Andy Severn of Oxford eBooks organised a book fair in the village where I live. I encouraged author, architect and founder of the Isle of Wight festival, Ray Foulk and publisher James Harrison to have stands. We felt the idea was fantastic but that it needed to be located in the Hollywood of Stories – Oxford!
The first OXIB fair was all set to go in April 2020 and, like everything else it was cancelled due to Covid. Eventually it took place in Nov 2021. It was a success (see pics on the oxib website). People were still nervous of being in a crowd so we concentrated on raising awareness among writers and soon had a long waiting list for exhibitors. We had tapped into a need. When the big literary festivals began they catered for international, national and local authors but gradually the local has diminished. Small traditional publishers like my publisher, Claret Press, don’t get a look in no matter how interesting their books.
It’s tough finding an agent to get to access to the big publishers so more and more people are self -publishing using companies like Oxford eBooks and Oxfordfolio. I have just used Oxford eBooks to self -publish my first Whodunit. Claret Press doesn’t publish the genre and I didn’t want to wait to find another publisher. Current of Death is set where I live and, even if it doesn’t get read internationally, it will be popular locally. The first launch will be at the Fourth Oxford Indie Book Fair on Sunday Nov 26 at the Oxford University Examination Schools. With prolific publisher ,Chris Andrews, and prolific local crime writer, Peter Tickler, I’ll discuss Oxford Murder Capital of the World?
DO come… it’ll be fun. The fair is double the size of last year. See the exhibitor directory. https://www.oxfordindiebookfair.co.uk/exhibitor-directory/
There is something for everyone of all ages. It’s free and the talks are free.The Examination Schools are not open to the public and it’s an impressive building.
Here is where I’ll speak in front of a small screen!!
Programme here. https://www.oxfordindiebookfair.co.uk/whats-on/
If you like the idea of our free welcoming and inclusive event do please share my post.
Ray Foulk
We met at a screen writing course at Oxford University Continuing Education and I was privileged to compere two of his book launches . I love the sketch my friend Weimin He made of the launch of Stealing Dylan from Woodstock.
Picasso’s Revenge was in the Museum of Modern Art.
My first connection with James Harrison (Oxfordfolio) was at a similar time. I wrote for the Oxford Times for 20 years. My ten year popular Oxtopian castaway series was turned into three books. Oxfordfolio published Oxford Castaways 2 and 3. Dwina Gibb paid the printing costs of OC3 so the proceeds went to Sobell House . We raised over £3,600 for the hospice)
Felicity Dick has become generous patron of the Oxford Indie Book Fair and also paid for OC2 in support of the world’s first hospice for people with terminal mental illness –Vale House. As E.M Forster said
Only Connect .
