Join bestselling author and Radio 2 Book Club pick Natasha Pulley, and critically acclaimed horror writer, game designer and podcaster Jonathan Sims in conversation about all things spooky, both human and supernatural.

 

Jonathan Sims became a global name in horror following the staggering success of his anthology podcast The Magnus Archives, which he both created and starred in. Since then, he has co-helmed the creation of a sequel series, The Magnus Protocol, which broke records as the most funded podcast in Kickstarter history. His third novel, The Burn Line, is his love letter to classic monster movies, and a break-up letter to dying cities.

 

Natasha Pulley’s bestselling debut novel, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, also catapulted her to critical acclaim winning the Betty Trask Award. Alongside her roles as a lecturer in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and the Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, she has written eight novels spanning fantasy, history and science fiction. Her new novel, The Salt King, is a gothic folk horror that explores old gods and new.

Freewriting – a simple and effective exercise where you write continuously for a set amount of time without worrying about grammar, spelling, or structure. The goal is to let your thoughts flow freely, helping you clear your mind and access deeper creativity.

 

No writing experience is required—just bring your open mind and a willingness to explore.

Rediscover the joy of writing without judgment and unlock the limitless creativity within you. Join us and see how freewriting can help clear your mind, relieve stress, and inspire new ideas.

One of the big discussion topics in recent times is how to choose from the many options facing writers in regards to publishing their work. Never before have so many different paths been accessible, but which one is the correct one for your project and for you as a writer?

 

Ian Fisermanis hosts a panel of authors who have all taken different paths to publication, from the traditional route, hybrid or self-publishing, or a combination of them. This unique event gives you the opportunity to listen to their personal stories, understand their choices and the journey they took to get their thoughts onto the printed page.

 

Followed by a question and answer session at the end, this lively debate and discussion will give you an insight into not only the options available to you in 2026, but perhaps some hints and tips on how to make your own choices, and even a little knowledge of some regrets or traps to avoid.

 

Perfect for anyone considering publication and concerned about making the correct choice for them and their project, this is a chance to hear real stories from real writers.

A fun improv workshop which shows how you can be creative on the spot, supported by other people, supporting other people, and generally being more spontaneous.  Improv is great for the brain and is very social.

Have you ever wanted to write the story of your life? This workshop will get you started or develop your writing further. We will be working with writing prompts and exercises to re-discover some of your memories. You will learn a bit about the craft and techniques of life writing, and we will be discussing and reading (small extracts) from contemporary memoir writers. Every life is unique. We all have a story to tell. Come along and begin yours!

Our Book Magic sessions combine the joy of storytelling with hands-on creativity. Children can listen to a fun and engaging story, then take part in a themed craft activity inspired by the book. It’s a great way to bring stories to life and spark imagination through art and play.

These sessions are great for:

• Encouraging a love of books through creative activities

• Supporting early literacy and listening skills

• Helping children express themselves through art

• Discovering what our libraries offer

Freedom and Constraint. What freedoms do we have, and are we using them? Can we misuse our freedoms?  What legitimate constraints influence our writing? Do we allow spurious constraints to hamper our inspiration?

Rugby and the surrounding area is home to a fantastic variety of writers, and this is your chance to discover some of them.

 

In this fast-paced session, a selection of local authors will each take to the spotlight to introduce themselves, share their writing journey and give you a taste of the stories they create.

 

With different authors, genres and routes into publishing, no two stories will be quite the same. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the people behind the books.

Come along, meet some of our local authors and perhaps discover your next favourite read.

Take a moment away from the buzz of the festival to enjoy a peaceful moment with a book in the Quiet Reading Space.

Faye Spencer is a Fool. And so are you. We’re all Fools, from time to time, and that, Faye argues, is a Good Thing. Or so Faye thinks, but then again, she is a Fool.

 

There are many types of Fools across the world, both ancient and modern. You might have noticed that some Fools carry around those jingly sticks they use to lovingly bonk people on the head. Look closer. Some of these jingly sticks have little heads on them. These heads-on-sticks are sometimes called marottes. Faye has been fascinated by these rudimentary puppets ever since she saw one in a museum in the midst of a burnout episode. The puppet seemed to be the only person she could talk to at the time, though it was, admittedly, a rather one-sided relationship. He was locked away in a glass display case, and he probably couldn’t hear her properly anyway. So she started making her own marottes. And these puppets, it turned out, had a lot of stories of their own to tell, and tongues they could use to poke out at her whenever she started to take herself too seriously. And they came with lots of other surprises, too.

 

Join Faye for a story-lecture about learning to embrace the gentle art of being a nincompoop – with puppets!