by Gudrun Bowers | 12, Jun 2026
Meet KATIE KIRBY, author of the mega-bestselling LOTTIE BROOKS series, as she celebrates the PAPERBACK release of the 8th Lottie Brooks book – LOTTIE BROOKS AND THE ULTRA MEAN GIRLS – with a book-signing event at the Steyning Bookshop.
As well as the chance to meet Katie and get your book signed, there will be snacks and activities for kids while you wait, and if the weather is fine, the event will take place in the beautiful bookshop back garden.
To attend this event, you need to buy a ticket, which INCLUDES a paperback copy of Lottie Brooks vs the Ultra Mean Girls.
Each ticket is £8.99, but accompanying adults and younger siblings don’t need a ticket. No more than 3 additonal family members with each main ticket-holder, if possible!
We appreciate that Steyning is hard to reach on a school day by 3.30pm, so we have divided the signing into 2 slots: 3.30 – 5pm, and 5 – 6.30pm. If you’re coming from further away, the 5pm time slot may be easier! More local families may prefer the 3.30pm time slot. You don’t have to arrive right at the beginning of your time slot, just be sure to get here before the end of it!
TERMS & CONDITIONS
-Book and ticket – each booked ticket will receive a copy of the new paperback which will be signed and dedicated by Katie. Accompanying adults and younger siblings don’t need a ticket.
– We will have all the LOTTIE BROOKS books on sale, so if you want to purchase extra copies of any books and get these signed too, you can! In addition, each ticket holder may bring up to one additional copy of any of Katie’s books (from home) to be signed – but not name-dedicated.
-Please be prepared to queue, and make sure you bring water and snacks in case you are queuing for a long time.
-If you have any accessibility needs that may impact your ability to wait in the queue, please do flag this to the store when booking your tickets.
-Photos with Katie are allowed, but please do limit these to just one per ticket and let the signing team help to take these, to ensure we have time for everyone to speak to and have their photo with Katie.
Tickets can be purchased via the link below (small online booking fee applies) or via the bookshop in person, or by by phone on 01903 812062.
by Gudrun Bowers | 13, May 2026
Another of the events curated by us for The Steyning Festival.
Join award-winning author and illustrator Liz Pichon as she celebrates 15 years of the multi-million best-selling Tom Gates series and takes you into the world of ‘The Mubbles’ for a JOYFUL hour of DOODLING, giggling, games, storytelling and more!
ABOUT LIZ PICHON & HER BOOKS
Liz Pichon is one of the UK’s best-loved and bestselling creators of children’s books, including Tom Gates and The Mubbles. The Tom Gates series won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award for Best Story and the younger fiction category of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. The Mubbles is a hilarious new graphic novel series, filled with colourful, crazy characters who live on the Isle of Smile!
Please bring pencils and paper. Suitable for ages 6+
Tickets are available online HERE from The Steyning Festival website and at the bookshop.
by Gudrun Bowers | 15, Apr 2026
A fantastic family event curated by the bookshop as part of The Steyning Festival.
Join multi-award winning author and illustrator Chris Riddell OBE for an hour of fantasy drawing fun.
Chris will introduce his new books A Mermaid’s Diary and A Mermaid’s Rescue and immerse us in their magical underwater realm with live drawing. There will be lots of DRAW-ALONG fun too, and time to ask Chris questions and have books signed.
ABOUT CHRIS RIDDELL
Chris Riddell OBE, the 2015-2017 UK Children’s Laureate, is an accomplished artist and the political cartoonist for the Observer. He has enjoyed great acclaim for his books for children. His books have won a number of major prizes, including the 2001, 2004 and 2016 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medals. Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse won the Costa Children’s Book Award 2013. He lives in Brighton & Norfolk.
ABOUT THE MERMAID’S DIARY BOOKS
Meet shy mermaid Atalanta Scrimshaw. She lives in the quiet backwater of Sleepy Cove, collects messages in bottles, rides seahorses and enjoys the hobby of ‘walking’ on the beach and visiting friends. Life is perfect until Atalanta learns of plans by developers Bristle & Splinter to transform Sleepy Cove into a luxury seaside golf resort. Realizing that this plan will destroy her home, she enlists the help of her friends, old and new, to try to stop it.
“Charming, witty and imaginative, and packed with an unbelievable amount of stunning artwork .. one of the best books to be published for 7- to 9-year-olds this year’” The Bookseller
EVENT INFO
This event is part of the Steyning Festival ART IN THE PARK day, and will take place at THE PENFOLD HALL at 2pm -3pm, followed by book-signing. Suitable for families with children of 5+ years.
The Steyning Bookshop will be at the event, selling a range of Chris Riddell’s books – all packed with stunning artwork and perfect for readers aged six and up.
Tickets available HERE via the Steyning Festival Website, but non-internet users can also purchase tickets at the bookshop.
by Gudrun Bowers | 15, Apr 2026
This event is curated by the Steyning Bookshop as part of the 2026 STEYNING FESTIVAL.
We are thrilled to welcome nature writer, walker and conservationist ROGER MORGAN-GRENVILLE back to Steyning for an illuminating slide-illustrated talk, sharing highlights from the epic coastal walk he undertook as research for his new book THE RESTLESS COAST.
ABOUT THE RESTLESS COAST
The island of Britain has over 10,000 miles of coastline, steeped in history and constantly shifting, changing, adapting and providing. The Restless Coast is a moving and beautiful account of a journey around it, during which the author sets out to discover its challenges and opportunities, and to talk to its people. At once delightful travelogue and passionate defence, The Restless Coast shines a powerful spotlight on the thin line that surrounds us, and defines our status as islanders.
Overarching the journey is the extraordinary natural history of the coastline, together with the story of how man has imprinted himself on its very geology and shape for countless centuries. Roger Morgan-Grenville addresses the modern challenges that the shoreline faces, and highlights the people who are trying to protect it. Informative, angry and funny, The Restless Coast is a very personal love letter to our island edge.
ABOUT ROGER MORGAN-GRENVILLE
ROGER MORGAN-GRENVILLE was a soldier from 1978-86. In 2007, he helped to set up the charity Help for Heroes, and in 2020 he was a founding member of the conservation charity, Curlew Action. His earlier titles, Liquid Gold, Shearwater, Taking Stock and Across a Waking Land are also published by Icon. He lives in
West Sussex.
ABOUT THE EVENT
THURSDAY 28th MAY, 6pm at STEYNING METHODIST CHURCH. This event is curated by the Steyning Bookshop as part of the 2026 STEYNING FESTIVAL. Tickets are available online HERE via the Steyning Festival website. Non internet users can also purchase tickets at the Steyning Bookshop, however we will still be booking them FOR you via the Steyning Festival website. The Steyning Bookshop will be selling Roger’s books before / after the event and Roger will be happy to sign them.
by Gudrun Bowers | 15, Apr 2026
A really interesting event for lovers of history, nature and birds, this event is one of the literary talks we’ve programmed for the 2026 STEYNING FESTIVAL.
Join Michael J.Warren, author of ‘The Cuckoo’s Lea: The Forgotten History of Birds and Place’, as he discusses the deep connections between birds, place, and the stories we tell about the natural world.
Birds have inspired our connection to landscapes for centuries, but how did this relationship begin?
Hidden in the place names of English towns and villages, in copses, fields, lanes and hills, are traces of birds that illustrate how ancient people understood their world. In The Cuckoo’s Lea, Michael J. Warren follows these clues across England, from marshes where curlews still cry to woods where goshawks have returned after centuries, and cuckoo-groves now buried under concrete. Weaving together early literature, history and ornithology,, he uncovers how people encountered birds over a thousand years ago and reveals a heritage that matters today, when so many places and their birds are threatened. Michael is a frequent visitor to Steyning and some local place names feature in the book!
The talk is followed by the opportunity to purchase the book and have it signed by the author. Michael will be in conversation with the fantastic HENRI BROCKLEBANK, Director of Conservation at the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
Click here for tickets over on the STEYNING FESTIVAL website. Tickets are £12.50, a bit more than our normal bookshop events but goes towards supporting the festival, which is a registered charity and is run entirely by volunteers.
FRIDAY 22nd MAY 6pm at STEYNING METHODIST CHURCH
by Gudrun Bowers | 18, Mar 2026
Join award-winning children’s author/performer/musician Gareth P Jones for his brand new show, inspired by his hilarious new picture book CHICKEN VS EGG.
Expect live music, sing-along songs, a fast rapping fox, puppets, clucking chickens, cracking egg puns… and the answer to some of life’s biggest questions including Why did the chicken cross the road? and Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
A fun picture book event to entertain all ages from 4+
ABOUT GARETH P JONES & HIS BOOKS
Gareth is a children’s author responsible for the comic gothic cult classic, The Thornthwaite Inheritance, the Blue Peter Award winning The Considine Curse & a possibly one of the oddest books ever written for children, Death or Ice Cream?
He has written various children’s fiction series including Dragon Detective, Ninja Meerkats, Steampunk Pirates, Pet Defenders & the brilliant Solve Your Own Mystery Series. His picture books include Rabunzel, CinderGorilla, Snowy White, The Lion on the Bus, Are You The Pirate Captain & The Dinosaurs are Having a Party. He has also written for television and writes musicals.
CHICKEN VS EGG is a hilarious story about a crazy, thrilling race which may finally answer the question ‘Which came first, the chicken or the egg?’, with lively illustrations by Craig Shuttlewood.
ABOUT THE EVENT
This event is perfect for children aged 4+. Start time 11am. Duration approx 1 hour including book-signing. The venue is the rear kitchen of the bookshop, it may be a bit of a squash with kids seated on the floor.
Tickets: £7 per child INCLUDES a copy of CHICKEN VS EGG! Additional siblings £3 – without a book. Accompanying adults do not need to purchase a ticket but please only 1 parent / carer per child due to space restrictions.
Tickets available online via link below or direct from the bookshop.
by Gudrun Bowers | 18, Mar 2026
A creative, fun workshop for children aged 9+. Join amazing children’s author HELEN PETERS for a fun, informal creative writing workshop inspired by Helen’s ‘timeslip’ stories for older children, Evie’s Ghost and Anna at War.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? Where would you like to go? How would you get there? And what magical powers does this seemingly ordinary pebble contain? In this fun, interactive workshop, Helen will show how magical objects and portals to other worlds can create mystery and tension, and offer tips on creating settings and characters. Children will have the opportunity to share their writing and receive constructive feedback if they wish. Perfect for budding writers, keen readers and anyone with a wild imagination!
ABOUT HELEN PETERS AND HER BOOKS
Helen Peters is an accomplished children’s author who has written over 24 books for children. Her novels for older children include the Hannah’s Farm series, two WW2 novels (Anna at War and Friends & Traitors) and a spooky timeslip story, Evie’s Ghost. Helen is also the author of the JASMINE GREEN series for younger readers.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Start time 2pm, Duration approx 60-80 mins, refreshments provided. £7 ticket price includes a copy of a Helen Peters book. ccompanying adults who wish to stay do not need a ticket.
Tickets available via link below (small online booking fee applies) or direct from the bookshop
by Gudrun Bowers | 18, Mar 2026
WEDNESDAY 1st APRIL at 11am
A lovely event for creative kids aged 7+! Join amazing children’s author HELEN PETERS for a fun, informal creative writing workshop inspired by Helen’s latest book, A CHICK CALLED CHARM.
Helen will help children to create animal characters, settings and a maybe slightly Easter-y storyline. This event will suit children aged 7-10 who love writing stories, reading stories, and animals!
ABOUT HELEN PETERS & THE JASMINE GREEN SERIES
Helen Peters is an accomplished children’s author who has written over 24 books for children. Her JASMINE GREEN series of animal rescue are shorter illustrated chapter books which are adorable, exciting and well-written reads for children aged 7-9.
A CHICK CALLED CHARM is the 18th book in the series, and a perfect Easter book for animal lovers! Jasmine Green’s dad is a farmer, and her mum is a large-animal vet, so Jasmine spends a lot of time caring for animals and keeping them out of trouble. When Jasmine finds a little chick which has been abandoned by its mother and left for dead, of course she has to intervene, but even after she nurses the chick back to health, her family still reject her. An old cockerel takes the little chick under his wing, saving her from a buzzard attack and showing that friendship can be found in the most unlikely of places.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Tickets are £7 per child, this includes the workshop, refreshments AND a copy of A CHICK CALLED CHARM (or other book from the Jasmine Green series). Accompanying adults are free to stay or ‘drop and go’, and do not need a ticket. The workshop will last between an hour and 80 mins, starting at 11am.
Tickets available via the link below (small online booking fee applies) or in person from the bookshop
by Gudrun Bowers | 20, Feb 2026
We are delighted to welcome a panel of 3 outstanding female psychological thriller writers: Katherine Bradley, Araminta Hall, and Ruth Ware, for an evening of twists, turns and thrilling insights, as they discuss their latest books and ponder the concept of Unreliable Narrators in psychological thrillers.
Katherine Bradley will be introducing her new high-concept psychological thriller The Institute, in which a disturbing rise in mass suicide incidents is investigated by a mysterious shadowy institute. Araminta Hall will be launching her latest book Unreliable Narrator, in which a young woman’s life is ruined by a fatal disaster (or was it?) and Ruth Ware will be discussing her new thriller The Woman in Suite 11 – a gripping follow-up to her earlier book The Woman in Cabin 10. We guarantee you’ll discover your new favourite page-turning read tonight!
ABOUT THE EVENT
Tickets are £12 and include a £10 voucher towards a book purchase on the night, and a welcome drink.
Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. The panel discussion will last approx 1 hour and be followed by audience Q and A, and a chance to buy books and get them signed.
The venue is the comfortable upstairs ‘salon’ at Awen Furniture, 54 High Street, Steyning.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Katherine Bradley (as Kate Bradley) is the author of two suspense thrillers – To Keep You Safe and What I Did, and, as Katherine Bradley, recently published The Sisterhood, a feminist retelling of Orwell’s classic novel 1984. Her work has been described as ‘addictive, original and brilliantly twisty’ by T. M. Logan and ‘heart-stopping’ by David Nicholls. Katherine lives in a small coastal town just outside of Brighton with her husband and sons.
Araminta Hall is the critically-acclaimed author of seven novels. Both Everything & Nothing and One of the Good Guys were Richard and Judy picks. Four of her novels are under option and Imperfect Women is now a major series for Apple TV, starring Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington and airing in March 2026. She lives in Brighton with her husband and various combinations of her three grown-up children.
Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers include In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Lying Game, One by One, The It Girl, Zero Days, One Perfect Couple and The Woman in Cabin 10, which is now a now a hit Netflix film, starring Keira Knightley. Ruth’s books have sold more than ten million copies, and many have been optioned for film and TV. Ruth lives near Brighton with her family on the south coast of England.
Tickets available now: Either in store, by phone on 01903 812062, or via the link below (small booking fee applies to online bookings)
by Gudrun Bowers | 16, Feb 2026
Meet novelist LORI INGLIS HALL as she discusses her debut novel THE SHOCK OF THE LIGHT, an intimate, immersive and page-turning novel set during and after the Second World War. This is an ‘open book group’ event, we invite members of the public to join us alongside the members of our 3 bookshop book groups. Ideally, we’d like everyone to read the book prior to the event- purchase the ‘book with ticket’ ticket for £18 and pick up your book from the bookshop asap!
ABOUT THE SHOCK OF THE LIGHT
The Shock of the Light is a delicately told study of twinhood, and the shattering impact of war on two ordinary lives. Anglo-French twins Tessa and Theo have always had a deep bond, until Tessa leaves Cambridge to study at the Sorbonne, and the war sends them their separate ways – the RAF for Theo, clandestine operations behind enemy lines in France for bilingual Tessa. Two years later, only one of them comes home. Has their interwoven thread been severed for ever by the dark violence of war?
ABOUT THE EVENT
Lori Inglis Hall will be ‘in conversation’ with fellow novelist JULIET WEST, author of Before the Fall and The Faithful. This will be followed by audience / book group Q and A and a chance to get your book signed. Find out about the inspiration, research and real-life experiences behind this heart-wrenching story, and hear all about Lori’s amazing experience of becoming a publishing sensation!
The venue will be UPSTAIRS at AWEN FURNITURE, doors open at 7pm, event starts at 7.30pm.
A welcome drink will be served upon entry.
Ticket only £5 or grab our bargain ‘Book with Ticket’ deal for £18 (book RRP £18.99. If buying ‘book with ticket’ please mention whether you’ll pick the book up at the shop prior to the event, or if you’d prefer to receive your book on the night) Tickets via link below (small booking fee applied to online bookings) or in person from the bookshop (no booking fee)
About Lori Inglis Hall
Lori Inglis Hall has an MA (research) in history from Goldsmiths College, University of London, and works as a researcher and rights manager for the estate of the photographer Lee Miller. Previously, she spent a decade working in politics at the House of Commons. She lives rurally in Sussex with her family and an inordinate number of books. The Shock of the Light is Hall’s first novel.
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