The worlds of horror and fantasy collide at Bedford Central Library, for another great literary event as part of the Bedford Borough Year of Reading.
The Council is teaming with comic book store Close Encounters to welcome Sunday Times best-selling author Holly Race, and Bram Stoker Award nominee Josh Winning to Bedford Central Library on Saturday 18 October at 11am.
Both authors will sit on a panel chaired by author, journalist, and reviewer Sarah L Miles to discuss why genres like horror and fantasy are perfect all year round (and which is best!). Each of them will talk about their own books, and there will be time for questions from the audience.
Holly Race is the author of the historical fantasy Sunday Times best-selling Six Wild Crowns, a feminist, fantasy retelling of the six wives of Henry VIII, and YA urban fantasy trilogy Midnight’s Twins.
Josh Winning is the critically acclaimed author of Burn the Negative, which was longlisted for a Bram Stoker Award, as well as Heads Will Roll, and The Shadow Glass. He is a senior film writer at Radio Times and has written for Total Film, Gay Times and Den of Geek.
Both will be talking about their favourite genres, and possibly even which of their fictional characters they would “snog, marry…or kill!”
Close Encounters is kindly making the session possible, while Bedford Borough Libraries are providing the venue.
Josh and Holly will be signing books after the event at the Close Encounters store in Allhallows. If you would like to pre-order any books for the authors to sign, you can visit the shop or email katy.closeencounters@gmail.com to place an order. This follows a successful joint event on Free Comic Book Day in May this year, adding to the calendar of events for the Year of Reading.
This is a free event but places should be booked in advance at Authors Holly Race and Josh Winning at Bedford Central Library Tickets, Sat 18 Oct 2025 at 11:00 | Eventbrite or call or visit Bedford Central Library.
You can find out more about the Bedford Borough Year of Reading at www.bedford.gov.uk/yearofreading
And you can see the full selection of comics, graphic novels, manga, books, merchandise and more that is available at Close Encounters at https://www.closeencounters.co.uk/