A writer's paradise
Historical superstars head for a remote island
I am a lucky author.
Here I am on a remote island bashing away at my next fiction series and then, out of the blue, comes the announcement that some very impressive authors have been booked to come here for our literary festival.
No less than 10 leading historical authors will set foot on Alderney in March to once again bring the magic of historical fiction and non-fiction writing to the island for the ninth Alderney Literary Festival.
More are queueing up to come here but the organiser had to limit it to those who would best fit the theme, 'Weaving Historical Narratives'. That suits me just fine because I’ve been a-weaving for years, and I still feel like a beginner.
Returning for another visit is Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Scarrow who is a former Chairman of the Festival (this will be our ninth). He immediately posted on social media: “Delighted to be returning to Alderney. They have one of the best Literary Festivals I have ever been to. Also, the island is a magical place well worth a visit.”
I can’t wait to tell him about the vital role he played – without knowing it – in my decision to switch publisher in 2022.
Another returnee is Clare Mulley, an award-winning author who focuses on female heroics during World War II, who will discuss her latest book Agent Zo: the untold story of a Polish Freedom Fighter. She guested at the Festival in 2019 and recently appeared on History UK’s documentary Hitler’s British Island.
There’s more. Scarrow, whose latest novel A Death in Berlin is the third in his Inspector Schenke series set in wartime Berlin, and Mulley are joined by these renowned authors:
Leo Vardiashvili, a child refugee from Georgia whose debut novel, Hard by a Great Forest, follows the fortunes of a father and sons who must return to their decaying but still beautiful Georgian homeland to rescue each other and make peace with the past.
Rosie Garland, whose new novel The Fates (Quercus Books) is a re-imagining and retelling of the Greek myth of the Fates. Val McDermid has named her one of the most compelling LGBT+ writers in the UK today.
Lavie Tidhar, who works across genres combining detective and thriller modes with poetry, science fiction and historical and autobiographical material. His novel Golgotha launches in 2025.
Flora Johnston, a writer from Edinburgh with a particular interest in stories from Scotland’s past. Her latest novel, The Paris Peacemakers, tells the story of three Scots and their struggle to rebuild their lives after the trauma of the First World War.
Lesley Downer, author, historian and all-round Japan buff. She will focus on her newest book, The Shortest History of Japan.
Eleni Kyriacou, an award-winning editor and journalist who will feature in conversation with local author Rachel Abbott about her research and writing of her novel, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou, based on the true story of the penultimate woman to be hanged in Britain.
Ellen Apsten, an international bestselling author and scriptwriter born and raised in the Kenyan highlands whose third book, The Last Princess, is the retelling of 1066 and Gytha Godwinson, daughter of Harold, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
Anna Abney, whose Measham Hall novels are affected by many of the major incidents of the Seventeenth century – plague, civil war and revolution. Though often overlooked, this is a century that was fundamental in shaping modern Britain.
Festival Chairman is again Anthony Riches whose Empire series and Centurion trilogy, of which there are now 17 books, is set in late 2nd Century AD Britain and Europe. He is also the author of two modern day thrillers, Nemesis and Target Zero, the first two books in the 'Protector' series.
Alderney Literary Trust’s Isabel Picornell (she deserves a gong) says: “We’ve had a tsunami of interest from historical and fiction authors wanting to come to our ninth festival and it was so difficult to have to choose only 10. Our 2025 festivalgoers will be in for a treat, and I look forward to welcoming our authors and audiences to the Festival."
The Festival takes place on March 28-30, 2025. Details here. If you can get here, please do but book early to avoid disappointment. See you in March…