Author Afternoon Tea with Dani Heywood-Lonsdale

Join us for afternoon tea in conversation with Dani Heywood-Lonsdale, author of the acclaimed debut novel The Portrait Artist.

Dani Heywood-Lonsdale, who is of mixed Hawaiian and Filipino heritage, brings a distinctive global perspective to her writing. Her twisting debut explores race, fame, and long-kept secrets at the end of the nineteenth century between London and Oxford.

Dani holds a Doctorate in Education and has taught English Literature in London, Oxford, and Florence. Before enrolling at the Faber Academy in London, she studied Creative Writing and English in Los Angeles and New York. She now teaches in Oxfordshire and is working on her second novel.

Enjoy delicious afternoon tea in the elegant surroundings of Whittle’s as Dani discusses her inspirations, research, and the stories behind her evocative historical fiction.

Praise for The Portrait Artist

“Impeccably researched, masterfully plotted, beautifully written.” — Santa Montefiore

“An intriguing and original debut.” — Emily Howes

“Imaginative. The streets, parlours and galleries of London and Oxford come alive in this twisting, Victorian-era drama.” — Charmaine Wilkerson, Black Cake

“Steeped in atmosphere, sprinkled with suspense and vivid characters ... An engaging, entertaining read.” —Daily Mail

“A triumph ... deliciously intriguing.” — Harriet Constable, The Instrumentalist

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