Selsey Festival in full swing

Meet the Authors, one of the highlights of the Selsey Festival, has had to move to bigger premises this year. Its popularity means it has outgrown its former home at St Peter's church hall and now moves to the Selsey Centre.
Peter LoveseyPeter Lovesey
Peter Lovesey

In 2006 Joan Moules, novelist and founder of Selsey Writers’ Circle, had the idea of bringing together up to 20 talented writers and their readers for an afternoon of informal chat and entertainment. “It’s like a book fair but free and more friendly,” Joan says. “The writers display their books and chat about them and do signings.”Ten years on, 30 authors will be at the Selsey Centre on Tuesday, August 16, at 2pm.Joan recalls: “The response was hugely encouraging from the start. Some of the authors travelled from as far afield as Somerset and Wales, and the visitors come from all quarters too. Almost every kind of writing is represented: poetry, the novel, drama, journalism, biography, broadcasting, cookbooks, fantasy, romance and crime.“All are published authors and are delighted to chat over a cup of tea about writing in general and how they go about it.”Crime writer Peter Lovesey, who helps with the organising, said: “Not only do they write best-selling books, but some of our authors are key figures in literary life. Janet Laurence is on the council of the Society of Authors. Simon Brett is president of the Detection Club and L C Tyler chairman of the Crime Writers Association. Jean Morris is vice president and former chairman of the Society of Writers and Women Journalists.”Children particularly welcome. Entrance free.