International Writers' Blog

Comedian Robin Ince joins us at Hay Festival Winter Weekend next month to explain that scientific wonder isn’t just for the professionals. Read an extract of his latest book The Importance of Being Interested here...

Posted 12 October 2021 by Robin InceRead more

Dan Jones will join us at Hay Festival Winter Weekend on 26 November to discuss his new historic epic Powers and Thrones. Read an exclusive extract of the novel here...

Posted 6 October 2021 by Dan JonesRead more

Ahead of her upcoming appearance at Hay Festival Winter Weekend, we're offering an exclusive extract from Elizabeth Day's latest novel Magpie...

Posted 4 October 2021 by Elizabeth DayRead more

Journalist and broadcaster Pete Paphides shares the story behind writing his memoir, Broken Greek, and recommends a few other books music lovers will enjoy...

Posted 17 June 2021 by Pete PaphidesRead more

Debut novelist Hafsa Zayyan offers her reflections from her first ever visit to Hay-on-Wye, where she joined journalist Sammer Rahim on stage to discuss We Are All Birds of Uganda.

Posted 15 June 2021 by Hafsa ZayyanRead more

Creative Wales Hay Festival International Fellow 2021-22 poet and translator Mererid Hopwood reflects on her second outing as our travelling fellow in a year like no other, beaming in to Hay Festival 2021... 

Posted 14 June 2021 by Mererid HopwoodRead more

An extract from The Anthill, set in modern-day Colombia, explores what it means to travel

Posted 5 June 2021 by Julianne PachicoRead more

It's Hay Festival time and that means Shepherds Ice Cream!

Posted 3 June 2021 by Connie OrbachRead more

We are right to worry about climate change, but that worry can be turned into hope and radical optimism. Here are six ways we can start to fix the planet.

Posted 2 June 2021 by Owen HewlettRead more

Without insects, there would be no flowering of plants or flowering of culture either

Posted 2 June 2021 by Jay GriffithsRead more

Dylan Moore explores the significance of living in a border town, and the border countries of Wales and England

Posted 1 June 2021 by DYLAN MOORERead more

Robert Jones Jr links the issues in his debut novel The Prophets, set in 1800s America, and its legacies worldwide today

Posted 1 June 2021 by Robert Jones JrRead more

Jini Reddy, author of Wanderland, finds inspiration for her writing in natural surroundings – and the market town of Hay

Posted 1 June 2021 by Jini ReddyRead more

'Human Cyborg' Peter Scott-Morgan was interviewed at Hay Festival by Stephen Fry on Sat 29 May. He described his transition to Peter 2.0 in order to outlive motor neurone disease

Posted 1 June 2021 by Peter Scott-MorganRead more

Charles Saumarez Smith, art historian and former Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts, thinks local museums and slow visiting will be more popular post-Covid

Posted 31 May 2021 by Charles Saumarez SmithRead more

Nick Crane on the joy of returning to Hay after a year of lockdown

Posted 31 May 2021 by Nick CraneRead more

Kate Griggs, founder of the charity Made By Dyslexia, talks at Hay Festival about the superpowers of Xtraordinary people

Posted 30 May 2021 by Kate GriggsRead more

Festival stars and special guests chose readings to inspire hope for the future at the launch of Hay Festival 2021

Posted 27 May 2021Read more

Helena Attlee tells how coming to Hay takes the story of Lev's violin full circle

Posted 26 May 2021 by Helena AttleeRead more

Joseph Coelho urged children to shout and whisper when they read their own poems, and Simon Mole reassured them they could write a poem in just ten minutes.

Posted 26 May 2021Read more