This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
by Zarina de Ruiter
April is of course the month of unashamedly stuffing our faces with chocolate (aka Easter) but it’s also the start of longer, warmer days, which means it’s the perfect time to swap lazy weekends curled up with a good novel and a fleece for venturing outside and discovering new book shops, inspiring author events and wonderful literary festivals!
31 March – 4 April – Not exactly a bookish event but a celebration of the written word nonetheless is Letters Live in London. Celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Sally Hawkins and Tom Odell will be reading literary correspondence from the likes of Richard Burton, David Bowie and Che Guevara. Tickets are between £20 and £50.
8 April – Do you know your Dickens from your Dahl and your Rowling from your Rankin? Then enter The Big Book Quiz at the Sheffield Central Library. Entry is £5 per team.
8 April – In honour of Jenny Oliver’s new Cherry Pie Island series, Carina is inviting all pie mavens to put their best crusts forward in a pie bake off at Paper Dress Vintage in London from 7pm. Take your pie, sweet or savoury, for a chance to win a gorgeous Artisan Kitchen Aid and a Hula Lula makeover. Pies will be judged by Jenny herself, resident Novelicious baking expert, Helen, and a panel of special literary guests! Entry is free, but an RSVP is recommended.
13 – 17 April – Our very own Cesca Major is running a week-long writing retreat in Somerset called Book Camp, which is filled with author-led writing sessions focussing on different parts of the writing process, manuscript sessions, and plenty of writing time in a beautiful and peaceful location. Prices are between £249-£325 and include accommodation and all meals.
13 – 19 April – For something a little different check out London Book & Screen Week, which has fun events such as a London Bookshop Crawl, Deborah Moggach and Louisa Young in Conversation (£5) at the October Gallery and a New Writers Evening at Foyles’ flagship shop on Charing Cross Road.
14 – 19 April – This year’s Cambridge Literary Festival is full of fabulous authors and interesting debates, and we’re particularly keen to see Celia Imrie, who will be talking about her new book Not Quite Nice, and children’s writer Judith Kerr, yes the author from The Tiger Who Came to Tea – legend! Tickets are £6-£11.
20 April – 4 May – For a wonderful mixed bag of literary delights, venture out to Hexham Book Festival in Northumbria. Some of this year’s highlights include: New Fiction Afternoon where six novelists, including Anna Hope and Gavin Extence, share their experiences (£10/£6); a book group, who will discuss Paul Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train (£5); a historical fiction workshop (£15); a poetry breakfast (£7); and a Creative Writing And How To Get Published (£6/£4) workshop with debut author Sarah Leipciger and Tinder Press Commissioning Editor Mary-Anne Harrington
21 – 29 April – Dorothy Koomson will be chatting about her new novel, That Girl From Nowhere, at libraries and book shops in Hertfordshire, Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds. Tickets range from free (lucky people in Leeds!) to £7.
25 April – 3 May – Stratford-Upon-Avon has a packed literary festival scheduled for the end of the month. There will be author appearances from the likes of Jessie Burton, Adele Parks and Helen Lederer, and masterclasses for aspiring authors on all sorts of helpful topics. From How To Write Compelling Crime Fiction and Successful Self-Publishing, to Persuasive Copy Writing and How To Turn Your Idea Into A Novel. Tickets are £8 for author events and £39-£99 for workshops.
30 April – Three of Simon and Schuster’s hottest female fiction authors are coming together for a sparkling evening to celebrate their new novels. You can join Jane Costello, Iona Grey and Andy Jones at Waterstones Liverpool for £6/£5, which includes goody bags and refreshments.
Enjoy! And as ever, if you know of any other bookish events coming up this month or the next, just drop up as a line below or tweet me @ZarinaTweets.