Anita Lawlor | Pin Drop

06 November 2018

A Short Affair on The High Low Summer reading special

We’re delighted that A Short Affair has been selected by Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes as a top summer read and featured in the latest episode of their brilliant podcast, The High Low.

Listen to the full episode here to hear Pandora Sykes on A Short Affair and her personal highlight, the ‘very Roald Dahl-ian and witty’ On Heat by Elizabeth Day.

You can listen to the full episode here (A Short Affair at 59mins). | Read more about A Short Affair here.

01 November 2018

On the road with Pin Drop…
A Short Affair regional tour announced

Thanks to support from Arts Council England, we are taking A Short Affair on a National Tour. During Spring 2019 we will be hosting live events across England in partnership with a number of leading arts venues including Turner Contemporary, Pallant House and The New Art Gallery Walsall (pictured here).

Booking is now open for the first of these events featuring acclaimed author Nikesh Shukla, who will be appearing at The New Art Gallery Walsall to read Didi’s, his outstanding contribution to A Short Affair. Read more about the event and book your free place here.

Since publication, A Short Affair has had an incredible reception being selected as a top summer read by hit podcast The High Low, Red magazine and featured on the Monocle Weekly podcast

The tour will launch in Spring 2019, with full details to be announced soon.

Support from Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants | A Short Affair available here.

20 September 2018

YES & NO | Pin Drop presents Undine by Melanie Whipman with artwork by Princess Julia

In this new collaboration with YES & NO magazine, Pin Drop is excited to present readers with an exclusive series of original short fiction from our portfolio, paired with specifically commissioned artworks. The series kicks off with Undine by Melanie Whipman, a powerful tale that was shortlisted for the Pin Drop Short Story Award 2017 and is accompanied here by a new watercolour by cultural icon, Princess Julia.

Read the complete story in the latest issue of YES & NO, with cover star Alison Goldfrapp, on sale now.

01 September 2018

The Words Podcast | A Short Affair

Pin Drop Studio was invited to BBC Broadcasting House to contribute to the latest episode of The Words podcast dedicated to art and literature, and following the publication of A Short Affair. Founders Simon Oldfield and Elizabeth Day joined the panel alongside curator of the Royal Academy Schools, Eliza Bonham Carter and legendary broadcaster, Melvyn Bragg, to discuss the relationship between literature and the visual arts, captured across the pages of A Short Affair.

The episode also features Stephen Fry reading from Ms Featherstone and the Beast by Bethan Roberts and Elizabeth Day’s reading of On Heat. Both stories feature in A Short Affair.

Listen to the full episode here. | Read more about A Short Affair here.

11 July 2018

A Short Affair publication party

A Short Affair was officially launched on 11th July at a celebration in the Life Drawing Room at the Royal Academy of Arts, which also marked this year’s Pin Drop Short Story Award presented by Gwendoline Christie. See more images from the evening here.

Simon Oldfield, Editor of A Short Affair, and Elizabeth Day, were joined by Tim Marlow, Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Arts, and Suzanne Baboneau, Managing Director of Scribner, to welcome an army of well-wishers to the party. It was wonderful to bring the Pin Drop Studio family together for this special occasion and celebrate with everyone including the contributors to the book, past winners of the Pin Drop Short Story Award, our amazing narrators including Russell Tovey and Gwendoline Christie, our members and supporters, and of course, the brilliant Pin Drop team. Thank you to our sponsors at Stonehage Fleming for making it possible, Jason Atherton for the canapés from Pollen Street Social, and Moet & Chandon for the magnums of Champagne.

A Short Affair is out now. Available from all good bookshops including Waterstones, Hatchards Piccadilly, Foyles and the Royal Academy Bookshop. You can order your copy online here:

Waterstones | Foyles | Amazon | Guardian | Pin Drop Shop

29 June 2018

Shortlist Announced for Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for this year’s Pin Drop Short Story Award, an award in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts. The winning story will be announced and narrated by Gwendoline Christie on 11th July at a special awards ceremony at the RA.

Shortlist

David Butler, Scorched Earth

Nat Luurtsema, Howling Pack of Undesirables

Niamh MacCabe, Steer the Dark Skies Blue

Anthony Quinn, Trick Bag

Stefanie Seddon, Breaking Horses in Waiuta

Kathryn Simmonds, The Social Smoker

Stuart Snelson, Space Invaders

Maria Thomas, Lucky

Sophie Ward, Sunbed

Asif Zubairy, Playing God

The award is judged by Pin Drop Co-founders Elizabeth Day and Simon Oldfield, and the RA’s Director of Artistic Programmes, Tim Marlow. Commenting on this year’s award, Pin Drop Co-founder and award judge, Simon Oldfield commented:

“Congratulations to all the writers featured in this year’s shortlist for the Pin Drop Short Story Award. We have been impressed by the extraordinary quality and diversity of the stories selected for the shortlist, which represents an exciting range of genres, tone and subjects. It has been thrilling to see such fresh and accomplished writing emerge from a talented pool. Each story surprises, delights and leaves a lasting impression long after reading.”

14 June 2018

Longlist announced for the Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018

We are delighted to announce the longlist for this year’s Pin Drop Short Story Award – an award in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts.

Gwendoline Christie, best known for portraying the warrior Brienne of Tarth in the HBO series Game of Thrones since 2012, and the First Order Stormtrooper Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), will announce and narrate this year’s winning story on 11th July at a special awards ceremony at the RA. The award is judged by Pin Drop Co-founders Elizabeth Day and Simon Oldfield, and the RA’s Director of Artistic Programmes, Tim Marlow.

We received an unprecedented number of submissions this year and are thrilled with our long list, featuring fifteen stories of outstanding quality.

Longlist

Annabel Banks, Common Codes

Redfern Jon Barrett, Closure

David Butler, Scorched Earth

Kirsty Logan, Everything You Never Knew You Wanted (Plus Wasps)

Nat Luurtsema, Howling Pack of Undesirables

Niamh MacCabe, Steer the Dark Skies Blue

Ava Ming, Good Hair

Tabitha Alice Potts, The Edge

Anthony Quinn, Trick Bag

Stefanie Seddon, Breaking Horses in Waiuta

Kathryn Simmonds, Social Smoker

Stuart Snelson, Space Invaders

Maria Thomas, Lucky

Sophie Ward, Sunbed

Asif Zubairy, Playing God

The winner will be announced at a special event on 11th July. Read more here.

07 May 2018

Lionel Shriver in Beyond – A Life in Seven Journeys

Lionel Shriver, award-winning author and contributor to A Short Affair reflects on the seven journeys – physical, emotional and spiritual – that have shaped her life and work in the latest issue of Beyond, the travel magazine by St Regis.

07 November 2017

House Highlights: Jason Atherton from Pollen Street Social

Soho House magazine features Pin Drop with celebrity chef, Jason Atherton, in conversation with Simon Oldfield. During this exclusive interview, Jason shares his journey from humble roots to the helm of his global restaurant group, his experiences working with Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Ferran Adria, and being awarded a Michelin star almost immediately upon opening his flagship restaurant, Pollen Street Social.

07 October 2017

House Highlights: Pin Drop with Daniel Lismore

Designer Daniel Lismore joins Pin Drop Studio to discuss his handmade haute-couture and friendships with artists such as Stephen Fry and Vivienne Westwood.

12 July 2017

The Party by Elizabeth Day. Published on 13th July 2017

We’re thrilled to announce the publication of The Party by Elizabeth Day – the much-anticipated fourth novel from Pin Drop Studio’s Co-founder.

Published by 4th Estate on 13th July, The Party is a gripping story of obsession and betrayal, privilege and hypocrisy, set in the unassailable heart of the British establishment which has already garnered comparisons to The Talented Mr Ripley, Brideshead Revisited and The Secret History.

Sebastian Faulks describes The Party as ‘Witty, dark and compelling’, Vogue calls it ‘a satirical thriller‘, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) says ‘I practically murdered this book in an evening I loved it so much. The Party is a terrifying, hilarious, brilliantly written original with a wit to die for’.

Already a Number One Amazon Bestseller, Louise Doughty of The Observer featured The Party in Best Holiday Reads for Summer 2017.

Get your copy of The Party and read an interview with Elizabeth exclusively for Pin Drop Studio here.

12 July 2017

The Party by Elizabeth Day featured in British Vogue

This month sees the release of Elizabeth Day’s widely-anticipated fourth novel The Party.

In the latest issue of British Vogue, The Party is the headline book for summertime reads, which Sebastian Faulks describes as, ‘witty, dark and compelling’, and is receiving rave reviews ahead of it’s release.

The Party is published by 4th Estate on 13th July.

02 June 2017

Shortlist announced for the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2017

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for this year’s RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award – an award in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts.

Dame Penelope Wilton, who is known to millions for her roles across film, stage and television, will announce and narrate this year’s winning story on 23rd June at a special awards ceremony at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Shortlist

Anna Stewart, The Way I Breathed

Anne O’Brien, These Silver Fish

Carol Farrelly, Emergency

Cherise Saywell, Morelia Spilota

Craig Burnett, Feathers Thick With Oil

Douglas W. Milliken, Heart’s Last Pass

Emily Bullock, Freshwater

Honoria Beirne, Rafferty

Jarred McGinnis, Rough Beasts

Joanna Campbell, Brad’s Rooster Food

Melanie Whipman, Undine

Rebecca F. John, Paper Chains

We received an unprecedented number of entries this year, with writing of an incredibly high standard from all around the world. The award, which offers a unique platform for emerging and established writers to showcase their short fiction, is being judged by Pin Drop Co-founders Elizabeth Day and Simon Oldfield, and the RA’s Director of Artistic Programmes, Tim Marlow.

Supported by Audible.

Book tickets to see Dame Penelope Wilton.

19 March 2017

Pin Drop Masterclass at the Dickens Museum with A.L. Kennedy

Join the Pin Drop team on Saturday 23rd September 2017 at the Charles Dickens Museum for a masterclass with award-winning writer, A. L. Kennedy. In the space of one day, you will learn how to find your voice, hone your writing skills and construct a compelling storyline. Find out more here.

22 September 2016

5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Burberry’s Makers House – Pin Drop in Harper’s Bazaar

Pin Drop has been selected as one of the highlights of Burberry’s Makers House by Harper’s Bazaar – the groundbreaking show venue, which included our curated series of reading performances with BAFTA Breakthrough Brits and world leading actors including Dame Sian Phillips and Juliet Stevenson. Read more here.

20 September 2016

Princess Julia Could Tell You Some Stories – Special Feature in iD Magazine

Matthew Whitehouse interviewed Princess Julia ahead of her special appearance at Pin Drop during London Fashion Week. Read more here.

16 September 2016

Vanity Fair, The A List: Pin Drop Studio at Burberry Makers House

Pin Drop featured in The A List by Vanity Fair, highlighting our series of reading performances at Burberry Makers House, produced in collaboration with our friends at The New Craftsmen. Read more here.

09 September 2016

House Highlight: Princess Julia – Pin Drop in Soho House Magazine

As London Fashion Week comes to a close, music writer, DJ and fashion-world favourite Princess Julia joins us to read new material and tell stories from her extraordinary life. Princess Julia first came to notice in the early 1980s as part of the Blitz Kids club scene alongside Marc Almond and Boy George. Her appearance for Pin Drop comes hot on the heels of her sell-out, one-woman show at East London gay bar The Glory.

11 May 2016

Lionel Shriver on her new novel The Mandibles – Pin Drop in the i

09 May 2016

House Highlight: Sir Peter Blake – Pin Drop in Soho House Magazine

The influential artist will read a short story before taking questions from the audience, moderated by Pin Drop founder Simon Oldfield. Blake is perhaps best known for his iconic sleeve design for The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, frequently voted the greatest album cover of all time. Other key works include Self-Portrait with Badges (1961) and The First Real Target (1961). Blake has gone on to influence numerous contemporary artists, and is recognised as a significant figure in the Pop Art movement.

Asked which piece of at he is most proud of, Peter answered, ‘I would say Self-Portrait with Badges (1961) because it won the John Moores Painting Prize in the Junior section, and was a very important picture for me to paint at the time.’

09 May 2015

House Highlight: Tom Rob Smith – Pin Drop in Soho House Magazine

Join Pin Drop for an evening with Tom Rob Smith, author of the bestselling novel Child 44, now adapted into a film starring Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman. Child 44 was long-listed for the 2008 Man Booker Prize, and nominated for the 2008 Costa First novel Award (former Whitbread). The series continued with The Secret Speech and concluded with the third novel in the series Agent 6, Smith’s fourth book, The Farm, a stand-alone novel, was published in February 2014 to critical acclaim and he has also written London Spy for BBC Two, starring Ben Whishaw.

When asked about his daily writing routine, Tom said, “I wake up very early and start writing by 6am. The early mornings are when I’m most creative. My study has a view over London – I watched the Shard being built while writing ‘The Farm’ and drinking strong Assam tea.”

Tom will be reading a short story and an extract from one of his novels followed by a Q&A with Pin Drop founder Simon Oldfield.

11 October 2013

Pin Drop’s New York debut

We’ve just come back from Pin Drop in New York, our first foray into transatlantic narration, so it seemed only fitting that our star narrator was Colum McCann, whose latest novel, TransAtlantic, was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Colum read a brand new short story to a rapt audience of New Yorkers at the Churner and Churner gallery in Chelsea which was showing a exhibition of new works by British sculptor, Nick Hornby (no relation to the literary Nick Hornby).

The whole evening was sponsored by our partners, Audible. We also listened to a narration by the brilliant writer, Lea Carpenter, who read a beautiful Sam Shepard short followed by her own original short story inspired by the Raymond Davis incident in Pakistan. Pin Drop co-founder, Elizabeth Day, read a George Saunders short story in advance of the US publication of her second novel, Home Fires. All three narrators shared a single theme – the impact of war through the generations in both America and the UK. The evening was introduced by Pin Drop Co-founder, Simon Oldfield.

It was an incredible night, with so many people turning up after news of Pin Drop had crossed the Atlantic. This marks the start of many more US Pin Drops. Thank you NYC!

06 November 2018

A Short Affair on The High Low Summer reading special

01 November 2018

On the road with Pin Drop… A Short Affair regional tour announced

20 September 2018

YES & NO | Pin Drop presents Undine by Melanie Whipman with artwork by Princess Julia

01 September 2018

The Words Podcast | A Short Affair

11 July 2018

A Short Affair publication party

29 June 2018

Shortlist Announced for Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018

14 June 2018

Longlist announced for the Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018

07 May 2018

Lionel Shriver in Beyond – A Life in Seven Journeys

07 November 2017

House Highlights: Jason Atherton from Pollen Street Social

07 October 2017

House Highlights: Pin Drop with Daniel Lismore

12 July 2017

The Party by Elizabeth Day. Published on 13th July 2017

12 July 2017

The Party by Elizabeth Day featured in British Vogue

02 June 2017

Shortlist announced for the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2017

19 March 2017

Pin Drop Masterclass at the Dickens Museum with A.L. Kennedy

22 September 2016

5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Burberry’s Makers House – Pin Drop in Harper’s Bazaar

20 September 2016

Princess Julia Could Tell You Some Stories – Special Feature in iD Magazine

16 September 2016

Vanity Fair, The A List: Pin Drop Studio at Burberry Makers House

09 September 2016

House Highlight: Princess Julia – Pin Drop in Soho House Magazine

11 May 2016

Lionel Shriver on her new novel The Mandibles – Pin Drop in the i

09 May 2016

House Highlight: Sir Peter Blake – Pin Drop in Soho House Magazine

09 May 2015

House Highlight: Tom Rob Smith – Pin Drop in Soho House Magazine

11 October 2013

Pin Drop’s New York debut

On the road with Pin Drop…
A Short Affair regional tour announced