To celebrate International Women’s Day, Connaught Village welcomes indie bookstore, Phlox Books to pop-up over the month of March with a women focussed catalogue of books and female author events that will showcase the female experience in literary form.

Founder of East London independent bookshop, Phlox Books, Aimée Madill has proudly been serving ‘Books. Booze. Coffee’ since 2017 and is no stranger to pop-up bookstores in her role as ‘go-to’ for festival bookshops. On this occasion, Aimée has taken the opportunity IWD has presented to platform female authors and host a series of events in Connaught Village. Located at 12 Connaught Street, the pop-up operates as a bookshop and events space where notable authors will discuss their work.

At street view, the front of the bookstore features hand painted illustrations by female illustrator Alezeia Fidalgo who has a penchant for books and creating original illustrations to accompany text.

The first event at Phlox Connaught Village took place on the day itself, Tuesday 8th March, with award-winning author, Abi Daré, whose debut novel ‘The Girl With the Louding Voice’ was published in 2020, longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and chosen as a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime. Abi was joined by Mona Arshi, a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4 and poet whose debut collection of poems received the Forward Prize for Best First Collection and appeared in the Poems on the Underground series. Arshi talked about her debut novel, ‘Somebody Loves You’ (published 2021).

Phlox Books second event took place on Thursday 24th March, with authors Alice Vincent and Tabitha Lasley. Author and gardener, Alice Vincent’s books include Rootbound, How to Grow Stuff and Seeds from Scratch and is currently working on another, Why Women Grow. A columnist for The New Statesman, Alice has written for The Observer, Vogue, The Guardian and other titles. Alice will be joined by journalist turned author Tabitha Lasley, who in her mid 30’s following a terrible break-up quit her job at Womens Magazine, fled London and put all her savings into a six month lease on a flat in a dodgy neighbourhood of Aberdeen. Tabitha embarked on writing her first book Sea State, about oil rigs and the men who worked on them. The event saw a discussion between the authors and an open forum for the audience to explore different themes of the female experience.

Phlox Book’s third and final event will see an intimate ‘in conversation’ event featuring award winning journalists Sally Hayden and Christina Lamb on Tuesday 29th March. Discussing Hayden’s unreleased book ‘My Fourth Time, We Drowned’, the evening promises to be an insightful and thought provoking event against a background of the book’s subject matter of refugee migration at a time where it couldn’t be more topical.

Hailed by The Sunday Times’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Christina Lamb as a ‘veritable masterclass in journalism’, this book will inspire a discussion between these two formidable journalistic forces for truly a once in a lifetime event. The book will be available to purchase on the evening ahead of its general release on March 31st and Hayden will be signing copies.

Events will see a discussion between the authors and an open forum for the audience to explore different themes of the female experience. Wine will be served, provided by Connaught Cellars, keeping in line with Phlox Book’s mantra of making bookshops relaxed, social spaces.

Tuesday 29th March: In Conversation with Sally Hayden and Christina Lamb

7.30pm – Welcome Drinks Reception

8pm – Author Talks Begin

The events take place at 12 Connaught Street and are FREE to attend. Secure your spot by registering below.