READERS: spent a wonderful day in the company of a wide variety of authors from around the UK.
AUTHORS: networked with other authors and readers. New to Self-Pub Fest? See the Participate page for details of how to take place in future events.
WHEN/WHERE: The first ‘in person’ festival was held on Sunday 26th April 2026 at The Holiday Inn, on the corner of New Road / Aston Clinton Road, Aylesbury HP22 5QT.
BOOKS: We had a cash bookshop for panel authors’ books. They received 100% of the agreed cover price. Any card fees came out of ticket sales. There were also book-related tote bags for sale at just £2 each and A5 notebooks at £1 each. ALL the profits from the day goes to the three book-related local charities.
Self-Pub Fest has been created by Aylesbury author, tutor, mentor, WI/U3A speaker, blogger, podcaster Morgen Bailey, who you may know from looking after many of the local book swap libraries. She has three crime-writing friends on her unofficial committee (names in bold below).
Other than running a short ‘ideas’ workshop at 1pm and being on a general Q&A panel thereafter, she will be overseeing the day, ensuring everything runs smoothly, along with a small army of volunteers. She/they will be taking photographs which will be shared on social media and posted on this site.
The panels consisted of the following genres and authors:
- Esther Chilton (moderator)
- Meriet Duncan
- Onne van der Spoel (on behalf of Ichigo D. Kater the cat!)
- Dave Sivers (moderator)
- Donna Morfett
- Peter Tickler
- Thibaut Mallet
- Tony Flower
- AK Nairn (moderator)
- BG Lambourne
- Cristina Loggia
- Paula Harmon
1pm: Ideas workshop and Q&A
- Morgen will be hosting a 10-minute workshop on ideas, then…
- a 20-minute Q&A panel session (with the authors moderating the other panels) on anything writing related, then…
- ‘Bassie Gracie‘ will then perform her poetry.
- Andrea D Woolhead
- Cleonie McLean
- Denise Beddows (moderator)
- Richard Kyson
3pm: Poetry and Short Stories (We’re very fortunate to have photography taken during this session by Captured By Charlotte)
- Bassie Gracie (poet)
- Gemma Owen-Kendall (poet)
- Shaun Allan (poet)
- Esther Chilton (short story author)
- Karen Banfield (short story author)
- Morgen Bailey (short story author, festival organiser! ~ moderator)
4pm: Romance/Women’s Fiction: (We’re very fortunate to have photography taken during this session by Captured By Charlotte)
5pm: Science-fiction, fantasy and horror
- Gemma Owen-Kendall(fantasy)
- Graeme Cumming (crime/thriller; fantasy; horror ~ moderator)
- Pete Williams (fantasy)
- Peter Edward White (historical; horror; occult; urban fantasy)
- Shaun Allan (horror)
If you’re self-published but aren’t listed to appear today, you’re very welcome to buy a ticket and have your marketing material (bookmark and/or A5 flyer) on the marketing table. You won’t have your books in the bookshop on the day but hopefully you will be able to chat with potential readers. Should any of the listed authors not be able to attend on the day you’re welcome to be a ‘reserve’ (you would still have to buy a ticket!).