Book festival brings magic of storytelling to Luton

A highly anticipated book tour is bringing the magic of storytelling to Luton.

The Black British Author Book Tour is hitting the road from August, and will stop in Luton on Saturday (August 19) for two free events.

The children’s event will take place at No Ordinary Bookshop in Luton’s market place from 11am to 1.30pm. The two guest authors that will be in attendance are Diane Ewan and Sarah Asquo. Diane is a children’s illustrator who debuted with ‘Pretty Poodle Parlour’. Sarah was previously a volunteer mentor and a teaching assistant in London.

The adults event will take place at Luton Central Library in St George’s Square from 3pm to 7pm. The two featured authors for this portion of the event are Peace Adzo Medie and Krystle Zara Appiah. Peace is an author and scholar who researches the intersection of African studies, gender and women’s studies. Writer and screenwriter Krystle was one of forty writers selected for the London Library's Emerging Writers Programme in 2020.

The launch of the tour is an extension of the Black British Book Festival, which was founded in 2021. The festival hopes to break down barriers for Black British writers and make reading accessible regardless of background or previous encounters with books.

Selina Brown, founder of the Festival and Tour, said: “We believe in fostering diversity and inclusivity, championing emerging talent, and reaching marginalised communities. The incredible support from renowned publishers demonstrates the growing recognition of our mission. We are proud to make a lasting impact on the literary landscape, empowering voices and transforming lives.”