Chris Longden

Chris Longden Writer and Performer

Christina is Kirklees Writer in Residence 2020-21.

Christina from a working-class background in East Manchester. Her career began in social housing, working on Manchester’s toughest housing estates. Shen then moved on to become a policy consultant for Whitehall, focusing on social policy.

In 2001, she relocated to early post-apartheid Namibia where she lived and worked with the Kalahari bushmen where she wrote two oral history books with them.

After having her first child in Namibia, Christina returned to the UK and to life in West Yorkshire. Christina won the Huddersfield Literature Festival ‘One Voice Monologue’ several years ago and has written two ‘dark comedy’ books set in the north ('Mind Games and Ministers' and 'Cuckoo in the Chocolate'). She writes a column for The Yorkshire Times and TITO magazine, is a long-standing member of Holmfirth Writers Group and blogs at her website.

Christina has appeared at various literature festivals, talking about her books, her ‘unusual path to writing' and the issue of class and cross-cultural friendships. She works with public libraries and runs workshops in order to reach 'Reluctant Readers' and their families.

Chris' latest project involves telling the story of how her Gx3 Grandad was one of the UK's first earliest (recorded) white converts to Islam in 1898. The family kept this secret for over 100 years, despite the fact that through a strange twist of fate, her own brother had become a Muslim, without knowing anything of this...
(see VIDEO for more details.)

'His Own Man' is a historical biography of her Great x 3 Grandad - available from 7th July 2019. Following this, a fictional version of his life; 'Imagining Robert' was published - written specially for adaptation for performance by theatres, schools, community groups etc.

From 2020-21, Christina is Writer in Residence for Kirklees and the dates for her talks, workshops and masterclasses can be seen at http://www.kirkleeslibraries.co.uk/writer-in-residence/

View my website http://www.kirkleeslibraries.co.uk/writer_in_residence

My Location

Profile Details

My News

WRITER IN RESIDENCE APPOINTED - KIRKLEES LIBRARIES / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2020-08-30T00:00:00Z">Sun 30 Aug 2020</span>WRITER IN RESIDENCE APPOINTED - KIRKLEES LIBRARIES / Sun 30 Aug 2020

WRITER IN RESIDENCE APPOINTED - FOR KIRKLEES I'm really pleased to announce that from 2020-21, I'll be working with Kirklees Council Libraries - and I'll have the honour of being their official Writer in Residence. ...

Both Books - &apos;Hidden Muslim&apos; for both fiction &amp; non-fiction fans / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2020-04-29T00:00:00Z">Wed 29 Apr 2020</span>Both Books - 'Hidden Muslim' for both fiction & non-fiction fans / Wed 29 Apr 2020

Fancy a riveting read whilst on lockdown? 'His Own Man' is the non-fiction story of 'hidden Muslim' and northern Victorian, Robert 'Reschid' Stanley - whilst 'Imagining Robert' is the fiction version of his life - as ima...

Record Views for Hidden Muslim Story! / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2020-04-29T00:00:00Z">Wed 29 Apr 2020</span>Record Views for Hidden Muslim Story! / Wed 29 Apr 2020

Christina's lecture at Cambridge - has now received 71k views and is the most watched of all British Muslim History lectures! Christina was asked by 'most influential Muslim in Britain', Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad (Tim ...

My Events

Peaky Blinders; The Real Story / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2021-02-11T00:00:00Z">Thu 11 Feb 2021</span>Peaky Blinders; The Real Story / Thu 11 Feb 2021

Peaky Blinders: The Real Story. Join Carl Chinn in conversation with Writer in Residence for Kirklees, Chris Longden. Well-known social historian Carl Chinn shines a light on the rarely reported struggles of the work...

Writing Fact, Writing Fiction - or blending for FACTION / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2020-10-01T00:00:00Z">Thu 01</span> to <span  itemprop="endDate" content="2020-10-02T00:00:00Z">Fri 02 Oct 2020</span> <span>(2 days)</span>Writing Fact, Writing Fiction - or blending for FACTION / Thu 01 to Fri 02 Oct 2020 (2 days)

Join Chris Longden, newly- appointed Writer in Residence for Kirklees, to find out more about a writing career in fiction, non-fiction - or in blending the two to become 'faction.' Chris will be joined by Kirklees libra...

A Book In YOU? / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2020-10-01T00:00:00Z">Thu 01</span> to <span  itemprop="endDate" content="2020-10-02T00:00:00Z">Fri 02 Oct 2020</span> <span>(2 days)</span>A Book In YOU? / Thu 01 to Fri 02 Oct 2020 (2 days)

Ever wondered if there is 'a book in you'? Join the newly appointed WRITER IN RESIDENCE FOR KIRKLEES and find out! (Was LIVE via Kirklees Libraries - but now on 'watch again' via KL YouTube)

My Opportunities

NO DRAGONS! Creating Ethical Enterprises: Small Grants Available / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2022-03-01T00:00:00Z">Tue 01 Mar 2022</span>NO DRAGONS! Creating Ethical Enterprises: Small Grants Available / Tue 01 Mar 2022

Would you like to create a generation of YOUNG ETHICAL ENTREPRENEURS? The Lorna Young Foundation has had enough of the Dragon' approach to business and enterprise - and are pleased to announce that they have 4 small ...

My Videos

Robert Reschid - A Victorian Muslim Convert DiscoveredRobert Reschid - A Victorian Muslim Convert Discovered

One hundred and twenty years ago, a man from a humble working-class background in the grim, industrial north of England, made a bold and brave decision. Robert Stanley - converted to Islam. Becoming Brother Robert 'Resch...