Authors
Image credit: Chris Ord
Acclaimed northern author Chris Ord writes dark, atmospheric page turners set in wild and rugged Northumberland.
He has published five novels: Becoming (2016) and Awakening (2019) are both part of the dystopian fantasy Gaia series; The Storm (2018) is a supernatural thriller set in the nineteenth century; Shadowfolk (2022), a haunting adult fairytale, was shortlisted for a Northern Writers' Award in 2021; and his latest The Deal (2022) is a folk horror set on the Northumberland coast. His current work in progress, a middle-grade adventure titled, Cuddy's Jewels was shortlisted for the Sid Chaplin Award in 2022. All his novels have received excellent reviews and widespread critical acclaim.
Chris has presented his work in schools, libraries, at writing events such as Noir at the Bar and The Stanza, and has featured in several magazines including, Writing Magazine, Living North, NARC, and Northumbria University’s OnEdge. In 2017, he was commissioned to write a series of short stories for Woodhorn Museum’s Wonderfolk exhibit.
When Chris is not plotting new storylines and killing off characters, he likes to toot his horn in his hometown brass band. Chris has always loved exploring the world and has lived and taught in Turkey, Portugal and India, and travelled far beyond. He currently lives in his beloved Northumbria with his wife, four boys, and Monty the mad, ever-hungry labrador.
Want to preview one of Chris's books before the event? Click on here for information on how to do so.
He has published five novels: Becoming (2016) and Awakening (2019) are both part of the dystopian fantasy Gaia series; The Storm (2018) is a supernatural thriller set in the nineteenth century; Shadowfolk (2022), a haunting adult fairytale, was shortlisted for a Northern Writers' Award in 2021; and his latest The Deal (2022) is a folk horror set on the Northumberland coast. His current work in progress, a middle-grade adventure titled, Cuddy's Jewels was shortlisted for the Sid Chaplin Award in 2022. All his novels have received excellent reviews and widespread critical acclaim.
Chris has presented his work in schools, libraries, at writing events such as Noir at the Bar and The Stanza, and has featured in several magazines including, Writing Magazine, Living North, NARC, and Northumbria University’s OnEdge. In 2017, he was commissioned to write a series of short stories for Woodhorn Museum’s Wonderfolk exhibit.
When Chris is not plotting new storylines and killing off characters, he likes to toot his horn in his hometown brass band. Chris has always loved exploring the world and has lived and taught in Turkey, Portugal and India, and travelled far beyond. He currently lives in his beloved Northumbria with his wife, four boys, and Monty the mad, ever-hungry labrador.
Want to preview one of Chris's books before the event? Click on here for information on how to do so.
Originally from Manchester, Val Scully is an adopted Geordie. She is the author of three historical novels, three local history books and an historical biography. The Bowes family of County Durham are ancestors of the King: they had a house just along the street from the venue.
The scandalous, dramatic story of eighteenth-century heiress Mary Eleanor Bowes was the subject of her second novel, whilst her third wove the Bowes family history with the turbulent radical events of the nineteenth century: it culminates in the creation of the glorious Bowes Museum.
Val leads the Gibside Research Group and the Publications Group of the ‘Land of Oak & Iron’ in Durham’s Derwent Valley. Her latest book, The Wheel of Time, weaves social and industrial history with stories and myths.
Val is member of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle Upon Tyne, the Bewick Society and Newcastle’s fabulous Lit & Phil, the largest independent library outside London.
Want to preview one of Val's books before the event? Click here for information on how to do so.
The scandalous, dramatic story of eighteenth-century heiress Mary Eleanor Bowes was the subject of her second novel, whilst her third wove the Bowes family history with the turbulent radical events of the nineteenth century: it culminates in the creation of the glorious Bowes Museum.
Val leads the Gibside Research Group and the Publications Group of the ‘Land of Oak & Iron’ in Durham’s Derwent Valley. Her latest book, The Wheel of Time, weaves social and industrial history with stories and myths.
Val is member of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle Upon Tyne, the Bewick Society and Newcastle’s fabulous Lit & Phil, the largest independent library outside London.
Want to preview one of Val's books before the event? Click here for information on how to do so.
Emma Whitehall is a neurodivergent author and bookseller from the North East of England.
Her YA steampunk novel Clockwork Magpies was longlisted for the 2020 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition, and was published with Northodox Press in February 2022. Heretical is her second novel, about a group of teenage supervillains. When she’s not writing, Emma works at the bound in Whitley Bay; an independent bookshop where she spends her time getting overly excited about new releases and drinking a ridiculous amount of hot chocolates.
Heretical will be published in August 2024. Here's an intro:
Ignatia Heretical isn’t shaping up to be much of a Hero.
The daughter of the most famous Villain in the country, Ig is finding that no matter hard she tries, no-one at her illustrious Hero academy seems to trust her. Or, you know. Like her. At all. Her only friend is Pisces – the beautiful, popular girl she’s been hopelessly in love with since she started school at the Lunalist Academy For The Gifted and Talented.
However, Ig’s chance to prove herself comes when she’s signed up for a secret reconnaissance mission; infiltrate Shackleton School for Villains and work out their nefarious plans.
Pretend to be a Villain. Make friends with an unhinged botanist, a mad scientist and his insufferable clone/lab assistant. Find out their secrets. Go home a Hero. What could possibly go wrong?
Want to preview one of Emma's books before the event? Click here for information on how to do so.
Her YA steampunk novel Clockwork Magpies was longlisted for the 2020 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition, and was published with Northodox Press in February 2022. Heretical is her second novel, about a group of teenage supervillains. When she’s not writing, Emma works at the bound in Whitley Bay; an independent bookshop where she spends her time getting overly excited about new releases and drinking a ridiculous amount of hot chocolates.
Heretical will be published in August 2024. Here's an intro:
Ignatia Heretical isn’t shaping up to be much of a Hero.
The daughter of the most famous Villain in the country, Ig is finding that no matter hard she tries, no-one at her illustrious Hero academy seems to trust her. Or, you know. Like her. At all. Her only friend is Pisces – the beautiful, popular girl she’s been hopelessly in love with since she started school at the Lunalist Academy For The Gifted and Talented.
However, Ig’s chance to prove herself comes when she’s signed up for a secret reconnaissance mission; infiltrate Shackleton School for Villains and work out their nefarious plans.
Pretend to be a Villain. Make friends with an unhinged botanist, a mad scientist and his insufferable clone/lab assistant. Find out their secrets. Go home a Hero. What could possibly go wrong?
Want to preview one of Emma's books before the event? Click here for information on how to do so.
Harry Gallagher is widely published in the UK and overseas, with several collections and pamphlets to his name, his most recent full collection being ‘there is an england’ (Stairwell Books, 2023).
He has written for the BBC, Northern Rail, Great North Museum and others. He is on the online editorial team of The Morning Star and runs the Tyne & Wear stanza of The Poetry Society and is at any one time working/collaborating on several other projects .
He has written for the BBC, Northern Rail, Great North Museum and others. He is on the online editorial team of The Morning Star and runs the Tyne & Wear stanza of The Poetry Society and is at any one time working/collaborating on several other projects .