London’s Cock Tavern was packed on Friday evening as writers, artists, publishers, and readers gathered to celebrate the launch of three new Speedball Books titles: Narco Beach by W.W. Hartwell, Taiwan Slash by Johnny Pulp, and AvantGarden, the sixth poetry collection by Creatrix founder and editor Jana Astanov.
Stewart Home and Steve Finbow
The evening unfolded less like a formal book launch and more like an underground literary salon. Readings by Stewart Home, Steve Finbow, Bridget Penney, Peter Carty, Johnny Pulp, Jana Astanov and others filled the room with fiction, poetry, essays, and conversations that moved effortlessly between literature, performance, and absurdity.
Susana Medina, Bridget Penny and Stewart Home
Johnny Pulp with his Taiwan Slash
Peter Carty
One memorable moment came when Jana Astanov read an excerpt from Taiwan Slash, introducing a chapter in which Stewart Home appears as a character. Another highlight was W.W. Hartwell reading from Narco Beach, bringing the novel’s darkly comic world of Playa del Carmen vividly to life.
Richard Marshall reading from Narco Beach by W. W. Hartwell
Johnny Pulp and his Taiwan Slash
The launch also marked another step in the growing collaboration between Creatrix Magazine and Speedball Books. While Creatrix continues to champion interdisciplinary art, poetry, philosophy, and cultural criticism, Speedball Books has emerged as a natural extension of that community: an independent press dedicated to publishing fearless fiction, poetry, and essays that refuse easy categorization.
Stewart Home with Dana J.
Richard Marshall
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in London and helped make the evening such a memorable celebration of independent publishing. We look forward to many more gatherings where books become conversations, and conversations become community.
Many thanks,
Jana Astanov
Co-founder & Editor-in-Chief, Creatrix Magazine
Editrix, Speedball Books
