Line-up announced for Alderney's 2025 Literary Festival

Sunday 29 December 2024

Organisers of Alderney's literary festival have said interest is strong from writers wanting to attend next year's event and the public are "in for a treat" with the confirmed line-up.

Taking place between Friday 28 and Sunday 39 March, next year's LitFest will be the ninth iteration of the annual historical literature event.

This year's theme is Weaving Historical Narratives and ten "leading" historical authors have now been announced and are set to bring a varied array of historical fiction and non-fiction writing experience with them to the island.

One of the attendees is Sunday Times bestselling author and former festival chairman, Simon Scarrow, who has said he is "delighted" to return to the "magical island".

Pictured: Mr Scarrow is "delighted" to be returning to Alderney in March

His latest novel, A Death in Berlin, has recently been released and is the third in his Inspector Schenke series set in wartime Berlin.

Confirming his visit Mr Scarrow took to social media and said: "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.”

Clare Mulley, an award-winning author who focuses on female heroics during World War II, is another returnee to the festival where she will discuss her latest book, Agent Zo: The Untold Story of a Polish Freedom Fighter.

She first guested the Festival in 2019 and recently appeared on History UK’s documentary Hitler’s British Island.

Pictured: Ms Mulley has also confirmed her Alderney return

A selection of new authors will be joining Mr Scarrow and Ms Mulley, organisers have confirmed, bringing a diverse range of experience and interests including LGBT+ writing, Scottish history, Japanese history, Greek myth, Anglosaxon kings and 17th Century Britain.

The visiting writers include:

• Leo Vardiashvili - A Georgian child refugee 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, is a re-imagining and retelling of the Greek myth of the Fates.
• Val McDermid - Who has been named one of the "most compelling" LGBT+ writers in the UK.
• Lavie Tidhar - Working across genres including detective and thriller modes with poetry, science fiction and historical and autobiographical material, he will visit Alderney as his novel, Golgotha, launches in 2025.
• Flora Johnston - Edinburgh-based, Flora has a particular interest in 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 Japan enthusiast. She will focus on her newest book, The Shortest History of Japan.
• Eleni Kyriacou - Award-winning editor and journalist who will feature in conversation with local author Rachel Abbott about her novel, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou, based on the true story of the penultimate woman to be hanged in Britain.
• Ellen Apsten - 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 - Author of the Measham Hall novels that focus on the issues of the Seventeenth century such as plague, civil war and Revolution and have consequenly shaped modern Britain.

The Chairman of the Alderney Literary Festival, Anthony Riches, will also discuss his work including his Empire series and Centurion trilogy, of which there are now 17 books, and set in late 2nd Century AD Britain and Europe.

He has also released two modern day thrillers, Nemesis and Target Zero, the first in his new 'Protector' series.

Alderney Literary Trust’s Isabel Picornell said it was so difficult to have to choose only 10 authors after so much interest.

"Our 2025 festivalgoers will be in for a treat, and I look forward to welcoming our authors and audiences to the festival."

She also thanked event sponsor Ravenscroft and "festival devotee" Ann Robilliard, for their financial support which has meant specialist sound equipment has been purchased for next year's event.

Details of the visiting writers can be found on the event's website

Tickets are set to go on sale early in the New Year.

GALLERY

Take a look at Alderney's visiting authors below.