It’s December, the Met Office has issued a yellow snow warning (just don’t eat it—surely?), and there’s a lot of seasonal excitement all around. In the midst of the long evenings of open log fires (three-bar electric heater), cognac (bottom shelf brandy), and the curious realisation that the narrative voice of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ had, barring repetitions, received twenty-three live birds in the course of a week, Wrecking Ball Press has just a little more joy for you…

…two, yes, two incredibly exciting book signing events.

First off, on Thursday 20th December from 6pm, we are thrilled to welcome Barney Farmer back to our fair city so he can demonstrate his joined-up handwriting for us all again.

Barney Farmer writes about things for Viz – mostly about drunken bakers, males online, and bestiality – and wrote a short film once called Who Is To Blame, although he claims that he isn’t. He uses biros. He’ll be in Hull to deface copies of his first book, Drunken Baker, and possibly anything else left within arm’s reach once he’s been given a pen.

Drunken Baker, published by Wrecking Ball Press earlier this year, received critical acclaim—or, at least, didn’t receive too much criticism from those who claim to be in the know. It is a day in the life: the decline of the independent bakery and the steeper decline of the independent bakers within it (cake and bargain booze included). It is a harsh reality displayed without apology, elbowing its way into our collective comfort zone bringing laughter (probably), tears (well, eye-watering), and the smell of stale beer (see the aforementioned eye-watering).

Leaving no time for the excitement of that particular rollercoaster ride to fade, we then have on Friday 21st December from 12-1.30pm our very own local (alright—he’s Glaswegian, but he’s been here for quite a while now) legend Dr. Brian W. Lavery.

Brian Lavery has been a factory worker, car valet, market trader, waiter, university dropout, and VAT officer (briefly—it didn’t stick). Latterly, he has been a journalist, university tutor, and writer. He knows his way around poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, has a passing knowledge of the whisky shelf, and a practical understanding of the banjo. He will be signing copies of The Luckiest Thirteen and The Headscarf Revolutionaries, two astonishing true stories from Hull’s history on the world’s stage, published by Barbican Press.

The Luckiest Thirteen tells the tale of the super-trawler St. Finbarr: the catastrophic thirteenth trip after her maiden voyage, the heroic rescue attempt, and the horror of suspense for the families waiting at home in Hull. The Headscarf Revolutionaries is the incredible story of the Triple Trawler Disaster and its aftermath, as the Hessle Road fishwives led by Lillian Bilocca fought for their men, for their lives, and for a change to the most dangerous industry on earth.

Both of these signings will take place at Wrecking Ball Music & Books, found on the East Arcade of Princes Quay Shopping Centre in Hull.