Blandford Literary Festival 2025

www.blandfordliteraryfestival.co.uk

Where Inspiration Meets Imagination.

We're a bunch of bookworks who beleive that words have the power to transport, inspire and ignite imaginations.

Join our mission to bring you a Literary Festival that's more that just a gathering of authors and readers. Think: cosy gatherings over coffee, author-led workshops and panels, wine, song and laughter.

Participating venues include:

• Corn Exchange
• Blandford Methodist Church
• Blandford Parish Church
• Blandford Town Museum
• Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion

Info: May will be talking about the background to her books, including ‘Lily’s Choice and her November release ‘Wartime with the Cider Girls’ and run an interactive workshop to encourage you to tell your story.
Do you want to tell a real story, but think no one will believe it? May Ellis, author of Lily’s Choice, a novel based on real events in her family, has come across some extraordinary real-life stories that seem stranger than fiction.
In this workshop, she will guide participants through different methods of telling true stories (with examples), consider ethical issues and discuss the pitfalls to watch out for.
This workshop is suitable for anyone who has a story to tell but isn’t sure where to start. Both fiction and non-fiction examples will be considered and writing exercises will give participants the opportunity to try different approaches to story-telling. FREE Venue: Blandford Camp

Info: Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, local history can be a powerful source of inspiration. In this talk, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my (nature filled) cosy mystery work-in-progress rooted in the stories of my own village, Corfe Mullen.
Through old maps, parish records, newspaper snippets, and conversations with family and residents, I’ve been piecing together the wildlife, people, events, and landscape of the area 100 years ago.
I’ll share practical tips on how to get started with local research, how to follow the trail of a story, and how to use what you find to deepen your writing without overloading it. We’ll explore the emotional connections that come from writing about places you know, and how even the smallest local detail can resonate with wider themes. £6.00 Venue: Blandford Town Museum

Info: Teresa will be speaking about her extensive study of the life and work of Alfred Stevens, Blandford born sculptor and creator of monuments. He was an artist of extraordinary range, some comparable to William Morris, but unlike him one who firmly grasped the possibilities of industrialisation, designing humble objects such as stoves and ceramic tiles as well as prestigious ones like the Wellington Monument. Thought little known during his lifetime (1817-1875), following his early death while still at work on the Wellington Monument in St Paul's Cathedral, this changed. There was a vigorous campaign largely led by fellow artists, furious that a man of such genius should have been treated so harshly by the Office of Works during the protracted course of that project. As a result, he became far better known and, between the outbreak of the Second World War, he was hailed one of the greatest Humanist artists Britain had ever produced. Venue: Blandford Corn Exchange £8.00

Info: Musicians Victoria Starr and TBC, Poets C.W. Blackburn, Gerald Killingworth and Melanie Ann Vance, Performers Nick Hosking and Sam Ryan.
Come and join us for a relaxed evening of music and poetry to start your weekend. £10 to include one refreshment. Venue: Blandford Corn Exchange

Info: The Book and Craft Fair will take place in Blandford Corn Exchange from 10:00-3:00 – many of the authors involved in the festival will be there plus lots more. Come and talk to the authors and maybe buy some books or crafts too. Don’t forget – Christmas is coming up! No need to book – just turn up.

Info: Join poet and host Estelle Phillips as she chats with celebrity guest [writer tbc] about their communion with nature. The audience will be invited to share their stories of communicating with nature for this festival special. Audience participation will be the focus of the live show.
The live show will be recorded, edited and released as a Blandford Forum Literary Festival episode on the “Nature Talks With Humans” podcast. This show will be trailed with invitations to the members of the public to come to the show armed with their stories of communicating with nature. £6.00 Venue: Blandford Methodist Church

Info: An exciting, interactive story telling session for children and adults. FREE. Venue: Blandford Parish Church.

Info: A workshop for writers who want to step into a world of autumn shadows, deadly secrets, and
love bound by curses. In this immersive young adult paranormal fiction workshop, we’ll explore the art of crafting haunting, atmospheric stories filled with dark magic, forbidden love, and the mysteries that lurk in the shadows. Together, we’ll dive into the elements that bring a paranormal thriller or mystery-romance to life: evocative settings like haunted forests and crumbling mansions, characters torn between desire and danger, and plots thick with secrets, curses, and betrayal.
Through guided writing exercises and discussion, you’ll learn how to weave tension and romance into your narrative, balance the thrill of the unknown with emotional stakes, and create rich, immersive worlds that pull readers deep into the story. We’ll examine how to write relationships shaped by dark forces, how to keep readers guessing, and how to use atmosphere and sensory detail to create an unforgettable vibe.

Info: With short readings from my novel, Lyttleton Siren, I will discuss the experience of writing in more than one narrative voice. Particularly, the talk will tackle the problems and outcomes of using multiple narrative perspectives and the challenges and ultimate results of voicing male and female characters in first person. The talk should be of interest to established and aspiring authors in any genre, especially those using multiple voices in their work. £6.00 Venue: Blandford Corn Exchange.

Info: Do you like your history with all the nasty bits left in? Come and meet the illustrator, Martin Brown as he celebrates the phenomenal Horrible Histories series in a fun-filled event full of foul facts and live illustration - with a touch of awful audience involvement thrown in. A fact-tactic show for the whole family where Martin's passion for drawing is simply infectious. Martin will show you some illustrating techniques and then pitch the adults against the children. Who will win? FREE Venue: Blandford Methodist Church

Info: Discover effective strategies for marketing your book and yourself as a writer/author on social media through effective content creation, hashtags, captions ,and much more!
Now more than ever, it’s essential to have a social media presence, and in this workshop, I will guide you through the world of social media and algorithms. Not only will you be taught how the social media algorithms work, but you will also be getting hands-on and creating some content yourself.
In this session, we will be focussing on the three dominant platforms; Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, as these are the best channels for selling your work. Whether you are self-published, traditionally published, a poet, a prose writer or at the beginning of your writing journey, this interaction and energetic session will empower you to confidently use social media for marketing your writing as well as give you inspiration and ideas. So bring along your mobiles with your social media accounts and we’ll dive right in! £6.00

Info: Karen will be talking about her book 111 Things to Do in Dorset. Prepared to be amazed! £6.00

Info: The Whitaker Trilogy could best be described as similar to the early Wilbur Smith adventure series with a healthy dose of Dick Francis. The narrative is well researched and would appeal to readers who have a passion for Africa, horses and wildlife. There are elements of the story set in Newmarket, Mauritius, Dubai and the US. Lots of suspense, action, thrills and spills, crime and passion.
Don’t Blame Me – described as a psychological thriller and as contemporary fiction. However the antagonist, Dion is a deeply disturbed narcissistic alcoholic, and Elizabeth is his possession £6.00 Venue: Blandford Methodist Church

Info: Have you ever thought you could write a ‘book’? What would you write about? You will explore your own potential for writing a ‘book’ of some kind, through a series of interactive guided motivational steps. FREE Venue: Blandford Corn Exchange

Info: Ready to write your first mystery? Join mystery author Suzy Bussell in this interactive 90-minute workshop where she’ll guide you through outlining and planning your mystery novel, from cozy mysteries to gripping thrillers. You’ll learn how to create the perfect sleuth, craft an intriguing setting, and structure a plot filled with suspense and clues. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills.
Plot Your Perfect Mystery: A Hands-On Guide to Crafting Cozy to Thrilling Whodunnits” is a 90-minute, interactive workshop designed to help aspiring writers outline and plan their mystery novel, whether they are working on a cozy mystery or a high-stakes thriller. Led by mystery author Suzy Bussell, this session is perfect for writers at any stage—whether they are complete beginners or have some experience but want to dive into the mystery genre.
We’ll begin by exploring the spectrum of mystery writing, from cozy mysteries with amateur sleuths to fast-paced thrillers. £6.00

Info: Steve Couch reflects on the way an author’s own life inevitably bleeds through into their work. Steve will talk about where his life influences his own books, Dead Man Singing and Foul and Fair, as well as the as-yet unpublished Imogen Imagine. He looks at the balance between drawing on personal experience and just making things up. Exploring how much of an author’s own life comes out in their work, with particular reference to my own books Dead Man Singing, Foul and Fair, and the (currently unpublished) Imogen Imagine. My first two books represent very different models in terms of autobiographical material, making for a good contrast with plenty of opportunity to illustrate different ways that authors draw on their own experiences. I will also talk about Beneath the Page, the podcast I co-present with Sophie Beal of Cadence Publishing, which focuses on the idea that authors reveal something of themselves in their work. £6.00. Venue: Blandford Methodist Church.

Info: Take a creative break in your busy day at the literary festival.
Words To Inspire’, is a poetry show aired on Purbeck Sounds radio each week. Our aim is to make poetry accessible to everyone, share the joy and importance of poetry.
Today we bring you a ‘live show’ experience. We discover the power of poetry as a stimulus and a channel of creative expression. Irrespective of your poetry knowledge, confidence and skill, this workshop is for you, if you want to unlock your creativity and find inspiration for writing both poetry and prose.
From ancient verses to modern lines, poetry offers a unique lens through which we can understand the world and ourselves. Many of us have negative memories of school poetry or find it intimidating. We dissolve those perceptions, and allow the magic of poetry to inspire us. We collaborative, connect, explore and enjoy.
Whether you’re a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, join us to see what emerges from your creative self. £6.00.

Info: Think romance is just for the young? Think again. In this refreshing and uplifting conversation, debut authors Niloufar Lamakan and Claire Carver argue that now is the perfect time for writing bold, funny, and sexy fiction with older heroines. Their novels, Aged to Perfection and Still Got It, feature vibrant complicated women in their 60s who are refusing to fade quietly into the background. Instead, they’re embracing second chances, appreciating the confidence that only comes with age, and enjoying occasionally scandalous dating adventures.
With humour and heart, Niloufar and Claire will explore everything from ageism in fiction to the joy of writing steamy scenes for older women, and the liberating power of defying expectations. They’ll share their journey to becoming debut authors, why readers are crying out for real representations of older women in fiction and prove that romantic heroines don’t have a sell-by date. £6.00. Venue: Blandford Corn Exchange.

Info: Tim Bentinck, an actor since 1978, has a long list of theatre, television and film credits to his name, is best known as David Archer in the long running BBC Radio 4 series The Archers; a role he played for nearly fifty years. He is also a voice-over artist, and for 16 years was the voice of "Mind The Gap" on the London Underground. He is also an author of several books including 'Being David Archer - and Other Unusual Ways of Earning a Living.' Tim will be in conversation with Harry Bucknall discussing - among other things - the books that have shaped a fascinating life with anecdote, adventure and laughter. £10 to include one refreshment. Venue: Blandford Corn Exchange - Main Hall.

Info: Creating interactive narratives is a great way to jump start divergent thinking. Each decision point is a chance to think of several new plot twists. Each landing page, foldback or skip point is an opportunity to explore a new identity or travel through space and time. Join this workshop and enter the exciting frontier between game play and traditional storytelling. £6.00 or £15 for an all day ticket. Venue: Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion

Info: Alex Stone didn’t set out to write thrillers. After burning out in a high-pressure career, she moved to the Dorset coast and began writing stories that reflected the emotional complexity she never saw on the page growing up. In this engaging and encouraging talk, Alex shares how her experience of undiagnosed agoraphobia and emotional burnout led to novels that explore trauma, family secrets, and survival.
Blending personal story with craft insight, Alex explores how to build characters from emotional truth, use trauma and memory as narrative engines, and balance vulnerability with storytelling control. She offers a few powerful questions to help writers explore their own emotional landscape safely and effectively — whether they write fiction, memoir, or anything in between.
This talk is ideal for aspiring writers, readers, and anyone interested in the intersection of mental health, healing, and storytelling. Includes a short reading from The Quiet Sister, practical tips, and Q&A.

Info: This will be a relaxed in Conversation event with Author Tamar Hodes talking about her novel set in the artistic community on Hydra, where Leonard Cohen worked and lived. Tamar lived there as a child in the sixties and she will explore how she combined research and fiction to create her novel. There will be readings from the book and opportunities to ask questions.   £6.00 or £15 for an all day ticket. Venue: Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion.

Info: What does it take to be a great writer? Do you have to be up at dawn every day, handwrite, type or dictate? Find your writing groove and learn how to do it your way so you can start and finish your projects with ease. Neurodiverse artist, poet and creative healing coach Nicki Greenham will share practical tips so you never feel stuck again. Ditch the stress – it’s time to let your writing loose! This workshop is suitable for beginners and experienced artists alike. Bring a pen and paper.   £6.00 or £15 for an all day ticket. Venue: Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion.

Event Venue

Corn Exchange, 17 Market Place, Blandford Forum, United Kingdom