Sturminster Newton Literary Festival- May 2024
Printed programmes are available and the countdown begins.
The Printed Programme is Here!
The printed programmes are rolling off the press and will soon be distributed across the Westcountry. If you would like some for your business, B&B, or reading group, let us know. In addition to buying tickets online, you can also purchase them at 1855, Sturminster Newton from Thurs 2nd May. Can’t wait to see the programme? Here’s a link.
Becoming Liz Taylor with Elizabeth Delo
We’re delighted that Elizabeth Delo will be talking about her book Becoming Liz Taylor at this year’s festival.
Elizabeth will talk about how she came to write Becoming Liz Taylor, the inspiration behind the story, the research she undertook, and why she chose to set it in Weston-super-Mare. She will also explore the theme of loss in the novel and the connection between grief, memory, and stories.
BECOMING LIZ TAYLOR tells the story of Val, a seventy-two year old widow living in Weston-super-Mare, who spends her lonely evenings dressing up as the movie star Elizabeth Taylor. It seems to be a way of coping with the loss and trauma she experienced as a young woman. One day, when Val sees a pram left unattended on the seafront, on a whim she kicks off the brake and walks away with the baby.
Set in the present and the 1970s, BECOMING LIZ TAYLOR is an unforgettable story of a baby abduction, a vivid and touching depiction of love and loss. Book your tickets here.
**BECOMING LIZ TAYLOR has just been named as Winner of British Debut Novel at the 37th Festival du Premier Roman, Chambéry**
Black Beauty, Fossil Hunters, and Literary Heritage
There’s a lot to choose from at this year’s Literary Festival. We used Zoom a lot during the pandemic, and this year, it’s proving helpful so we can find out more about The Fossil Hunters, set in Lyme Regis. Derbyshire-based author Joanne Burn will join us on Zoom on June 11th so we can learn more about her writing and her latest book. Tickets are available here.
Celia Brayfield will join us on 8th June with a talk based on her latest book about Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty. Tickets are here.
To mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Far From the Madding Crowd, we;ll have a special showing of the 2009 film which was made by Gryphon School. There’s also a chance to meet some of the actors - and spot the locations where the movie was filmed entirely in Dorset. Buy your tickets here.
Finally, if you fancy a walk to see where William Barnes was born and hear some Dorset dialect, join David Fox’s walk to Bagber on June 16th. Tickets here.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to Sturminster Newton
We’re looking forward to Kevin J Davies's talk on Douglas Adams on 8th June. You can get tickets here. If you are visiting the town, we put together this lighthearted guide to places associated with Douglas Adams in the area.
Festival Bookshop
If you want to read any of the books at this year’s festival, our bookshop has an online selection. We receive a small commission for any purchases which are ploughed back into future festivals.