Hythe-Live

Olaf Falafel

Biography/Info

Olaf Falafel is a surrealist comedian, children’s book author/illustrator and current holder of the Funniest Joke of The Edinburgh Festival. Olaf’s stand-up shows include his award nominated debut hour ‘Olaf Falafel and The Cheese Of Truth’, ‘The Marmosets Of My Mind’, ‘Knitting With Maracas’ and the award winning ‘There’s no i in idiot’.

Adam Morrison Jones (MC)

Biography/Info

Adam Morrison Jones is a comedian from Hellfire Corner (or Dover as it’s otherwise known). A former redcoat, Adam is an energetic funny man with a big stage presence.

“Lovely stuff.” – Steve Furst
“A rock ‘n’ roll Peter Kay.” – Deal Radio
“Adam is a great host with a sort of scream-if-you-wanna-go-faster energy that pulls you on board.” – Chortle

Ribs Norman

Biography/Info

Ribs Norman is a long-limbed Kent comedian with a unique style, blending storytelling with animal anecdotes and comic songs. She has previously made the shortlist for the Funny Women Stage Awards, and the longlist for the Funny Women Comedy Writing Award. She has also twice been a finalist in the Made in Kent Comedy Awards and is a regular voice on BBC Radio Kent.

“Hilarious, quirky and original. One of my favourite comics on the circuit and definitely one to watch!” – Live Rail Comedy Club.

“Witty, delightful, and most importantly, funny. If you’re a mum, wish to be a mum, or ever had a mum, you’ll appreciate her hilarious songs and anecdotes.” – Comedy Island.

Maddie Campion

Biography/Info

Maddie Campion is an inventive and dry comedian, like the best martini made by the coolest mixologist. She was a finalist in the 2020 Northdown New Act Competition and was shortlisted for the 2018 BBC New Comedy Award.

Gareth Dorrian

Biography/Info

“A funny man” – Rob Delaney. It’s true! Irishman Gareth Dorrian is an experienced comic who’s appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe, on BBC Radio Kent and at comedy venues throughout the south-east. He was previously voted one of the 100 funniest people on Twitter.

Rosie Wilby

Biography/Info

Rosie Wilby is an award-winning comedian who has appeared many times on BBC Radio 4 programmes including Woman’s Hour, Loose Ends, The Human Zoo and Four Thought, at major festivals including Latitude and Glastonbury and in the finals of several major comedy competitions.

Rosie has written and published her own book called ‘The Break up Monologues’ which will also be on sale at the event.

Mel Bryon (MC) 

Biography/Info

Mel Byron has performed stand-up all over the UK. She has taken two solo shows to the Edinburgh Fringe and has performed at Fringes in Brighton, Manchester and Hastings, among others. Mel is an experienced MC and has hosted comedy nights for a variety of promoters including Funny Women and Much Laughter.

‘May just make your day’ – The Scotsman.

‘Simply Superb’ – Treehouse Comedy.

Luke Poulton 

Biography/Info

Have some laughs with Youtube and TikTok sensation, Luke Poulton. Luke tells stories about being autistic and jokes about crap movies that no one else wants to watch. Essex Comedian of the Year 2019.

“Consistently delivering big laughs. A huge talent and certainly one to watch” – Phoenix FM

Stylophobia

Biography/Info

As Stylophobia, Dan Rubinstein delivers stylophone renditions of rock/pop classics – not quite how they were written… He has been recreating the magic of open air rock/pop festivals in comedy clubs and basements across the UK and beyond. 

Fancy Dress Competition

The theme is:

Animals from children’s literature

So please come dressed as your favourite animal character!

The fancy dress competition will take place at Hythe Live on Sunday 26th September and is open to all children aged 16 years of age and below.

All entries will need to meet at 1.30pm beside the main stage for the judging to take place and the winner will be announced live on the main stage at 2pm. The winner of the competition will receive a special prize.

Prince’s Parade Photographic Competition 2021

The Competition and Hythe-Live 

This competition has been organised independently of Hythe Live but some of the photo entries will be displayed our event. The closing date for entries is 18 September 2021 so there is still time to enter!

Entering

Save Prince’s Parade is holding a photographic competition and the winning entries will be published in the Princes Parade Calendar 2022. The closing date for entries is Saturday 18th September 2021. 

We are looking for photographs that show Prince’s Parade from the beginning of the Royal Military Canal (BP petrol station) to the east end of the golf course.

Entries can illustrate the beach, the sea, the road, the canal, the wildlife or anything else related to the area. There will be twelve winning photographs, one representing each month of the year. We are looking for good quality images that reflect the different months and seasons of the year and that show off the unique beauty of this part of Prince’s Parade-snowy, frosty, foggy, moody, night-time images are just as welcome as sunny, spring and summer-time photos.

Each person can enter a maximum of four digital photographs. There is no minimum age for entrants and a special prize will be awarded for the best photograph submitted by a young person under 16 years of age. An exhibition of the 12 winning photographs, and prize giving, will take place at The Fountain Public House, Seabrook on a date to be confirmed. 

How to enter: 

Send your entries (maximum of 4 images) as an attachment to photos@saveprincesparade.org Add your name and contact details (and age if under 16) in the main body of the email.

Terms and conditions: 

1. The closing date for entries is Saturday 18th September 2021. Winners will be notified by Saturday 25th September 2021. An exhibition and prize giving will take place at The Fountain Public House, Seabrook on a date to be confirmed. 
2. Maximum of 4 images per person. Photographs must be a minimum of 1MB and a maximum of 5MB file size. 
3. All images must have been taken within the proposed development zone stated above. 
4. Entrants must hold full rights to the images they submit. 
5. For more information contact Chris on 01303 264323.

Guest Beers

Musket Brewery

The Autumn beer festival will feature a range of green hops beers from the Kent based Musket Brewery.

At Muskett Brewery they use the finest hops and some other brilliant ingredients to quench your thirst buds and give you a thrill with every sip of their locally produced craft beers.

Hop Fuzz

We are pleased to announce that we will also be stocking a full range of craft beers from Kent based Hop Fuzz Brewery.

Since 2011 Hop Fuzz has been producing craft beers enjoyed by drinkers across Kent, London & beyond. Their range includes light and fruity pale ales to deep and dark stouts. We are delighted to have them on board for Hythe Live!

Jack Pound

Biography/Info

A rare talent. You’d have to go a long way to find a singer/songwriter so engagingly diverse (Charlie Gillett, broadcaster, musicologist and writer).

Somewhere in the manic territory inhabited by Napoleon XIV and the Legendary Stardust Cowboy (Andy Cheyne, Folk Roots)

His astonishingly individual style stretches across all manner of parameters (Colin Irwin, Mojo, the Guardian)

The Rhythm Shack

Biography/Info

The Rhythm Shack are a blues, rock and soul band, covering a wide range of songs to get you up on your feet and dancing.

The Bohemianauts

Biography/Info

“Gypsy” vaudeville, bastard cabaret, and songs of unrequited dread.

Harripaul

Biography/Info

Jean Harripaul was born in London and grew up in Luton exposed to wide genres of music. In the 1990’s, Jean was known as ‘The Hustler’ as he would go from one studio to another to lay guitar parts down for many different groups!

He has subsequently formed a band and used stage names Ikeya and Harripaul. His singles and albums have been successful in the UK, Germany and Japan, with tours across the UK and Germany alongside the likes of Aveda and Change and later Rochford.

We are delighted that Harripaul will be playing their much acclaimed blues set at Hythe Live.

Ian Fox

Biography/Info

Ian has played in various line-ups for many years and is now working mostly solo. He performs rock, blues, R&B and Americana covers plus a few of his own originals. A talented musician with a broad repertoire, Ian plays piano and harmonica as well as providing vocals.

His new album ‘Sometimes’ is available on iTunes, Amazon and You Tube.

Katie Bradley

Biography

Kent singer-songwriter Katie Bradley came into the spotlight with her 2012 iTunes Blues hit “I hear the river” which received a nomination for Best original song in the British Blues Awards.

Katie continues to ascend celebrating a highly acclaimed career supporting and collaborating with artists across the world formerly Luther Allison, Suzanne Vega and most recently Rhythm and Blues greats: Lucky Peterson, Taildragger, Georgie Fame, Geno Washington to mention a few.

Katie’s love for many different styles of Blues reveals her to be a very exciting artist who can cover and write in a myriad of different Blues disciplines. Her range can haunt you deep down into the spirit of the Delta Blues or raise your spirits when she leads a full band of many musicians. Katie extends her musicality, rhythm and love for rich melody in the Blues by playing Blues harp.

Hythe Live!

We are excited to welcome Katie to Hythe Live where she will be playing an extensive set at our special jazz evening.

Dave Ferra

Biography

Dave Ferra is a blues guitarist and singer nominated for the UK Blues Awards in 2020. On his recent collection, “Starting Something,” his work thrives in the blues universe, supported by his sterling fingerstyle guitar and rack harp work. Ferra penned all 11 tracks, an array of Delta blues, Chicago blues, folk blues, jump blues, the walking blues and the talking blues.

Ferra’s compositions suggest that resilience and a sense of humor can perhaps get us all through just about anything. This album may be the model elixir we require as we emerge – much like cicada Brood X singing their plaintive songs of love – from the pandemic.

Hythe Live!

We are excited to welcome David Ferra performing an evening of blues in the Hythe Live music marquee on Saturday 25th September.

SUNDAY
26th SEPTEMBER

READINGS AND EVENTS

Mark Brophy at 11.00

Mark Brophy is a Seabrook-based author who recently published The Prince’s Parade, about a young girl who moves to Seabrook with her family from the outskirts of London. If you liked the Family from One End Street, this will work for you. Mark’s stories also appear in Ghosts by the sea and Doorways to the Sea, on sale today in the tent.

Marilyn Livingstone at 11.30

Marilyn and her co-author Morgan Witzel have written several historical novels. Marilyn was historical adviser to Ken Follett for his book World without End.

Michel Faber at 12.00

Author of The Crimson Petal and the White, Under the Skin, and, more recently, “D” from which he is going to read today. In “D” (a tale of two worlds) we will meet Dhikilo, who is having to contend with a world where the letter “D” has disappeared (or should that be ‘isappeared) from the language!

Write by the Sea at 1.00

Over the rather grim winter lockdown, Folkestone Writing Group, set up by Karen Marwood in 2018, also had to meet by zoom. We’re a different group from the one portrayed in Jo’s book above. We brought out not one but two anthologies – Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea, packed with stories and poems about Folkestone. Both available to buy in the tent today.

Marianne Taylor at 2.00

A local wildlife author, Marianne will be entertaining us with her recently published book “The Gull Next Door – A Portrait of a Misunderstood Bird.”

Debby Jones and Stephanie Pittam at 2.30

Debby is the co-author of Dateline Haifa and Stephanie, who will be reading for us today, is her niece. Dateline Haifa is based on a real-life heir hunting case which Debby and her colleague and co-author Andy Paul had to deal with, something of a “what if” story – what if the money could have got to the “right” person? It’s set in 1948 and readers can follow the wild adventures of investigators Mark Gunn and Sylvia Fordred as they travel across Europe.

Maryanne Grant Trayfen at 3.00

Maryanne is a Folkestone-based author whose lovely book, A Dog on the Downs, came out in 2017. We’ll follow Maryanne and her canine companion Black Dog on their perambulations around Kingsdown, Dover and Folkestone.

Carol Grimes at 3.15

Carol is a writer, songwriter and performer and an activist. Performed recently at Ronnie Scott’s, a truly wonderful evening. You can buy her book, A Singer’s Tale, and accompanying CD, in the tent today. You can also find the brilliant stories she has written inside Write by the Sea’s anthologies, Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea.
The wonderful Carol, closing the show for us.

SUNDAY TENT

In the tent we will have today another local author, Rebecca Ixibalba, whose recent book The Break (co-written with Tim Greaves) has just come out.

Loris Owen – a local writer who has come to Kent via Bolton and Harare, Loris has written a children’s book recently, The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith.

Koo Constantinou – Writing under the name Marcus Aurelius VII, Folkestone writer Koo brought out Blue Lights and Butterflies this summer, based on experiences in the London Ambulance Service.

SATURDAY
25th SEPTEMBER

READINGS AND EVENTS

Dave Stone at 11.00

Dave has written a book of poems, Who the ? is Dave Stone. He’s a local poet, singer and guitarist who lives in Folkestone. You may have seen him perform at the Eleto the other night!

Emma Rosen at 11.30

Emma Rosen is a local author and blogger from a science background originally. She’s also a musician. Is there no end to this girl’s talents? Books include Milk, which is about breastfeeding, Lily the Limpet Gets Lost and, more recently, Milk and Cookies.

Paul Robinson at 12.00

Paul is a former teacher and has written a series of children’s books about Charlotte Holmes, a profoundly deaf teenage detective as well as a stand-alone novel, Timesplit, where a twenty-first London girl called Jennifer and a nineteenth century kitchen maid called Edith wake up to find they’ve swopped bodies! Paul’s wonderful stories also appear in Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea.

Carol Grimes at 12.30

Carol is a writer, songwriter and performer and an activist. Performed recently at Ronnie Scott’s, a truly wonderful evening. You can buy her book, A Singer’s Tale, and accompanying CD, in the tent today. You can also find the brilliant stories she has written inside Write by the Sea’s anthologies, Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea.

Roger’s Readings LIVE FROM THE TENT at 1.00

Roger Dilley describes himself on twitter as short, slightly rotund and hairy. He’s been keeping everyone’s spirits up, in some rather grim times, with Roger’s Readings. Today, he’ll be entertaining us with tales from Jack the Station Cat, which he has illustrated.

Michele Brailsford at 2.00

Michele is a leading light in Folkestone group Hand of Doom Productions. She’s also an author and has written The Mystery of the Missing Fur, which is on sale in the tent.

Theresa Cole at 2.30

Theresa Cole is  a local actress, producer and screenwriter.

Save Princes Parade at 3.00

A collection of poems and stories inspired by the parade and the canal, to a backdrop of beautiful photos.

Write by the Sea at 4.00

Over the rather grim winter lockdown, Folkestone Writing Group, set up by Karen Marwood in 2018, also had to meet by zoom. We’re a different group from the one portrayed in Jo’s book above. We brought out not one but two anthologies – Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea, packed with stories and poems about Folkestone. Both available to buy in the tent today.

SATURDAY TENT

Visitors will also be able to chat and buy books from:
Hannah Palmer – Folkestone-based author (and a musician too.) She’s written No. 47 (a gripping horror story) and has just brought out a new book, One Road In.

Jana Chatters – A Folkestone-based author originally from the Czech Republic, Jana has written Goodbye Comrades. She writes both in Czech and in English. Jana has contributed to Write by the Sea anthologies, Doorways to the Sea and Ghosts by the Sea.

Colette Kebell – A Folkestone-based author, Colette writes contemporary literature and her books Arbitrage and I don’t do Mondays are on sale today.

Loris Owen – S local writer who has come to Kent via Bolton and Harare, Loris has written a children’s book recently, The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith.

Koo Constantinou – Writing under the name Marcus Aurelius VII, Folkestone writer Koo brought out Blue Lights and Butterflies this summer, based on experiences in the London Ambulance Service.

FRIDAY
24th SEPTEMBER

READINGS AND EVENTS

Jo Bavington-Jones at 12 noon

Kicking off the whole shebang for us, on Friday 24th September at noon, we have Jo Bavington-Jones of the Conrad Press. She has written several books – Lucy Shaw Wants More, Lucy Shaw’s Not Sure, A Giraffe Thing and The Write Way to Die. She’ll be reading from The Write Way to Die. A Folkestone Writing Group needs to adapt to lockdown and meeting on zoom and there’s something rather odd about their new member. One thing is for sure – you will never look at our neighbouring town in the same light.  Jo will be reading from her book and answering your questions!

Write by the Sea at 1pm to 2pm

Over the rather grim winter lockdown, Folkestone Writing Group, set up by Karen Marwood in 2018, also had to meet by zoom. We’re a different group from the one portrayed in Jo’s book above. We brought out not one but two anthologies – Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea, packed with stories and poems about Folkestone. Both available to buy in the tent today.

Dave Stone at 2pm

Dave has written a book of poems, Who the ? is Dave Stone. He’s a local poet, singer and guitarist who lives in Folkestone. You may have seen him perform at the Eleto the other night!

Carol Grimes at 3pm

Carol is a writer, songwriter and performer and an activist. Performed recently at Ronnie Scott’s, a truly wonderful evening. You can buy her book, A Singer’s Tale, and accompanying CD, in the tent today. You can also find the brilliant stories she has written inside Write by the Sea’s anthologies, Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea.

Paul Robinson at 3.30pm

Paul is a former teacher and has written a series of children’s books about Charlotte Holmes, a profoundly deaf teenage detective as well as a stand-alone novel, Timesplit, where a twenty-first London girl called Jennifer and a nineteenth century kitchen maid called Edith wake up to find they’ve swopped bodies! Paul’s wonderful stories also appear in Ghosts by the Sea and Doorways to the Sea.

Joy Gerken at 4pm

Joy is a romance writer who lives in Hythe – she writes under the name Joy M Lilley. She’s written several novels and short stories and she’s also a voice-over artist!

FRIDAY TENT  – The above authors’ books will be on sale in the tent but visitors will also be able to chat to (and buy books on Friday from:

Carol Harte – A Hythe-based writer and author of Celia’s Retaliation, a modern thriller which will take you from the depths of the English countryside and into la France profonde. Carol has also written stories for Doorways to the Sea and Ghosts by the Sea, both available to buy this weekend.

Tony Bassett – A thriller writer from Bexley, who has recently brought out his second book, The Lazarus Charter.

Michele Sheldon

Biography/Information

Michele Sheldon is the author of two children’s books The Mystery of the Missing Fur (And Far More Mysterious Mysteries) and The Stone of Surinam, and a collection of short stories, Homecoming Queen and Other Twisted Tales.  She is also a third of Hand of Doom story nights and Folkestone StoryMap, an audio trail of short stories and memories.

Maryanne Grant

Biography/Information

Maryanne Grant Traylen’s A Dog on the Downs, An appreciation of a unique part of Kent’s North Downs, was published in 2017, and is to be followed this year by A Ring of Downs, the North Downs’ eastern ring as ‘mandala’. She has published fiction Climbing Sea and Sure Line Poems, been founding editor of Transitions, a journal of ‘crossings’ and Stella Maris, Marian and Jungian themes explored.

Tim Greaves

Biography/Information

Tim Greaves is an ardent, long-standing movie buff, whose first dabbling in penning fiction was an adaptation of a 1970s horror film (Vampyres, 2001).

He now contributes (infrequently) to various film magazines, and also writes a weekly film column in a Hampshire-based newspaper.

But his passion for writing fiction was fuelled when he met a kindred spirit, Rebecca Xibalba, and together they have so far written two novels, a psychological thriller (Misdial) and a brutal horror escapade (The Break).

Rebecca Xibalba

Biography/Information

I started writing last year and have released two self published books co-written with a friend. They are Thrillers, one called Misdial the other is called The Break which errs towards the Horror genre.

I enjoy writing, photography and music and I have a passionate interest in animals and nature.

Jana Chatters

Biography/Information

A senior teacher of Czech origin, Jana has lived in the UK for twenty-four years. She enjoys gardening, country walks, tai-chi, swimming, creating mosaics, painting pebbles and writing fiction. In her writing, Jana focuses on the life stories of English people and of Czech people who have settled in the United Kingdom and the problems they face in adapting.

 Jana has written books in both English and in Czech, including Goodbye Comrades, her life story, which tells how she came to England.

Loris Owen

Biography/Information

Born in Bolton, and raised in Harare, Loris now lives in Kent where she beachcombs for interesting combinations of words and runs a sanctuary for truculent mowls. Much of her philosophising, pondering and diabolical scheming is done while walking the coastal path that looks out over the English Channel. She has two brilliant teenaged stepsons and a much-loved nephew in primary school. ‘The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith‘ (Firefly Press) is her first book.

Three interesting facts about Loris: 

1. Her most-played song is Spanish Flea.
2. She piloted a plane a year before she first got in the driving seat of a car.
3. Her fondest holiday memory is holding hands with a wild green turtle in the Straits of Hormuz, Oman. 

Loris Owen

Biography/Information

Born in Bolton, and raised in Harare, Loris now lives in Kent where she beachcombs for interesting combinations of words and runs a sanctuary for truculent mowls. Much of her philosophising, pondering and diabolical scheming is done while walking the coastal path that looks out over the English Channel. She has two brilliant teenaged stepsons and a much-loved nephew in primary school. ‘The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith‘ (Firefly Press) is her first book.

Three interesting facts about Loris: 

1. Her most-played song is Spanish Flea.
2. She piloted a plane a year before she first got in the driving seat of a car.
3. Her fondest holiday memory is holding hands with a wild green turtle in the Straits of Hormuz, Oman. 

Dave Stone

Biography/Information

Dave is a local poet, singer and guitarist living in Folkestone. He has been writing his quirky stories for the past 20 years and his output has increased as his work begins to reach a wider audience. Today it comprises comedy pieces, blues songs, tragedies and love stories as well as a more recent venture into storytelling.

We are delighted that Dave will be providing some live readings for us at Hythe Live as well as being present in the author’s marquee to showcase his work.

Marianne Taylor

Biography/Information

Marianne Taylor is a freelance writer, editor, illustrator and photographer, specializing in natural history subjects. Over the last 14 years she has written more than 30 books on wildlife and nature, many of them in collaboration with the RSPB, as well as numerous articles for publications such as BBC Wildlife and the i newspaper.

Her particular passion is for wild birds, and marine and coastal habitats. Growing up in a busy seaside town, she became accustomed to being screamed to sleep each night by the neighbourhood herring gulls, and consequently developed a lifelong fondness for these most maligned of birds, in all their assertive and ill-disciplined glory. The Gull Next Door, published by Princeton University Press in 2020, is a celebration of what most of us refer to as ‘seagulls’ or sometimes ‘bloody seagulls’, exploring the evolution, natural history, and private and public lives of gulls, and how their associations with humans have changed over the centuries.

Hannah Palmer

Biography/Information

Hannah is a thriller and horror author from Folkestone. When she’s not working her day job, she can be found writing in any of the local cafes or scribbling ideas down for the many novels that live in her head. 

Hannah’s newest novel, One Road In, came out on the 9th September and is a thriller with horror elements, focusing on missing family members, dark secrets and supernatural goings-on. Her debut thriller, Number 47, is also available on Amazon. 

Tony Bassett

Biography/Information

Tony Bassett, who was born in West Kent, grew up wanting to be a writer from the age of nine when he edited a school magazine.
After obtaining a BA in History and Politics at Hull University, he worked as a journalist for local newspapers for six years before moving to Fleet Street.

Tony spent thirty-seven years working for the national press, mainly for the Sunday People. He helped break the news of Rod Stewart’s secret lovechild and took an escaped gangster back to prison.
His first crime novel, SMILE OF THE STOWAWAY was published in December 2018 by The Conrad Press in Canterbury.  It concerns a Canterbury couple, Bob and Anne, who harbour a stowaway after finding him beneath their motor-home. When he is accused of murder, they turn detective to clear his name. 

His second book, the spy novel THE LAZARUS CHARTER, was released by the same publisher in March 2020 and features the same Kent couple.  The tale concerns a man risen from the grave, Russian and British agents and attempts to undermine Britain’s drone weapon programme.

This book proved fairly successful after he won support from Marina Litvinenko and the family of Wiltshire poisoning victim Dawn Sturgess.

In August this year, Tony signed a five-year contract with a publisher which specialises in crime fiction called The Book Folks.

As a result of this deal, his first novel in a three-book series set in the Midlands and provisionally titled THE MARTYRS LANE MURDERS, is expected to be issued in a few weeks’ time. 

Tony says: ‘I feel very lucky that my long experience as a journalist, meeting people from a variety of backgrounds in a variety of situations, has provided me with the knowledge and confidence to write novels.’

Tony has five grown-up children, four grandchildren and eight step-grandchildren. A Life Member of the National Union of Journalists, he lives in North Kent with his partner, Lin. 

Joy Gerken

Biography/Information

Joy Gerken writes under a pen name, Joy M Lilley.

Married for the second time, Joy has one son, two stepdaughters and a stepson, along with six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

During her career, Joy worked in nurse management but found she was missing being at the patients’ bedside. Life post-retirement afforded the opportunity to once again have some hands-on experience; Joy joined the Hospitals’ flex-bank nursing service and worked back in the public domain as a trained nurse for a few hours each week at the local hospital in Ashford, Kent.

Finally leaving her long career in 2015 gave her the opportunity to write more books. Joy’s hobbies include writing, seeing other parts of the world and looking after grandchildren and three cats – Molly, Lucy and Lily.

Joy has conducted many British female voice overs, including audio-books, advertisements and poetry.

She has published several books and stories – the first, Figs, Vines and Roses, came out as an e-read in January 2013 – a historical romance (fictional but with many elements of fact.)  
Joy’s second book, The Liberty Bodice, is set in 1922, leading up to the second world war, and it is about an SOE operative, before and during the war years. It was published in 2015.

A third book, a novella, Time’s Pendulum swings again, came out in 2017; it’s a medical romance that goes badly wrong. It won the Firebird Book Award from Speakup Talk Radio.

In her most recent publication, Strawberry Moon, which came out in 2019, Joy returns to France, this time to the Dordogne.

Roger M Dilley

Biography/Information

Roger is a singer/songwriter and member of the band MapleDilley. He is also an online performer on Roger’s Readings.

We are delighted that Roger will be doing live readings from Jack The Station Cat Takes a Holiday on Saturday 25 September 2021 at Hythe Live. The book was written by the late Alan Cliff and illustrated by Nigel Cliff and Roger himself.

Jo Bavington-Jones

Biography/Information

Jo Bavington-Jones was born in Dover in 1967, where her father owned the local newspaper, The Dover Express. Jo studied English and American Literature at the University of Kent at Canterbury, and is the author of four novels to date: Lucy Shaw’s Not Sure, Lucy Shaw Wants More, The Write Way to Die, and A Giraffe Thing. Jo is currently writing book five, The Bonfire Buddleia, a story of three sisters, historic abuse and a missing girl. All Jo’s novels are published by The Conrad Press.

Life took Jo away from writing for many years until redundancy gave her the incentive she needed. Her first novel, Lucy Shaw’s Not Sure was published in 2017.

Jo now lives in Folkestone with her photographer partner, and was inspired by her local writing group and the Triennial art exhibits to pen her first crime novel. The Write Way to Die is a blackly comic, sometimes grisly, tale of murder in the creative quarter of the seaside town, where the bodies are mounting up amongst the art installations. Set during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic, TheWrite Way to Diealso documents Jo’s experience of this strange period in all our lives.

A Giraffe Thingis a compelling tale of a dysfunctional family, of love and loss and a secret that threatens to wreck lives. It will test your moral compass as you ride the emotional rollercoaster of Lou’s life.

Morgen Witzel

Biography/Information

Morgen grew up in the wilds of northern British Columbia, and still occasionally alarms people by describing how bears and mountain lions used to wander through the family garden when he was a boy.

He attended the University of Victoria, where (in order) he met Marilyn, studied history and wrote an MA thesis on diplomatic relations between France and Ottoman Turkey. This thesis changed our understanding of diplomacy in the Renaissance period, or would have if anyone had read it.

After moving to Britain with Marilyn, Morgen went over to the dark side and became a writer and lecturer on business and management. In this guise he has written or co-written some 25 books as well as articles for many journals and newspapers including The Financial Times. One of his books, on the Indian business group Tata, led to several visits to India, where an Indian business journalist described him as an ‘intimidating bearded guru’. Morgen remains indignant about this. He has also lectured at a number of business schools including the University of Exeter Business School, London Business School, University of Edinburgh Business School and Audencia Business School in Nantes. He has been known to do a bit of ghostwriting when the price is right.

He is co-author with Marilyn of two non-fiction history books, The Road to Crécy and The Black Prince and the Capture of a King.

Morgen began reading historical novels at a young age, and blames Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for turning him into a historical novelist. Rafael Sabatini and John Buchan were and remain strong influences. The Flashman novels of George MacDonald Fraser and the Falco novels of Lindsey Davis are among his favourites. He also has a weakness for the delightful novels of Jasper Fforde.

Marilyn Livingstone

Biography/Information

Marilyn Livingstone was born in Woodstock (no not that one) Ontario. After living in a suburb of Toronto for several years, she escaped to the West Coast where she studied history and history in art at the University of Victoria, and also met Morgen. They married in 1980, and endured the coldest honeymoon in recorded history travelling in Europe in the dead of winter. 

Marilyn and Morgen moved to the UK in 1987

Here Marilyn returned to her first love, medieval history. She completed her MA at Royal Holloway (the college, not the women’s prison) where her thesis was about a 14th century Lord Mayor of London, Sir John Pulteney. 

After several years mining medieval data from various archives for pay she then did a PhD at The Queen’s University of Belfast where she wrote her economic history thesis based on a taxation document (the Nonae) from the early part of the Hundred Years War. She went on to write The Road to Crécy, a history of the Crécy campaign of 1346 and about a decade later The Black Prince. The Capture of a King about the Poitiers war of 1356; both in partnership with Morgen. As a medievalist, she often asks how she ended up writing novels set in the late 18th  and early 19th  century as well as her home century, the 14th. No one ever answers.

As well as a writer, Marilyn is also a musician who plays cornet in a silver band, sings in an acapella trio, The Briars and writes things for them to sing as well as occasionally writing choral music.
She is undergoing treatment for her addiction to the novels of Georgette Heyer, so far unsuccessfully. She also devours crime fiction: Lawrence Block, Ian Rankin, Donna Leon, Andrea Camillieri and Ngaio Marsh are among her favourite authors.

Colette Kebell

Biography/Information

Colette Kebellis an author of Chick-lit/Romcom, Crime Thrillers and via an alter ego Raunchies, though a relatively new one and thus far has self-published her books. Her books are light-hearted, fun and quirky and even considered by some to be inspirational.  She has also found avenues to translate them into Italian (thanks to her husband), and into French, Spanish and Portuguese via Babelcube. 

As a career, Colette spent her later years as a legal secretary. After a first attempt at writing many years ago (a book that still remains in her drawer) she resumed this passion a few years back, after being made redundant.  After a few book signing events and a book talk, which almost caused her to collapse with nerves, Colette now spends her time between her home in the UK and her home in France.

Colette has two adorable dogs and spends some time, when not writing and marketing her books, cooking for herself and her husband, gardening or designing various items for their home.  Amongst her other hobbies, she has also experimented with furniture upholstery,and she might, from time to time, have a paintbrush in her hand.

Emma Rosen

Biography/Information

Emma Rosen and her husband live in Kent and have three adorable children and a silly dog.

After ten years as a biology teacher, Emma now focuses entirely on writing, with particular interests in marine ecology, early parenting and independent publishing. She has degrees in marine biology and in education.

Emma is passionate about breastfeeding and volunteers as a peer supporter at a local group. When she’s not writing, or having fun with her family, Emma makes YouTube videos, spends time by the sea and sings in a band.

Carol Harte

Biography/Information

Carol Harte is a compassionate individual with a strong imagination reflected in her stories which are packed with interesting facts and observations, gained throughout her travels as a young woman, speckled with aspects of an interesting career as a secretary, teacher of office skills and as an HR professional.  

She enjoys writing and has published “Celia’s Retaliation”, a Spy and Romantic Thriller, on Amazon.

Carol Grimes

Biography/Information

Carol Grimes has been singing for her supper since the late sixties. She began as a nervous busker and fell in love with singing.

Over time, she became a singer songwriter, performance poet, voice movement therapist and a musical director, founding the Sing for Joy choirs in London, for people with neurological and other conditions, and she directed them for many years.

She has recorded in the UK, in the United States, Sweden, the Isle of Jura and Poland. Her first book, The Singer’s Tale, was published in 2018 and is available from Amazon.

Lynzy Heartfield -Brown

Biography/Information

Lynzy is a local fictional author currently writing a series of books (On the Marsh) about a sheep farming community living on the Marsh. She is currently writing the fourth one.

Lynzy is very passionate about writing and is involved in a lot of community fundraising and making arts & crafts for local charities. 

Mark Brophy

Biography/Information

Mark was inspired to write after a local wildlife area was threatened by housing development.

Debbie Jones

Biography/Information

Debby Jones is a genealogist, writer and editor. She is the co-author, under the pen name D A Kent, of Dateline Haifa, the first book in a planned series entitled The Clements Chronicles, about two young London private investigators who are sent on a mission in 1948 which takes them across to France, Italy and down to Israel in a breath-taking race against time.

Debby has also contributed to and edited Ghosts by the Sea, an anthology produced by Folkestone Writing Group, Write by the Sea, during the recent rather grim winter lockdown. She has also contributed to, edited and published another anthology, Doorways to the Sea for Write by the Sea. Both anthologies will be on sale at the event along with Dateline Haifa.

Debby grew up in Hythe and attended Folkestone Grammar School for Girls and then the Universities of Sussex and Aix en Provence, where she studied Law and French.

She worked for the European Commission in Brussels as a “stagiaire” or graduate trainee, and then worked for Lloyd’s of London and as a private investigator before setting up her own genealogy business. She also helps on the real ale bar at Zoom Events.”

Michel Faber

Biography/Information

Michel Faber was born in the Netherlands in 1960, grew up in Australia, lived for 25 years in the far north of Scotland and moved to Folkestone since 2016. His books include Under The Skin, The Crimson Petal And The White, and D (A Tale Of Two Worlds).