READERS: spend a wonderful day in the company of a wide variety of self-published authors from around the UK.
AUTHORS: network with other authors and readers. See the Participate page for details of how to take part. When the panels are full to take part (listed below) you’re welcome to purchase a ticket and have your flyers and/or bookmarks on the marketing table. Alternatively you could take part in an October festival.
TICKETS: will be available shortly and the link here. They will be £10 for the entire day including EventBrite booking fee.
WHEN/WHERE: The fourth ‘in person’ festival will be held on Sunday 3rd October 2027 at The Holiday Inn, on the corner of New Road / Aston Clinton Road, Aylesbury HP22 5QT.
BOOKS: We will have a cash bookshop for panel authors’ books. They will receive 100% of the agreed cover price. Any card fees will come out of ticket sales so please bring cash. There will also be book-related tote bags for sale at just £3 each (new and pre-loved) and other goodies starting at £1 each. ALL the profits from the day goes to the three book-related local charities. So please bring plenty of cash!
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).
Morgen may appear on one panel but otherwise 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.
There were seven panels running for half an hour each at the 26 April 2026 Festival (Meet the Authors) inaugural festival, then on 4th Oct 2026 Festival ~ Publishing there were five panels running for an hour, both with 30-minute breaks to buy books, have them signed and network. This and the 25th April 2027 festival will be an in-between, running for 40 minutes* with four authors on each panel, plus a moderator, with a 20-minute break. *It will be up to the moderators how they spend that time but the aim will be c.30 minutes of chat then 10 minutes of audience Q&A.
We tried to have time for readings in October but there were so many audience questions (and lively discussions) that we ran out of time. For April and October there will be opportunities for the panellists to read from their books at lunchtime and 5pm ~ see below.
- 9.30am: Morgen will open the festival (and do the housekeeping).
- 9.45am: There will be a performance from one of the guest poets.
- 10am: the first panel will feature four novelists with a guest moderator (tba, most likely an author from one of the other panels).
10.40am: there will then be a 20-minute break to buy books, have them signed and network.
- 11am: the second panel will feature four children’s authors with a guest moderator (tba, most likely an author from one of the other panels).
11.40pm: there will then be a 20-minute break to buy books, have them signed and network.
- 12pm: the third panel will feature four novelists with guest moderator (tba, most likely an author from one of the other panels).
12.40pm: there will then be a longer break to buy books, have them signed and network, and have lunch! 1.15pm to 2pm will also include readings from participating authors: the first page (2 minutes ~ 350 words max.) of one of their books to hook you in!!
- 2pm: the fourth panel will feature two poets (tba) and two short story authors. Moderator: Self-Pub Fest founder Morgen Bailey.
2.40pm: there will then be a 20-minute break to buy books, have them signed and network.
- 3pm: the fifth panel will feature four non-fiction authors with a guest moderator (tba, most likely an author from one of the other panels).
3.40pm: there will then be a 20-minute break to buy books, have them signed and network.
- 4pm:the sixth and final panel will feature four novelists with guest moderator (tba, most likely an author from one of the other panels).
4.40pm: there will then be a 20-minute break to buy books, have them signed and network.
- 5pm: this will be the final batch of readings from participating authors (the first page (2 minutes ~ 350 words max.) of one of their books to hook you in. Then if there’s time ticket holders and volunteers are welcome to do the same!
- 5.30pm: the festival will then close when there’ll be a mad scurry by the authors to retrieve their books from the bookshop; Morgen, Tim and volunteers to clear up before our 6pm hotel booking expires! We’ll then go to the bar or a nearby pub (likely the Buckinghamshire Yeoman) for a drink.
Morgen is taking enquiries and will add names when they are confirmed. Any authors not on the list can buy a day ticket and have their marketing materials in the foyer with the option to sell books directly.
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- Crime/women’s fiction and writing-related non-fiction author, and Self-Pub Fest founder Morgen Bailey (1.30pm: short story panel)
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So twelve novelists, four children’s authors, two poets, two short story authors, and four non-fiction authors ~ twenty self-published authors, one or more of whom will moderate some of the panels. All their books will be available in our bookshop along with tote bags (£3 each) and other goodies starting at £1 each.
New to Self-Pub Fest? If you are a self-published author and would like to be on a panel, please see the Participate page.
If you’re self-published but don’t want to be on a panel or it’s full when you look, you’re very welcome to buy a £10 all-day 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!).