Author panel with AJ Campbell, Alastair McIver and Jay Bhatti, 2.00pm – 3.00pm Sunday 18th May at Southern Maltings. The three authors on our panel are experts in keeping readers gripped in their novels: A spy in a race against time. A political conspiracy adventure set in the harsh world of central Asia. A chilling contemporary psychological thriller.  Join the authors in this panel session, hosted by crime writer Karen Skinner, to find out how they ramp up the tension and create the suspense.

Writing workshop led by Chris Burleigh, 12.00 – 1.00pm Sunday 18th May at Southern Maltings. In this relaxed and friendly workshop, poet Chris Burleigh invites you to try your hand at writing verse based on a familiar story. This will be a fun workshop for anyone, age 11 upwards – no poetry writing experience necessary, just a willingness to play with words!  Inspiration comes from one of Ware’s literary claims to fame: The Diverting History of John Gilpin, by Hertfordshire poet William Cowper, which tells the tale in comic verse of hapless John Gilpin, who is carried to Ware by his runaway horse when he is supposed to be celebrating…

Author talk by Robert Little, 11.00am, Saturday 17th May at St Andrew’s Church, St Andrew’s Street Hertford SG14 1HZ Robert Little lifts the lid on his (now lengthy) career as a singer in operas and operettas, with an insight into the dramatic world of opera.   Would you like to discover some of the good and not-so-good aspects of embarking on a career in opera and operetta? What are the secrets of how to sing in the bel canto style required of opera singers? Maybe you’d be keen to know about some productions and performances that, despite the very best of intentions, went drastically wrong? Which great operatic star of…

Kids’ yoga with Boxmoor Yoga, 11.00am, Sunday 18 th May, Southern Maltings, Ware Maria Oliver of Boxmoor Yoga brings her ever-popular kids’ yoga to the Book Festival with a fun and creative session to get children to move their bodies and relax their minds. Open to children of all ages; mats are provided. Maria is also a published author of beautifully illustrated books for children featuring ‘Relaxations for lively kids’. Check out her stall in the Author Market. https://www.boxmooryoga.co.uk

A fun challenge for children awaits at the Herts Book Festival on Saturday 17 th May at BEAMHertford. Author and illustrator Shelagh Fairbairn has created some beautiful images of different penguins and the questions for kids is – are you as tall as an Emperor, as small as a Little Penguin, or somewhere in between? Kids can go round the festival stalls to find the type of penguin that is nearest their height, and pick up a free A4 sheet showing all the adorable penguins.