'Shivers, Shadows and a Touch of Magic' Hosted by October Jones

This event is suitable for all ages.

Angela Kecojevic

Angela has written extensively for the Oxford Reading Treeprogramme. d, her debut spine-tingling children’s novel was longlisted for the Historical Association’s Young Quills Award. She lives in Oxford where she is working on her new middle-grade adventure, Elliott Wonderful and the Rise of the Statues, a fantasy set in the Bodleian Library (out July 2025)

Carolyn Ward

Carolyn studied for an English degree in Wolverhampton before moving to Manchester, where she worked in retail jewellery for many years, rode horses around Manchester City’s training ground - and nearly fell in the river. Now settled in South Staffordshire and mum to three, she writes middle grade horror. Bella Bright and the Witch Treeis her second novel, the sequel to Bella Bright and the Ghost Game, her award-winning debut (2023).

Antonia Maxwell

Antonia is an editor, writer and general word nerd based near Cambridge, UK.TERRA ELECTRICA: GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH (Book 1) is her debut MG novel. She is fascinated by the power of story, and in her writing for children, she hopes to broaden horizons and engage with our changing world. She wants to encourage children to develop tools of self-understanding, resilience and hope – something which is her own work-in-progress too.

Nazima Pathan

Nazima was born in India and raised in London, moving later to Cambridge where she lives with her husband and two children. She is a children’s doctor and researcher but has always enjoyed reading and writing stories. In a way, science when conveyed well is a tale of the why’s, the how’s and therefore’s.Her debut novel, Dream Hunters, was published in August. Set in India it is the first in a magical adventure series. 12 year old Mimi lives in a hidden citadel where dreams are hunted from around the world using magical mirror portals and dream hooks to reel them in. When Mimi discovers a plot to hunt nightmares instead of gentle dreams, she must travel the length of India and overcome many obstacles including a scary dream technician and the palace guards to save a faraway king from being scared to death in his sleep by concentrated nightmares.

October Jones

October loves the spooky, kooky, magical, fantastical, weird & wonderful world(s) of Children’s Literature & Illustration. She is a children’s librarian,Chairperson of the YLG SE,Ambassador for the FGBG and a⁠National Literacy Champion.

Host or Publisher Blackwell's, Broad Street Oxford