Book signing with Phil Earle for FINN’S EPIC FAILS
Sat 31st Jan, from 2pm in The Book Corner. Free
Come and meet local, award-winning author Phil Earle for his new middle-grade novel Finn’s Epic Fails. Phil will be in the bookshop from 2:00pm to sign books and chat. No booking needed, just turn up!
About the book:
Finn just wants to survive Year 7, but his life is destined to be a series of epic fails.
It’s only Tuesday and his scheming, unicorn-obsessed little sister has already stuck a horn to his head (with superglue) and his properly evil older brother has wedgied him 278 times. And don’t even ask what happened at swimming, in front of the WHOLE CLASS. At least he has best friends Laszlo (a hopeless romantic) and Google (ask her anything) by his side as he attempts to turn failure into victory in his very own book that is definitely not a diary.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Illustrations by the brilliant and hilarious AL MUPRHY – Mortifying moments – Laughter guaranteed – Disastrous supply teachers – A stinky stray dog who may just be the PERFECT best friend – PRANKS! – OFF THE SCALE FAILOMETERS! – And much more!
13th – 15th February 2026: The Halifax Goth Festival returns with The Grayston Unity
A Bloody Valentine: Doomed Love in the Gothic Tradition
Friday 13th Feb, 6pm in The Book Corner. £6 / £5.
Forget hearts and flowers this Valentine’s: on Friday the 13th, join us as we step into the shadows and the dark side of love.
A Bloody Valentine delves into the twisted passions and tragic romances at the heart of Gothic storytelling. Gothic authors and experts, Claire O’Callaghan and Michael Stewart, wander through the shadowy corridors of Gothic fiction and history alike, uncovering why doomed love remains so irresistibly seductive. Expect tales of desire turned deadly, devotion turned delusion, and figures who are truly ‘mad, bad, and dangerous to know.’
Come for the heartbreak, stay for the horror—sometimes, love is the most terrifying story of all.
Dr Michael Stewart is the author of nine books, including four Gothic influenced novels: King Crow; Café Assassin; Ill Will: The Untold Story of Heathcliff; and Black Wood Women. He is also the creator of the Brontë Stones project, four monumental stones situated in the landscape between the birthplace and the parsonage, inscribed with poems by Kate Bush, Carol Ann Duffy, Jeannette Winterson and Jackie Kay. He is the director of the Brontë Writing Centre.
Dr Claire O’Callaghan is the author of Emily Brontë Reappraised, the most up-to-date biography of the enigmatic writer. She has written extensively about Gothic Literature and is an expert on the lives and works of the Brontës and in the writing of the contemporary historical novelist, Sarah Waters, an author known and celebrated for her delightfully haunting texts. She is also the editor-in-chief of Brontë Studies: the foremost academic journal on the lives and works of the Brontë family.
Tickets available in-store or on Eventbrite.
Lynchian: the Spell of David Lynch
Saturday 14th Feb, 2pm at The Grayston Unity. £5
Join John Higgs in conversation with Michael Stewart to unpack the strange and seductive world of David Lynch.
The loss of David Lynch in January 2025 produced an extraordinary outpouring of love and grief that revealed how deeply he mattered. But the strength and size of this reaction came as a surprise to many. In life, Lynch was a wilfully obtuse cult filmmaker who had been unable to get a film financed for the last two decades of his life. In death, both the man himself and his work are unquestionably in the pantheon of all-time greats.
He leaves behind an adjective, ‘Lynchian’, a term used to describe work that echoes his. And yet, only Lynch could be truly Lynchian, and those who copy him fail to have an impact. So why does his work affect people so deeply? Why do some find it haunting and unforgettable while others dismiss it as meaningless? Answering that question takes us into the strange realms of psychology, art and theology. We will discover why ambiguity and mystery are so seductive and how Lynch’s creative and meditative practices overlapped.
John Higgs is the author of Lynchian, Exterminate/Regenerate, I Have America Surrounded, The KLF, Stranger Than We Can Imagine, Watling Street, The Future Starts Here, William Blake Now, William Blake VS The World and Love and Let Die. He lives in Brighton.
Dr Michael Stewart is the author of nine books, including four Gothic influenced novels: King Crow; Café Assassin; Ill Will: The Untold Story of Heathcliff; and Black Wood Women. He is also the creator of the Brontë Stones project, four monumental stones situated in the landscape between the birthplace and the parsonage. He is the director of the Brontë Writing Centre.
Tickets available at The Grayston Unity bar or on SeeTickets.
Full festival info online: https://thegraystonunity.co.uk/event/goth-festival-2/
Wise Women, Witches and War: New Northern Historical Fiction
Wednesday 25th March from 6:30pm at The Grayston Unity. Free
Join local authors Anna Caig and Liz Flanagan who will be discussing their new historical novels.
Authors Anna Caig and Liz Flanagan will present their new historical novels set in the seventeenth century. Both are exciting, immersive novels that centre on the challenges faced by women of the 1600s.
Anna’s novel The Wise Witch of Orkney follows a wise woman with an impossible mission who is disguised as a lady-in-waiting at the court of the witch hunting King James VI.
Liz’s novel When We Were Divided is set in Yorkshire in 1643. It’s about three people living through that turbulent time, divided by civil war, plague and unrest, but who find themselves able to unite through courage, hard-won forgiveness and love.
This is a free event but please reserve your place here. Please note, this event will now take place at The Grayston Unity.
About the authors:
Anna Caig is obsessed with the hidden voices of women and a compelling underdog story. Luckily, history offers plenty of these. She’s inspired by the glimpses into a woman’s life we get before the historical record moves onto something considered much more important. What was happening in these gaps? Anna grew up in Halifax, now lives in the ‘howling wilderness’ of the Peak District and has worked in marketing for over 20 years. She grew up reading indiscriminately: Agatha Christie, Stephen King and the Brontës happily coexisted in precarious piles on her bedside table. Visit annacaig.co.uk or @AnnaCaig on Instagram for more information.
Liz Flanagan is an award-winning author from Hebden Bridge. When We Were Divided is her first novel for adults. Although her previous books are for children, all her novels combine vivid landscapes and emotional depth with fast-paced, gripping stories. She teaches Creative Writing in many different settings, and previously worked as a book editor and as Centre Director for Arvon at Ted Hughes’s former home, Lumb Bank. See lizflanagan.co.uk /@lizziebooks17 on Instagram for more information.
Previous Events
2025
Friday 12th December – Book signing with Chris Mould
Sunday 19th October: RLF presents “The Writer and the City” with Amanda Dalton, Zoe Howe & Pete Kalu
Sunday 19th October: Chris Mould illustration workshop
Saturday 18th October: This Is How I Fight poetry evening with Rosie Garland, Suzannah Evans & Amanda Dalton
Saturday 11th October: Jamie Taylor in conversation with Doug Field for Studio Electrophonique, at The Grayston Unity
Saturday 18th October: Simon Goddard in conversation with Michael Stewart for Bowie Odyssey 75, at The Grayston Unity
Friday 17th October: Global Publishing in the North talk with Kevin Duffy (Bluemoose Books) & Hazel Holmes (Fox & Ink Books)
Thursday 16th October: The Book of Bradford event with Comma Press, featuring David Barnett, Lesley McEvoy & MY Alam
Sunday 12th October: Neil Horsley talk at Calderdale Industrial Museum for his book Mills Transformed
Sunday 12th October: Lisa Taylor talk at Calderdale Industrial Museum for her book Threads of Labour
Saturday 11th October: Elizabeth Alker in conversation with Abi Bliss for Everything We Do Is Music, at The Grayston Unity
Saturday 11th October: Stuart Maconie in conversation with Mark McKay for With A Little Help From Their Friends, at The Grayston Unity
Thursday 9th – Sunday 19th October: TOWN Festival of Music & Words with The Grayston Unity
Monday 6th October: New Cemetery Book Signing with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage
Wednesday 9th July: The Scrapbook event with Heather Clark and Anastasia Carr
Saturday 31st May: launch signing with Phil Earle for The Dawn of Adonis
Thursday 24th April: Scientists for XR book event for Scientists on Survival
Saturday 22nd March: Book signing with Linda Green for The Woman With All The Answers
Saturday 15th February: Paul Weatherhead’s Weird Calderdale, as part of Halifax’s first Goth Festival in partnership with The Grayston Unity.
Saturday 15th February: Book signing with Rosie Garland, as part of Halifax’s first Goth Festival and in partnership with The Grayston Unity.
Friday 14th February: Spellbound: an evening of Gothic fiction, as part of Halifax’s first Goth Festival with Claire O’Callaghan and Michael Stewart. In partnership with The Grayston Unity.
Thursday 16th January: He Used To Do Dangerous Things book launch with Gaia Holmes and Comma Press’ Ra Page.
2024
Saturday 7th December: Black Wood Women book signing with Michael Stewart
Thursday 5th December: an evening of Cosy Christmas Crime with Sarah Dunnakey and J M Hall, hosted by Mark Wright
Thursday 21st November: Christ on a Bike indie bookshop launch with Orla Owen and Kevin Duffy of Bluemoose Books
Thursday 24th October: A Dream of White Horses book launch with author Paul Scraton and Kevin Duffy of Bluemoose Books
10th-20th October: TOWN Festival of Music & Words, a festival with 40+ events across Halifax town centre. Curated by The Book Corner and The Grayston Unity.
Thursday 10th October: Book signing with Chris Mould for War of the Worlds publication day
Saturday 27th July: Special Rare Singles book signing with Benjamin Myers
Wednesday 24th July: Kick the Latch event with Kathryn Scanlan and Adelle Stripe. In association with New Writing North
Saturday 20th July: Book signing with AJ West
Wednesday 16th July: Climbing Days event with Dan Richards and Rozie Kelly
Thursday 11th July: Book signing with Jill Liddington
Sunday 2nd June: Drink Maps in Victorian Britain by Kris Butler at The Grayston Unity
Thursday 30th May: Indie Launch Party of Ghost Mountain by Rónán Hession with Bluemoose Books
Wednesday 10th April: Special Blossomise book signing with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage
Sunday 7th April: The Second-Hand Boy book signing with Jennifer Lane
Tuesday 2nd April: Anne Lister – Pioneer Feminist or Old Tory Squire Talk with Jill Liddington for the Anne Lister Birthday Festival
Friday 29th March: Strange Things are Happening event with Richard Norris at the Golden Lion, Todmorden
Thursday 28th March: The Rentier City – Isaac Rose in Conversation with Daniel Whittall
Sunday 17th March: The Pirate’s Dragon by Liz Flanagan Book Launch
Thursday 14th March: Book signing with Hollie McNish and Michael Pedersen
Friday 26th January: Weird Calderdale: Spooky Forgotten Legends and Ghost Panics with Paul Weatherhead at Calderdale Industrial Museum
Tuesday 9th January: Phil Earle Book Launch for Northern Soul with Barrington Stoke
2023
Monday 11th December: Poet Laureate Simon Armitage Book Signing
Saturday 30th September: Learned by Heart – An Evening with Emma Donoghue at Calderdale Industrial Museum
Saturday 30th September: Learned by Heart – In conversation with Emma Donoghue & Rachel Lappin at Square Chapel Arts Centre
Thursday 7th September: The Black Air by Jennifer Lane Book Launch
Sunday 6th August: Storytime with the Dragons of Wainhouse Tower & Mrs Music’s Memory Makers
Wednesday 5th July: John Robb Book Signing at Loafers
Friday 30th June: The Dogs book launch with poet Michael Stewart & illustrator Louis Benoit at Artworks
Tuesday 20th June: Special signing with Simon Armitage for Independent Bookshop Week
Wednesday 31st May & Sunday 4th June: The Yorkshire Coiners – The True Story of the Cragg Vale Gang with Steve Hartley in partnership with The Grayston Unity
Saturday 27th May: Phil Earle, Until the Road Ends – Meet the author & Book Signing
Thursday 11th May: Offcumdens Poetry Night with Emma Storr, Bob Hamilton, Bob Horne, Gaia Holmes, Ross Kightly and Georgie Evans
Wednesday 3rd May: John Robb : The Art of Darkness – The History of Goth in partnership with The Grayston Unity
Thursday 20th April: The North Will Rise Again: Alex Niven in conversation with Anna Coatman
Thursday 30th March: Anne Lister Birthday Week – supporting ALBW2023 events with Jill Liddington and Helena Whitbread at The Piece Hall and Halifax Minster
Saturday 25th February: A Story of the Pub – A Talk by Paul Jennings, in partnership with The Grayston Unity
Sunday 12th February: Wildsmith launch with Liz Flanagan
Saturday 11th February: An Evening with PP Arnold, hosted by Loafers
Saturday 11th February: Dragons Storytime with Sarah Stone and Sue Cordingley
2022
Wednesday 17th August: Bob Stanley in Conversation with Chris Dyson
Thursday 28th July: Dragons Storytime with Sarah Stone and Sue Cordingley
Wednesday 29th June: Walking the Invisible – Michael Stewart in conversation with Mark Wright
Saturday 4th June: Indiana Bones and the Lost Library launch with Harry Heape
Sunday 29th May: While the Storm Rages launch with Phil Earle
Saturday 23rd April: The Great Butterfly Conundrum launch with Sue Cordingley and Sarah Stone
Sunday 10th April: Dragons Storytime with Sarah Stone and Sue Cordingley
Thursday 14th March: Female Fortune with Jill Liddington
Thursday 17th March: The Cuckoo Cage book launch with Comma Press
Wednesday 9th March: 100 voices reading and IWD celebration
Friday 25th February: Maudie Smith Must Have Mum storytelling
2021
22nd to 24th October: Halifax Festival of Words 2021
Saturday 25th September: Tom Palmer Sudden Death book signing
Friday 24th September: Janet Lea The Gentleman Jack Effect book launch
Wednesday 23rd June: Julia Chapman Date with Deceit book signing.
Saturday 19th June: Rob Cowen The Heeding book signing.
Thursday 3rd June: Harry Heape Indiana Bones book launch.
Thursday 3rd June: Phil Earle When the Sky Falls book launch.
Thursday 20th May: Liz Flanagan book signing.
Saturday 8th May: Tom Palmer Arctic Star signing.
2020
Saturday 8th August : Liz Flanagan Book Signing in The Piece Hall Courtyard.
Sunday 2nd August : Tom Palmer Book Signing in The Piece Hall Courtyard.
Saturday 7th March: Linda Green book signing.
Saturday 29th February: Grandad Wheels story time.
Thursday 27th February: Turn The Page.
Thursday 16th January: Turn The Page.
2019
Thursday 19th December: Poetry by Candlelight with Candlestick Press, featuring Jo Brandon, Carole Bromley, Joolz Denby, Kevin Holloway, Zaffar Kunial, Rob Miles & James Nash. Compered by Ross Kightly.
Thursday 5th December: Chris Mould – visit and book signing.
Wednesday 6th November. Alan Johnson: In My Life. In partnership with The Square Chapel.
Saturday 26th October: Ashley Jackson – Watercolour Sketches Book Signing.
Friday 4th to Sunday 6th October – Halifax Festival of Words.
Saturday 14th September: My Name is Why – In Conversation with Lemn Sissay partnering with The Square Chapel.
Saturday 7th September: Julia Chapman – Dales Detective Series Book Signing.
Thursday 15th August: Turn The Page 12. Poetry and Open Mic night.
Saturday 10th August: The Moss House book signing with Clara Barley.
Thursday 1st August: The Iron Man book signing with Chris Mould.
Sunday 14th July: A History of the World in 21 Women by Jenni Murray partnering with The Square Chapel.
Saturday 13th July: Who was the real Anne Lister? Jill Liddington and Helena Whitbread event as part of Anne Lister Weekend.
Friday 5th July: A Fabulous Creation: David Hepworth talks both rock and roll.
Thursday 4th July: Anna Best – Aunt Grizelda’s Fairy Tales of the Unexpected. Book launch and talk.
15th-22nd June: Indie Bookshop Week
Friday 14th June – An evening with Simon Armitage partnering with The Square Chapel
Tuesday 11th June: We Share The Same Skies – What kind of region do we want to live in?
15th June: TotallyLocally Fiverfest
Thursday 6th June: Will Self partnering with The Square Chapel.
Friday 31st May: The Wandering Poet Tour – Ben Guilfoyle.
Thursday 23rd May Jill Liddington Writing Anne Lister
Thursday 16th May Turn The Page 11 Open mic night
Saturday 11th May – Dragon Daughter book signing with Liz Flanagan.
Monday 29th April – D-Day Dog by Tom Palmer launch.
April 2019 – Proudly supporting Independent Publishers:
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Thursday 18th April Built on Sand by Paul Scraton book launch with Influx Press.
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Thursday 11th April Zebra by Ian Humphreys poetry launch. Supported by Natalie Burdett and Zaffar Kunial with Nine Arches Press.
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Friday 5th April Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession UK book launch with Bluemoose Books.
Thursday 28th March Turn The Page 10. Poetry, music, open mic night.
Friday 15th March – Carol Ann Duffy and Friends, partnering with The Square Chapel
Saturday 9th March – -Book signing with Linda Green.
Thursday 21st February – Story time with Cathy Calvert and Ned.
Sunday 3rd February – Dirty Bertie event with Alan MacDonald, partnering with The Square Chapel
Thursday 17th January – Turn The Page 9. Poetry, music, open mic night.
2018
Saturday 15th December – Book Signing with Penny Thorpe, author of The Quality Street Girls
Thursday 6th December – Book signing with Ben Myers and Bluemoose Books.
Saturday 24th November – Book signing with Martine McDonagh
Friday 9th November – The Light in The Dark: A Winter Journal with Horatio Clare
Thursday 1st November – Book signing with Andrew Bibby
Sunday 28th October – Book signing with The Yorkshire Vet – Peter Wright
Saturday 20th October – Burning Brightly: Northern Voices in YA with Liz Flanagan, Mark Illis, Danielle Jawando and Melvin Burgess
Friday 12- Sunday 14th October – Halifax Festival of Words
Saturday 6th October – Afternoon Tea with Alexander McCall Smith
Saturday 29th September – Book signing with Mary Jayne Baker
Thursday 27th September – S.R. Whitehead Launch
Wednesday 12th September. Gaia Holmes Where The Road Runs Out launch
Monday 28th August. Poet’s Corner with Keith Hutson and Mark Pajak
Thursday 23rd August.Turn The Page 7 . Poetry, spoken word, open mic night
Monday 30th July. WordPlay Summer Special Ft. Andrew McMillan, Professor Michael Symmons Roberts & Mark Pajak partnering with WordPlay and The Square Chapel
Thursday 5th July. Four Poets and Environmental Thinking poetry evening
Saturday 30th June. The Tiger Who Came to Tea Party
Thursday 21 June. Turn The Page 6. Poetry, spoken word, open mic night
Tuesday 29th May. Glow Anthology book launch with Gaia Holmes
Sunday 27th May. Benjamin Myers: Under The Rock book signing
Saturday 19th May. Roger McGough: As Far As I Know Tour partnering with The Square Chapel
Monday 14th May. Jill Liddington: Winning Votes For Women in Halifax and Beyond. Talk, Q&A, book signing
Wednesday 26th April. Hollie McNish Plum Tour partnering with The Square Chapel
Thursday 19th April. Turn The Page 5. Poetry, spoken word, open mic night
Wednesday 18th April. Launch of Light After Light by Vicky Gatehouse
Saturday 14th April. Book signing with Julia Chapman
Saturday 7th April. Book signing with Mary Jayne Baker
Thursday 7th December. Book Signing with The Yorkshire Vet – Julian Norton
Saturday 20th January. Stuart Maconie Long Road From Jarrow Tour partnering with The Square Chapel
2017
Sunday 26th November. George Costigan in conversation with Willy Russell partnering with The Square Chapel
