Well that’s another year done and it flew by so quickly! As I sit here with my steaming cup of coffee and a head full of memories, I’m going to be real and share my thoughts on my experience at this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate. This was a strange post to write because as much as I love this festival, I came away wondering about the things I wished were there, rather than those things that actually were. So let’s get into it! And remember this is only MY experience from someone who has attended every year since 2016.
Me on my way:
The festival kicked off on Thursday, July 18th, and I was BUZZING. Harrogate is one of the few weekends when most, if not all, of my #booktribe are together so the laughs are always guaranteed! Hooking up with the OG crowd of book besties, was incredible. These people are one of the main reasons I attend. You know who you are!
Meeting Old Friends and New Faces
One of the highlights of the festival was reconnecting with fellow book lovers – writers and readers. Over the years, I’ve formed friendships with many readers, book bloggers, bookstagrammers and now booktokers online, and meeting them in person was like reuniting with old friends.
We shared some of our top recommendations, who we are looking forward to seeing, chatted about our latest reads, and TRIED to take plenty of photos for our social media channels.
I finally got to meet Jon, the mastermind behind the popular bookstagram account ‘BookstaJon’ and IG/Booktokers Emma (EmmaReadsCrime) & Michaela (WhatMichaelaReads). They were so lovely! I also met Sarah Blackburn who I chat with on Twitter and she was surprised to learn that I’m also a publicist at Bookouture/Second Sky. (Honestly thought most people knew as I rave about my dream-come-true job all the time!). I met fellow Canadian, Candice from Candice_reads and so many more, huge apologies if I missed you out… just leave a comment and I’ll make sure I edit this. 💯
Oh and if you ever need a hype-person, the legend that is Tim Rideout should be on your radar! Honestly, he made me feel like a Sunday Times Bestseller as he hyped up #6RipleyAvenue. Everyone needs a Tim in their lives!
Meeting them all in person was amazing and that’s one thing about the festival I love!
Engaging Panels and Pop Ups
The festival was a whirlwind of panels, pop up events and interviews, and it was good to see a few authors appearing that hadn’t been before.
So pleased that Jo Callaghan won the Crime Novel of the Year Award! Grab #InTheBlinkOfAnEye today… kindle readers… it’s 99p at the minute. #JustSaying
OK so here’s where I am going to speak my mind. I truly wish the panels and pop ups were open to more authors, who might not have huge publishers or marketing teams behind them to get their books into readers hands. Who are not as well known as those we see time and time again. More diverse and inclusive. How fab would that be?
Although I’m a writer, I generally attend the festival as a reader – rarely saying anything about my own books because let’s face it… no one knows who I am. 😂 But how incredible would it be to get that visibility. How incredible would it be to see fresh voices mixed with those who have more than one opportunity a year to tout their wares, right?
I do appreciate that in order to draw the crowds they need to have those well known headliners… of course! But there are so many incredible crime and thriller authors who I would definitely go and see if they appeared. And don’t even get me started on digitally published authors!
We 👏🏻 need 👏🏻 to 👏🏻 see 👏🏻 more from digitally published authors on panels! Speaking of which…
The Bookouture Dinner
Friday night was marked by an author dinner with the publisher I work for. It was absolutely delish and filling and good laughs were had by all. I generally get to chat with the authors I work with via a video call so to be sat around a table, catching up with them in person was simply fabulous.
I know you’ll think I’m biased but if you haven’t checked out Bookouture (or our Science Fiction & Fantasy imprint, Second Sky) you are missing out on some of the best reading experiences you’ll ever have…so change that! 😜
The Ivy | Publisher Lunch
On Saturday I was invited by my own publisher, One More Chapter/HarperCollins UK to lunch at The Ivy. I’ve never been and it was also amazing. My editor, Jennie Rothwell, hosted and I gave a few people a sneak peek of my next book’s AMAZING cover. (I’ll tell you when it will be revealed when I know!)
Michael Wood, B.P Walter and Jackie Kabler sat at my end of the table and Samantha Lee Howe, Rhiannon Barnsley and Jennie at the other end. If you haven’t read their books, rectify it now. I was fan-girling!
I also loved how part of the conversation turned to prolific writer, Daniel Hurst – he is a whirlwind thriller writer, published by Bookouture.
The meal and company was superb, and despite the heat and my social anxiety earlier trying to persuade me to not attend, I’m so glad I did! Smacking my hand for not even taking one photo…I’m blaming the heat!
Book Signings and Fan Moments
No crime fiction festival is complete without book signings, and Harrogate delivered in spades. I queued up to get a signed proof of Will Dean’s next Tuva novel and a bit of cool swag. I missed out on a copy of Liz Nugent’s Strange Sally Diamond, but she did sign a bookmark for me! I also asked Chris Carter for a pic and he was so lovely! I met A.A. Chaudhari in person after following her for so long. A big highlight was when THE Helen Fields came over and thanked ME for talking about her EPIC book, Profile K. I mean, whaaaat?! Such a lovely thing to do and I will sing it and her praises until I die!
I was gutted to have seen so many other people’s pics of authors who I had missed completely too! Meeting/seeing these authors and so many others is always a special experience—they’re the creators of the worlds we lose ourselves in, and for the most part, their humility, kindness and warmth never cease to amaze me!
The Final Night (for me)
As the festival drew to a close on Saturday night for me as I was leaving early Sunday morning, there was a sense of how quickly it flew by and a tinge of sadness. The heat on Friday wiped me out and I spent most of Saturday laughing my ass off with friends throughout the day and well into the night.
As I left Harrogate, I was exhausted, my heart was full, and my suitcase was heavier with new books… each year promising myself to not go too crazy.
Me on Sunday 😂
You nailed it. 🫶🏻 I’d also like for more of us to have a planned meet and catch up b/c these festivals fly by and you barely get a chance to say hello!
I agree with you about needing diversity in the panels. Big names are great but there are so many authors I love, including digital and self published, who never get a chance at Harrogate and it’s sad as they are as important to the book world as the ‘famous’ names out there. This year did few a bit like Groundhog Day, and when even one of the authors whose panel I did go to said ‘but you’ve heard it all before’ it speaks volumes. (Still loved their panel though). It felt quieter this year but I think it needs to mix things up a big next year to make sure Harrogate stays the ‘premier UK crime literature festival’ as so many others are sneak up and overtaking.
But nothing beats meeting up with old bookie friends. We just don’t get as many opportunities any more it feels. Good to see you over the weekend even if only briefly.