This year's Books Born in Hastings events took place in two venues - there were workshops and talks at the White Rock Hotel on the seafront and an exhibition, book market and prize-giving at the Town Hall on the day of the Opening Ceremony of Hastings Week. Here's a list of the events....

Jung's People

Roadie and Co cover pic wormwood, earth and honey

Charity's Child Step by Step Guitar Making cover pic

Light in the Shade Letters from Lavender Cottage

Author Andy Oakes

Author Monica Tracey Unweaving the Thread

Porkies Shoogle Tide

Routemasters and Mushrooms Road Unravelled

Diamonds Anthology David and Tomoko

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Events at the White Rock Hotel

Tuesday 6th Oct from 3pm

Getting Started in Creative Writing

English teacher and editor Kay Green discusses craft development techniques, courses, workshops and publication opportunities for writers.

Tuesday 6th Oct from 7pm

Romance? Crime? Fantasy?

A panel of local authors discuss the joys and sorrows of working in genre. Featuring ‘Dragon’s Eye’ and ‘Citizen One’ author Andy Oakes.

Wednesday 7th October 3pm

Hastings in WWII Austerity

A talk with readings and photographic display by local author Victoria Seymour.

Wednesday 7th October from 7pm

Writing for Children: Be Very Afraid

Join award-winning children's authors Kate O'Hearn (author of the 'Shadow of the Dragon' fantasies published by Hodder & Stoughton) and Jill Hucklesby (author of 'Deeper Than Blue' and 'Last Kiss of the Butterfly' published by Orchard Books) for a discussion of the politics and pitfalls of writing fantasy and reality fiction for young teens.

How to get there:

The White Rock Hotel is on Hastings seafront, opposite the pier. The bar and restaurant will be open to workshop-goers. Click here for directions and info.

At Hastings Town Hall

10th October 11am-4pm

Exhibition & Sale of Books

& Artwork from Hastings

The book exhibition included works by and about Hastings authors from Catherine Cookson to Grey Owl, from Robert Tressell to David Gemmell.

The book sale included works by local authors Victoria Seymour, Monica Tracey, Kate O'Hearn, Richard Holdsworth, Charles Jones, Jane Richardson and many more, and books published in Hastings, including the launch of Catherine Edmunds' new novel 'Small Poisons', 'the contemporary novel for Midsummer Night's dreamers', published by Circaidy Gregory Press.

The art exhibition included a rare public appearance of 'The Millennium Chronicle of Hastings' by Ron Nicola, and a live demonstration of portrait painting by Juliette Dodd.

At 3pm, the prizes for the winners of the Visions of Hastings competition were presented in the Council Chamber.

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About the authors

	Jill Hucklesby is an award- winning novelist for young teens. Her first book, 'Deeper Than Blue', won the 1066 Schools' Book award in 2008 and was shortlisted for major book awards in Bolton and Cumbria. Her second novel, 'Last Kiss of the Butterfly', is currently nominated for the Southern Schools' Book award 2009.
	Andy Oakes works in education in and around Hastings and calls his writing a hobby but with thriller detective stories published by Daedelus and Macmillan selling in quite a few countries, it sounds like a very successful hobby!
	Kate O'Hearn was born in Canada and raised in New York, now living in Hastings. She has always been a story-lover and last year her first book, 'Shadow of the Dragon Part One, Kira was published. It won the 2009 Schools 1066 Book Award and was followed this year by Part Two, Elspeth and there's more on the way.
	Victoria Seymour says, "iIf you enjoy reading WWII social history and learning about the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary times, then I'm sure you will appreciate my books." Her publications include the ever-popular 'Letters from Lavender Cottage,' 'Court in the Act' - the book that led to Victoria's part in the making of the 'Foyle's War' television series and 'Host Families Wanted' - the story of the English language industry in Hastings.
	Kay Green was a freelance writer and English teacher for some years before the award winning Elastic Press published her first story collection. Fascinated by the goings on in small press world, Kay then went on to set up Earlyworks Press as a resource and meeting point for writers and her own small press, Circaidy Gregory Press

... The Town Hall event on the 10th Oct including historian Chas Jones, who is responsible for the Battle re-enactments, poets Richard Evans and Anne Rouse, artist Ron Nicola, creator of the 'Millennium Chronicle of Hastings', as well as representatives of organisations such as East Sussex Library Service, the Old Hastings Preservation Society and Hastings Writers' Group. A lively and informal day with free entry and refreshments. Click here for photos of the day.

Events for Readers & Writers 6th to 10th October