Like to know a little more about the guest speakers at our “Strength of Character” Festival event on Saturday 27th September? Here’s a handy guide.

A A Abbott chose her pen name to snag first place on your bookshelf. Also known as Helen, she writes psychological thrillers about women finding strength in the face of danger. She publishes in a range of formats, including audiobook, ebook, Kindle Unlimited, hardback, paperback, large print and dyslexia-friendly Lexend font.

Ali Bacon is a local writer inspired by her Scottish roots. Her second historical novel, The Absent Heart, was published by Linen Press in March 2025. She is also a prize-winning short story writer who has appeared in events around the west country and is proud to have been at the very first HULF! 

Gerard Boyce read English at UCL and unsurprisingly became an English teacher. He was Head of English and then Director of Sixth Form at Colston’s School, now Collegiate School in Bristol. Now retired, he keeps his hand in by being a Principal Examiner for Cambridge Assessment, and  he volunteers at the Amnesty International Bookshop on the Gloucester Road.

Lucienne Boyce writes historical fiction (To The Fair Land, The Dan Foster Mysteries) and non-fiction (The Bristol Suffragettes). She also blogs about the eighteenth century, women’s history, books and writing. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the steering committee of the West of England and South Wales Women’s History Network.

Sarah Siân Chave has forty years’ experience as a teacher and researcher. Her passions are sustainability, social justice and encouraging new ways of being in the world together. Raised by a Welsh mother in the English Midlands, she enjoys connecting with her Welsh roots and exploring Afon Hafren (River Severn).

One day Frances Evesham saw Burnham on Sea’s nine-legged lighthouse. As she murmured, ‘What if I found a body there?’ Murder at the Lighthouse, the first of her eleven Somerset murder mysteries published by Boldwood Books, was born.

Lorna Fergusson is an award-winning short story writer and novelist, editor and writing coach. She runs Fictionfire Literary Consultancy and teaches on Oxford University summer courses. Her latest story collection is One Morning in Provence. She is working on more stories, a novel and a book on mindset for writers. https://www.lornafergusson.com

Stefania Hartley was born in Sicily and immediately started growing, but not very much. She left her sunny island after falling in love with an Englishman and now she lives in the Cotswold. Having finally learnt English, she’s enjoying it so much that she writes short stories and novels.

Helen Idris Jones is retired, now, writing novels that explore strength of character. “Missing Ella” addresses family trauma with hope, while “Where no shadows fall” follows Esther Morgan’s journey toward self-forgiveness and redemption. Now writing her third novel, exploring community resilience using her experience of living in a Worcestershire village!

James Nickells is a portrait artist and NHS doctor who is currently working on an ambitious project to paint 193 portraits of 193 subjects each from a different country with each subject involved in positive environmental action. This is The Global Portrait Project.

Mark Rutterford has been writing and performing short stories for over a dozen years including his one-man show, ‘Love Stories’. Mark is delighted to be back at HULF but knows he does not have the strength of character to say ‘no’ to a biscuit with his cup of coffee.

Debbie Young writes warm, witty cosy mystery novels and short fiction set in the Cotswold countryside, where she has lived for over 30 years. Deeply involved in many aspects of village life, she’s founder and director of the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival, and also a course tutor for Jericho Writers.

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Together, these speakers will provide a fascinating day’s entertainment, talking about their work, and their perspective on strong characters in literature and art.

As ever, this will be a quick-fire day that keeps you on your toes – and thankfully also supplies you with tea, coffee and cake to help you keep up with it all!

BOOK NOW TO ENSURE WE HAVE ENOUGH CAKE TO GO AROUND!

Click here to book your tickets now via Eventbrite.

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