The Cheshire Book Festival of Other Worlds is a specialist 2 day festival for Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing. The event will have dedicated sessions to authors on Magical Realism, Epic Fantasy, Dystopian, Horror Romantasy and Science Fiction. Taking place on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th September 2026 at the Daresbury Park Hotel Red Brow Lane, Warrington WA4 4BB.
2026 Programme
8:30am – 9:30am – Registration Opens
9:30am — Keynote Session
Romantic Fantasy – Speaker TBC
10:15am – 10:45am – Tea and Coffee Break
10:45am – 11:30am – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Mark A Radcliffe – Magical Realism
Room 2 – Stephen Howard – Horror
Room 3 – TBC
11:45am – 12:30pm – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Hazel Hitchins – Magical Realism / Folklore
Room 2 – TBC
Room 3 – Heather G Harris – Romantic Fantasy
12:30pm – 1:30pm – Buffet Lunch
Morning Author Signings (Foyer)
1:45pm – 2:30pm – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Catrin Cadogan – Romantic Fantasy
Room 2 – Jan Foster – Magical Realism / Romantic Fantasy
Room 3 – TBC
2:30pm – 3:00pm – Tea and Coffee Break
Afternoon Author Signings (Foyer)
3:00pm – 3:45pm – Keynote Main Hall
Magical Realism & Cosy Fantasy – Naomi Ishiguro / August Bloom
Naomi Ishiguro was born in London in 1992. Her debut novel, Common Ground, was published by Tinder Press in the spring of 2021, and her collection of stories, titled Escape Routes, was published in the spring of 2020 (also by Tinder Press). She is a graduate of the University of East Anglia’s MFA Creative Writing Programme, and has worked as both a secondary school English teacher and a freelance creative writing teacher. She also spent a lovely two years in her early twenties working as a bookseller and bibliotherapist at Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath.
August Bloom writes magical novels from her cosy writing studio in Gloucestershire. She devours gentle fantasy stories alongside cinnamon buns and loves the cooler autumn months when she can curl up under a blanket with a good book. Her co-writer is a chronically clumsy Labrador who she explores the countryside with.
4:00pm – 4:45pm – Keynote Main Hall
Horror Fantasy – Emily Cooper
Emily Cooper is a published scientist with a Master’s degree in Biology and a lifelong obsession with the natural world. She lives near Manchester in a 330-year-old cottage, which she’s fairly certain is haunted, providing ample inspiration for her novels.
8:30am – 9:30am – Registration Opens
9:30am — Keynote Session
Science Fiction – Adrian Tchaikovsky
Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, has practised law and now writes full time. He’s also studied stagefighting, perpetrated amateur dramatics and has a keen interest in entomology and tabletop games.
10:15am – 10:45am – Tea and Coffee Break
10:45am – 11:30am – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Rachel Grosvenor
Low Fantasy / Magical Realism
Room 2 – TBC
Room 3 – TBC
11:45am – 12:30pm – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Elliot J Harper – Science Fiction
Room 2 – Sam K Horton – Magical Realism / Low Fantasy / Folklore
Room 3 – TBC
12:30pm – 1:30pm – Buffet Lunch
Morning Author Signings (Foyer)
1:45pm – 2:30pm – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Lorraine Wilson – Magical Realism / Dystopian / Science Fiction / Folkloric and Dark Fantasy / Eco Fiction
Room 2 – TBC
Room 3 – TBC
2:30pm – 3:00pm – Tea and Coffee Break
Afternoon Author Signings (Foyer)
3:00pm – 3:45pm – Keynote Main Hall
Horror & Folk Horror – Leigh Radford / Liam Higginson
Leigh Radford trained as a broadcast journalist. She produced and presented arts and entertainment content and documentaries for UK commercial radio, BBC Radio, Time Out, The Times and The Sun. A former book publicist, she is a 2023 graduate of Faber Academy. She is currently developing content for film and television through her production company, Kenosha Kickers. One Yellow Eye is her debut novel.
Liam Higginson was born and raised in rural North Wales and now works in the arcade management office at Llandudno Pier. The Hill in the Dark Grove is his debut novel.
4:00pm – 4:45pm – Keynote Main Hall
High Fantasy – Speaker TBC
See the Full list of Authors
Confirmed Prices for Attendees
| Ticket Type | Ticket Price | Details to Book |
| Saturday or Sunday 1 Day Pass | £70.00 – available until 31st May | Click here to Book |
| Weekend Pass | £100.00 – available until 31st May | Click here to Book |
