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 — Welcome from our Chair James Caldwell – Main Room
9:45am – 10:30am – Opening Session with James Caldwell, Mark A Radcliffe and Stephen Howard
10:30am – 10:45am – Tea and Coffee Break
10:45am – 11:30am – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Hazel Hitchins – Magical Realism / Folklore
Room 2 – Matt Hill – Science Fiction
Room 3 – Aria Ashbrook – Romantic Fantasy
11:45am – 12:30pm – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Catrin Cadogan – Romantic Fantasy
Room 2 – Jan Foster – Magical Realism / Historical Fantasy
Room 3 – Marc Harris – Gothic Ghost Stories
12:30pm – 1:30pm – Buffet Lunch
Morning Author Signings (Foyer)
1:45pm – 2:30pm – Keynote Session
August Bloom
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.
2:30pm – 3:00pm – Tea and Coffee Break
Afternoon Author Signings (Foyer)
3:00pm – 3:45pm – Keynote Main Hall
Ben Aaronovitch – Fantasy Crime
Before becoming a bestselling author, Ben Aaronovitch was a screenwriter for Doctor Who and a bookseller at Waterstones. He now writes full time, and every book in his Rivers of London series has been a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller. He is published in 14 languages and has sold more than 2 million copies around the world. Aaronovitch is also a trustee on the board of Cityread London and is a long-time supporter of Nigeria’s premiere arts and cultural festival, The Aké Festival. He still lives in London, the city he likes to refer to as ‘the capital of the world’.
4:00pm – 4:45pm – Keynote Main Hall
Ciamh McDonnell
Caimh McDonnell is an Irish writer. Born in Limerick, raised in Dublin, and later based in Manchester, McDonnell is a former stand-up comedian and TV writer. McDonnell writes comic crime thrillers and humorous paranormal fantasy.
8:30am – 9:30am – Registration Opens
9:30am — Keynote Session
Science Fiction/Fantasy – Adrian Tchaikovsky and RJ Barker
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.
R J Barker is a critically acclaimed and award-winning author of fantasy fiction.
10:15am – 10:45am – Tea and Coffee Break
10:45am – 11:30am – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Rachel Grosvenor Low Fantasy / Magical Realism
Room 2 – Sarah Mughal Rana – High Fantasy
Room 3 – Nemma Wollenfang
11:45am – 12:30pm – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Eliza Chan – Fantasy/Folklore
Room 2 – Sally O’Reilly – Dark Fable
Room 3 – Thom Bedford – Science Fiction / Space Opera
12:30pm – 1:30pm – Buffet Lunch
Morning Author Signings (Foyer)
1:45pm – 2:30pm – Parallel Sessions
Room 1 – Jerry Ibbotson – Urban Fantasy
Room 2 – Kate Dylan – Romantasy
Room 3 – Georgia Summers – Magical Realism
2:30pm – 3:00pm – Tea and Coffee Break
Afternoon Author Signings (Foyer)
3:00pm – 3:45pm – Keynote Main Hall
Romantasy – Venetia Constantine
Venetia Constantine read English at King’s College, Cambridge and holds a PhD in Art History from the Courtauld Institute. She paused a cherished career in the art world to pursue her dreams of becoming an author, swapping galleries for an enchanted windmill, where she now writes full-time. Venetia lives in London with her husband and their three children.
4:00pm – 4:45pm – 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.
See the Full list of Authors
Confirmed Prices for Attendees
| Ticket Type | Ticket Price | Details to Book |
| Saturday or Sunday 1 Day Pass | £90.00 | Click here to Book |
| Weekend Pass | £150.00 | Click here to Book |
