be published in May this year. She will also discuss her writing for prisoners in the prison newspaper ‘Inside Time’ and their wiriting in ‘Inside Poetry’ publlished in 2009.

Location. Christ Church College, Oxford at 4 pm on March 2

May 27

The Missing Boy

Orion Books’ publication of The Missing Boy.

‘Rachel Billington has written a tense and emotional novel about the day-to-day existence of a contemporary family living through their worst nightmare. Anguish and hope move across the pages until the final breath-taking denouement. The disappearance of a teenage boy tears a family apart in this poignant, highly topical and searching story’.

June 10

The Missing Boy

Rachel Billington in conversation with Peter Stanford to celebrate Orion Books’ publication of The Missing Boy.

Location: from 7-9 pm
Waterstone’s 39-41 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JQ

July 13

Ways with Words Literary Festival

Location: Dartington Hall, Devon

2009

December 2

The Longford Lecture

Rachel Billington chairs the eighth in the series of lectures in memory of her father, Lord Longford.www.longfordtrust.org

‘War is easy - peace is the difficult prize.’

Sir Hugh Orde, President of the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland talks about ‘An Alternative Approach to Resolving Unsolved Murders’.

Assembly Hall of Church House, Westminster, London at 6.30 pm

November 3rd

The Poyntington Lecture

‘Growing up as a Writer in the Longford Family’.

RB at The Gryphon Conference Centre, Bristol Road, Sherborne, Dorset at 7 pm.

July 3rd

BBC Radio 3 The Verb

RB interview with readings from Inside Poetry.

July 2nd

Making Conversation

RB has written the Preface to the reissue of Making Conversation, by Christine Longford. She will be at Persephone Books Ltd., 59 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3NB at lunch to talk about her aunt’s novel, first published in 1931, and her own latest work, Lies and Loyalties.

July 2nd

Inside Poetry

Launch of Inside Poetry at Daunts Bookshop, Holland Park, London. The book is a collection of poetry written by men and women in prison. It is edited by RB and has a foreword by Andrew Motion and endorsements from Boris Johnson, Michael Palin and author/prisoner Razor Smith.