Charroux Literary Festival 2017 Earlybird booking

Isabel Ashdown at Charroux Lit Fest 2015

Those of you who are regular readers may remember my post in August 2015 when I regaled my two days of literary heaven at the very first Charroux Literary Festival, a local event that created quite an atmosphere in our corner of rural France (read more here).

Exciting news! This August, 24^th to 26^th, the Charroux Lit Fest is back and if you book your tickets before Friday 21^st July you will qualify for an Earlybird discount of 20%. I’ve booked mine and if you are local, or fancy a literary-themed short break in France then click here for more information on who is appearing and how to book.

 

Charroux Lit Fest 24-26 August 2017

My three day Earlybird ticket has only cost 28€ and I’ve put my name down for 14 sessions over the three days which works out at a bargain 2€ per session! Yes, just 2€ to meet, listen to and learn from authors whose books I’ve read as well as discovering authors who are new to me. Some of the events are talks by authors about their books, inspirations, genres or journeys to publication, but I’ve also bravely signed up for a few writing workshops too, which makes me equally nervous and excited. Last time I found it was a sensory overload, but I loved every minute of it.

Diana Morgan-Hill at Charroux Lit Fest 2015

Patron of the Lit Fest is local author Susie Kelly, one of my favourite memoir authors, whose books always make me laugh. Susie has released two memoirs so far this year, Safari Ants and Baggy Pants and La Vie en Rose, and I can't wait to see her again at the festival. This is what she had to say when I asked her about it:

"Charroux is dominated by the remains of the great 8th century tower, a reminder that the medieval town was once one of the most important centres of Christian worship in France, a place of pomp and splendour. Today it is a small, friendly town in the sunny Nouvelle Aquitaine region, with a quaint cobbled market hall, mouthwatering boulangerie and a number of welcoming hostelries. Could there be a prettier and more inviting setting for the second Charroux Literary Festival? 

While I already know many of our local writers who will be attending I’m really looking forward to meeting the other authors and poets, both French and English, who are coming from further afield. There are some very big names on the programme, and the beauty of setting the festival in a small town like Charroux is that it makes it an intimate event where visitors can get really close to meet the stars of the show. 

With all the workshops and signings, panels and book launches, this event is going to be such a treat for readers, and of course there is the incredible Shakespeare Rocks extravaganza on the Friday evening, enjoying the works of the great man as they’ve never been seen before! 

Three days of literature, friendship and fun, in the French sunshine. What more could anybody want?"

Tree Magic

One of the biggest surprises for me last time was when I was introduced to writer Harriet Springbett. The surprise being she was a reader of my blog and asked to be introduced to me; a surreal moment given the company we were in. A lot has changed for Harriet in the last two years, with the publication of her beautifully written young adult novel Tree Magic and this year she is not just attending but appearing at the Lit Fest on the Friday and Saturday, something she is really looking forward to: 

“I spent a wonderful weekend meeting authors and other readers at the first edition of the Charroux festival, as you can see from my blog post here. There’s something intimate about the atmosphere – perhaps because it’s so easy to sit and chat to authors over a cup of tea. After receiving such great advice and inspiration at the last edition, I’m looking forward to being able to give something back this year.”

Author James Vance, who I had the pleasure of introducing last time, will be back and officially launching his new historical fiction novel The Housekeeper at this years event. I really enjoyed Something Old, Something New, so am looking forward to finding out more about The Housekeeper.

I'm also looking forward to meeting Vanessa Couchman, author of The House at Zaronza, as she makes her debut appearance at the Lit Fest, running a workshop on creating three dimensional characters. I'm also hoping we might hear news of her latest novel.

For more information on the Charroux Literary Festival visit their website here and you can find them on Facebook and Twitter too. If you are coming along, do let me know and we can enjoy a cup of tea and a piece of cake together. 

This post has been linked to Dreaming of France over at Paulita's An Accidental Blog