Claire, the Women's Prize-shortlisted and Costa Award-shortlisted author of Unsettled Ground, will be talking about her writing, her acclaimed novels, and her latest book, Hunger & Thirst—a compelling new novel set in Winchester. She might even share a glimpse of what's next... including which of her novels are heading to the big screen. Followed by a Q&A hosted by Elaine Sperber.

Claire Fuller is a successful British author who began writing fiction at the age of 40. Author of six acclaimed novels, including Our Endless Numbered Days, Bitter Orange, Unsettled Ground, and the 2026 release Hunger and Thirst.

She’s won the 2015 Desmond Elliott Prize, the 2021 Costa Novel Award, and was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Her six novels are: Hunger and Thirst (2026); The Memory of Animals, (2023);  Unsettled Ground (2021) (which won the Costa Novel Award 2021, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction); Bitter Orange (2019) (longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award); Swimming Lessons (2017) (shortlisted for the Encore Prize for second novels, and Livre de Poche Prize in France); and Our Endless Numbered Days (2015) (winner of the 2015 Desmond Elliott Prize for debut fiction). They have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Elaine Sperber spent over six years as Head of Drama at CBBC, where she executive produced more than 50 drama and comedy series and won multiple BAFTA and Royal Television Society awards. Her credits include Fungus the Bogeyman and Millie Inbetween, which she went on to create and executive produce for the channel. Stig of the Dump, made during her CBBC years, won an International Emmy. Earlier in her career she was Vice President of Production at HBO Pictures in the US. She later left television for bookselling, opening The Bookmark in Stockbridge.

FREE ENTRY

Why not book a table for tapas and listen to live music from Claire’s son, acoustic guitarist Henry Ayling.