Bournemouth Writing Festival at Palace Court Theatre

Presented by: Lucy Clarke and Heidi Perks

An illuminating panel discussion on what makes a good thriller along with insights into the crime fiction market. Lucy and Heidi will be in conversation with Dr James Cole, course leader for BA (Hons) Creative Writing at Arts University Bournemouth.

Sunday Times bestseller Lucy Clarke is the author of nine destination thrillers. They include Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways; Richard and Judy Book Club pick One of the Girls, and international bestseller, The Hike. Lucy's novels have sold over a million copies in the UK alone and are published in more than 25 territories worldwide. Lucy's thriller, No Escape, has been released as a major international show for Paramount+.

Meanwhile, Heidi Perks is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Now You See Her, which was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick; Come Back for Me, Three Perfect Liars, The Whispers and The Other Guest. The Last Resort is her sixth novel.

Presented by: James Cole

Join James Cole as he offers top tips for blending humour and heart in comedy monologues. Drawing on influences including Alan Bennett, Victoria Wood, and Hugo Blick, James will talk about connecting to an audience and balancing funny moments with human moments of pathos.

Dr James Cole is course leader for BA (Hons) Creative Writing at Arts University Bournemouth and holds a PhD in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Southampton. He's worked extensively in the community to foster a love of reading and writing and his monologues have been performed in Bournemouth, Dorchester, London, Sofia, and Hong Kong. His novel, Reading Through Binoculars, was shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize.

Presented by: Tim Clague and Danny Stack

If you've written a book, a short story, a comic or a poem, then you've created your own intellectual property (IP). The world of film and TV thrives on existing IP (preferably published/in the public domain), so your work is already far more attractive to the filmmaking industry as opposed to trying to get an original screenplay funded and produced.

In this session, experienced writers and directors Tim Clague and Danny Stack will give you an insider take on what it means to adapt and develop your own work – everything from the creative steps of adaptation, and the practical industry challenges that you'll likely face.

Presented by: Dean Atta, Claire Linney, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, James Cole

Join award-winning authors Dean Atta, Claire Linney, and Ashley Hickson-Lovence as they discuss the importance of crafting diverse characters with authenticity and sensitivity. Dean, Ashley and Claire will be in conversation with Dr James Cole, course leader of BA (Hons) Creative Writing at AUB.

Dean Atta is an award-winning Black British writer from London, known for his heartfelt storytelling rooted in his Greek Cypriot and Jamaican heritage. For adult readers, his poetry collection, I Am Nobody’s Nigger, was shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize, and his memoir, Person Unlimited: An Ode to My Black Queer Body, received praise from Michael Rosen as "wonderfully original". His young adult verse novels are The Black Flamingo, Only on the Weekends, and I Can’t Even Think Straight. The Black Flamingo won the Stonewall Book Award and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and Jhalak Prize. Malorie Blackman praised the book, saying, "I loved every word."

Dean has also contributed to middle-grade anthologies like Happy Here: 10 stories from Black British Authors and Illustrators and the instant No. 1 New York Times bestseller, Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood. His picture book, Confetti, illustrated by Alea Marley, is a colourful celebration of love and life. Additionally, Dean is a screenwriter and executive producer of the animated short film Two Black Boys in Paradise, which was selected for the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival and numerous others worldwide, as well as being award Best Animation at the 2025 Ealing Film Festival.

Claire Linney is a children’s author and book influencer. A lifelong reader, she's passionate about advocating for more diverse representation in literature for children and teenagers. After working in marketing for over 20 years, she stumbled across Black Tudors: The Untold Story, which inspired her to want to bring the hidden stories of Black British history to life for the next generation. Her debut children's book Time Tub Travellers and the Silk Thief won the Reader's Choice in The Diverse Book Awards 2025, the Ink Book Prize 2024 and was Highly Commended in the Selfies Book Awards 2025.

Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovence is the author of the novels The 392, Your Show and Wild East – overall winner of the East Anglian Book Awards 2024 and the YA winner of the Diverse Book Awards 2025. His nominations include the Black Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to Literature 2023.

Presented by: Claire Linney

What's the reality of being a children's author like? What are the different ways you can get published? Award-winning children's author Claire Linney discusses why reading Black Tudors on maternity leave inspired her to write a children's book, her creative process and how social media has been the key to her success.