Editorial Leftlion in the wild

Hi all, Happy April.

I know, normally around this time you’d be reading the inspiring words of our Editor, George White. But, since this month’s theme is all things literature, and my main personality trait is, well, all things literature, I’m in the very fortunate position of guest editing this edition. And, even luckier for me, it’s a pretty great one.

Our city has a rich history of literature, and a bustling contemporary scene too. Slam poets, indie publishers, thriving authors - we have it all. So, if that’s up your alley, carry on reading.

If you’re looking to learn more about Nottingham’s packed heritage, then look no further than our retrospective on the anti-war establishment Mushroom Bookshop (p16), and our research into Susannah Wright (p43), the nineteenthcentury radical publisher born in Nottingham. Or, if you’re wanting to dive into the present day, then we’ve got plenty of stories, including a library worker in Notts (p15), a look into queer activism in publishing (p18), a spoken word group celebrating sex (p20), and a collective created to inspire young creatives (p22). Plus, keep your eyes peeled for a very special four-page interview with none other than The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey (p24), whom George and I had the great pleasure of chatting to about one of the best-written TV shows around.

So, with all that said and done, I really do hope you enjoy April’s edition, and the upcoming month too. A big thank you to my fellow LeftLion team members for trusting me with this edition, and a massive thank you to Charlotte ThomsonMorley for actualising my dream cover. You smashed it, as did all the writers and illustrators involved.

It’s been a true delight to work on this edition and I hope it brings you some joy.

Much love Nottingham,

Lizzy O’Riordan lizzy.oriordan@leftlion.co.uk

Olly and Emma

The Lion, The Collie and The LeftLion Magazine

@thewildcollieflower

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LeftLion Ltd is a carbon neutral company, having reduced our direct emissions by 99% since 2018. We offset the rest via direct air capture from Climeworks. LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable, made from recycled or FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy. The emissions of this paper are offset via the World Land Trust.

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