Putting real authors and real readers together is the motivation for the hugely-popular Saturday Signings at Kenilworth Books.

The regular weekend events are held at the Talisman Square bookshop throughout the year and give customers the chance to meet and chat with writers who are often yet to be discovered and may well be their next favourite read.

For the authors, it is a great chance to promote their work at a time when the shop is at its busiest.

Ever-popular, a number of Saturday Signings have already been held in 2026, including Paul Taylor heading to Kenilworth Books as part of the recent Kenilworth Fringe Festival's packed programme.

Explaining the importance of the events, Kenilworth Books owner Judy Brook told Nub News: "The Saturday Signings have been running for a long time now.

"They are a great opportunity for authors to showcase their work and for readers to meet 'real' authors! 

"We're proud that, like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we operate a 'no vetting policy' for our Saturday Signings. So unless your book is offensive or illegal there is a space for you at the bookshop.  

"As well as a diverse variety of writers and poets joining us on Saturdays, we will also have a children's author coming in for our half-term activities this week.

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"On Friday 20 February Helene Phillips will be in store with her first picture book 'Bog and the Paper Boar' from 10am-12pm. 

"Whether young or old, meeting an author can be not only interesting but inspirational!"

2026 is an even more important year than usual for championing authors and their books as it is The National Year of Reading.

Promoted by the Literacy Trust, the 12-month campaign is the "biggest in a generation" designed to help more people discover - or rediscover - the joys of reading in their everyday lives.

Judy continued: "We believe it's more important than ever to bring books to life and what better way than meeting the people who actually write them.  

"We have no doubt that reading for pleasure plays a huge part in making us not only smarter but also happier.

"We're really hoping that as the National Literacy Trust are suggesting everyone will GO ALL IN this year and really enjoy not only our Saturday Signings but also try some of the many other events we have happening in and outside the bookshop."

The 2026 schedule at Kenilworth Books is already getting very busy with other upcoming events seeing Laura Ten (February 21), Pauline Crame (February 28), Aidan McRae Thomson (March 7), Sara Fox (March 21) and James Carrac (March 28) head to the town centre shop in the next few weeks alone.

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But Judy and the team are still on the lookout for more authors to come and host their own Saturday Signings.

"This is a chance for local authors, both traditionally published, and self-published to come and be at the shop, at a time when it is typically already busy," Judy explained. 

"It is an opportunity for them to present their book publicly, tell others they are going to be here, invite friends and relations to come by, and generally get the word out to promote and sell their books.

"If you'd like to be part of our programme, drop us a line on [email protected]."

The full list of Saturday Signings and other events at Kenilworth Books can be found on the website here https://www.kenilworthbooks.co.uk/events/

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