Aylesbury-based national charity announces series of events celebrating its 50th birthday

Calibre Audio is based in the Aylesbury area, but has supported people throughout the country since 1974. Calibre Audio provides audiobooks to people who may otherwise be unable to access books and cannot easily-read print.

For its 50th anniversary the charity is working with a number of high profile authors including the former Suede bassist Mat Osman, who like his brother, Richard, has turned to novel writing in later life.

British historian and author, Roger Moorhouse, bestselling novelist, Lisa Jewell, award-winning Young Adult author, Jenny Ireland, Filipino journalist and author, Candy Gourlay, and Mortal Engines author Philip Reeve, are also participating in the 2024 project.

Called, Calibre Conversations, the not-for-profit organisation is hosting an online book festival featuring acclaimed author interviews and panel discussions that will be posted on the charity’s website here.

Mat’s interview was the first one to go live on the Calibre Audio website, he discussed his feature The Ghost Theatre, a wild and hallucinatory reimagining of

Elizabethan London.

Members of the writing group The Magazine Girls will be sharing their experiences working for popular outlets from the 1960s to the 1980s including Rave, Mirabelle, Valentine, Loving, Petticoat, and 19. Famous names The Magazine Girls interviewed included David Bowie, David Cassidy, Marc Bolan, Elton John, The Who and Bob Marley, amongst others. The Magazine Girls went on to become high-profile fashion and beauty editors, PRs, stylists, features and showbiz writers, working on best-selling women’s magazines such as Woman’s Own, Woman, and Good Housekeeping, Hello! and national newspapers.

Candy Gourlay who writes about the history of the Philippines and American invasion in late 1800, will speak about her books Bone Talk and Wild Song. Mortal Engines’ writer Philip Reeve will be joined by author and illustrator Sarah McIntyre to talk about their book series Adventure Mice. Author, radio producer and podcast host, Joe Haddow will discuss his first book for children, Art Is Everywhere.

In July a panel will discuss accessibility and representation in children’s books, a further in-person event is planned for October.

In August, author and historian Roger Moorhouse will talk about his work researching acclaimed books including The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust’s Most Audacious Rescue Operation.

Rounding up the online aspect of the festival in September will be an interview with Lisa Jewell, author of debut novel Ralph’s Party, which she wrote after accepting a challenge from her friend to write three chapters of a novel in exchange for dinner at her favourite restaurant. Novels such as Thirtynothing, After The Party, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, Invisible Girl and The Night She Disappeared followed along with her latest book None of This Is True.

Calibre Audio director of commissioning and editorial Emma Scott said: “Accessibility is at the heart of what we do at Calibre Audio. Our new Calibre Conversations Festival aims to reach as many people as possible and create new ways to discuss and interact with a brilliantly exciting array of writing talent and much loved authors.