As we start preparations for this year’s 2026 festival, Louise Millar asks three festival regulars how our exciting local event has changed their lives
Stephen Amer sound engineer
‘The Felixstowe Book Festival means a great deal to me, both professionally and personally.
‘My role at the festival is to provide sound for the Palm Room events and, more recently, also the conservatory. Along with a team of two other technicians, we make sure that authors and audiences can hear each other clearly and comfortably.
‘On the surface that might sound straightforward, but the Palm Room, whilst a stunning, historic room in the Grade II listed Harvest House, has glass-domed ceiling, marble floors and not a single scrap of fabric, curtain or carpet! A sound technician’s nightmare. In the run up to the festival and over the course of a busy weekend it involves a lot of preparation, adaptability and calm problem-solving.
‘During the festival I’m responsible for setting up and running microphones, managing levels, and responding quickly to the different needs of each event. Every author is different: some project naturally, others speak more quietly; some love a handheld mic, others forget it’s there altogether.
‘We do our best to try quietly to make things work for most people (of differing hearing abilities) so that conversations can flow and the audience can stay engaged without noticing too much that there is a technical side happening.
‘Being part of the Felixstowe Book Festival feels special because it’s more than just another job. Meg (Reid, director) and the team curate a line-up and create an atmosphere that’s welcoming, well-organised and genuinely appreciative of everyone’s contribution. Over the years, that sense of being part of a trusted team has grown, as has my connection to the festival itself. I’ve enjoyed the professional challenge of working in spaces like Harvest House, but also the community feel of the festival – seeing familiar faces return each year, and watching audiences respond so warmly to such a wide range of speakers.
‘My highlights have included working with some high-profile authors such as Sir Terry Waite, Stephen McGann – who was extremely charismatic and very funny – and Carol Drinkwater. Equally memorable, though perhaps less well known to some, was Dame Stella Rimington, who offered fascinating insights into the intricacies of life as both the head of MI5 and the first woman to hold that role. Robin Ince was a joy to experience as a speaker: funny, compassionate and hugely engaging, while Jenny Boyd shared wonderful and revealing glimpses into the hidden world behind her experiences with some of the world’s biggest rock stars.’
June Stockdale, festival volunteer
‘As soon as I saw the festival was coming to Felixstowe [in 2013] I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I wanted to be part of it. I didn’t know what was involved but I saw Meg at an author talk in the library, we connected, and becoming a volunteer went from there.
‘The first festival, in the Orwell Hotel, was a little bit chaotic. People didn’t know what to expect. When I turned up the first day, somebody had changed the rota at the last minute, and said they didn’t need me. Then they saw my face! And gave me a job!
‘As volunteers, we do all sorts – take tickets on the door, assist audience members finding rooms, and fetch water for authors. I’ve met some amazing volunteers over the years. Because you share a love of books, you have a common purpose. You say, ‘Have you read that one?’ and start talking.
‘Having the festival here in Felixstowe, has meant so much to me because I’ve been a book lover my whole life. I’m an only child, and when I was young, books were my brothers and sisters.
‘I started with comics. My mum used to do a bit of cleaning, and I’d go with her. On the way home, she’d stop at the newsagent to buy me a comic, and when we got home, she’d make a drink, and she’d read it to me.
‘At school, I progressed to Enid Blyton. I’d go off somewhere in my head. I was part of the Famous Five gang!
‘As an adult, I like to try most kinds of books. I always have five or six on the go. I have them in every room and in my bag on the bus. When I have a bath, I read, but I have to make sure it’s one of my own, in case it goes in!
‘The excitement for me of volunteering at the festival has always been seeing authors in the flesh, often my favourite writers, and hearing them read. It sounds silly but you put them on a pedestal, but most are so lovely and talk to everybody.
‘One of my favourite memories is being on the door of Guy Fraser-Samson’s talk on his book about cricket. When I saw it on rota, I thought, “Oh great”. I knew nothing about cricket, and only six people attended. But my goodness, what an incredible talk it was. The amount of facts and figures – and no notes! He was so eloquent, I was absolutely hooked.
‘I’ve had many happy years volunteering at the festival, but my favourite thing of all is when you get there early, to set up, and they’re opening the boxes of brand new books at the book stall. The smell! I just was to touch them all!’
Barbara Lamberton, attends the festival annually with her husband Alan.
‘The festival is one of the highlights of our year. Beforehand my husband and I examine the brochure and decide which talks to book. He likes non-fiction books whereas I like mostly fiction and, in particular, crime fiction.
‘We normally book between nine to 11 talks. Sometimes we both go to a talk together but usually we are separate.
‘There is always a feeling of anticipation and appreciation of the wonderful venue. We meet old friends and new people, and we immerse ourselves in the magic of the written word. It is so interesting to hear authors speak about their work, and read from their books, and answer our questions.
‘It would be hard to pick our particular highlights, because there are so many. The very first festival was opened by Martin Newell & The Hosepipe Band, and he remains a favourite of ours. We have several of his books of poetry as well as CDs of ‘Black Shuck’ and ‘The Green Children of Woolpit’.
‘I also love Nicci French. I recently read ‘The Last Days of Kira Mullan’, their latest book, in three days, I could not put it down! It is always wonderful to hear Nicola Upson and Mandy Morton – Tea at 3 is such a highlight. Mandy is a superb reader.
‘Ruth Dugdall is another author I met at the festival and I have really enjoyed her books: plus Salley Vickers, JoJo Moyes, Louise Doughty, Mark Billingham, Harriet Tyce, Louis de Bernières… who could choose?
‘Next year I do hope we shall see Martin Newell again, but I am always thrilled to find new authors, fiction and non-fiction, because I read quicker than one author can write! I would love to hear more poetry too.
‘Whatever happens we will continue to support our wonderful book festival.’
Tickets for this year’s festival will go on sale from Wednesday 1st April – to be first in the know when it comes to visiting authors for this year’s Festival go to our website and sign up for our newsletter