Independent Bookshop Week: Brighton Book Festival Returns

The annual celebration of independent bookshops starts this Saturday (June 15) alongside the return of the Brighton Book Festival on Monday (June 18).

Celebrations take place up and down the country with over 700 independent bookshops confirmed to take part.

The line-up includes festivals, children’s illustration sessions, wine tastings, after hours poetry readings, fancy dress fan events, prizes, discounts, story time and much more.

Special events being held for Independent Bookshop Week in Sussex include:

• Steyning Bookshop in Steyning is holding an evening with Rev Richard Coles and Elly Griffiths, chaired by William Shaw on Monday 17 June at 7:30pm. The event will be held at the Church of St Andrew and St Cuthman
• Steyning Bookshop: Julia Donaldson will be signing copies of her new book The Tooth Fairy and the Crocodile on Saturday, June 22 from 2pm. Tickets to the signing need to be booked in advance and include a hardback copy of the book. Book through the bookshop or Ticketsource.
• East Grinstead Bookshop in Grinstead will be doing a Rombouts Coffee Promotion throughout Independent Bookshop Week: enjoy a free coffee with every purchase over £10. During the week, they will also have a range of special 'indie editions' celebrating how independent bookshops do things differently. They will also be welcoming best-selling authors Karen Swan, Sarah-Jane Butler and Liz Fielding as guest booksellers on Saturday 15 June.

As part of IBW, the indie bookshop-curated Indie Book Awards shortlisted Monica Heisey, Dan Jones, Natalie Haynes, Tim Marshall, Robert Tregoning and more – all vying for the title of “the best paperback of the summer” - picked by indie bookshops across the country.

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, commented:

“We are delighted to see such a variety and quantity of activities and events taking place in bookshops, and at partner venues, this Independent Bookshop Week. That so many bookshops are working with other local businesses to create entertaining line-ups for customers, across all demographics and interests, just shows how much value they bring to their communities.

"We’re looking forward to seeing lots of customers visiting their local bookshops to purchase their summer reads and celebrate this year’s campaign!”

Brighton Book Festival returns alongside IBW, with children’s illustration sessions, wine tastings, after hours poetry readings, fancy dress fan events, numerous opportunities to meet authors at their launches, the first ever nationwide Big Book Club, and much more.

Events will be held live at University of Brighton City Campus and online throughout the week of June 18 - 23. 

Follow the latest developments via social media: #IndieBookshopWeek @BooksAreMyBag

Find out more at https://booksaremybag.com/IndependentBookshopWeek/About

Steyning Bookshop event information: 

The Reverend Richard Coles will be celebrating the release of Murder at the Monastery, the 3rd book in his best-selling Canon Clement Mystery series, published on 6th June. Murder at the Monastery sees Canon Daniel Clement taking respite at the monastery where he was a novice, only for a suspicious death to occur… As dark secrets unfold, can Daniel solve the mystery at the monastery without the help of Detective Sergeant Neil Vanloo?

Elly Griffiths will be celebrating the release of The Man in Black & Other Stories, a collection of short stories featuring all her best-loved characters including Dr Ruth Galloway, Harry Nelson, Max Mephisto, Detective Harbinder Kaur alongside ghost stories and cosy mysteries; tales of psychological suspense and poignant vignettes of love and loss.

The discussion will be chaired by fellow thriller writer William Shaw, whose latest book The Wild Swimmers will be on sale on the night.

All tickets include a copy of either Murder at the Monastery or The Man in Black (please choose which book when booking tickets). Further books and all authors’ previous titles will be available to purchase & to be signed by the authors on the night.

Tickets can be purchased in person from the bookshop, by telephone on 01903 812062, or online.