“As the daughter of one of The Talliswood’s Ambassadors, it’s Aerva’s job to hold everything together. Eredhest’s war on her people may have ended, but there is always a cost to staying alive, and tensions are starting to grow again. Now, as part of a last-ditch peace deal, she has been shipped off to Udela Arkanium, one of Eredhest’s finest schools, right in the heart of enemy territory. All she has to do is get to the end of the school year alive, and without making too many enemies, and her people might stand a chance of surviving.

But when a mysterious assassin breaks into the temple on a mission to kill a teacher, Aerva’s life is suddenly turned on its head. With the help of a troubled poet, a healer from the wrong side of the mountains, and a killer who cannot kill, Aerva sets out to unravel a plot that could threaten the whole world…

…and maybe, just maybe, she’ll be able to save herself in the process.

‘A Constellation of Shadows’ is the debut, YA fantasy novel by Kay Rowan, and Book One of the upcoming Talliswood Series. The book has been described as Shadow and Bone x His Dark Materials, and is rich with found family vibes and queer representation. When she isn’t coming up with useless bits of world building, (did you know that the traditional food of The Andalian Archipelago is spiced honey cake?), Kay can be found writing songs as ghostgirl, composing music for the stage and screen, and navigating an existential crisis (or four).”

Emma.R.Schofield is a British fantasy writer whose debut book, The Nature of Shadow, came out in March this year. It is the first of a Literary High Fantasy series for five, the second of which, Anhame, will also (fingers crossed) be available at the fair.

The Nature of Shadow is a Literary High Fantasy series is for people who love myth and magic, dragons and sword-fighting, and walking the path of story with a frighteningly powerful protagonist who nevertheless faces entirely human struggles. Low on violence and sex, it is suitable for fantasy lovers from young adult to long-retired elder.

Book 1: The Nature of Shadow
Anhame, the Hall under the six point star, is the only place Lia can learn how to use her terrifying powers. But to take the oath, and to pass through the trials, she must conceal the darkness that is her nature. How long can she hide her dark secret from the Masters of her craft? And if they find out, what will they do to ensure she is not a danger to everyone around her?

Book 2: Anhame
The only way that Lia’s powers will reach their full potential is if she passes through the trials. What will Fate place in her path to test her higher senses to their limits? And has she learned enough, is she powerful enough, to escape the terrifying deaths that claim those who fail?

GILLES OF BEC AND THE CAGE FULL OF BIRDS by T D OWEN

An historical novel and mystery set in 12th century Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

The Cage Full of Birds is story of real people who lived and struggled in The Anarchy of twelfth century England; a stirring tale of self-discovery, the triumph of hope over doubt and, ultimately, of good over evil.

REVIEWS

‘I have been devouring A Cage Full of Birds! I love it, truly! The characters are so well drawn,
and Gilles shines through like a Candide.’

‘Such detail, characters, description, pace… brilliantly done.’

‘What a dance you’ve done there, so good. You made the landscape and period integral
to the reading experience, not just the characters and plot.’

‘The descriptive passages are very lyrical and beautifully evocative of their local settings.’

‘Great suspense building and humour too. I have laughed out loud at many places.’

TIM OWEN is an historian, author, public speaker, teacher and battlefield tour guide with a flair for the dramatic.

“Jared Cade is the Amazon number one bestselling author of Agatha Christie and the Eleven Missing Days, which is being released as a major film in 2027 starring two-time Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, French cinematic icon Vincent Cassel and Game of Thrones’ star Alfie Allen.

During an appearance on the British television quiz The $64,000 Question, Jared Cade won the top prize on his specialist subject of Agatha Christie’s novels. He is a former tour guide for a bespoke luxury travel company, escorting parties around Agatha Christie’s former home Greenway, in Devon, which is open to the public courtesy of the National Trust.

Jared Cade is also the multi award-winning creator of the crime-solving duo of actor Lyle Revel and cellist Hermione Bradbury. The couple take centre stage in a series of British cosy murder mysteries that blend classic Golden Age influences with contemporary crime storytelling. Key titles in the series include The Elusive Dietrich, Murder on London Underground and Deadly Fortune.

Jared Cade’s authoritative two-volume magnum-opus began with the publication of Secrets from the Agatha Christie Archives, which was nominated for the prestigious ALCS Gold Dagger Award for Non-Fiction in 2025. The highly anticipated concluding tome Agatha Christie’s Spotlight on Murder is set for release in November 2026.”

Nicholas House is an independent author writing primarily Science Fiction and Paranormal Thrillers but is happy to turn his hand to whatever genre takes his interest.

He was born in Southern England but moved to North Wales at a young age and took up writing early. Inspired by the works of Jules Verne, Greek mythology and the Welsh valleys, he wrote about wizards and fantasy whilst dabbling in some poetry.

Encouraged by the mountains he grew up surrounded by, Nicholas would embrace his love of the outdoors and study Geoscience at University. Afforded the chance to travel during his studies, Nicholas found a renewed inspiration in the varied cultures and landscapes he would encounter.

After his studies, he would move to Oxfordshire with his wife and son, using his knowledge of Geology and an interest in space to write articles for an astronomy magazine and produce scripted videos for his personal YouTube channel.

Strange Region is a publisher of experimental writing by artists, novelists and poets.

​They endeavour to use publishing as a collaborative tool to celebrate writing as performance, as architecture, as a mechanical component of creative practice and as a space to enjoy the perilous corners of the human experience.

​They were established in 2022 and are based in Bristol, UK.