Love Books? Meet Local Authors At Guernsey Book Fest 

If you love discovering a new book, how about discovering the writer behind it too?

Guernsey Book Fest is a new book fair organised by local authors, for local authors, bringing together some of the island’s writing talent at The Bathing Pools on Sunday 1 November, from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

It’s an opportunity to browse and buy books, meet the people who wrote them and perhaps find something you wouldn’t normally pick up. There will be plenty to choose from, with authors writing across a wide range of genres.

Here are some of the local writers you can meet on the day...

 

 

Jill Bray

Jill writes historical fiction inspired by her particular interest in the early 13th century. Originally from Yorkshire and now living in Guernsey, she returned to writing after attending a Guernsey Literary Festival workshop in 2024. Her debut, A Brotherly Devotion, was published in 2025, with her second novel, A Knightly Betrayal, due to be released just before Book Fest. Perfect timing! 

 

Raven Dubois

Prefer something with a psychological edge? Raven is the author of No. 28, a psychological thriller centred around five women living in apartments in a converted Victorian house. When an eminent psychiatrist is drawn into the life of the building’s owner, their sessions begin to make him question his own view of reality. Born and raised in Guernsey, Raven says she has been living in her imagination for as long as she can remember.

 

Steve Foote

Steve is the founder of local publisher Blue Ormer, which he established to publish books celebrating the Channel Islands and provide a platform for local writers. Born in Guernsey, Steve has a particular passion for local history and is also Chief Executive of the Priaulx Library and Editor of The Review of the Guernsey Society. Blue Ormer now has a catalogue of more than 80 books, covering everything from local history and heritage to poetry and fiction

 

Tom Gaisford

Tom writes suspense-driven contemporary fiction. His debut novel, Sanctuary, is both a darkly comic story about purpose, love and what happens when each begins to slip away, and an interrogation of our treatment of asylum seekers. It is rooted in Tom’s lived experience as a human rights lawyer. 

 

NK Harrison

Writing as N K Harrison, Nicki is a Guernsey-based fantasy author and travel professional. Combining her real-world travel experiences with a love for immersive storytelling, she crafts intricate worlds and captivating characters in her bestselling dystopian fantasy series The Encia Trilogy. Nicki also weaves subtle nods to the island’s landscape and historic coastlines into her books. 

 

Nick Le Huray

If local history is more your thing, Nick specialises in the German Occupation of the Channel Islands. An author, historian, tour guide, blogger and podcaster, his research into those who attempted to escape the islands during the Occupation led to his book Tides of Defiance. He also co-hosts the Islands at War podcast.

 

Margaret Jones

Victor Hugo’s Animal Friends introduces young readers to the celebrated writer. Margaret’s book of rhyming verses is the first of its kind in English and is beautifully illustrated by Angie Tolcher. Margaret highlights Hugo’s literary works, his strong advocacy for peace and social justice together with his deep affection for animals, love for his grandchildren and the flora and fauna of the Channel Islands. She hopes this book will also appeal to adults who may wish to access further information through a QR code at the back of the book. 

 

Rachel Le Mesurier

Rachel is the author of historical fiction series The Musician’s Promise, which is a swashbuckling, romantic adventure set during the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution. In 2021, Rachel won the Bill Green Award for The Musician’s Promise. She was also very proud to have her murderous mermaid story, Syren, selected for the recent Tide & Time Guernsey anthology, despite usually being a massive wimp when it comes to horror stories. Rachel has a degree in English Literature, and is a freelance editor, proof-reader and disability sensitivity reader as well as doing her own writing. She is proud to work for two local charities and also enjoys painting, baking, sewing, and generally making a mess.

 

Martin Morgan

Martin is the founder of Extraordinary Editions, an award-winning publishing house specialising in beautifully produced limited-edition books. He is also the author of A Cartographic History of the Channel Islands, which brings together more than 120 historic maps of the islands. His publishing projects have included new editions of Guernsey literary classics The Book of Ebenezer Le Page and Mr Pye, while The World Is Your Ormer celebrates Guernésiais through a collection of local sayings.

 

Jenny O’Brien

Jenny is an Irish writer who now calls Guernsey home and has an impressive catalogue spanning romance, thrillers and historical fiction. Her latest series began with The Resistance Knitting Club, a Second World War novel with connections to Guernsey and the French Resistance. It’s followed by The Secret Dressmaker, which takes readers to wartime Paris and the world of fashion, dressmaking and resistance. 

 

Diana Pritchard

Diana is known for her evocative poetry, historical fiction and her autobiography, My Paths to Freedom, a reflection on her early life and journey towards freedom. It was published in 2021 with proceeds donated to local domestic abuse charity Safer. More recently, years spent researching her family tree inspired A Fragile Connection, her first novel, based around the lives of two of her husband’s Victorian ancestors.

 

Tracey Thomson

Our co-founder Tracey writes children's books which help young children explore their emotions, deal with life's daily challenges and have fun. Her stories with children's wellbeing at heart series uses gentle rhyming verse and beautiful illustrations to explore everything from being different and building confidence to friendship and self-acceptance. 

 

RJ Verity

Writing as RJ Verity, Ruth writes character-led historical fiction, with stories about ordinary people and the times that shape them. Her Poole Legacy trilogy follows three generations of one family across a century of change. It begins with Poole of Light, moving from a northern mining town through war and the golden age of British cinema, while the recently published Poole of Honour takes the family story into 1960s London.