There are authors galore at this year’s Bury St Edmunds Literary Festival with something for book lovers of all ages.

The festival takes place from 11 to 13 October at the Unitarian Meeting House in Churchgate Street and the Guildhall.

It begins with a poetry and open mic night with Ted Hughes Award nominated poet Martin Figura Reading from his collection The remaining men.

The Saturday programme includes a number of events for children, including award-winning author and CBBC featured author Catherine Emmett read for their books The Rainbow Flamingo And trick or treatingand award-winning couple, author and illustrator Kiran Millwood-Hargrave and Tom de FrestonThey will share their collaboration Julia and the Shark (shortlisted for Waterstone’s Book of the Year) and Leila and the Blue Fox (Winner of the Wainwright Prize).

Non-fiction books are represented by Sam LeithLiterary editor of The viewerwith his groundbreaking history of children’s literature, The enchanted forestand award-winning author and nature writer for The Guardian, Patrick Barkham will talk about his latest book, The swimmerabout the life of Suffolk-based writer and wild swimmer Roger Deakin.

Historical fiction is represented by debut author Sarah Marshwho will talk about her acclaimed novel A sign for herselfwhich follows Ellen Lark, a deaf former student of Alexander Graham Bell, as she learns to rediscover her own authentic voice. Sarah was inspired by her own experiences as a deaf child.

author Kate Sawyer about family dynamics, sibling rivalry and parents who are simply fed up with bestselling authors Georgina MooreAuthor of The Garnett GirlsAnd Bobby PalmerAuthor of Little hours And Isaac and the Eggbefore the day’s events come to an end, when two renowned authors Kiran Millwood Hargrave (The dance tree) And Tom de Freston (Strange bodies), who also happen to be husband and wife, talk about how their relationship affects their writing.

The festival Sunday begins again with something for the young ones.

Dominique ValenteAuthor of Witches Parkwhose main character, like the author, has a limb deformity, explains how being born with one hand confers some sort of unexpected superpower. Children are then asked to develop their own magical powers (with a built-in challenge), and then they are helped to create a portal into a fantasy world of their own imagination.

Then it is the local author’s turn Matt GawHe guides the audience through his book Whatever the weather It documents a series of walks he took across Britain, experiencing nature, witnessing its changes and how to embrace them.

If you like exciting thrillers, then the authors from Suffolk are just the thing for you. Phoebe Morgan And JM Hewitt will be just right for you when you talk about their latest novels, The trip And The perfect villagewhy they write in the genre they write in, and what it takes to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary (and often bloody) with a series of twists.

Crime novels and mystery novels are represented by Sunday News Bestselling and award-winning author Janice Hallettwho in conversation with festival patron and author Nicola Upson about her latest novel, The examinerwriting crime novels and mysteries and the path to four bestsellers and several awards since her debut The appeal five years ago.

The rest of the festival is dedicated to fiction. Jill Dawson will talk about her career and her latest novel The enchantmentwhile authors on the verge of fame Kirsty Capes And Jessica Moorwho recently published their third novel – Girl And Hold back the night – will talk about their craft, their publishing path and their books.

The festival’s finale will be hosted by festival founder Julia Wakelam on Sunday evening and will speak with Clare Chambers. It had been 10 years since Clare’s last novel when Little joys was published in 2021 – it was longlisted for the Women’s Prize, selected for BBC Two’s Between the Covers book club, BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, Red, Prima, Evening Standard, Spectator And Daily Express and led to the reissue of her backlist. Now she returns with Shy creaturesa life-affirming novel.

For more information, see www.burylitfest.co.uk