Dulverton Literary Festival 2023

Top names attending, including Michael Morpurgo!

Top names will be attending in 2023, including Michael Morpurgo – one of the UK’s most celebrated and admired writers – with a brand new book All Around The Year about life on his Devon farm due out this autumn, in conversation with writer and journalist Alice Thomson, What I Wish I’d Known When I Was Young.

Historical Biography

Historical biographers Andrew Lownie and Catherine Ostler will discuss their recent biographies of two very different duchesses involved in very different scandals – Lownie’s Traitor King – the Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson) and Ostler’s The Duchess Countess (18thC Duchess of Richmond, Countess of Bristol) interviewed by Dulverton’s historical novelist Kate Lord Brown.

Politics

Award-winning writer, columnist and LBC presenter Rachel Johnson Rake’s Progress: My Political Midlife Crisis will discuss her fascinating life in the political arena with The Times writer and celebrated art critic Rachel Campbell-Johnston.

Fiction

This year’s ‘Book Club’ fiction panel will including best-selling novelists Sarah Turner (Instagram’s @theummumsymum) and her debut novel Stepping Up (a Richard & Judy Book Club special!); former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis The Butcher’s Hook; and Hannah Richell with The River Home and The Search Party to be released in January 2024.  Poppy Flaxman, Manager of Waterstones Barnstaple will guide the conversation.

Wine

Restaurant critic and MasterChef judge William Sitwell returns to the 2023 festival with award-winning writer Henry Jeffreys Vines in a Cold Climate, discussing the remarkable revolution in English wine.

Our Countryside

Former SPAD to David Cameron, Julian Glover, author of the Government’s Landscapes Review: National Parks and AONBs will be talking to Exmoor’s favourite farmer and writer Victoria Eveleigh discussing ‘What is our countryside for?’  Perfect for an Exmoor audience and arguably the most emotive talk of the weekend!

Creativity

Another fascinating session will be celebrity photographer Harry Borden Survivor: A portrait of the survivors of the Holocaust & On Divorce and writer Albert Read with his newly released The Imagination Muscle in conversation with travel editor Miranda Taylor on the topic of creativity.

Humour

In a career spanning over 40 years, retired ITV sports reporter Dennis Coath has interviewed sporting legends including Muhammad Ali, Ayrton Senna and Sir Alex Ferguson.  Here at the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival he recounts entertaining anecdotes from his professional life, as detailed in his book Rats, Pies and Pigeon Poo.  Be prepared to laugh out loud!

Survival and Adventure

Dulverton will also welcome British explorer Belinda Kirk and the UK’s top military survival expert John Hudson in conversation with travel writer and publisher Hilary Bradt on the subject of survival and adventure.

Railways

Local train and history buffs won’t want to miss local railway historians Freddie Huxtable, Ian Coleby and Amyas Crump on the subject of Exmoor, Somerset and Devon’s lost railways and the impact of Dr Beechings’s controversial 1960’s closures on the rail network in the South West.

Creative Writing and Illustrating Workshops

On the Saturday afternoon, creative writing workshops for adults and children will be held in Dulverton Library, hosted by creative educators James Gillam of Fabula Arts and local children’s author and illustrator Annabel Collis.  Learn more and book your tickets HERE.. Places are strictly limited, so book early to avoid disappointment.  Up to two children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult (with free admission).

The Festival Children’s Writing Competition 2023

The festival will sees the return of the under-13’s Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition, with prizes donated by our friends at Waterstones Barnstaple to be presented this year by Michael Morpurgo.  The theme this year is to write a story about farming, farm life or farm animals in less than 500 words.  Take a look at page 10 of the programme to see all the Rules of Entry and email your story to hello@visitdulverton.com.  Remember that final entries to be submitted by 31 October.

PopUp Bookshop

Waterstones Barnstaple will again be providing a popup bookshop at the festival with author book signing.  A perfect opportunity to purchase dedicated books as Christmas gifts!