Dear Blogger
Message from Bookshop, Oswestry
| Hello 2026 - welcome to our January Newsletter!
Read on for details of our first author events of 2026, news of an exciting new Literary Festival , plus an update on our Fundraiser to help put books in the hands of local school children. | |
| View from the Street Last window of 2025 - our Christmas windows in both shops featured The Almanac by Lia Leendertz, a little seasonal gem.
First window of 2026 - showcasing The Hill in the Dark Grove by Liam Higginson. This standout debut novel is our Fiction Book of the Month for January.
A big thank you to Martha Clark for bringing these windows to life with her brilliant artwork. | |
Excellent Women Festival 2026
Introducing the Excellent Women Festival. Inspired by Oswestry literary legend Barbara Pym and co-founded by Carrie Morris and Caroline Lang, this new literary festival will feature an eclectic range of events celebrating women as writers and readers.
The inaugural festival will be held this March on International Women's Day - Sunday 8th March. The festival will begin with the Excellent Women Dinner on the evening of Saturday 7th March, hosted by 10 local authors.
Further details and tickets can be purchased here | | |
| Booka Blog Check out most recent guest blogs: 'The Books That Made Me' by Jessica Bull, author of The Austen Christmas Murders and Liam Higginson, author of The Hill in the Dark Grove | |
In March 2026, Booka will be hosting a large event with much loved Radio 2 DJ, broadcaster and children's author, Dermot O'Leary.
We need your help to raise £4000 so that each of the 800 local school pupils attending will go home with their own copy of Dermot's book.
If you'd like to donate follow the link here.
Local business Aico have very generously donated £2000, so we are half-way to our goal.
Our fundraiser ends on 28 February 2026. | | |
| Out and About.... A few pics from our last events of 2025: - A full house for John Cleese in Chester
- Rick Stein book signing in Bridgnorth
- Larry Lamb commanding the stage at The Holroyd
- The inspirational Joe Wicks
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| We are busy planning our first collection of events for 2026. The following events are all on sale, with more to be confirmed soon - get your tickets now! | |
OSWESTRY
Tues 27th January 2026 - 7.00pm
Booka, Oswestry
An Evening with Liam Higginson - The Hill in the Dark Grove Debut author Liam Higginson talks about his superb first novel The Hill in the Dark Grove.
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OSWESTRY
Fri 6th February - 11.00am
Holroyd Theatre, Oswestry
A Morning with Catherine Newman & Rchael Joyce We are delighted to welcome back two favourite bestselling authors, Catherine Newman and Rachel Joyce, for a morning talking about their latest novels and the theme of family in their writing.
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OSWESTRY
Thurs 12th February - 7.00pm
Booka, Oswestry
Wilderness Mum - An Evening with Kate Barron Kate Barron talks about her memoir Wilderness Mum, a truly inspiring story of courage, resilience and the call of the wild.
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OSWESTRY
Mon 16th February - 7.00pm
Holroyd Community Theatre
An Evening with Jennie Godfrey - The Barbecue at No.9 Jennie Godfrey, the Sunday Times Number One bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things, talks about her writing journey and her highly anticipated second novel, The Barbecue at No.9.
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BRIDGNORTH
Thurs 19th February - 1.30pm
Bridgnorth Library, Bridgnorth
An Evening with Elly Griffiths - The Killing Time Bestselling author Elly Griffiths talks about her crime writing and her new novel The Killing Time, the follow-up to Frozen People, featuring time-travelling detective Ali Dawson.
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OSWESTRY
Thurs 19th February - 7.00pm
Holroyd Community Theatre
An Evening with Elly Griffiths - The Killing Time Bestselling author Elly Griffiths talks about her crime writing and her new novel The Killing Time, the follow-up to Frozen People, featuring time-travelling detective Ali Dawson.
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OSWESTRY
Mon 23rd February - 7.00pm
Holroyd Theatre, Oswestry
Feeling Fabulous - An Evening with Ruth Langsford TV Presenter and Loose Women star Ruth Langsford talks about her life experiences and her debut memoir Feeling Fabulous, a collection of thoughts, recollections and tips on how to feel fabulous, no matter what life throws at you.
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OSWESTRY
Wed 25th February - 7.00pm
Booka
An Evening with Tanya Sweeney - Esther is Now Following You Tanya Sweeney talks about her irresistable debut novel Esther is Now Following You, a gripping darkly funny tale about obsession and celebrity fandom.
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BRIDGNORTH
Thurs 5th March - 7.00pm
Bridgnorth Library
An Evening with Tim Weaver - The Lost Women Tim Weaver talks 'in conversation' with fellow crime writer Mark Edwards about his heart-stopping new thriller The Lost Women, the 15th David Raker novel.
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| More exciting author events to be announced soon. Watch this space... | |
Signed First Editions for Pre-Order We are offering lots of signed copies for pre-order. Many of these are Independent Bookshop Exclusive Editions with special features, including bespoke endpapers and spayed and printed edges. Visit our website to see all the signed copies we have currently have in stock, plus all those we are offering for pre-order. | |
Don't forget to follow us on social media, where you can stay in the loop of our shop floor antics and see what we've been up to!
Thanks for reading! | |
