Programme of Events

We start the Festival by proudly welcoming back to Oundle, Alexander McCall Smith, author of the highly successful No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series and the new Corduroy Mansions novels. He will be entertaining the audience with the latest tales of his characters, including dogs!

He will be supported by the Rusty Players, the group of local musicians that came together after being inspired by The Really Terrible Orchestra which was co- founded by the author and in which he plays the bassoon.

A must for all fans.

The Oundle Festival of Literature is pleased to be working with the PBFA which was founded in 1972 to enable provincial booksellers to trade in London. Since then, the PBFA has grown in numbers, strength, and diversity. Over the years it has increased its annual calendar of fairs and at all of these events, collectors will be presented with a variety of old and collectable books, maps, prints, and ephemera of all ages and to suit all tastes and pockets.

What all PBFA members offer is a guarantee of professional excellence and a reassurance to the collector that a rigorous set of standards are adhered to.

The Oundle Book Fair will have over twenty professional book sellers retailing a wide variety of books, maps and ephemera.

Ever wanted to have that special poem written for a loved one, or a verse about an event in your life or that of someone you know?

Look no further; fresh from festivals including Edinburgh, the Tate Gallery and the Southbank Centre, The Poetry Takeaway, heavily disguised as a burger van, will be at the Farmers’ Market ready to deliver a made to order poem to you.

The poetry chefs will perform and deliver a hand-written, boxed copy of your poem, free of charge within 10 minutes. This innovative, fun way of bringing poetry to the public has been getting rave review.

“The Poetry Takeaway project is a terrific innovation.”  Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard.

“It’s great, check it out.”  Jarvis Cocker, Pulp and BBC 6 Music

This is an event not to be missed.

Charles Collingwood is not only known for his role as Brian Aldridge (the JR of the Archers) in The Radio Four’s long running series The Archers. He has appeared in Midsomer Murders, Inspector Morse, London’s Burning, Just A Minute, Celebrity Weakest Link (which he won) just to name a few. He is renowned for his after dinner speaking.

A supper of fish and chips is included in the price of this ticket. Wine and soft drinks will be on sale.

There will be only 120 tickets on sale so book early to avoid disappointment.

Tales of Robin Hood and the 1939 film starring Errol Flynn.

Robin Hood – A Saxon rebel? No. An exiled Nobleman? No.  Swashbuckling nemesis of early Plantagenet usurpers? No.

Who or what really lies behind this famous name?  Find out in this fast forward of the lowdown on the earliest known tales and legends of Robin Hood. Discover essential handy hints and tips for would be forest outlaws and what really happens when you try to be one of them.

Your storyteller Simon Heywood lectures in Folklore and Creative Writing at Derby University and is an internationally acclaimed writer whose work has been recorded and broadcast nationally.

After this lively talk we will be watching on the big screen the 1939 film of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn, brought to the Festival in partnership with Oundle Cinema.

Tony Mitton is a highly respected poet and has written many titles for children. His first collection of poems, Plum, was published by Scholastic in 1998 and has just been reprinted. He has written two series with illustrator Ant Parker, one describing Amazing Machines in verse and the second, Amazing Animals, investigates a variety of creatures in their natural habitat - both popular topics with younger children. He has also published a much loved series of picture books illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees, including the award winning titles Spookyrumpus and Down by the Cool of the Pool. Tony was a primary school teacher and then a special needs teacher and is sure to keep a young audience entertained with poems, action rhymes, talk, storytelling and picture books. (Recommended for Reception, Years 1 and 2)

Bookshelf:
My Hat and All That, Plum, Amazing Machines series, Amazing Animals series, Down by the Cool of the Pool, All Afloat on Noah’s Boat, Farmer Joe and the Music Show, The Jungle Run

Vanessa Kimbell‘s   debut cookery book says “Be Delicious. Be Spontaneous. Be Prepped!” Spontaneous parties, unstructured suppers, impromptu invitations, unexpected guests at any time of the day – welcome to Prepped! A new time-saving, inspirational and delicious cooking. Vanessa takes a selection of fabulous flavours and creates a basic “wardrobe” of go-anywhere dishes. This event will make you hungry as Vanessa will be doing demonstrations as well as chatting.

Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price, Purveyor of Superior Funerals  is Wendy Jones’s first novel an enchanting and moving depiction of love and secrecy set against the rural backdrop of a 1920s Welsh village.  She also co-wrote Grayson Perry’s memoir, The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl and hosts a book show on Resonance FM. We especially invite book clubs to read this book and then come along together and meet the author.  Ask all those questions that came up at your book club meeting!

Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex  and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories). He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day. Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again. In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV. (Recommended for Years 5 and 6)

Bookshelf:
Astrosaurs: Earth Attack; The Sabre Toothed Secret,Cows in Action:  First Cows on the Moon; The Viking Emoo-gency,The Slime Squad vs The Fearsome Fists,The Slime Squad vs The Toxic Teeth,Z-Rex,Z-Raptor

Welcome back Pat Thomson

Pre-schoolers are the priority on this occasion.  There will be stories of squeaky beds, socks full of treasure and an extremely fat cat told by Pat Thomson.  After that, it’s over to the children, where we adults stand back while the under-fives start creating crafty things with the help of Heather and staff from the Oundle Community Playgroup.

We welcome back storyteller Shonaleigh  who will give us a wise, witty, ironic look at the most important question ever asked and what happened to some of the many people who have tried to answer it. 

Drawing on five thousand years of eastern traditional wisdom and – by the look of it – all of twenty-one years of personal life experience to comment, with characteristically incisive grace and vigour, on the question everyone’s been asking, and explain exactly what happened to the totally awesome Precious Pearl of Bahrain, and why.

Essential listening for anyone who has ever attempted to communicate verbally with a member of the opposite sex, let alone share the world with the whole three billion of them. Don’t miss it.

Barbara Cooper studied art and drama at Liverpool before working as a teacher. She then spent many years juggling writing and working as an instructor and dog behaviour consultant before writing full-time since 2003. Barbara finished her first novel, Always By My Side, in 2003.

Since then she has been working on Killing Love and Don’t Be Frightened, two psychological thrillers.

Researching and writing Forgotten People, a docu-dramatisation of Britain's hidden heritage is an absorbing glimpse into the past. Brought to life in evocative style, the text is interspersed with re-enactments of actual events and people who once lived in a tiny parish. The lives of oppressive lords, the dynasties of the Hatchers and the Reynardsons dramatically unfold.

Surprising documentary evidence has been uncovered showing the influence of the Normans, clergy, medieval kings and politicians, soldiers and gentlemen landowners who helped shape the landscape. The arrival of the railways and the inception of the village school are explored through revealing anecdotes and excerpts of nineteenth century writing.

This fun event for the retirement community involves tea and the wonderful treat of our old friend Dave Garrett who is making a welcome return with his own hilarious one man show, a mixture of poetry and his inimitable brand of comedy.

Another warm welcome to our very own, home grown, Nick Perry who is will be sharing with us a selection of poems from his new book Perversery. We congratulate Nick on this, his first book!

Jude Morgan’s historical novels have been widely acclaimed and translated into nine languages. His novel about the Romantic poets, Passion, was chosen as Book of the Year 2004 by Hilary Mantel, Joanna Trollope and Tracey Chevalier. The Taste of Sorrow, about the Bronte sisters, was longlisted for the TV Book Club and shortlisted for the Portico Prize in 2010. His new novel The Secret Life of William Shakespeare is to be published by Headline Review this month.

Steven Butler is an actor/writer/trained circus performer from London, as well as being a keen observer of trolls. He starred as Horrid Henry in John Godber’s play Horrid Henry Live and Horrible. He has also had starring roles in Peter Pan and as Benjamin in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. His book The Wrong Pong was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. His old headmaster was Jeremy Strong, a very funny author himself. Could this have been an influence on a young Steven? Come and find out! (Recommended for Years 2 and 3)

Bookshelf:
The Wrong Pong, The Wrong Pong: Holiday Hullabaloo and coming next year The Wrong Pong: Troll’s Treasure

Get together a team of 6-8 people and prepare for a fun evening at our quiz with a twist! It is our tenth year which might or might not give you a clue .Bring your own refreshments and glasses. Please register your team in advance: paula@oundlelitfest.org.uk

Ali Sparkes is a prolific author with many books published for several age groups including the S.W.I.T.C.H  series. The first series introduces us to two brothers, Josh and Danny, and their adventures when they are transformed into various insects by a beastly serum, given to them by their eccentric and rather scary neighbour, Petty Potts. The second series which will be published in February 2012 is focused on new and exciting reptilian adventures.

Ali has also written the Shapeshifter series about Dax Jones and all his COLA, (Children Of Limitless Ability), friends. These describe the amazing adventures of teenagers with super-natural powers. Her book Frozen in Time won the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award in 2010.

Ali is a journalist and BBC broadcaster who admits to regularly exploiting her sons as an in-house focus group for her children’s novels. Come along and find out how fast-paced and exciting they are, but beware if she offers you any serum!

Bookshelf:
S.W.I.T.C.H. series 1 and 2, Frozen in Time, The Shapeshifter series