This anthology has been compiled as a souvenir of the first ever Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival, a new free celebration of books and reading, held in a small Cotswold village in Gloucestershire, England. It contains samples of the works of all the authors and poets who took part in the festival, and is designed to be both a souvenir of the first festival and an overture to the second one, which will be held on 23rd April 2016. The text includes both fiction and non-fiction, ranging from historical and contemporary fiction to travelogues and self-help, from sinister thrillers to light-hearted humour. As in the festival itself, there is something to interest all kinds of readers and to encourage festival guests to try books beyond their usual comfort zone. All of the authors have published books currently available to order in bookshops and online, and the Festival organisers hope that after enjoying this sampler, you will want to buy more books by the contributors. Thank you very much for supporting Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival. For more information about the festival, visit its website at www.hulitfest.com.