Chip­ping Nor­ton Lit­er­ary Festival

Not many Brits move to Poland to work in a fish and chip shop. Ben Aitken did and he wrote all about it in A Chip Shop in Poznań.

Principally a film-maker, Chris spent a period of time at HMP Wandsworth. Full of incredible and hilarious stories his account of that time, A Bit of a Stretch, reveals the true scale of our prison crisis and why it is costing us all.

Lucy's latest novel is Magpie Lane which she will be discussing as part of our panel event, Ms Behaviour, about uncommon women. Lucy is also bringing her wealth of writing experience to the Writers' Workshop: Getting Published.

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, Jasbinder's debut novel for 9 - 12 year olds tells of Asha's perilous journey in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Mark is a Festival founder patron and well-established Festival favourite as the ChipLit Quiz master. He joins us to chat with Richard Osman about crime writing and to celebrate his 20th book, Cry Baby.

Festival patron Fanny Blake held senior roles in fiction publishing before turning author. At this year's ChipLitFest, she is bringing her vast publishing experience to the writers' workshop about how to get published.

Chef patron of Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, founder of Brasserie Blanc, Raymond Blanc has been at the heart of the British food revolution and our stomachs are very grateful! In Oxfordshire, we claim him as our own and we are wildly excited to welcome him to Chipping Norton.

Holly Bourne, author of the best-selling How Do You Like Me Now? brings her latest honest and hilarious novel, Pretending: why be yourself when you can be perfect?, to ChipLitFest. "Magnificent!" says Marian Keyes.

Illustrator and character designer, Jess draw things for kids but adults secretly enjoy them too. She's scribbler of Squid Bits in The Phoenix and writer for The Beano!

Writer, chaplain, therapist and priest, Marie-Elsa Bragg has written a unique, intimate and beautiful exploration of grief, loss, healing and faith, about her mother's suicide.

Stand-up comedian Jen Brister has written, hilariously, about becoming a parent to twin boys. Her account of being The Other Mother - Jen's partner is the boys' biological mum - is part of our Modern Motherhood event.

Author of the much-loved Cogheart Adventures, Peter returns to ChipLitFest with the fourth instalment, Shadowsea - a fantastic voyage of terror and triumph.

Writer, speaker and advocate for education for all, Lela Burbridge will discuss her challenging Ugandan childhood that she has written about in her first book, Lela: Ashes of Childhood.

Steven Butler is an award-winning children's author and an actor. He particularly likes writing funny books such as The Wrong Pong and the Nothing to See Here Hotel series.

The ever-popular Oxford University Press Very Short Introductions are back at the Festival - Jane Caplin will be presenting a 30-minute lecture about Nazi Germany.

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, Matt is bringing Armstrong the adventurous mole to our younger readers.

Literary agent Julia Churchill runs the children's book department at AM Heath Ltd. She will share some of her expertise at the Writers' Workshop: Writing for Children alongside her client, Sarah Lean.

Dr Rachel Clarke's first book, Your Life in Our Hands, revealed the reality of life as a junior doctor. And now in Dear Life, Rachel explores love, loss, grief, dying and what really matters at the end of life.

Sara obtained a Master’s degree in creative writing from Cambridge University. She is the author of the critically acclaimed, Costa award-winning novel, The Confessions of Frannie Langton.

Sue is a writer and broadcaster – one of the UK's most experienced live television and radio broadcasters, and a successful novelist.

Jo Cotterill writes books, lots and lots of books, for children and young people. We're really pleased she's back at ChipLitFest to do another brilliant event for us.

Author, academic and running enthusiast Vybarr Cregan-Reid returns to ChipLitFest as an interviewer. He'll be talking to Kimberley Wilson about How to Build a Healthy Brain.

Historian Roger Crowley brings his scrupulous research and narrative flair to the bloody climax of the Holy Land crusades.

Co-founder of ChipLitFest, Merilyn is now on stage at the Festival with her debut novel, When I Lost You, as part of our exploration of uncommon women, Ms Behaviour.

Bird watcher and nature writer Tim Dee charts spring's progress from South Africa to the shores of the Arctic ocean in his masterpiece of nature writing, Greenery: Journeys in Springtime.

Critic and journalist Sarah Ditum joins ChipLitFest as an interviewer. She'll be talking to Maggie O'Farrell about her first historical novel, Hamnet.

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, ChipLitFest favourite and founder patron John Dougherty is back!

Mark Ellen has been at the heart of the British music industry since the 1970s. Join him and longtime collaborator David Hepworth in conversation with Mark Billingham about all things rock n roll.

Catherine is a ChipLitFest trustee who organises the annual short story competition. As usual, she will be host the award ceremony and join the Festival lineup as an interviewer. She will be in conversation with Ben Aitken about A Chip Shop in Poznań.

Illustrator Allen Fatimaharan brings his wonderful drawings of all sorts of hair styles to the Children's Festival, joining Hannah Lee and My Hair.

Judge of ChipLitFest's 2020 short story competition, Sarah is the founder of the popular Oxford literary night Short Stories Aloud, a senior lecturer, novelist and Costa Short Story Award judge.

Editor and regular ChipLitFest interviewer as well as longtime committee member, Alison's interests range from literature to journalism to the classics.

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, we're delighted to have Candy back to work with our secondary school pupils.

Joining our New Voices panel, Abbie brings her debut novel, The Silent Treatment, to ChipLitFest. It's the story of ordinary lives facing extraordinary challenges and how we must strive to leave nothing unsaid.

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, Mini writes and illustrates irresistible books for children aged two and over.

Award-winning, best-selling duo, Adam and Charlotte return to ChipLitFest with their latest book, One Banana Two Bananas.

Joe is now a regular ChipLitFest interviewer. And, as usual, he will be talking to our debut novelists in the New Voices event.

A new thriller from the "queen of psychological suspense" is a much anticipated moment in the publishing and reading world. We are delighted that Sophie Hannah will be joining us for this very special event to celebrate the publication of Haven't They Grown.

Joining our New Voices panel, Louise brings her debut novel, This Lovely City, to ChipLitFest. It's the story of jazz musician Lawrie Matthews, fresh off the Empire Windrush and in love with the girl next door.

Alexandra Harris teaches English at the University of Birmingham and is a literary critic, cultural historian, lover of buildings, landscapes, seasons and stories. She joins us at ChipLitFest to interview nature writer Tim Dee.

David Hepworth has been at the heart of the British music industry since the 1970s. Join him and longtime collaborator Mark Ellen in conversation with Mark Billingham about all things rock n roll.

Mick is the Gold Dagger-winning author of the Jackson Lamb series. Often described as John le Carré's successor, Mick will bring his award-winning prose and plotting to our writing masterclass.

The Hook Norton Blokes' Book Club has been discussing books for the last seven years. Inspired to read more books in translation, they have selected Drive Your Plow for this special co-hosted event.

Sarah Jarman is a writer, artist and jeweller. She is also the co-author of Lela: Ashes of Childhood that describes her friend Lela's childhood in Uganda.

Dan Jarvis is an MP and a Mayor but his new book, Long Way Home, is not about politics, it's about service and family – specifically his time serving in the elite Parachute Regiment, and the death of his wife Caroline.

The ever-popular Oxford University Press Very Short Introductions are back at the Festival - Nick Jelley will be presenting a 30-minute lecture about renewable energy.

For over twenty years Marian Keyes has been writing funny, internationally best-selling fiction about modern women in the modern world. We couldn't be happier to welcome her to ChipLitFest.

Cath Kidston – queen of vintage-inspired homeware andjoyously decorated spaces – introduces her new book, A Place Called Home, and reveals her creative process and personal style.

Columnist and novelist India Knight talks about the background to Darling, her book which, with the blessing of the Mitford Estate, re-imagines The Pursuit of Love for our times.

A former teacher, Kieran, now writes for children - the much-loved Five Realms series set in the world of Podkin One-Ear. We're delighted to welcome Kieran to the Children's Festival.

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, Sarah will also be joining us over the Festival weekend to discuss her work at the Writers' Workshop: Writing for Children.

Hannah's debut picture book My Hair tells the story of making sure you've got the hair style to match the occasion! She's joined by illustrator Allen Fatimaharan.

Sam Lee is a Mercury prize nominated folk musician, extinction rebellion leader, survival expert and conservationist. He also teaches music at Goldsmiths and is at ChipLitFest to celebrate the intoxicating song of the nightingale.

Peta is a pastry chef and lifelong vegetarian.

Prue is the founder of Leiths School of Food and Wine, a chef, a ChipLitFest patron and a judge for The Great British Bake Off.

Writer and editor Kat Lister began her career at the legendary New Musical Express. She joins us at ChipLitFest to interview Pete Paphides.

Kiran Millwood Hargrave is an award-winning poet, playwright, and best-selling author of children's novels. And now she has written her first book for adult readers - The Mercies. Kiran will be talking about it at the Ms Behaviour panel event.

James Naughtie, special correspondent for BBC News, is one of the country's best-known broadcasters. We are delighted that he will sharing his travels in America with us.

A lecturer in screenwriting at Birkbeck University, Mark Norfolk writes for stage and screen. His work includes Shakespeare adaptations and contemporary dramas. Mark is returning to ChipLitFest to run a writers' workshop on scriptwriting.

Joining our New Voices panel, Okechukwu brings his debut novel, The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney, to ChipLitFest. It's the story of a half-Nigerian teenage girl searching for the answer to that essential question: Who am I?

Mary-Ann is again joining ChipLitFest as an interviewer. She's an anthropologist, archaeologist and adventurer.

From the author of some of the best-loved modern novels comes a stunning new departure for Maggie O'Farrell's fiction; Hamnet is the heart-stopping story behind Shakespeare's most famous play.

The much-loved and ridiculously knowledgeable TV personality, Richard Osman, joins us in conversation with Mark Billingham to discuss his debut crime series, The Thursday Murder Club.

Ned is the author of A Cheesemonger's History of the British Isles, he talks about cheese for a living, and he's a freelance cheesemonger. Come along to listen to him discussing all things cheese.

Music journalist Pete Paphides brings his memoir of a childhood in his Cypriot parents' Birmingham chip shop. Funny, heart-breaking and full of noise, silence and pop songs.

Programme maker David Parker recorded a series of interviews with Laurie Lee in 1994 in and around the Cotswolds. When he re-found the rushes he edited the transcripts, resulting in the book, Down in the Valley: A Writer's Landscape.

ChipLitFest patron and multi-million selling Winnie and Wilbur illustrator, Korky Paul loves to draw and inspire children to do the same.

Tim Pears is an English novelist. His novels explore social issues as they are processed through the dynamics of family relationships. His West Country Trilogy has resonated with readers and we are delighted to welcome Tim to ChipLitFest for a reading of these beautiful books.

Illustrator and author of books for kids, Frann Preston-Gannon was the first UK recipient of the Sendak Fellowship. Frann is bringing her story of a group of animal friends who need, together, to fix a VERY BAD DAY!

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, Bali is a frequent visitor to the Festival especially because of his amazing work with vulnerable young people.

Oxford academic and author of the genre-defying memoir, The Lost Properties of Love, Sophie Ratcliffe joins us to interview Dr Rachel Clarke about her account of working in palliative care and Holly Bourne about her latest novel exploring the world of modern relationships.

Onjali's first children's novel about the refugee crisis, The Boy at the Back of the Class, won awards from Waterstones and Blue Peter. She tells difficult stories with heart and humour that her young readers really value.

Milly Reilly works with Jo at the Jo Unwin Literary Agency. She is developing a list of both fiction and non-fiction authors and joins us at the Festival to give some insider tips and develop authors' pitching skills.

Children's author Jasmine has been working with ChipLitFest for the last two years to bring amazing inspiring lessons to our local schools. And now she is bringing her story writing workshop to the children's festival - pens and paper at the ready!

As Associate Editor of The Bookseller magazine, Caroline is at the heart of the publishing industry. We are delighted that she is joining us to interview Cath Kidston about her latest book, A Place Called Home.

Part of our extraordinary team of authors working in schools in and around Chipping Norton, we're really excited to welcome Tony and Bee Boy - half bee, half boy, all hero - to the Festival.

Joshua Seigal is a highly acclaimed professional poet, performer and educator who uses poetry to develop literacy skills and inspire confidence and ​creativity in communication.

An absolute ChipLitFest favourite, Nadia is back in town! We have loved Bumblebear and The Cow who Fell to Earth, now meet Billy and her sidekick Fatcat. Nadia will also be decorating the window of Jaffé & Neale, come and watch her in action.

Cotswold chef and food writer, Kathy Slack, has discussed food blogging and run a brunch event at previous ChipLitFests. She now joins us to interview Raymond Blanc.

The ever-popular Oxford University Press Very Short Introductions are back at the Festival - Margaret Snowling CBE will be presenting a 30-minute lecture about dyslexia.

Robin Stevens writes about murder and mystery and her readers can't get enough of it! We're delighted that she is bringing Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, the stars of the Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries, back to ChipLitFest.

Brigit Strawbridge Howard brings her irresistible passion and curiosity about bees to ChipLitFest. Bees need friends and they have no greater ally than Brigit - let her inspire you to notice and take care of them.

Clover Stroud, critically acclaimed author of the memoir The Wild Other, brings her unflinching, deeply personal book, My Wild and Sleepless Nights, about motherhood to our event that explores just what it means to be a modern mother.

Dr Dominique Thompson is an award-winning GP, health & wellbeing consultant, a #TEDx speaker and the author of the Student Wellbeing Series and co-author of How to Grow a Grown-Up. She is joining us as interviewer for our Modern Motherhood event.

Jo is a literary agent with a background in acting and scriptwriting. As well as representing several ChipLitFest 2020 authors, Jo will be giving insider tips on getting a literary agent's attention and developing authors' pitching skills.

Zool is Head of Marketing and Publicity at Blackwell's Bookshop. He is returning to ChipLitFest as an interviewer, he will be discussing James Naughtie's book about American presidents, On The Road.

Author of The Times Gardening Book of 2019, Wild about Weeds, Jack Wallington comes to ChipLitFest with his enthusiasm for rebel plants - it's time to learn how to let weeds flourish without taking control!

Storyteller Lucy returns to ChipLitFest with a brand new story all about a magical posting world.

As well as being at the heart of British broadcasting for over 25 years, Kirsty Wark is an accomplished novelist. We are delighted to welcome Kirsty and her second novel, The House by the Loch, to ChipLitFest.

Blogger, chef and food writer, Niki brings her plant-based know-how to a Rebel Recipes event that will feed your soul as well as your belly!

Jane is a novelist, public speaker, columnist and regular interviewer at ChipLitFest. We are delighted to welcome her back, the Festival wouldn't be the same without her.

Chartered psychologist as well as, among other things, a former finalist in The Great British Bake Off, Kimberley brings her Whole Body Mental Health approach to mental health care, giving us the tools to build a healthy brain.