Bringing you the latest news and updates from Cuckfield Bookfest, read on to discover the great line-up of authors and events that will appear on stage this October.

We are also very excited to announce that we are launching our very own Virtual Book Club, which hopes to bring you a little enjoyment in anticipation of the main event later this year – find out about the international bestselling author who will join us for our first online Book Club on Tuesday 17th June.

Photo credit: Nick Gregan

Phil Craig

In the latest book The Reckoning: War, Empire and the Struggle for a New World by The Scandal Mongers podcaster and TV producer, Phil Craig, looks at the legacy of WW2.

Clearing away the haze of nostalgia, he considers the many uncomfortable truths that emerge about attempts to rekindle empires and the clumsy decisions that have informed the shape of the world today.

This book is the final volume of his bestselling Finest Hour trilogy and focuses on the fate of India and the imperial possessions of Britain, France and Holland in the Far East.

Tiffany Murray Author speaking at Sussex book event near me

Photo credit: Janie Airey

My Family and Other Rock Stars is Tiff’s remarkable, truly unique story of growing up in a rural idyll, of Cordon Bleu cookery and of a childhood where the chances of bumping into Freddie Mercury playing piano, or a group of Hell’s Angels turning up to record for
Lemmy, or even the hope of David Bowie appearing, were as normal as hopscotch and homework.

It’s the late 1970s and Tiff lives with her mum, Joan, at Rockfield, the iconic recording studios. This place of legend, where some of the most famous rock albums of all time were recorded, is the background to a freewheeling, ever-changing whirlwind of a
childhood.

Isabel Losada author at Cuckfield Book festival 2025

Photo credit: Charlotte Gray

CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP WITH MICK JACKSON

Workshops are always very popular at the festival and this year we are thrilled to host Getting Started with Mick Jackson, introducing participants to the basic elements of prose fiction.

This will be held on Saturday 4th October 1.30 – 3.30pm and will be limited to 12-15 people so why not think of expressing interest now to ensure you get a place.

Please email info@cuckbookfest.co.uk if you’d like to register interest.

Virtual Book Club

Join us for our inaugural virtual Book Club at 7pm on Tuesday 17 June! We are delighted that our first speaker will be bestselling author Ellen Alpsten who will be joining us for a 60 min Q&A.

Discussing her last novel The Last Princess, a stunning re-telling of 1066 from the perspective of Harold’s daughter, Gytha Godwinson and her upcoming book The Sunrise Queen due for publication in September. We will talk about her life as an author and other questions submitted by our audience.

The book club is open to anyone and will take place on Zoom. There is absolutely no obligation to read the novel in advance of the session. However, if you would like to purchase it, here is a link (https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-last-princess/ellen-alpsten/9781068741906) to it at Waterstones, our official Bookfest partner.

If you can’t make this date and time, don’t worry as we will record it and upload it to our website to watch afterwards.

Mark your diaries for the second book club which is already scheduled for 18th September with 2 other Bookfest favourite authors Helen Fry & Alan Judd!

BIG BOOK GROUP – SWEAT

And don’t forget our Big Book Group this year will be SWEAT with Emma Healey.

If you belong to your own book group, it would be a great opportunity to read this powerful novel exploring obsession, revenge and control, providing lots of points for discussion with your friends!