Stellar line-up for free Dudley Writers’ Festival

Bestselling authors from a wide range of genres will be talking to audiences about their work during this year’s Dudley Writers’ Festival.

Taking place throughout June in Dudley’s libraries, the stellar 2026 line-up includes one of the most borrowed authors from UK libraries Rosie Goodwin, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling crime and thriller writer Gillian McAllister, bestselling romantic comedy writer Christie Barlow, film director, screenwriter and novelist Tim Sullivan and multi-million selling crime novelist Simon McCleave.

They are joined by Magpie trilogy and psychological thriller author Mark Edwards, Sunday Times bestselling crime writer Jo Callaghan, Financial Times Best Summer Thriller writer Natalie Marlow, multi-million selling DI Kim Stone author Angela Marsons and award-winning historical fiction writer Elizabeth O’Connor.

The 2026 event has been developed in partnership with The National Year of Reading, and all events are free to attend.

Operating under the Better brand, GLL is the not-for-profit social enterprise that runs Dudley Libraries on behalf of the council.

 “This is our third Dudley Writers’ Festival and it’s bigger and better than ever,” said Stephanie Rhoden, GLL Partnership Manager for Dudley Libraries. 

“The programme features some brilliant established writers, as well as debut authors who are already making their mark. Their stories will keep you on the edge of your seat, take you to exciting imaginary worlds and introduce an amazing array of characters.

“Reading expands your mind, builds confidence and fuels creativity in a way that no other activity can. Most importantly, it can help you feel better too.”

Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, added: “It’s fantastic to see Dudley Writers’ Festival return with such a strong and diverse line-up of authors. Our libraries are at the heart of our communities, and events like this bring people together, inspire a love of reading and showcase the important role they play in everyday life. I’d encourage everyone to take advantage of these free events and get involved.”

Talks are free to attend but spaces are limited and booking is essential. To reserve a seat, visit better.org.uk/dudleywritersfest

The full line-up is as follows:

Susan Fletcher

Tuesday 2nd June • 6pm

Dudley Library

Susan’s first novel, Eve Green, won the 2004 Whitbread First Novel Award, the Betty Trask Prize, the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award and the Richard and Judy Summer Read in 2005. Later novels include Oystercatchers, longlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award and the Dylan Thomas Prize, and Witch Light, shortlisted for the John Llewellyn-Rhys Award and the Writers’ Guild Best Fiction Award. The Night in Question is her eighth novel. This talk is supported by the West Midlands Readers Network.

Shirley Mann

Wednesday 3rd June • 2pm

Long Lane Library

Having worked across newspapers, TV and Radio as a Journalist Shirley Mann published her first book, Lily’s War, in 2019. This was followed by Bobby’s War which won Romantic Saga Novel of the Year in 2021. Three more romance books focusing on the role of women in WW2 followed as part of her ‘Memory Lane’ saga. A sixth, Faith’s War, is due for publication in 2026.

Miranda Dickinson aka. M J White

Friday 5th June • 11am

Brierley Hill Library

Miranda Dickinson, who also writes as M J White, is a renowned Black Country based author of romance and crime & thriller novels. She is a six-times Sunday Times

Bestselling author and has been shortlisted three times for Romantic Novelist Association awards. Since 2022 she has been writing crime and thriller novels under the name M J White, starting with The Secret Voices.

Rosie Goodwin

Saturday 6th June • 2pm

Halesowen Library

Rosie Goodwin’s first novel, The Bad Apple, was released in 2005. Since then, she has gone on to become a prolific Sunday Times Bestselling author, having now written over forty titles. Her books have sold over four million copies, making her a titan of the genre, and she continues to be one of the most borrowed authors from UK Libraries. She is also the only author who has been allowed to write sequels to

trilogies by Dame Catherine Cookson.

Christie Barlow & Melanie Taylor

Tuesday 9th June • 6.30pm

Stourbridge Library

Christie Barlow is a bestselling author of over 20 romantic comedies - achieving bestseller levels in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. Originally self-publishing

her first book A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother her talent was soon recognised with a publishing deal. In 2026 she is releasing two new books and is also helping new authors through mentoring services.

A self-proclaimed Romance nerd, Melanie Taylor’s debut novel, Love, Digitally, was published in 2025 - the first book in a three-book series.

Ned Williams

Tuesday 9th June • 2pm

Archives and Local History Centre

Ned Williams presents ‘Stage and Screen in Dudley’, a look back at the world of cinema and theatre in our borough through his extensive research into the subject. For anyone

interested in cinema, theatre and local history this is a talk not to be missed!

Angela Marsons

(Virtual Session)

Wednesday 10th June • 6pm

Gornal Library & Lye Library

Angela Marsons is a local author whose Black Country set DI Kim Stone series has sold more than 5 million copies, has been translated into 30 languages and has been optioned by the BBC for television. Her latest novel, Little Children, was released in 2025. In this session, with Kim Nash asking the questions, Angela will share all about her writing, journey to publication, inspirations and more. Please note that Angela

Marsons will be appearing via video link and will not be at either library in person.

William Stafford

Thursday 11th June • 7pm

Coseley Library

William Stafford lives and writes in the Black Country. After working in libraries and teaching drama in schools and colleges, he now devotes much of his time to his novels, which blend his irrepressible sense of humour with science fiction, historical fantasy, or whodunits. He is also a freelance playwright and theatre reviewer. He lists his influences as Stephen King, PG Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, Talbot Rothwell, and Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Sally Jenkins

Monday 15th June • 11.30am

Wordsley Library

Sally Jenkins is the author of five books (three the romance genre),

two collections of stories and one non-fiction book about publishing. Her novels often have hopeful themes about mature characters and the struggles they face in life. In this talk she’ll be talking to the audience about how she is connected to a world-famous author and about her writing career.

Elizabeth O’Connor

Monday 15th June • 6pm

Halesowen Library

Elizabeth O’Connor’s debut novel Whale Fall won the Chautauqua Prize and a Betty Trask Award and was a BBC ‘Between the Covers’ book club pick. Her short stories have appeared in Granta, and she was the winner of ‘The White Review Short Story Prize’ in 2020. She lives in Birmingham. This talk is supported by the West Midlands Readers Network.

Laverick and Lawton

Tuesday 16th June • 6pm

Cradley Library

NJ Lawton has lived in the Black Country all her life. After studying for her masters in touring theatre and taking Edinburgh fringe by storm, Nic is hungrier than ever to

write tales of the weird and wonderful. I.I. Laverick has been writing about adventures in other worlds since she could hold a pen. She holds a degree in costume design and

practice for theatre and hopes to one day write books that make people feel seen.

Natalie Marlow

Thursday 18th June • 6.30pm

Stourbridge Library

Natalie Marlow is the author of 2023’s Financial Times Best Summer Thriller, Needless Alley, and was Val McDermid’s New Blood Pick at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival. Set in Birmingham in the 1930s this critically acclaimed novel was followed by 2024’s The Red Hollow which continued to follow Private Enquiry Agent William Garrett. A third book in the series, Death Comes as a Shadow, is due to be published in 2026.

Imaginary Landscapes - Chris Tutton & Lucy Nolan

Friday 19th June • 6.30pm

Dudley Library

Imaginary Landscapes is a special event featuring the hugely popular collaboration of leading poet, author and raconteur, Chris Tutton with award-winning international Harpist, Lucy Nolan in a magical and spellbinding programme of words by Chris and semi-improvised music by Lucy.

Caz Freer

Saturday 20th June • 12pm

Kingswinford Library

Caz Freer’s 2018 debut Sweet Little Lies won the Richard and Judy ‘Search For A Bestseller’ competition and went on to be a number one bestseller whilst introducing the world to DC Cat Kinsella. Since then, she’s penned two more Cat Kinsella novels and the standalone Five Bad Deeds - which was nominated for the 2025 Twisted Dagger award.

Mark Edwards

Monday 22nd June • 2pm

Netherton Library

Mark Edwards has topped the bestseller list multiple times with his psychological thrillers. He has written seven books with another author and a further twenty-one alone, including the Magpie trilogy. In 2021 he was nominated for the ITW Best Original Paperback award for No Place to Run. In 2026 he has released his latest work One of the Family.

Kim Nash

Tuesday 23rd June • 7pm

Sedgley Library

Kim Nash is the author of uplifting, heartwarming and feelgood romantic fiction. Her debut, Amazing Grace, was released in 2019 and has been followed by four more novels. Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association’s Media Star of the Year

award in 2016.

Jo Callaghan

Wednesday 24th June • 6.30pm

Halesowen Library

Jo Callaghan’s debut novel In the Blink of an Eye was a Sunday Times bestseller, featured on the BBCs ‘Between the Covers’ and won her the 2024 Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year and the ILP John Creasey First Novel award. She

has since followed up this novel with three sequels that follow the duo of DCS Kat Frank and her AI partner Lock and explore many themes about humanity and our relationship

with AI, including her latest release, Body of Lies.

Gillian McAllister

Thursday 25th June • 6.30pm

Stourbridge Library

Gillian McAllister is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Wrong Place, Wrong Time, and multiple Sunday Times Bestsellers. Many of her works have been optioned for

television and films and she has been nominated for two writing awards.

Tim Sullivan & Simon McCleave

Friday 26th June • 7pm

Dudley Library

Tim Sullivan is a film director, screenwriter and novelist. He has directed multiple Granada, ITV and BBC TV productions and as a screenwriter has worked with film companies such as New Line, Universal and DreamWorks. He published his first crime novel, The Dentist, in 2020 - which introduced the world to DS George Cross, a Bristol based socially awkward but brilliant detective with a high conviction rate. Following this up with seven more DS Cross mysteries and four short stories in the DS Cross chronicles. In 2025 he was longlisted for the Crime Writers Association Dagger in the Library Award.

Simon McCleave is a multi-million-selling crime novelist who previously worked in script editing and production for the BBC and Channel 4 before becoming a story analysist in Los Angeles. Film and television credits include The Full Monty, Silent Witness and the critically acclaimed Out of the Game. His first novel, The Snowdonia Killings was published in 2020 and introduced us to DI Ruth Hunter - a veteran police officer wrestling with the unsolved disappearance of her husband. There are now 23 books in the DI Ruth Hunter series and 4 books in a prequel series set in London. He has also penned six thrillers set on Anglesey and five in the Frank Marshall thriller series.

Mike Brooks

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Saturday 27th June • 1pm

Brierley Hill Library

Mike Brooks is the author of the Keiko grimy space opera trilogy; epic fantasy trilogy The God-King Chronicles, starting with the British Fantasy Awards-shortlisted The Black Coast; various works for Games Workshop's Black Library imprint including Audible bestseller The Lion: Son of the Forest; and upcoming fantasy adventure novel This Is Where The Future Bleeds. He lives in Nottingham and worked for a homelessness charity for fifteen years before becoming a full-time author. When not writing he plays guitar and sings in a punk band. He is queer, and partially deaf (which occurred a long time before the punk band).

Ends 18 May 2026