The holiday season brought a special treat for book lovers in Porto last month, as seven members of Just Write Porto showcased their books at the Perímetro arts event. On December 14-15, 2024, these authors joined local artisans and artists for a festive Christmas Fair at the Performance Arts Zone (PAZ). In addition to the fair, PAZ also featured an art exhibition, wine tasting, and snacks, all set to the cheerful sounds of Christmas music—making it a true treat for the senses.

Facing the creative challenge of fitting seventeen diverse titles onto a single display table, the authors worked together to turn a small table into a cozy literary corner. They set up compact bookshelf, complete with festive decor, that became the perfect browsing spot for visitors to explore works spanning multiple genres—from optimistic future fiction and fantasy to murder mysteries and poetry.

Featured Authors and Their Works

The event brought together seven distinctive voices from the Just Write Porto community, each contributing their unique perspective to the literary landscape:

Judy Backhouse (judybackhouse.com) Hope for a better future takes center stage in Backhouse's “optimistic future fiction”, including her thought-provoking novelettes "Broody" and "The Sentient Space."

Brenda Hardwick (sylpublishing.com) Hardwick's powerful fantasy trilogy, "The Circle," includes "Harlem Angel," "The Conductor," and "Freedom Rings." The trilogy challenges readers to look for the magic and miracles in their own lives.

Iris Yamashita (irisyamashita.com) Mystery lovers found themselves drawn to Yamashita's atmospheric thrillers "City Under One Roof" and "Village in the Dark."

Jeannine Johnson Maia (jeanninejohnsonmaia.com) Maia’s historical fiction follows compelling characters as they navigate real events in Portugal’s past. Her works include the English titles "The Filagree Master's Apprentice" and "Rossio Square N.° 59," alongside their Portuguese versions "O Rapaz do Douro" and "Praça do Rossio N.° 59."

Audrey Tanner (audreytannerwrites.com) Exploring connections between self and nature Tanner’s works include several uplifting collections of poems: "Moon, Sky, Ocean," "Soft Arrivals," "You are Always Circling," "So Many Ways to Say What Is," and "Karma, Like Hearts."

Olga Cunha (olgacunha.com) Cunha captivates readers with clever and creative “social science fiction”. Her novella “The Architect” added another distinctive voice to the diverse collection of books at the event.

Kathy Harms (kathyharmscreative.com) Bringing real-world drama to the table, Harms shared her powerful memoir "Resilience in the Rubble: A True Tale of Aid and Survival in Kashmir."

A Celebration of Community and Creativity

Throughout the weekend the authors took turns engaging with visitors, sharing their stories, and introducing reading and writing enthusiasts to Just Write Porto's thriving writing community. 

For many of the participating writers, this marked their first involvement in a local Porto arts event, and the experience exceeded expectations. The warm welcome from PAZ venue hosts, the camaraderie with fellow vendors, and the engaging conversations with visitors all contributed to a memorable weekend.

“The Monday Writer’s group of Just Write Porto has been meeting weekly for some years now to write together, but have only recently figured out that selling books together is also fun!” said Judy Backhouse, one of the participating authors, and the host of the Monday Writer’s group.

The success of the Christmas Fair hints at more to come. As Just Write Porto expands its presence, readers can expect to see these authors and their works at more local events in 2025.

For those interested in purchasing any of the featured works, please visit the individual authors' websites accessible through their names above.

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