Dudley Writers' Festival
17 May 2024
Dudley Writers' Festival
Discover new authors or meet the writer behind your favourite characters at the first annual Dudley Writers' Festival.
This new book festival, based in the heart of the Black Country, will see renowned west midlands authors join up and coming and debut authors in your local Dudley library. They'll be sharing the behind the scenes of what it's like to become a published author, what inspires their work, and how they keep the west midlands at their hearts.
Running from the 8th until the 22nd of June, the festival will feature Crime and Thriller authors Lindsey Davis and Priscilla Masters, Family Saga authors Annie Murray and Joanna Toye, Romance writers Miranda Dickinson and Suzan Holder, and General Fiction author Mike Gayle among others.
Keep reading to find out where you can meet them and more local authors below.
This new book festival, based in the heart of the Black Country, will see renowned west midlands authors join up and coming and debut authors in your local Dudley library. They'll be sharing the behind the scenes of what it's like to become a published author, what inspires their work, and how they keep the west midlands at their hearts.
Running from the 8th until the 22nd of June, the festival will feature Crime and Thriller authors Lindsey Davis and Priscilla Masters, Family Saga authors Annie Murray and Joanna Toye, Romance writers Miranda Dickinson and Suzan Holder, and General Fiction author Mike Gayle among others.
Keep reading to find out where you can meet them and more local authors below.
What's on
Crime & Thriller
Angela Marsons
The bestselling author of the DI Kim Stone series, Angela’s crime novels have sold more than 5 million copies, have been translated into 30 languages, and have been optioned by the BBC for television. First discovering her love of writing at Junior School, after years of writing relationship based stories Angela turned to Crime, and developed a character that refused to go away. DI Stone has captured the attention of crime fiction fans across the globe, topping charts on pre-orders alone, and issuing from libraries in droves! Angela will be meeting with us digitally to share all about her journey to publication, what inspires her to write, and what is next for DI Kim Stone in her latest novel, Guilty Mothers which will be hitting our shelves at the end of May.
Wednesday 12th June, 7.00pm - Halesowen Library
Reserve your seat
Lindsey Davis -
Mutli-award winning historical crime novelist Lindsey Davis is best known for her novels set in Ancient Rome, including the much loved Marcus Didius Falco and Flavia Albia series. Her examination of the paranoid reign of the roman emperor Domitian began with Master and God and lead to her new series about Flavia Albia, set in that dark period. Lindsey will be telling you all about the latest in the series, Death on the Tiber, and what inspires her to delve into the past in her work. This talk has been supported by the West Midlands Readers Network
Saturday 22nd June, 6:00pm - Halesowen Library
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Priscilla Masters
Priscilla Masters is a celebrated author of crime and mystery novels. Having trained as a nurse at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Priscilla's career in nursing allows her to create thrilling medical mysteries. Her iconic characters 'Joanna Piercy' and 'Martha Gunn' unravel the complex crimes and mysteries in many of her stories and in 2015 she revived an earlier character, Dr Claire Roget, forensic psychiatrist in Dangerous Minds. Her latest novel, The Quiet Woman, is due to be published in July of this year.
Wednesday 12th June, 10:30am - Lye Library
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Wednesday 12th June, 2:00pm - Wordsley Library
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Natalie Marlow
The author of 2023's Financial Times Best Summer Thriller and Val McDermid's New Blood Pick at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, Needless Alley, returns to Stourbridge Library to talk about all things historical thriller and her new novel The Red Hollow.
Thursday 13th June, 2:00pm - Stourbridge Library
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Caz Frear
A major new voice in crime fiction Caz Frear's debut Sweet Little Lies went on to be a number one bestseller. Since then she's added two more books to the DC Cat Kinsella series and has now published her first standalone crime novel, Five Bad Deeds. This talk has been supported by the West Midlands Readers Network.
Wednesday 19th June, 2:00pm - Stourbridge Library
Reserve your seat
Mutli-award winning historical crime novelist Lindsey Davis is best known for her novels set in Ancient Rome, including the much loved Marcus Didius Falco and Flavia Albia series. Her examination of the paranoid reign of the roman emperor Domitian began with Master and God and lead to her new series about Flavia Albia, set in that dark period. Lindsey will be telling you all about the latest in the series, Death on the Tiber, and what inspires her to delve into the past in her work. This talk has been supported by the West Midlands Readers Network
Saturday 22nd June, 6:00pm - Halesowen Library
Reserve your seat
Priscilla Masters
Priscilla Masters is a celebrated author of crime and mystery novels. Having trained as a nurse at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Priscilla's career in nursing allows her to create thrilling medical mysteries. Her iconic characters 'Joanna Piercy' and 'Martha Gunn' unravel the complex crimes and mysteries in many of her stories and in 2015 she revived an earlier character, Dr Claire Roget, forensic psychiatrist in Dangerous Minds. Her latest novel, The Quiet Woman, is due to be published in July of this year.
Wednesday 12th June, 10:30am - Lye Library
Reserve your seat
Wednesday 12th June, 2:00pm - Wordsley Library
Reserve your seat
Natalie Marlow
The author of 2023's Financial Times Best Summer Thriller and Val McDermid's New Blood Pick at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, Needless Alley, returns to Stourbridge Library to talk about all things historical thriller and her new novel The Red Hollow.
Thursday 13th June, 2:00pm - Stourbridge Library
Reserve your seat
Caz Frear
A major new voice in crime fiction Caz Frear's debut Sweet Little Lies went on to be a number one bestseller. Since then she's added two more books to the DC Cat Kinsella series and has now published her first standalone crime novel, Five Bad Deeds. This talk has been supported by the West Midlands Readers Network.
Wednesday 19th June, 2:00pm - Stourbridge Library
Reserve your seat
General Fiction
Mike Gayle
Twenty-five years after his debut Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend and eighteen novels later Birmingham based Mike Gayle is coming to Dudley Library. His latest work A Song of Me and You is sure to be a huge hit.
Thursday 20th June, 7:00pm - Dudley Library
Reserve your seat
Twenty-five years after his debut Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend and eighteen novels later Birmingham based Mike Gayle is coming to Dudley Library. His latest work A Song of Me and You is sure to be a huge hit.
Thursday 20th June, 7:00pm - Dudley Library
Reserve your seat
Family Saga
Annie Murray
Black Country based Annie has written many books set in the region, starting with her Birmingham series in 1995. A Top Ten Bestselling Author she has recently seen her third book in the Cadbury Trilogy Homecoming for the Chocolate Girls published, and will be telling you all about the inspiration behind her work.
Monday 10th June, 10:30am - Cradley Library
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Monday 10th June 2:30pm - Brierley Hill Library
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Joanna Toye
After a career in radio and TV, producing and writing for programmes ranging from 'The Archers' to 'EastEnders' , Jo turned to historical novels to create her very own fictional world. Her bestselling Shop Girls and Victory Girls novels were inspired by the much-loved Beatties of Wolverhampton. 'The Little Penguin Bookshop' is the first novel in a brand new series.
Monday 17th June 2:00pm - Long Lane Library
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Monday 17th June, 7.00pm - Gornal Library
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Tuesday 18th June, 10:30am - Cosley Library
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Romance
Miranda Dickinson
Six times Sunday Times bestselling Black Country Author of both Rom-com novels and crime novels (under the name M J White), Miranda Dickinson will be talking to you about her inspirations, novels and what it's like having a career as a novelist in two distinct genres.
Tuesday 11th June, 7.00pm - Dudley Library
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Wednesday 12th June, 10:30am - Sedgley Library
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Sally Jenkins
Sally Jenkins writes hopeful stories about mature characters and the life issues they face. She will be talking about the real-life inspiration behind her novel Little Museum of Hope and will give us an insight into the publishing industry and the roller coaster ride that authors embark on in the quest to become published.
Friday 14th June, 11:00am - Kingswinford Library
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Friday 21st June, 11:00am - Netherton Library
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Suzan Holder
Famous for her 'rom coms for rock chicks' Suzan is now writing her third book and will be heading to Halesowen Library. Expect anecdotes, stories of inspirations and more about the perfect laugh out loud reads.
Wednesday 19th June, 6:30pm - Halesowen Library
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Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror
Anna Stephens
Anna Stephens is the author of the epic fantasy Godblind and Songs of the Drowned trilogies, as well as writing for Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Horror, and Marvel Comics. The conclusion of the Songs of the Drowned Trilogy, The Dark Feather, has just hit our shelves this past spring, and Anna will be telling you all about it.
Saturday 15th June, 11:30am - Stourbridge Library
Reserve your seat
Anna Stephens is the author of the epic fantasy Godblind and Songs of the Drowned trilogies, as well as writing for Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Horror, and Marvel Comics. The conclusion of the Songs of the Drowned Trilogy, The Dark Feather, has just hit our shelves this past spring, and Anna will be telling you all about it.
Saturday 15th June, 11:30am - Stourbridge Library
Reserve your seat
Young Adult Fiction
Miriam Sarin
Actor and Theatre Director turned author Miriam discovered her love of writing through writing a play. Having achieved an MA in Creative Writing she has gone on to write many short stories and is currently publishing her first novel, with a second in the works.
Saturday 8th June, 2:00pm - Halesowen Library
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D. P. Carter
Debut author Damien goes into detail about his recently published works on myths and legends for children and teenagers.
Saturday 22nd June, 11:15am - Wordsley Library
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Saturday 22nd June, 2.00pm - Brierley Hill Library
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Non-Fiction
Andrew J. Mullaney
The debut author of Didn't Anyone Ever Tell You? It's All A Game! is talking abour his book on helping mentors, mentees and people like you to better understand how to play the game of life to your advantage. This talk is funded by the Friends of Cradley Library.
Tuesday 16th June, 11:30am - Cradley Library
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Ned Williams
Author and local historian Ned Williams has penned more than forty books about various aspects of the Black Country's past. His books cover all aspects of life in the area from shops to cinemas and travelling fairgrounds.
Tuesday 18th June, 2:00pm - Dudley Archives
Reserve your seat
The debut author of Didn't Anyone Ever Tell You? It's All A Game! is talking abour his book on helping mentors, mentees and people like you to better understand how to play the game of life to your advantage. This talk is funded by the Friends of Cradley Library.
Tuesday 16th June, 11:30am - Cradley Library
Reserve your seat
Ned Williams
Author and local historian Ned Williams has penned more than forty books about various aspects of the Black Country's past. His books cover all aspects of life in the area from shops to cinemas and travelling fairgrounds.
Tuesday 18th June, 2:00pm - Dudley Archives
Reserve your seat
Performances & Workshops
Babsolutely Fabulous - Performance
Babsolutely Fabulous is written by former Birmingham Poet Laureate and Guardian journalist Adrian Johnson for Grusha’s Theatre Company of Smethwick. It is the story of three amazing and controversial Black Country women: Sylvia King – builder of a massive people’s fun palace in West Bromwich, Edna Kirby- Walsall’s manufacturer of the UK’s finest leather gloves and Dorothy Round - Dudley’s two times Wimbledon tennis champion.
Thursday 13th June 7:00pm - Dudley Library
Reserve your seat
Bad Betty Press Poetry Workshop with Casey Bailey
Saturday 15th June, 1:00pm - Dudley Library
Reserve your seat
Babsolutely Fabulous is written by former Birmingham Poet Laureate and Guardian journalist Adrian Johnson for Grusha’s Theatre Company of Smethwick. It is the story of three amazing and controversial Black Country women: Sylvia King – builder of a massive people’s fun palace in West Bromwich, Edna Kirby- Walsall’s manufacturer of the UK’s finest leather gloves and Dorothy Round - Dudley’s two times Wimbledon tennis champion.
Thursday 13th June 7:00pm - Dudley Library
Reserve your seat
Bad Betty Press Poetry Workshop with Casey Bailey
Saturday 15th June, 1:00pm - Dudley Library
Reserve your seat
