Sturminster Newton Literary Festival- Aug 24
Our latest news
After a very successful 2024 literary festival, we’re starting to plan the 2025 SturlitFest for next June. We were delighted to welcome speakers, writers, and visitors from across the South West and as far as Yorkshire this year. Here are some of the highlights and more photos will be placed on our website shortly. Thank you to everyone for supporting us and making the festival possible.
Crime Competition
Our crime competition sponsored by Bellway Homes proved popular with lots of entries. Our prizewinners are:
First Prize- Emily Gorgirzadeh
Second Prize- Anna -Marie Butcher
Third Prize- Dilys Gartside
Fourth Prize- Amelia Lockyer
So who did it? Farmer Green committed the crime using a flagon of cider in 1855, and the motive was blackmail. Look out for next year’s competition.
Book Review
The Secrets of Flowers- Sally Page
Sally Page was a speaker at the 2022 SturLitFest with a very popular afternoon tea event. She is about to publish her next novel- The Secrets of Flowers. Sally has a passion for flower shops and set this book in a garden centre where recently bereaved Emma starts working as a trainee florist. Then, one evening she attends a lecture on the Titanic and is captivated. What she wants to know is who arranged the flowers on the Titanic.
The novel flows between two time zones, weaving a tale that really makes you think about the people on the doomed ship. Each chapter adds a little more mystery about the florist and then, intriguingly, the connection she has with Emma and how the research helps Emma recover from her bereavement. It’s a beautifully written story and probably Sally Page’s best one yet. if you like flowers, you’ll enjoy this book. The book is published on August 24th and you can pre-order a copy here.
Bookshop
If you missed out on any of our books at this year’s festival, you can get them at our online bookshop. We receive a small affiliate payment for sales, which is plugged back into festival funds.