Quantum Sauce does Farsley Literature Festival
Tuesday 8th October
From £7.00 @ The Old Woollen
SCIENCE + ART + BEER = MIND EXPANSION!
Quantum Sauce launches Farsley Lit Fest!! Three experts talk for thirty minutes each, including: Caroline Cauchi – Fact vs. Fiction: The Novelist’s Ethical Dilemma. Lucyl Harrison and Catherine Wynne – Pandemic Pages: Reading Covid Fictions, Memoirs and Poetry. Rhiannon Lawrence-Francis – Who buys books? Libraries, literature and legacies.
The Well-Dressed Spy: Bond, The Avengers and Swinging London
Tuesday 8th October
Free @ Farsley Library
Author of film and TV books Ian Fryer presents a preview of his next title, Spy Boom: How Secret Agents Ruled the Sixties. Learn what the well-dressed spy was wearing, from their Walther PPK to hand-made suits and fighting leathers and why it was so important for Britain’s self-image as London began to swing.
Book Lovers Quiz
Sunday 13th October
From £12.00 @ The Old Woollen
We are back with our annual Book Lovers Quiz Night, with Gary Wigglesworth. Gary is the author of The Book Lover’s Quiz Book and will be hosting a night of guaranteed hilarity with great prizes to be won.
The aim of all Gary’s quizzes, and his book, is that people should have fun and be able to guess (if they don’t know) as much as possible. There are lots of multiple-choice questions, some amusing answers, clever red herrings, little-known facts about authors and some of the much-loved Say What You See picture round.
In Conversation with Cecelia Ahern and Gaby Roslin
Monday 14th October
From £15.00 (£20.00 inc. book) @ The Old Woollen
Cecelia constantly defies expectations. Ever evolving, she is most recently known for her provocative, mind-bending collection Roar, adapted for TV by Nicole Kidman.
Cecilia will be taking about her latest gripping novel Into the Storm, which is about motherhood, escaping the past, and what really happened on one wild, stormy night.
One of the UK’s most popular TV and radio presenters, Gaby hosts BBC1’s Morning Live and Ch5’s Shop Smart Save Money. She also presentson Radio 2, has released her first book Spread the Joy (Harper Collins) and also has her own incredibly successful podcast ‘Reasons to be Joyful’.She has hosted her own chat show on BBC Radio London since 2014 as well as creating and presenting Gaby’s Talking Pictures for Radio 4 & the live theatre show.
Shaparak Khorsandi: Scatterbrain
Wednesday 16th October
From £17.00 @ The Old Woollen
Having reassessed her life through the prism of an ADHD diagnosis in last year’s funny and moving memoir, one of Britain’s most beloved and most scatterbrained stand-ups lets you back into her mind (warning: it’s cluttered in there). Among other things, this show will be a love-letter to letter-writing, a trip back through her early years as a comic and woman-about-town, and a whirlwind tour of a chaotic, hilarious brain.
In Conversation with SJ Bradley
Thursday 17th October
From £8.00 @ Truman Books
Stories emerging from the period of austerity under the leadership of Johnson and Cameron, from this established northern author and tutor of talent in literary fiction and a short fiction tutor. From futuristic colonies to drab estates, SJ Bradley’s inventive stories showcase remarkable range. With lyrical prose and psychological depth, Bradley illuminates the quiet heroism pulsing through seemingly ordinary lives.
Beleaguered, yet resourceful social workers battle towering workloads; a harassed elderly childminder collapses under the strain; a victim of domestic abuse strikes out for freedom and disgruntled workers in dead-end jobs dream of a brighter future. These vividly rendered tales trace hard-won solace through small acts of courage, exploring grief, ambition, and belonging. Gritty yet tender, ‘Maps of Imaginary Towns’ celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.
Branding Brilliance for Female Entrepreneurs
Tuesday 22nd October
From £8.00 @ Truman Books
Are you a female entrepreneur aiming to reach your highest potential? Then this is the book you need!
Authored and designed by Abigail and Chloe Baldwin — dynamic twin sisters and successful business owners — this book unveils a unique roadmap to building confidence and a strong personal brand. Drawing from their entrepreneurial journey, the Baldwins intertwine personal anecdotes with a practical branding framework. Emphasising teamwork, personal growth, and strategic business development, it offers ten actionable strategies for women to enhance their brand and elevate their business. Follow their framework, and you’re not just boosting your profile — you’re transforming your revenue.
Writers’ Open Mic Night
Wednesday 23rd October
Free @ Farsley Library
Join us for a relaxed evening celebrating and sharing local writing. Whether you are a budding poet, have begun work on your own novel or are a published writer, we want to hear from you.
Writers are invited to read a 5 minute taster of their work. Tickets are also available for audience members to enjoy the evening and be inspired.
Delivered in collaboration with Farsley Library Writers Group.
An evening with Pete Brown
Thursday 24th October
From £12.00 @ Amity Brewery
One of Britain’s most celebrated food and drink writers. With twelve books under his belt, Pete’s work blends social history, cultural commentary, and travel writing with the warmth and wit of a great pub conversation. A four-time British Beer Writer of the Year and recipient of multiple prestigious awards, Pete is known for his insightful and entertaining approach to food and drink. Join us for an unforgettable night as Pete shares stories from his extensive career and his passion for beer, culture, and history.
Writing for Wellness
Monday 28th October
From £15.00 @ Truman Books
Join Charlotte Russell (MA CW) for a character driven, story-based journaling session to boost self-worth and leave you feeling empowered. Suitable for complete beginners or those who write often, this creative writing event will not only demonstrate the benefits of journaling but will leave you feeling empowered, restored and confident.
How to find a Bookworm (The Real Kind!)
Tuesday 29th October
Free @ Farsley Library
Join Libellule Theatre on an exciting storytelling adventure into unknown lands! Meet Follifoot, a new and determined Bookworm-ologist and one of the few speakers of the language of bookworms. She is on her quest to find rare and endangered species of this gentle, story loving creature. To do this she must travel through places never explored before…Will you join her?
An Evening with Evelyn Hollow
Tuesday 29th October
From £7.50 @ The Old Woollen
ATLAS OF PARANORMAL PLACES uncovers fascinating paranormal activity with a chilling, nerve-wracking global tour of over 50 paranormal locations, with a brilliant foreword from award-winning writer, Danny Robins.
This cursed collection covers these sites in all their mysterious glory, and recounts what happened, what continues to happen, and what may explain these phenomena. Hauntings, aliens, moving rocks and all manner of paranormal activity are covered, in manmade as well as natural surroundings.
Casting The Runes – Candlelit Ghost Stories
Wednesday 30th October
From £13.50 @ The Old Woollen
Two spine-chillers by M R James, the master of the English Ghost Story, performed in candlelight by Farsley favourite Robert Lloyd Parry of Nunkie Theatre, who appeared as the author in Mark Gatiss’s BBC2 Documentary ‘M R James: Ghost Writer.’ In “Casting the Runes” we meet the unforgettable ‘Abbot of Lufford, ’ Mr. Karswell – magic lanternist, historian of the occult, and scourge of the academic establishment. The story is perhaps best known for being the source for the classic 1950s horror film ‘Night of the Demon.’ It is partnered here by one of James’s most neglected masterpieces: “The Residence at Whitminster”, in which a dark shadow is cast over the precinct of a peaceful English church…
In Conversation with Kate Mosse
Saturday 2nd November
From £14.00 (£25.00 Inc. Book) @ The Old Woollen
Kate Mosse CBE FRSL is an award-winning novelist, playwright, performer, campaigner, interviewer and non-fiction writer. The author of ten novels and short-story collections, her books have sold over five million copies, been translated into thirty-eight languages and published in more than forty countries.
Kate will be talking to us about her latest novel, The Map of Bones, which will be released on 10th October. A story of adventure and hardship, dispossession and injustice, The Map of Bones is the sequel to the No. 1 bestselling The Ghost Ship, and the fourth – and concluding – novel of The Joubert Family Chronicles.
Destination Fabulous with Anna Murphy
Sunday 3rd November
From £12.00 (£16.00 Inc. Book) @ The Old Woollen
From the Fashion Director of The Times comes a wise and inspiring guide to making the most of life as a grown-up woman – from the practical (how to dress your best) to the existential (how to feel your best).
At 52, Anna Murphy feels more visible than at any point in her life to date. In Destination Fabulous, she offers a toolkit to help you embrace your age and celebrate the wisdom and inner beauty that comes with it. It’s not about impossible goals. It’s not about running a marathon (unless you want it to be). It’s not about denying the ageing process, nor attempting to erase its signs. It’s not about letting everything go, either. It’s about balance. It’s about the possible and the present. And it’s about the future you want. How do you lift and smooth your face naturally? Should you go grey, and, if so, how? How do you deal with menopause? Anna combines her knowledge from years of writing about fashion and beauty with her openness to the alternative ways of thinking found in disciplines such as yoga and Chinese medicine. For her natural is always best.
Debut Class of 2024
Sunday 3rd November
From £15.00 @ St John’s Church
Join us in St John’s Church, as we chat to nine of the most exciting debut authors of this year and they share with us their paths to publication. Meet the Class of 2024 with Jennie Godfrey, Flora Carr, Sarah Marsh, Amy Twigg, Emily Howes, LJ Shepherd, Sarah Brooks, Ania Card and Jessica Bull..
In Conversation with Tawseef Khan
Tuesday 5th November
From £8.00 @ Truman Books
we will be joined in the shop for an evening with qualified immigration solicitor, Tawseef Khan as he discusses his latest modern contemporary fiction ‘Determination’. With no time for friends, family or even herself (never mind a needy partner), Jamila’s life feels hectic and out of control. Then a breakdown of sorts forces her to seek change – to pursue her own happiness while navigating the endless expectations that the world seems to have of her, and still committing herself to a career devoted to helping others. In this polyphonic, assured and character-driven debut, we meet the staff of Shah & Co Solicitors, who themselves arrived in the UK not too long ago, and their clients, more recent arrivals who are made to jump through hoops to create a life for themselves whilst trying to achieve some semblance of normality.
Bedsit Land – The Strange Worlds of Soft Cell
Wednesday 6th November
From £18.00 @ The Old Woollen
An evening with music journalist, DJ & author Patrick Clarke about his latest release Bedsit Land – The Strange Worlds of Soft Cell. Patrick will be joined in conversation with journalist, broadcaster and musician John Robb.
In Bedsit Land, Patrick Clarke plunges into the archives and interviews more than sixty contributors, including the band members themselves, to follow Soft Cell through the many strange and sprawling worlds that shaped their extraordinary career. They lead him from the faded camp glamour of the British seaside to the dizzying thrills of the New York club scene; from transgressive student performance art to the sleaze and squalor of pre-gentrified Soho; from the glitz of British showbiz to the drug-addled chaos of post-Franco Spain. He emerges on the other side with the most in-depth, innovative and entertaining account of the duo ever written.
Acts of Creation with Hettie Judah
Thursday 7th November
From £15.00 (£30 Inc. Book) @ Sunny Bank Mills Gallery
Writer and art critic Hettie Judah, as she talks about ‘Acts of Creation.’ Exploring motherhood through the work of artists from prehistory to the present day, Acts of Creation addresses the abiding mother-shaped hole in art history.
Long taboo, lived experiences of motherhood – and all that accompanies it – are now the subject of urgent discussion. Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood delves into the joys and heartaches, mess, myths and mishaps of motherhood through over 150 artworks, from ancient goddess artifacts to contemporary interpretations of pregnancy in the present.
Cosy Crime – with Josie Lloyd, JM Hall and Antony Johnston
Sunday 10th November
From £14.00 (£30 for all Crime Events) @ The Old Woollen
Josie Lloyd, also writing as Joanna Rees, is the Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling international author of over twenty novels and has been translated into 27 languages. Josie Lloyd recently wrote contemporary women’s fiction novels The Cancer Ladies Running Club and Lifesaving for Beginners, which was a #1 Bookseller Heatseeker. Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency is her first crime novel.
J.M. Hall is an author, playwright and now retired deputy head of a primary school. Jonathon’s debut novel, A Spoonful of Murder is about retired primary school teachers who turn to sleuthing. In his second book, A Pen Dipped in Poison the ladies are back at their usual table at the Thirsk Garden Centre café with a brand-new mystery to solve. Jonathan’s latest release A Clock Stopped Dead, good friend of the teachers, Marguerite claims to have uncovered a mysterious charity shop that has since vanished, they simply can’t resist investigating.
Antony Johnston is one of the most versatile writers of the modern era, with a body of work spanning books, film, graphic novels, videogames, and non-fiction. An award-winning author and New York Times bestseller, his creations include Atomic Blonde, The Dog Sitter Detective, the Brigitte Sharp thrillers, and many more.
Creating Kick-Ass Female Protagonists with Saima Mir and Lesley McEvoy
Sunday 10th November
From £14.00 (£30 for all Crime Events) @ The Old Woollen
Saima Mir has written for The Times, the Guardian and the Independent. Her debut novel, The Khan, was a Times Bestseller, a Guardian best crime and thriller and a Waterstones Thriller of the Month. Her essay for It’s Not About The Burqa (Picador) appeared in Guardian Weekend and received over 250,000 hits online in two days. She contributed to the anthology The Best, Most Awful Job: Twenty Writers Talk Honestly About Motherhood.
Lesley McEvoy developed her career as a Behavioural Analyst / Profiler and Psychotherapist – setting up her own Consultancy business and therapy practice. She has written and presented extensively around the world for over 25 years specialising in behavioural profiling and training. Lesley’s work in some of the UK’s toughest prisons was where she met people whose lives had been characterised by drugs and violence and whose experiences informed the themes she now writes about. Lesley published her successful debut novel The Murder Mile in 2019 and has not stopped since.
In Conversation with Elly Griffiths
Sunday 10th November
From £14.00 (£30 for all Crime Events) @ The Old Woollen
Acclaimed crime author Elly Griffiths worked in publishing before becoming a full-time writer. She is best known for her award-winning Dr Ruth Galloway series and The Brighton Mystery series. Elly has won the CWA Dagger in the Library, has been shortlisted six times for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for The Lantern Men.
Guy Shrubsole In Conversation with Boff Whalley
Monday 11th November
From £14.00 (£22 Inc. Book) @ The Old Woollen
discussing Guy’s new book, The Lie of the Land: Who Really Cares for the Countryside? For centuries we’ve been sold a lie: that you need to own the land to care for it. Just 1% of the population own half of England, and this tiny landowning elite like to present themselves as the rightful custodians of the countryside. They’re even paid billions of pounds of public money to be good stewards. But what happens when they just don’t care?
Gary argues that it’s time to demand better for nature. We can start by replacing the lie of the land with a profound truth: that any of us can care for the countryside, regardless of whether you own it.
Chris Nickson – Them Without Pain
Tuesday 12th November
Free @ Farsley Library
The latest of Chris’ historical, Leeds-based crime novels, Them Without Pain is
inspired by the story of Arthur Mangey, a goldsmith who made the Leeds Mace in
1696 and was hanged for treason two years later. The evidence was flimsy, his
accuser of dubious reputation… Delve into the world of this lesser-known Leeds tale
as Chris talks about the inspiration for his new novel, his writing process and of using
Leeds as his creative backdrop in turning history into fiction.
Them without Pain is the sixth instalment of the Simon Westow mysteries, a series
which Booklist calls “acclaimed” and describes the previous title The Scream of
Sins as a “complex plot with multiple twists combined with realistic period ambience
and vivid characters make this a riveting read.”
An Evening with Ben Aaronovitch
Tuesday 12th November
From £6.50 @ The Old Woollen
Launching the newest book in his Rivers of London series, “The Masquerades of Spring”
Rivers of London was first published in 2011, earning Ben Aaronovitch a nomination in the New Writer of The Year category at the National Book Awards in 2011. Each subsequent novel in this hugely popular series has also charted, with the most recent two novels – 2022’s “Amongst Our Weapons” and 2020’s “False Value” – going straight to No 1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list. The books been translated into 14 languages and sold in excess of five million copies worldwide.
Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond in 20 Songs
Wednesday 13th November
From £15.00 (£25 Inc. Book) @ The Old Woollen
The definitive Britpop mixtape from award-winning pop-writer Miranda Sawyer. Sharing the vivid stories behind 20 key songs of the 90s – Common People to Girls and Boys, Connection to Firestarter; AND the bands that made them.
Picking out twenty key songs, delving into the surprising stories behind them and their unlikely creators, Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond in 20 Songs takes us back to when Jarvis Cocker became a national hero, Trainspotting was a global hit, fire-starting seemed like a good night out – and it felt as though the revolution was happening.
Uncommon People re-lives the mad exhilaration of what it was like to hear these songs for the very first time – and what it was like to make them. With amazing new interviews, and I-was-there insights, this book offers a backstage pass to all the most interesting bits of Britpop’s Greatest Hits.
Destination Thriller! Tom Hindle and Rachel North In Conversation with JM Hall
Thursday 14th November
£8.00 @ Truman Books
We are delighted that friend of the shop, Yorkshire crime writer, Jonathan Hall will be chairing the panel. Jonathon’s debut novel, A Spoonful of Murder is about retired primary school teachers who turn to sleuthing and has sold over 59,000 copies. In his second book, A Pen Dipped in Poison the ladies were back at their usual table at the Thirsk Garden Centre café with a brand-new mystery to solve. In April Jonathan celebrated the publication of his latest release A Clock Stopped Dead.
Tom Hindle released his third, locked room mystery, ‘Murder on LAKE GARDA’ in July. One happy couple. Two divided families. A wedding party to die for. On the private island of Castello Fiore – surrounded by the glittering waters of Lake Garda – the illustrious Heywood family gathers for their son Laurence’s wedding to Italian influencer Eva Bianchi. But as the ceremony begins, a blood-curdling scream brings the proceedings to a devastating halt. With the wedding guests trapped as they await the police, buried secrets are unearthed, and family rivalries threaten to bubble over.
In June Rachel North released her first compulsive thriller ‘Happily Never After.’ The Finca Incantata is a magical place-a castle with a cobbled courtyard, a deep, cold, fresh-water pool and a high tower that looks out over the surrounding wilderness. The guests arrive bringing with them their pretty dresses, their smart suits and their private thoughts about the upcoming marriage. Among them is one guest who is determined to ensure the wedding does not take place…
An Evening with Adrian Tierney-Jones
Thursday 21st November
From £12.00 @ Amity Brewery
Renowned author and Beer Writer of the Year 2017, Adrian Tierney-Jones joins us for an evening of beer, stories, and exploration. His new book *A Pub For All Seasons: A Yearlong Journey in Search of the Perfect British Local* is the topic of the talk. Adrian is a celebrated journalist and writer with a passion for beer, travel, and pubs. With a career spanning numerous books, newspaper and magazine contributions, and even a stint as the chair of judges for the World Beer Awards, Adrian brings a wealth of knowledge and captivating stories. Join us for an insightful and engaging event with one of the most respected voices in the beer world.
In Conversation with Sir Ian Rankin
Friday 22nd November
From £14.00 (£25.00 Inc. Book) @ The Old Woollen
Sir Ian Rankin is the multimillion-copy worldwide bestseller of over thirty novels and creator of John Rebus. His books have been translated into thirty-six languages and have been adapted for radio, the stage and the screen. In 2024, a new Rebus six-part TV series was broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Midnight and Blue is a masterfully executed twin-engine crime novel that combines Rankin’s gold standard Edinburgh-based police procedurals and a tough, tightly wound locked cell mystery. Rankin’s work is known for its integrity and ambition, as well as the topical socio-political commentary, and Midnight and Blue continues the series with a sense of a generational changing of the guards, the march of technology and its potential to be saviour and predator, the pressure on public institutions through budget cuts and a decaying sense of civic duty. It’s a story about groups and institutions – boys’ clubs and girl groups, schools and prisons, gangs and territory, power and control.