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Hello booklovers,

We hope you enjoyed our preview of our fiction events at this year’s festival. The fun doesn’t stop there, as we are pleased to present to you some highlights of our historical fiction events.

On Saturday 29th June James Runcie, author of the Grantchester novels, will be joining us to discuss his prequel to the popular series, The Road to Grantchester. Detailing the life of a young Sidney Chambers living in post-war London, this event is perfect for fans of mid-20th century drama.

We are thrilled to be welcoming authors Rupert Thomson and Madeleine Bunting who will be joining us to discuss their respective novels, Never Anyone But You and Island Song, both revolving around the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands. Rupert’s novel depicts the beautiful love affair of two female artists who are determined to overthrow Hitler’s forces in Jersey, whilst Island Song is a bewitching tale of a daughter’s search to discover more about her mother’s history in occupied Guernsey.

Pairing well with Rupert and Madeleine, author Jane Thynne will be joining us to share her fascinating novels about British agent and Anglo-German actress, Clara Vine. Married to a senior Nazi officer, Clara takes a risky journey through the private life of the Third Reich. I don’t know about you, but I’m on the edge of my seat just thinking about this fantastic series of novels, we can’t wait to see Jane in a few weeks time.

We bid a hearty welcome back to festival favourite Liz Trenow – Liz, a fantastic supporter of the festival, is returning to our stage to chat about her latest novel The Dressmaker of Draper’s Lane. Set in 18th century Spitalfields, where Liz’s own family lived and worked as silkweavers, this fascinating historical tome will make for a wonderful event!

Last but not least, we are delighted to welcome back to the festival author Alison Weir. Alison will be discussing her latest historical novel about the wives of Henry VIII, Anna of Kleve: Queen of Secrets. In this enthralling book we enter the world of a woman who was loved for her portrait and very little else, with the possibility of dangerous consequences when her reality does not match up to the imagination….

I think you’ll agree that there’s plenty of food for thought here – what a fascinating array of events! Get booking now to avoid disappointment!

Bookish best,

Imogen and the Festival Team x

 

 

Hello booklovers,

As if our blog earlier this week wasn’t exciting enough, as promised we bring you the further lowdown on our excellent fiction events for the 2019 Felixstowe Book festival.

To begin our programme on Sunday 30th of June, we are pleased to welcome Barbara Erskine to the floor. Barbara, author of many fantastic novels and short story collections, will be chatting with Mandy Morton about her latest novel, The Ghost Tree. A tale full of family secrets and undiscovered pasts, this is an event not to be missed.

If your appetite is thoroughly whetted for authorly-chat, then look no further than festival guests Georgina Harding and Lucy Hughes-Hallett. Georgina and Lucy, both prizewinning novelists, will be discussing their work. Lucy’s latest novel, Peculiar Ground, examines how much control we have over our own history; Georgina’s most recent work Land of the Living explores the effect of war on society and individuals. We look forward to seeing you at the fascinating event.

We are delighted be hosting author Emma Healey at this year’s festival. Bestselling author of Elizabeth is Missing, Emma will be chatting with Rachel Sloane about her new novel Whistle in the Dark. The story of a mother and daughter recovering from a traumatic event, and the unraveling of its secrets and mysteries, we can’t wait to find out more.

To finish off this post with a little extra festival excitement, did you know that Prue Leith will be a guest at our festival this year? Prue will be joining us just before the festival weekend on Thursday 27th June in the Elizabeth Suite from 7-8pm, and will be discussing the final installment of The Angelotti Chronicles series, The Lost Son. Lots to look forward to at the end of June in Felixstowe!

Look out for further chat about our historical fiction events later on in the week!

Until then, all the very bookish best,

Imogen and the festival team x

Hello booklovers,

This year is truly whizzing past, with only 3 weeks to go until the 2019 Felixstowe book festival. We are so pleased to be able to present to you a wonderful selection of fiction events for your delight and delectation. Look out for snippets of information about our fabulous fiction programme over the coming week.

On Saturday 29th of June we are delighted to be welcoming a fantastic array of female authors to our festival, including the wonderful Polly Clark. Polly will be chatting to chair Catherine Larner about her novel Tiger. A bewitching tale depicting the co-existence of three people and tiger in a snowy wilderness, Tiger examines fascinating relationships not often depicted in literature, all under the spell of a mesmerising narrative.

Another quirky tale comes from Catrina Davies. Catrina will be discussing her book Homesick: Why I Live in a Shed with chair Madeleine Smithers, a story of home, homelessness, belonging and the natural world, amongst numerous other themes. Catrina’s timely book examines our current attitude to home: its pressures, constraints and releases. A thought provoking and unusual subject which will prove to create a fascinating event.

We are so pleased to be concluding Saturday’s literary festivities with ‘Fizz, Fiction and Facts’. We bid a heart welcome to authors Olivia Beirne, Daisy Buchanan and Beth O’Leary, who will be chatting to chair Hannah Welton about their work, their lives and much much more. A glass of fizz (or a delicious non-alcoholic alternative!) is included in the ticket price and should round off Saturday with a suitable amount of pizazz and bubbles.

We can’t wait to welcome Polly, Catrina, Olivia, Daisy and Beth to the festival weekend. That’s all for today dear booklovers, but do keep your eyes peeled for further fiction news throughout the coming week!

All the very bookish best,

Imogen and the festival team x

 

 

Hello booklovers,

Less than a month until the 2019 Felixstowe Book Festival! The excitement is palpable, we can’t wait to get started. On Sunday we were delighted to welcome Maggi Hambling and Nicola Upson to the Orwell Hotel – a lovely snippet of further things to come.

We are thrilled to have such a thriving selection of poetry events to offer you all at this year’s festival. Kicking off the festival weekend on Friday the 28th June, we are pleased to welcome back festival favourites, Martin Newell and the Hosepipe Band. Fast becoming a regular feature of the festival, Martin and the band will be treating us to their ‘Greatest Hits’.

On Saturday the 29th June, the poetry magic continues. Festival patron Esther Freud and her half-sister Annie Freud will be discussing Annie’s wonderful poetry collections, alongside family tales and memories of childhood. Anita Jones Debska will also be joining us to present The Language Land, a celebration of the Polish countryside depicted in poetry and prose. This remarkable session will be accompanied by Polish music, a display of Polish artwork and some rather delicious Polish gingerbread!

We are delighted to also be joined by Lucy Popescu and Hassan Abdulrazzack. Lucy, a writer and editor with a background in human rights, has published her second anthology of writings, A Country to Call Home, following the vast success of her first anthology, A Country of Refuge. A Country to Call Home focuses on the experiences of children and young adults in matters of asylum seeking, migration and refuge. Lucy will be joined by Hassan Abdulrazzack, a playwright with a history of fascinating works tackling these same issues, who is one of the many contributers to this anthology.

If these fascinating sessions whet your poetic appetite, and you fancy giving writing poetry a go yourself, look out for more information about poetry workshops over the festival weekend here: https://felixstowebookfestival.co.uk/events/categories/poetry

Not long to go now!

All the very bookish best,

Imogen and the Festival Team x

Hello booklovers,

We’re back, with further news of our fantastic festival programme for children and young people!

Rounding off our Saturday events, we have two sessions perfect for young history enthusiasts. We are lucky enough to be joined by the Sutton Hoo Roadshow, following their highly successful visit to Felixstowe Library earlier this year. Come along to dress up as Anglo Saxons, handle historical treasures and learn about our amazing local history. Following the roadshow, we are delighted to welcome author Ally Sherrick who will be hosting ‘Operation Buried Treasure’, a session all about her book ‘The Buried Crown’. Inspired by real life events that occurred in Suffolk around the Second World War, Ally will guide you through your own exciting story of buried treasure.

Sound good? Well if you can bear any further excitement, look no further than Calling Mission Control. Festival favourites Rapscallion Theatre company will be taking us back 50 years, to when man first landed on the moon. A jam packed sessions, crammed full of drama, craft and general lunar fun, not to be missed!

On your return to earth you will be met with a giggle-filled array of events, namely ‘Let’s write funny’ with Ruth Fitzgerald and ‘The Funny Life of James Campbell‘. Ruth, the author of the crackingly comical ‘Emily Sparkes’ series, will be chatting all about funny stories and how to have a go at writing them yourself! If that leaves you with further comedy questions, then stick around and meet author James Campbell. James, author of the ‘The Funny Life of Pets’ and ‘The Funny Life of Teachers’, will be answering all of life’s big questions surrounding topics such as exploding fish, non-stop pooping hamsters and what teachers do when they get home from school (i.e. resume their real life as an undercover detective).

Well, I don’t know about you, but this all sounds quite exhaustingly wonderful! Keep your eyes peeled for even more festival fun over the rest of the week.

Bookish best,

Imogen and the festival team

Hello booklovers,

Half term is upon us! I hope readers, young and old, are enjoying that lovely school-holiday feeling. We see this as an appropriate time to start making a fuss about our magnificent children’s programme, on offer at Felixstowe Library over the course of the festival weekend.

Kicking off the 2019 children’s events in the library is Felixstowe.docs. Under the wonderful guidance of author (and festival favourite!) Hayely Long, the students of Felixstowe Academy have been working hard on our festival writing project, compiling a truly magnificent anthology of their own poetry and prose all about their home town. The students will showcase and perform their work at the event, providing a fitting start to the festival weekend. Over the course of the festival weekend, you will find Hayley and her merry band of creative writers in the library and along the prom performing their work to whoever is lucky enough to listen.

Next up we are delighted to welcome author and illustrator Alex Milway and his Hotel Flamingo Draw-along! If you like singing, drawing and general hilarity then this session is the one for you! Join Alex as he takes you on a rip-roaring, giggle filled journey to the Hotel Flamingo and get to know all its rather unusual guests…

For the young detectives amongst us, why not stop by for Potkin and Stubbs: Creeps, Crimes and Comedy. Author Sophie Green will be interviewed by a panel of voracious young readers who have formed our 2019 festival book group. Enter the weird world of budding journalist Lil Potkin and her pal Ned Stubbs, which will take you on the twisting and turning and sinister journey through the underworld of Peligan City. Not to be missed!

I hope this has whet your appetite! Look out for more news about our fabulous children’s programme throughout the week…

Bookish best,

Imogen and the festival team