Following a standing-room-only event in February, live literature night Verbose is back a week today, on Monday 27 March, at Fallow Café in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Hailed by the media as one of the best spoken word nights in Manchester, Verbose each month invites three headliners who share a link, be that a publisher or publication, a writing group or project, or a common writing-related place of work. This month, Verbose showcases three authors who are associated with the Centre for New Writing at the University of Manchester: Grace McCleen, Susan Barker and Beth Underdown.

Betty Trask Award-winner Grace McCleen is a writing fellow at the Centre for New Writing, author of three novels and former writer in residence at the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth. Jerwood Prize-winner Susan Barker teaches creative writing and is working on her fourth novel. Beth Underdown has just launched her debut, The Witchfinders’ Sister, to critical acclaim. She is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at the Centre for New Writing, which is headed up by renowned author of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Jeanette Winterson.

Since its relaunch by prize-winning writer Sarah-Clare Conlon in January 2015, Verbose has welcomed many luminaries of the literature scene, including poets Richard Barrett, Anne Caldwell, Michael Conley and Rosie Garland, and prose writers Jenn Ashworth, Neil Campbell, Nicholas Royle and Emma Jane Unsworth. Man Booker Prize-listed authors Ian McGuire and Alison Moore have been guests, and February marked the launch of David Gaffney’s new novel All The Places I’ve Ever Lived. Upcoming events will feature Costa shortlistee Stephen May.

Taking place on the fourth Monday of the month at Fallow Café (2a Landcross Road, M14 6NA), entry is free and doors are at 7.30pm. See verbosemcr.wordpress.com. Open mic slots are three minutes; to perform, email via verbosemcr@gmail.com.