Stella Duffy
Following her success as our Writer in Residence at the 2009 Festival, we are pleased to say that Stella has agreed to become a Patron of the Havant Literary Festival.
Stella Duffy is the author of eleven novels, including 'The Room of Lost Things' and the Saz Martin crime series. She has published over thirty short stories, many feature articles and also writes for radio and theatre. In addition to her writing work she is an actor and improviser.
The novel 'State of Happiness' was longlisted for the 2004 Orange Prize, as was 'The Room of Lost Things' in 2008, for which she won Stonewall Writer of the Year.
Stella has written and directed for the National Youth Theatre. As a stage performer, she is an associate artist with Improbable - best known for 'Shockheaded Peter' - and has been a member of the comedy improvisation company Spontaneous Combustion since 1988. Stella is also an occasional guest with The Comedy Store Players. She has performed her solo show 'Breaststrokes' in London, Belfast, Cardiff, Dublin and Amsterdam. On screen, she appeared in 'The Bill' and the 2001 movie 'Absolution'.
Stella also wrote and presented a documentary in 2008 for the BBC's 'Time Shift' strand called 'How to write a Mills and Boon' where she took on the challenge of writing a Mills and Boon romance novel.
Stella was born in the UK, grew up in New Zealand and now lives in London.
'Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore' was published in July 2010.
In the Sixth Century, Theodora of Constantinople rose from nothing to become the wife of the Emperor Justinian and the most powerful woman in the history of Byzantine Rome. In Stella Duffy's breathtaking new novel, she comes to life as a fascinating, controversial and seductive woman. When her father is killed, the young Theodora is forced into near slavery to survive. As she learns to control her body as a dancer, and for the men who can afford her, she is also determined to shape a very different fate for herself. From the vibrant streets and erotic stage shows of sixth century Constantinople to the holy desert retreats of Alexandria, Theodora is an extraordinary imaginative achievement.