Events

Wise Women, Witches and War: New Northern Historical Fiction

Wednesday 25th March from 6:30pm at The Grayston Unity. Free

Join local authors Anna Caig and Liz Flanagan who will be discussing their new historical novels.

Authors Anna Caig and Liz Flanagan will present their new historical novels set in the seventeenth century. Both are exciting, immersive novels that centre on the challenges faced by women of the 1600s.

Anna’s novel The Wise Witch of Orkney follows a wise woman with an impossible mission who is disguised as a lady-in-waiting at the court of the witch hunting King James VI.

Liz’s novel When We Were Divided  is set in Yorkshire in 1643. It’s about three people living through that turbulent time, divided by civil war, plague and unrest, but who find themselves able to unite through courage, hard-won forgiveness and love.  

This is a free event but please reserve your place here. Please note, this event will now take place at The Grayston Unity.

About the authors:  

Anna Caig is obsessed with the hidden voices of women and a compelling underdog story. Luckily, history offers plenty of these. She’s inspired by the glimpses into a woman’s life we get before the historical record moves onto something considered much more important. What was happening in these gaps? Anna grew up in Halifax, now lives in the ‘howling wilderness’ of the Peak District and has worked in marketing for over 20 years. She grew up reading indiscriminately: Agatha Christie, Stephen King and the Brontës happily coexisted in precarious piles on her bedside table. Visit annacaig.co.uk or @AnnaCaig on Instagram for more information.

Liz Flanagan is an award-winning author from Hebden Bridge. When We Were Divided  is her first novel for adults. Although her previous books are for children, all her novels combine vivid landscapes and emotional depth with fast-paced, gripping stories. She teaches Creative Writing in many different settings, and previously worked as a book editor and as Centre Director for Arvon at Ted Hughes’s former home, Lumb Bank.  See lizflanagan.co.uk /@lizziebooks17 on Instagram for more information.

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If I Had My Time Again: Book Signing with Linda Green

Sunday 19th April. 2:00pm til 3:00pm at The Book Corner. Free

Join local bestselling author, Linda Green who will be signing copies of her new novel, If I Had My Time Again. No need to book, just turn up!

How would you live your life differently, if you had a second chance?

Emily, Carl and Jules have all ‘gone before their time’. After dying on the same day in Halifax, West Yorkshire, they each wake up in a room in a hotel on the outskirts of town. They’re instructed to meet in the basement headquarters of film production company ‘End Credits’, where no-nonsense producer Suzi tells them their lives have been secretly filmed and they must edit their own biopic before they are able to move on.

There are only three rules: they can’t prevent their own deaths or anyone else’s, they can’t kill anyone but they can make a director’s cut – one change which will alter everything that comes after.

With the chance to undo their regrets and explore life’s infinite possibilities, what will they choose?

Linda Green is the bestselling author of thirteen novels, which have sold more than 1.5 million copies in the UK, with foreign rights sold in 15 territories. Her previous novel, One Moment, was a Radio 2 Book Club pick, and her ninth novel, The Last Thing She Told Me was a Richard and Judy Book Club selection. She lives in West Yorkshire with her husband. https://www.lindagreenauthor.com/

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Previous Events

2023

Monday 11th December: Poet Laureate Simon Armitage Book Signing

Saturday 30th September: Learned by Heart – An Evening with Emma Donoghue at Calderdale Industrial Museum

Saturday 30th September: Learned by Heart – In conversation with Emma Donoghue & Rachel Lappin at Square Chapel Arts Centre

Thursday 7th September: The Black Air by Jennifer Lane Book Launch

Sunday 6th August: Storytime with the Dragons of Wainhouse Tower & Mrs Music’s Memory Makers

Wednesday 5th July: John Robb Book Signing at Loafers

Friday 30th June: The Dogs book launch with poet Michael Stewart & illustrator Louis Benoit at Artworks

Tuesday 20th June: Special signing with Simon Armitage for Independent Bookshop Week

Wednesday 31st May & Sunday 4th June: The Yorkshire Coiners – The True Story of the Cragg Vale Gang with Steve Hartley in partnership with The Grayston Unity

Saturday 27th May: Phil Earle, Until the Road Ends – Meet the author & Book Signing

Thursday 11th May: Offcumdens Poetry Night with Emma Storr, Bob Hamilton, Bob Horne, Gaia Holmes, Ross Kightly and Georgie Evans

Wednesday 3rd May: John Robb : The Art of Darkness – The History of Goth in partnership with The Grayston Unity

Thursday 20th April: The North Will Rise Again: Alex Niven in conversation with Anna Coatman

Thursday 30th March: Anne Lister Birthday Week – supporting ALBW2023 events with Jill Liddington and Helena Whitbread at The Piece Hall and Halifax Minster

Saturday 25th February: A Story of the Pub – A Talk by Paul Jennings, in partnership with The Grayston Unity

Sunday 12th February: Wildsmith launch with Liz Flanagan

Saturday 11th February: An Evening with PP Arnold, hosted by Loafers

Saturday 11th February: Dragons Storytime with Sarah Stone and Sue Cordingley

2022

Wednesday 17th August: Bob Stanley in Conversation with Chris Dyson

Thursday 28th July: Dragons Storytime with Sarah Stone and Sue Cordingley

Wednesday 29th June: Walking the Invisible – Michael Stewart in conversation with Mark Wright

Saturday 4th June: Indiana Bones and the Lost Library launch with Harry Heape

Sunday 29th May: While the Storm Rages launch with Phil Earle

Saturday 23rd April: The Great Butterfly Conundrum launch with Sue Cordingley and Sarah Stone

Sunday 10th April: Dragons Storytime with Sarah Stone and Sue Cordingley

Thursday 14th March: Female Fortune with Jill Liddington

Thursday 17th March: The Cuckoo Cage book launch with Comma Press

Wednesday 9th March: 100 voices reading and IWD celebration

Friday 25th February: Maudie Smith Must Have Mum storytelling

2021

22nd to 24th October: Halifax Festival of Words 2021

Saturday 25th September: Tom Palmer Sudden Death book signing

Friday 24th September: Janet Lea The Gentleman Jack Effect book launch

Wednesday 23rd June: Julia Chapman Date with Deceit book signing.

Saturday 19th June: Rob Cowen The Heeding book signing.

Thursday 3rd June: Harry Heape Indiana Bones book launch.

Thursday 3rd June: Phil Earle When the Sky Falls book launch.

Thursday 20th May: Liz Flanagan book signing.

Saturday 8th May: Tom Palmer Arctic Star signing.

2020

Saturday 8th August : Liz Flanagan Book Signing in The Piece Hall Courtyard.

Sunday 2nd August :  Tom Palmer Book Signing in The Piece Hall Courtyard.

Saturday 7th March: Linda Green book signing.

Saturday 29th February: Grandad Wheels story time.

Thursday 27th February: Turn The Page.

Thursday 16th January: Turn The Page.

2019

Thursday 19th December: Poetry by Candlelight with Candlestick Press, featuring Jo Brandon, Carole Bromley, Joolz Denby, Kevin Holloway, Zaffar Kunial, Rob Miles & James Nash. Compered by Ross Kightly.

Thursday 5th December: Chris Mould – visit and book signing.

Wednesday 6th November. Alan Johnson: In My Life. In partnership with The Square Chapel.

Saturday 26th October: Ashley Jackson – Watercolour Sketches Book Signing.

Friday 4th to Sunday 6th October – Halifax Festival of Words.

Saturday 14th September: My Name is Why – In Conversation with Lemn Sissay partnering with The Square Chapel.

Saturday 7th September: Julia Chapman – Dales Detective Series Book Signing.

Thursday 15th August: Turn The Page 12. Poetry and Open Mic night.

Saturday 10th August: The Moss House book signing with Clara Barley.

Thursday 1st August: The Iron Man book signing with Chris Mould.

Sunday 14th July: A History of the World in 21 Women by Jenni Murray partnering with The Square Chapel.

Saturday 13th July: Who was the real Anne Lister? Jill Liddington and Helena Whitbread event as part of Anne Lister Weekend.

Friday 5th July: A Fabulous Creation: David Hepworth talks both rock and roll.

Thursday 4th July: Anna Best – Aunt Grizelda’s Fairy Tales of the Unexpected. Book launch and talk. 

15th-22nd June:  Indie Bookshop Week

Friday 14th June – An evening with Simon Armitage partnering with The Square Chapel

Tuesday 11th June: We Share The Same Skies – What kind of region do we want to live in?

15th June: TotallyLocally Fiverfest 

Thursday 6th June: Will Self partnering with The Square Chapel.

Friday 31st May: The Wandering Poet Tour – Ben Guilfoyle. 

Thursday 23rd May Jill Liddington Writing Anne Lister

Thursday 16th May  Turn The Page 11 Open mic night

Saturday 11th May – Dragon Daughter book signing with Liz Flanagan.

Monday 29th April – D-Day Dog by Tom Palmer launch.

April 2019 – Proudly supporting Independent Publishers:

• Thursday 18th April Built on Sand by Paul Scraton book launch with Influx Press.

• Thursday 11th April Zebra by Ian Humphreys poetry launch. Supported by Natalie Burdett and Zaffar Kunial with Nine Arches Press.

• Friday 5th April  Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession UK book launch with Bluemoose Books.

Thursday 28th March Turn The Page 10. Poetry, music, open mic night.

Friday 15th March – Carol Ann Duffy and Friends, partnering with The Square Chapel

Saturday 9th March – -Book signing with Linda Green.

Thursday 21st February – Story time with Cathy Calvert and Ned.

Sunday 3rd February – Dirty Bertie event with Alan MacDonald, partnering with The Square Chapel

Thursday 17th January    – Turn The Page 9. Poetry, music, open mic night.

2018

Saturday 15th December – Book Signing with Penny Thorpe, author of The Quality Street Girls

Thursday 6th December    – Book signing with Ben Myers and Bluemoose Books.

Saturday 24th November – Book signing with Martine McDonagh

Friday 9th November – The Light in The Dark: A Winter Journal with Horatio Clare

Thursday 1st November – Book signing with Andrew Bibby

Sunday 28th October – Book signing with The Yorkshire Vet – Peter Wright

Saturday 20th October – Burning Brightly: Northern Voices in YA with Liz Flanagan, Mark Illis, Danielle Jawando and Melvin Burgess

Friday 12- Sunday 14th October – Halifax Festival of Words

Saturday 6th October – Afternoon Tea with Alexander McCall Smith

Saturday 29th September  –  Book signing with Mary Jayne Baker

Thursday 27th September –  S.R. Whitehead Launch

Wednesday 12th September. Gaia Holmes Where The Road Runs Out launch

Monday 28th August. Poet’s Corner with Keith Hutson and Mark Pajak

Thursday 23rd August.Turn The Page 7 . Poetry, spoken word, open mic night

Monday 30th July. WordPlay Summer Special Ft. Andrew McMillan, Professor Michael Symmons Roberts & Mark Pajak partnering with WordPlay and The Square Chapel

Thursday 5th July. Four Poets and Environmental Thinking poetry evening

Saturday 30th June. The Tiger Who Came to Tea Party

Thursday 21 June. Turn The Page 6. Poetry, spoken word, open mic night

Tuesday 29th May. Glow Anthology book launch with Gaia Holmes

Sunday 27th May. Benjamin Myers: Under The Rock book signing

Saturday 19th May. Roger McGough: As Far As I Know Tour partnering with The Square Chapel

Monday 14th May. Jill Liddington: Winning Votes For Women in Halifax and Beyond. Talk, Q&A, book signing

Wednesday 26th April. Hollie McNish Plum Tour partnering with The Square Chapel

Thursday 19th April. Turn The Page 5. Poetry, spoken word, open mic night

Wednesday 18th April. Launch of Light After Light by Vicky Gatehouse

Saturday 14th April. Book signing with Julia Chapman

Saturday 7th April. Book signing with Mary Jayne Baker

Thursday 7th December. Book Signing with The Yorkshire Vet – Julian Norton

Saturday 20th January. Stuart Maconie Long Road From Jarrow Tour partnering with The Square Chapel

2017

Sunday 26th November. George Costigan in conversation with Willy Russell partnering with The Square Chapel