The Exchange, Sturminster Newton

This day pass, for our opening day of FRIDAY 6 JUNE, gives access to two events.

International bestselling author Natasha Solomons will discuss her latest book, Cleopatra, with Jenny Devitt. Told from the perspectives of both Cleopatra and Caesar's mistress Servilia, CLEOPATRA is a powerful, unmissable new retelling that draws out the real woman behind the great legend. It is a captivating story of female power and vulnerability, of love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal: it's time to meet the real Cleopatra.

Flights to Freedom—Claret Press authors Pen Farthing and Mark Blackburn discuss their very different but equally turbulent travel tales in their books Operation Ark and Final Approach: My Father and Other Turbulence.

Sturlitfest 2025 is hosting a celebration of our town's vibrant community of families from Bulgaria and Central Europe with an afternoon of stories, music, dance, images and food.

One of the most important parts of Lorraine Gibson’s research for Elvis: The King of Fashion was staying in Memphis to soak up the atmosphere and visit the locations in the city where Elvis lived, worked, and first found fame. Following in his blue-suede footsteps, she discovered amazing places, people and stories, some of which are included in her talk (illustrated with a slide-show of photos).

In this special event for Sturminster Newton Literary Festival, Sally Page will talk about the inspiration for her book, The Secrets of Flowers with local florist Emma Whicher from Martha and the Meadow. The talk will be preceded by a floristry demonstration by Esme from Daisy Delbridge. The Secrets of Flowers is a story based on a newly widowed lady and the florist on the Titanic.

Chancing upon this obscure all-female literary club in academic works led the authors to investigate further. Founded in 1736 by the young, free-thinking Susanna Ashley-Cooper the 4th Countess of Shaftesbury, the members met to read and discuss Shakespeare’s plays. Appalled that The Bard’s “earthy” plays had been “cleaned-up”, the SLC campaigned to re-stage the original texts - and to install a long overdue statue to him in Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey.

This day pass, for our opening day of WEDNESDAY 11 JUNE, gives access to two crime related events.

Winner of the 2022 Dorchester Literary Festival Prize for local writers, Tess Burnett's debut novel, The Hanging of Hettie Gale, is inspired by a love of Dartmoor. In this discussion with Jo Durrant, Tess will talk about her writing journey, finding her confidence to write, and starting her writing journey at an older age. She will also talk about how nature, myths and legends inspire her stories and that it's never too late to follow your dream.

Award winning crime writer Rachel McLean sets many of her novels in Dorset. In this talk she will outline how she researches locations in Dorset and sets the scene for a crime to take place in her books. Rachel will also highlight her latest book, The Lyme Regis Women’s Swimming Club.

From sea to summit, Jessica Hepburn tells tales from her new book Save Me From the Waves, which charts her journey of survival, endurance and personal growth. An unlikely athlete, Hepburn hates exercise, only discovering its assets when she finds herself heartbroken and in her forties. Now, she is the first and only woman to have completed the ‘Sea, Street, Summit’ challenge (swim the English channel, run the London Marathon and climb Mount Everest) in the world.

A day pass to three events on FRIDAY 13 JUNE.

Andrew Norman’s book is about how the great Dorset man-of-letters described, in his poems and novels, his love for Emma; but also his estrangement from her as their marriage gradually deteriorated over the years; and finally his intense grief at her death. Why did he feel such grief, given the circumstances, and how did he cope with bereavement? Finally, he reveals a liaison which Hardy had with one of his female servants, which took place at Sturminster Newton and had unforeseen consequences!

Michael Langridge, in conversation with Dr Tracy Hayes, talks about his latest novel, ‘A Casterbridge Tale’. Set in Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, it is a crime novel featuring Detective Inspector Hawkins, a principal character from his highly acclaimed first novel ‘A Second Mrs Clare’. In ‘A Casterbridge Tale’. Hawkins must negotiate his way between his duty and his conscience, jeopardising his career and his life as he tracks down the instigators of a brutal and outrageous crime.

In this special event, internationally acclaimed author Tracy Chevalier will be in conversation with Sarah Sexton and Jenny Devitt. The Glassmaker follows the fortunes and failures of a glassmaking family over the course of 500 years, entwining personal history with the history of Venice. Tracy will discuss the inspiration behind the novel, her research into glassmaking, and her writing process. Sarah Sexton will also discuss Sturminster Newton's pioneering stained glass artist and suffragist, Mary Lowndes.

A day pass to three events on Saturday 14 JUNE.

The Science Lover’s Guide to London features several scientists with a Dorset and Westcountry background. In this talk, Rachael will outline famous scientists from Dorset who made a difference to society with their inventions. There are several Dorset connections to the science world, from developing safer obstetric forceps to pioneering citizen science and describing a new disease. Rachael will outline where you can see places associated with the scientists in the talk, both in London and locally.

Greg Duncan has recently published "Champagne in a Broken Teacup" a historical novel inspired by the activities of his French aunt who was a forger and fighter in the French Resistance during WW2. In his talk he will be explaining how he researched the historical setting for this novel and how he wove critical historical elements into the story to provide a living background for the plot.

Sunday Times bestselling author & WW2 SAS expert, Damien Lewis, will discuss SAS Great Escapes 4, focusing on his process and collaboration with key people,  including the relatives of those in the SAS who escaped. He’ll share the compelling stories, along with diaries and documents that were crucial in bringing these historical events to light.