Spread The Word Festival 2016 - We're Excited!!

Candy Jar is really excited to be getting involved with the Spread The Word Literary Festival 2016, coming to you on World Book Day, Thursday March 3rd.

The amazing event is hosted by Stephens & George Centenary Charitable Trust in Merthyr Tydfil town center, and is one of the biggest annual arts and literature festival in Wales for children.

Spread The Word Festival was first launched in 2013, and with the great success that was seen has been a recurring fixture in Wales' annual line-up. With previous themes including Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, this years event is based on characters created by the iconic Cardiff-born author Roald Dahl.

The main influence of the event will be Roald Dahl's hugely influential classic Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, and the event locations will be teaming with Oompa Loompas, and even Willy Wonka (on stilts!!) Keep an eye out for the Glass Elevator!

Among the famous faces which will feature at the Merthyr Tydfil event, including BBC Drama Waterloo Road's Richard Mylan and CBBC poet Joseph Coelho, we are privileged to announce that Candy Jar authors Alison Thomas, Emmerdale actress Sammy Winward, People's Book Prize 2014 Nominee Anthony Ormond, Mark Brake & Jon Chase, and the renowned pop-culture artist Nathan Wyburn will be featuring at the event!

There will be author-led talks and workshops for children of all ages, as well as the opportunity to buy signed copies of their books and meet the authors in person.

There will be food, there will be drink, and there will even be crafty stalls to get your hands mucky!

Keep an eye out for the event schedules, and we will see you there! (hopefully in costume)

Photo credit: Sir Quentin Blake (The Guardian)

Spread The Word Festival will be held at various locations in the Merthyr Tydfil town centre Thursday March 3rd, 2016. Further details will follow. 

HAY FESTIVAL

Yesterday Eileen and Hayley travelled up through part of the beautiful Brecon Beacons to attend the famous Hay Festival. Hay is renowned for its commendation of great writing. Poets, scientists, lyricists, comedians, novelists and environmentalists worldwide gather together to host talks on their innovative publications. The exchanging of views and collaboration of ideas has earned Hay Festival the label of ‘the Woodstock of the mind’. During May 2015, well-known writers and personalities such as Stephen Fry, Bear Grylls, Malorie Blackman and Michael Morpurgo were invited to join the literary celebrations as well as Candy Jar Books’ very own Eileen Younghusband.

Ninety-three year old Eileen was incredibly honoured and humbled to be invited to talk at the prestigious festival and even got bumped up to the largest tent on site. She was interviewed by the Telegraph’s, brilliant Martin Chilton and they had a great long chat about her extraordinary life in front of a captive audience. Eileen had a wonderful time and would like to thank all those who attended.

Eileen Younghusband talking to Martin Chilton at Hay 2015

Hannah Frank

MEN I HAVE KNOWN LAUNCHES AT COWBRIDGE BOOK FESTIVAL

Author Eileen has published her second title through Candy Jar Books, Men I Have Known.

Not a straightforward autobiography, Men I Have Known is a tribute to the variety, the skills and the different characters of the huge range of people she has come across during a long life enriched by travel and adventure but also coloured by more than its fair share of tragedy. Giving a unique, intimate and personal perspective on some of the most influential men of the twentieth century, as well as some characters hitherto unknown, Eileen writes about Winston Churchill, Rex Harrison, Dylan Thomas, members of NASA, musicians at Glyndebourne, actors, caterers, soldiers, politicians, and even Idi Amin!

Eileen was interview by radio and TV broadcaster Roy Noble and you can watch it here:



The book is now available via all good book stores, online and via the Candy Jar website.

www.candyjarbooks.co.uk