We may not have quite hit our target, but – thanks to 265 donors – we raised an astonishing £29,100 which is enough for us to work with creatively and relaunch Spitalfields Life Books. Meanwhile, our Crowdfund page will remain open until we reach £35,000.

YOU CAN STILL VISIT OUR CROWDFUND PAGE & CONTRIBUTE HERE

Thanks to you, we can now put the pandemic behind us and step towards the future.

We have been working on David Hoffman’s book, A Place to Live: Endurance & Joy in the East End, 1971-87, for several years and now it can be published next spring. Tessa Hunkin’s Hackney Mosaic Project monograph and Sarah Ainslie’s book of portraits of Women at Work in the East End are both in advanced stages of development too, and they will follow next year.

In the meantime, next month I am bringing out a limited edition of my short story On Christmas Day, published jointly with Burley Fisher Books of Haggerston and designed by David Pearson. All those who supported the crowdfund as patrons, supporters or friends will receive personally inscribed copies in the post.

We are planning a launch celebration at Burley Fisher Books with a special guest to read the story and will publish the details here as soon as they are available.

The Gentle Author picks up the threads of Christmas fiction from Charles Dickens, Dylan Thomas and George Mackay Brown to weave a compelling tale of family conflicts ignited and resolved in the festive season.