GREAT DUNMOW BOOKFEST AUTHORS
NON-FICTION,
HISTORICAL
& CHILDREN'S
Sacha Coward
Adult Non-Fiction
History & Folklore
Sacha Coward has worked in museums and heritage for over ten years. For the past three years, he has been freelancing as a historian, public speaker, tour guide and researcher. He has run LGBTQ+ focused tours for museums, cemeteries, archives and cities around the world. Sacha is passionate about queer history, mythology, folklore and storytelling in all their many forms. Queer As folklore is his first book.
Syd Moore
Adult Fiction / Non-fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Syd Moore is the best-selling author of the Section W series (The Grand Illusion, The Great Deception) which looks at how the British Secret Service exploited the Nazis’ occult obsession, the Essex Witch Museum Mysteries, two short story collections and two standalone novels (The Witching Hour and Witch Hunt).
Jools Abrams
Adult Fiction / Adult Non-fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Jools is a prolific, professional ghost writer of memoir and children's fiction (40 books). She writes for adults and children and is published by Walker Books, Hungry Tomato, Wasafiri and Mslexia. Her novel, Girl in the Mirror, was published in 2022. Jools is currently writing a second edition of the handbook of the women's adventure group, She Who Dares, and a new novel of Northern Romanticism.
Chiquita J. Arnot
Adult Fiction
Contemporary Fiction / Humour
Chiquita J Arnot was an Essex primary school teacher for 34 years and grew more and more frustrated with how reading was being taught. During one phonics lesson, a four-year-old in her class shouted out ‘This is all stupid!’ He had a point. He also sowed the seed for her first book, "But There Is No Ef In Phonics."
Chris Burleigh
Adult Fiction
Poetry
Chris M L Burleigh has three poetry collections, Particles of Light, Intersecting Lines, and Reflections. His subjects are life, love, nature, people, and circumstances. His serious poems are interspersed with more light-hearted, even playful, poems. Each collection has an entertaining final section of wry thoughts, word play, and witty one-liners.
Penny Billington
Adult Non-fiction
Non-fiction
Practicing Druid Penny Billington offers a clear and structured course of study grounded in Celtic history and mythology, and highlights the mysteries and modern practice of this nature-based tradition. Each chapter begins with an evocative visualization and captivating Welsh mythic tales from the Mabinogion are woven throughout, introducing lessons and key concepts.
Philip Carr-Gomm
Adult Non-fiction
Non-fiction
Philip Carr-Gomm is the author of the novel The Prophecies and over a dozen non-fiction works including The Book of English Magic with Richard Heygate, and the Druid Animal & Plant Oracles with Stephanie Carr-Gomm. Trained in psychology and psychotherapy, for 32 years he was the leader of the Order of Bards Ovates & Druids. He now teaches a form of spiritual psychology called Psychosynthesis for the Alef Trust.
Kate J. Cole
Adult Non-fiction
Historical / Children's
Kate J Cole is an Essex-based historian and storyteller uncovering the hidden histories of Essex and Suffolk. Through meticulous archival research, she writes accessible non-fiction that brings the past into sharp, vivid focus. Her work includes a richly detailed account of Tudor Great Dunmow. She has recently begun writing children’s books for her grandchildren.
John Dann
Adult Non-fiction
Historical
John Dann lives in Coggeshall, is one of the Friends of Coggeshall Library and the town Writer’s Club. He is the author of short stories, an historical novel, and a biography of , naval commander, Sir George Carteret. His interests include music making, travel and historical research. An occasional lecturer, he is an ex-town councillor and public governor of Colchester Hospital.
Josie Dom
Children’s Fiction
Picture Books
Josie’s inspiration to create stories comes from her own children and everyday occurrences that tickle her fancy! Josie has published three picture books: Lum, Lum’s Mum and Animalympics. Her stories are created with fun in mind and bring joy and giggles to their many readers.
Catherine Emmett
Children's Fiction
Picture Books
After 15 years as a city trader, Catherine packed up her family, moved to rural Essex and started to write picture books. Catherine’s books are full of humour, empathy and unexpected twists. They have won multiple awards, been on the BBC News and appeared on CBeebies Bedtime Stories.
Essex Hundred
David Dunford
Adult Non-fiction
Historical
David Dunford was born in Chelmsford and attended the University of Essex, after taking early retirement from the BBC he became a visiting lecturer in radio journalism at the University of the Arts in London. Essex Hundred published ‘Full Circle – The Rise, Fall and Rise of Horse Racing in Chelmsford’, followed by ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and ‘Ogres in the Sky – Zeppelins over Essex in the First World War’.
Essex Hundred
Andrew Summers
Adult Non-fiction
Historical
Andrew Summers was born within the sound of Bow Bells and for the past 30 years Andrew has lived in Hadleigh and been married to Glenis. Andrew has bought and sold books in the UK and abroad and now writes, publishes and gives illustrated talks on a number of Essex-based subjects.
Jane Herd
Non-fiction
Poetry
Jane Herd writes and has self-published poetry as Jane No Longer Tame. Jane is an Essex-based, poet, writer and artist. The collection is a selection of poems from her first novel also titled ‘A Woman in Pieces’. The art work is also by Jane Herd.
The Happy Ladder
Jacqui Burger
Adult Non-fiction
Wellbeing
A Dutch author and founder of Good to Give, Jacqui brings practical, people‑centred insight shaped by years of creative collaboration. Life feels unbalanced when demands overwhelm your time, energy, or emotions. The Life Balance book guides readers to understand imbalance, rebuild resilience, and restore personal equilibrium through expert insights, stories, and practical tools.
The Happy Ladder
Jessica Silva
Adult Non-fiction
Wellbeing
A dynamic life coach, (therestless.co), Jessica helps people navigate change with curiosity andcourage, inspiring more intentional and joyful living. The Life Balance book guides readers to understand imbalance, rebuild resilience, and restore personal equilibrium through expert insights, stories, and practical tools. Its authors explore why some people stay happier and more optimistic, and how balance supports long term wellbeing.
The Happy Ladder
Carole Sullivan
Adult Non-fiction
Wellbeing
Formerly in London’s financial sector, Carole’s off‑grid years overseas deepened her belief in the power of community, which she now embraces back home near family. Life feels unbalanced when demands overwhelm your time, energy, or emotions. The Life Balance book guides readers to understand imbalance, rebuild resilience, and restore equilibrium through expert insights, stories, and practical tools.
R. E. Loten
Adult Fiction
Historical
Ruth has a Masters in Creative Writing. She has published 4 adult novels and 3 short story/poetry collections under her own name, and as Henrietta Edwards, 3 middle grade novels, 3 picture books. Ruth is a Director of Castle Priory Press and co-founder of the Brightlingsea Literary Festival.
Emma Marns
Adult Fiction
Historical Fiction
Emma was a sports journalist for Sky Sports News and the Media Officer for the Essex Spartans American Football team before studying a Masters in Irish Writing. Here she came across the mother-and-baby home scandal and wrote her debut novel The Walk. She now lives in Hullbridge, Essex with her husband and daughter and embarking on a PhD in Literature, researching Essex-based female suffragists and their link to the local newspapers.
Julie Newman
Adult Fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Julie was born in East London but now lives a rural life in North Essex. She has previously run her own publishing company and worked in licence acquisitions for a manufacturing company. Her published works include three novels, (published by Bloodhound Books), and a children's book, Poppy and the Garden Monster.
Michelle Noble-Jones
Children's Fiction
Picture Books
Michelle Noble-Jones wrote Manu the Orangutan after a trip I took to Borneo where she was lucky to spend some time in the rainforest with the amazing orangutans. Michelle started writing in primary school due to her headmaster being a children's author himself and was her first inspiration.
Andy Stuart
Adult Fiction
Historical
Andy was born in Malaysia in 1960. He was educated in London, Warwick University (Economics) and Sandhurst; Commissioned into the Royal Artillery. From 1987 he spent 23 years in global financial markets travelling extensively. In 2008 he co-founded a technology development company. He started writing during lockdowns in 2020.
Historical
Dean Wallis
Children's Fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Dean Wallis grew up in the East End of London, before stints of living in Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, where he currently teaches. He’s also coached football for many years, and all these experiences have played a part in the creation of his first book, Hodgson FC: Rise of the Misfits. Dean champions that children learn best when surrounded by love and respect, as true on the football pitch as it is in the classroom.
Marissa Pajot Webb
Children's Fiction
Picture Books
Marissa Pajot Webb is a Speech and Language Therapist with a passion for creating stories to support children's language development. Marissa’s love of sharing books has influenced her clinical practice and inspired her to create engaging stories to promote language development in a natural and playful way.