Take a look here at all of the events available for Guildford Book Festival (GBF) on Thursday 16 October! For a comprehensive round up of all the events over the course of the week, please click HERE.
Truly, Madly, Deeply: Author Coffee Morning
House of Fraser, 10am, £9, £7 Concessions & Under 16
Enjoy a fun-filled morning of coffee and cake in the company of Sue Moorcroft, Judy Astley, Chrissie Manby and Carole Matthews as they chat about their latest fiction and contributions to the Romantic Novelists Association’s anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply. Come along, and let these wonderful authors brighten your day with their captivating and irresistible stories of love in all its guises!
The Countess of Carnarvon: Lady Catherine and The Real Downton Abbey
The Electric Theatre, 12pm, £6, £5 Concessions & Under 16
The story of the beautiful American heiress who lived at Highclere Castle, the setting for Julian Fellowes’ award-winning drama Downton Abbey. Glamorous and wealthy, Catherine became the toast of London society when she travelled across the Atlantic in 1920 to marry the Earl of Porchester, or ‘Porchy’, as he was known.
Penny Junor: Prince Harry: Brother, Soldier, Son
The Electric Theatre, 2pm, £6, £5 Concessions & Under 16
Acclaimed royal biographer Penny Junor reveals the Prince Harry you’ve never read about before. As the maverick Prince turns thirty, Junor looks behind the tabloids to show how the troubled teenager survived childhood loss and became a soldier, adventurer, and passionate champion of those who are in danger of being destroyed or forgotten.
Jacqueline Wilson: Opal Plumstead 100th Book Celebration
The Electric Theatre, 6.00pm, £5
Join former Children’s Laureate and multi award-winning, best-selling author Dame Jacqueline Wilson, as we celebrate the publication of her 100th novel, Opal Plumstead. Don’t miss the chance to meet the author who has touched so many children’s lives with characters like Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather; no wonder her novels are the most borrowed of all books in British libraries!
Suzannah Dunn: May Bride
The Guildhall, 6.30pm, £8, £7 Concessions, £6 Under 16
In the iconic setting of Guildford’s Guildhall, sit down with bestselling historical novelist Suzannah Dunn to hear about one of Henry VIII’s most beloved wives, Jane Seymour, and her early life in The May Bride. At Wolf Hall, the young Jane begins an intoxicating friendship with her new sister-in-law, and soon the Seymour family is rocked by shocking allegations at court that threaten all she holds dear.
Author Cocktail Evening
MKB, 7pm, £8, £7 Concessions, £6 Under 16
A fabulous evening of cocktails and fizzy chat with romantic novelists Paige Toon and Ali Harris. Let these talented young writers introduce you to their adorable characters and tender stories over drinks in an evening that is sure to be funny, heart-warming and full of happy endings!
Amnesty International Event: Poems That Make Grown Men Cry
Guildford Institute, 7pm, £7, £5 Concessions & Under 16
Moving and thought-provoking readings from this new anthology selected by contributors such as Colin Firth, Melvyn Bragg, Stephen Fry, Nick Cave, Clive James and Christopher Hitchens. Performed by professional actors, the poets featured include Auden, Heaney, Larkin, Neruda, Sassoon and Thomas, with the collection edited by Anthony and Ben Holden.
Great Lost Albums: Mark Billingham & David Quantick
The Electric Theatre, 7pm, £7, £6 Concessions & Under 16
Crime writer Mark Billingham and music journalist David Quantick remember the recordings that time forgot – or rather that they made up! BBC Radio 2’s Joe Haddow hosts an entertaining evening of excerpts from the brilliant book Great Lost Albums, a hilarious collection of fantasy albums that really should have existed!
The Perfect Manuscript – Workshop with Alysoun Owen
The Electric Theatre, Farley Room, 7.15pm, £18, £15 Concessions, £13 Under 16
A fantastic opportunity for aspiring authors to get advice from Alysoun Owen, Editor of the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook , on how to prepare, edit and polish your work ready to send to literary agents or to be self-published through a variety of print and digital routes.
Stuart MacBride: A Song for the Dying
The Electric Theatre, 8.30pm, £8, £7 Concessions, £6 Under 16
A thrilling evening of heart-stopping crime with the Sunday Times no.1 bestselling author Stuart MacBride. A treat for admirers of the genre, the creator of the DI Logan McRae series talks about producing some of the grittiest modern crime-writing around today, and shares the secrets of his success.
World War I Fiction: Adele Parks & Anna Hope
The Guildhall, 8.30pm, £8, £7 Concessions, £6 Under 16
Adele Parks and Anna Hope reveal how the aftermath of the First World War inspired their novels Spare Brides and Wake. In a world changed beyond recognition, how will their compelling characters cope with the trauma of loss and find love and happiness in the future?