Candlestick Press Regional Showcase
Sunday 28 September | 6.30 – 8.00pm
Online
A celebration of the poetry of place. Join us for a free online event to celebrate the publication of eight beautiful titles exploring the UK from north to south and east to west. There’ll be readings by over 40 contributing poets and guest editors in a poetic tour taking in Cornwall, Cumbria, Norfolk, Northumberland, the Lake District, the Peak District, Somerset and Yorkshire. I will be reading my poem inspired by my stay at Wordsworth’s home in Ambleside.

Short Story September Festival Weekend
Saturday 20 – Sunday 21 September 2025
Phoenix Square Digital Media Centre, 4 Midland Street, Leicester LE1 1TG
Thrilled to be a part of the Short Story September Festival. Join us for a jam-packed weekend of talks and workshops on mastering short stories.
I will be running The Significance of Voice Workshop on Sunday 21st (online) where we will discuss the crucial building blocks for writing authentically.
Check out the full schedule and book your early bird ticket by August 26th.

Manchester Festival of Libraries
Thursday 5 June | 6:00 – 7:30pm
Stretford Library, Kingsway, Stretford, M32 8AP
I will be at Stretford Library running a creative writing workshop as part of Manchester Festival of Libraries. Do drop in!

Join me in London at the 7th Khushwant Singh Literature Festival
Saturday 31 May 2025
SOAS, 10 Thornhaugh St, London WC1H 0XG
The theme was Humanity Across Borders and there was an exciting line up of writers and thinkers. I was in conversation with Devika Rege and Shueyb Gandapur. We talked about Politics, Privilege and Purpose in Fiction.

An absorbing and interesting conversation about the changing socio-political landscape of India and how national and regional identities can at times be in conflict. We talked about the urban and rural divide and the schism between a liberal, Westernised urban elite and the rural, religious majority.

The audience was lively and made some interesting observations and SOAS was the perfect backdrop to a day devoted to a meeting of minds and celebration of ideas.

Reflecting The World We Live In With Author Reshma Ruia
Burnley Words Festival
Saturday May 17 2025 | 2:00pm
We are all made up of stories. Some we have lived through, some we dream about, some are pure flights of imagination.
In this creative writing workshop you will have a chance to set these stories free.

Word of Mouth @ Chorlton Arts Festival
Tuesday 20 May 2025 | 7:30 – 9:30pm
Carlton Club, 113 Carlton Road, Greater Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8BE
Join us for a fun evening of spoken word as part of Chorlton Arts Festival.
Book your tickets on Eventbrite

Lyra Poetry Festival, Bristol
New Lyrical Ballads: Coleridge and Wordsworth
Friday 25 April 2025 | 7:00 – 8:00pm | Free
Waterstones, 11A, Union Galleries, Broadmead, 11 Union St, Bristol BS1 3XD
225 years after the publication of Lyrical Ballads Volume 2, and 230 years since Wordsworth and Coleridge met for the first time in Bristol, join us for a lively discussion around the enduring legacy of two giants of the Romantic poetry movement. This panel event will include discussions of the text and how its social and environmental themes are relevant today.

Forthwrite Women’s Festival of Writing
Saturday 15 March | 3:30pm
The Old Courtroom, 118 Church Street, Brighton, BN1 1UD
I am appearing at the wonderful Forthwrite Women’s Festival of Writing in Brighton. Join us for thought provoking panel discussions and inspiring workshops.

Ghosts at the Old Library
Saturday 7 and Friday 13 December
8:00 – 10:00pm
Levenshulme Old Library, Cromwell Grove, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3QE
December is made for books. Long cosy evenings with a warm drink in the company of words that carry you far away. Join me and five other fabulous writers at Levenshulme Old Library for two nights of spooky ghost telling. Hear us read from our specially commissioned stories inspired by memories, stories, and experiences of the neighbourhood. Unsettling winter tales that honour the tradition of ghost stories at Christmas.

Northern Fiction Alliance Winter Showcase
Thursday 12 December
6:30 – 8:00pm
Blackwell’s Bookshop, 146 Oxford Road Manchester M13 9GP
Delighted to be appearing as part of the Northern Fiction Alliance on Dec. 12TH at Blackwell’s bookshop in Manchester. I will be reading from my story from Comma Press’ newest anthology The Book of Manchester. The NFA is a radical publishing collective devised to showcase the creativity, diversity, and spirit of risk-taking that sets publishers in the North of England apart, and this event promises to be packed with talent and enthusiasm!

Northern Launch of the Third Space Anthology – exploring belonging
Saturday 19 October
4:00 – 6:00 pm
Portico Library, 57 Mosley St, Manchester M2 3HY
British South Asian poetry is flourishing but is still not being amply reflected in mainstream publishing, on poetry courses or through poetry societies. Third Space was set up by poet and artist Suman Gujral with an eye on filling this gap.
In collaboration with the award-winning independent publisher Renard Press, an open call for submissions went out in April 2024, and has resulted in a ground-breaking volume of 50 poems.
Please join us to learn more about the Third Space Project and an afternoon of poetry readings by South Asian poets.
There will be an open mic – so please do spread the word as we would love to hear new South Asian voices.

Saturday 05 October
At the inaugural Withington Book Festival I talked about the joys and challenges of writing across maps and what belonging really means today.

Wednesday June 12 2024
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Old Trafford Library, Limelight Pharmacy, 1 St Brides Way, Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester M16 9NW
As part of Festival of Libraries, I hosted a free author talk and creative writing workshop at Old Trafford Library.

Wednesday July 10, 2024
6:00 – 8:00 pm
The Portico Library, 57 Mosley Street. Manchester, M2 3HY
A summer’s evening celebrating the best of Manchester writing.
Award-winning writers Abi Hynes, Adam Farrar, David Hartley, Isabelle Kenyon, Jo Howard, Reshma Ruia, Sarah Schofield, Steve Smythe, Tania Hershman and Zena Barrie read from their latest works.