Isle of Wight Literary Festival
2024-10-04 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Northwood House, Northwood House, Ward Avenue, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 8AZ, United Kingdom
I took part in the From Inspiration to Publication panel at the Isle of Wight Literary Festival, talking with Anna Britton, Sarah Lawton, and Angela Buckley about our experiences in the publishing world.

Historical Fiction Talk
2024-11-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Ventnor Arts Club, 13 High Street, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, PO38 1RZ, United Kingdom
I gave a small talk at the Ventnor Arts Club about my experience of writing historical fiction. It was lovely to do a very local event!

A Merciful Sea Launch
2025-03-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Come and celebrate the launch of A Merciful Sea, the third book in the Nightingale/Courtney trilogy, at Medina Bookshop! I’ll be there to sign books and chat about the series.

Bowlines Maritime Festival
2025-06-06 13:30 - 14:30 | Exeter Customs House, 46 The Quay, Exeter, EX2 4AN, United Kingdom
As part of the Bowlines Maritime Festival, at 1.30pm on Friday 6 June, I will be chatting with Alaric Bond and JD Davies about naval literature and the Age of Sail genre.
The Bowlines Maritime Festival is a fabulous event set up by Exeter Customs House, drawing together people from the worlds of maritime history and archaeology and naval literature. There are a number of great panels taking place across Friday 6 June and Saturday 7 June, as well as the annual meeting of the Society for Nautical Research.

Pages, Plots and Publishing: A Panel of Local Authors
2025-07-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
A panel of local Isle of Wight authors, specialising in various genres, will be talking about their diverse experiences in the publishing world. Whether traditionally published, indie published, or self-published (or a mix of all three), their journeys have all been different. They will explore the joys and difficulties of these industries, from querying to marketing, and illuminate the ups and downs of their respective genres.

Katie Daysh is an author of queer historical fiction, focusing on the lives of men in the 19th century Royal Navy. Her Age of Sail series follows the lives and careers of Hiram Nightingale and Arthur Courtney. The first book, Leeward, was a Times Historical Novel of the Year 2023 and was shortlisted for the 2024 HWA Debut Crown Awards. She was born on the Isle of Wight and lives there.
Mary Grand is a bestselling author of murder mysteries set in the present time but in the style of classic whodunits. These are set on the Isle of Wight where she lives and writes, and include a series featuring amateur detective Susan Flynn. Mary’s writing career started with three self-published novels starting with Free to be Tegan, set in Wales where Mary was born and grew up.
Kathryn Rossati is a poet and author of young adult and children’s books, including her latest release, Naturally Nic/k, out through the independent publisher Book Guild. She is neurodivergent and has hypermobility spectrum disorder. She lives on the Isle of Wight and is often found daydreaming or receiving ‘constructive’ criticism from her boisterous parrot and chatterbox budgie.
Anna Britton is the author of Shot in the Dark and Close to the Edge, part of her traditionally published crime series starring Gabe Martin and Juliet Stern. She also self-publishes under the name Annie Bennet, focusing on cosy romance and fantasy. Something New, the first in the Isle of Doughnut series, is her first self-published novel.

Katie Daysh in Conversation
2025-07-24 20:00 - 21:30 | Department, 29-30 Cross Street, Ryde, PO33 2AA, United Kingdom
On July 24 at 8pm, I will be ‘In Conversation’ with the Isle of Wight literary magazine, Brevity, at Department, Ryde. I will take part in a Q&A, discussing my journey as a writer and the publishing industry, and there will be dramatic readings of excerpts from Leeward!
Tickets are £7 and available here.

Book Lovers' Lunch at Play on Words Festival
2025-10-22 12:00 - 14:30 | The Cliff House, Marine Drive West, Barton on Sea, BH25 7QL, United Kingdom
On Oct 22, I will be speaking at the Book Lovers’ Lunch at the Play on Words Festival!
Join us at the Cliff House for a literary lunch with Katie Daysh, an author from the Isle of Wight who loves to explore unheard voices in fiction. In her main genre, historical fiction, she enjoys placing queer characters at the heart of the narrative, and most of her books are set on the sea. She is the author of the Nightingale/Courtney queer naval adventure series. Her debut novel, Leeward, was one of The Times’ best historical fiction novels of 2023.
Hear from Katie about her writing life and books over a two course lunch using local seasonal ingredients with a choice from the Cliff House’s fuss free, modern British menu, with a stunning view across the Solent: a treat for book club members, fans of a good read or anyone who loves great food and even better company.
Tickets are available here.
