Kate Mosse: Life and Literature

Multimillion-selling novelist Kate Mosse CBE, one of Britain’s leading literary figures, has been added to the line-up for this year’s Jersey Festival of Words. Ms Mosse, whose acclaimed literary output also includes plays, essays and non-fiction, much of it focused on the role of women in history, will join other star names including Slow Horses author Mick Herron, the ‘Twitter Poet Laureate’ Brian Bilston, The Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler and comedian Helen Lederer.

This new headlining event replaces a scheduled appearance by television presenter and acid attack victim Katie Piper that has been unfortunately cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

Best known for her 2005 novel Labyrinth, which has been translated into more than 30 languages, and the subsequent volumes in her Languedoc Trilogy and Joubert Family Chronicles, Kate Mosse was the founder director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The 30th anniversary of that prize scheme, now expanded to include an award for non-fiction, was celebrated recently with a reception for shortlisted writers attended by Queen Camilla.

Bestselling fellow author and Festival Patron Peter James said: “Kate Mosse is a brilliant and immensely engaging public speaker and a global No.1 bestseller, whose most famous novel, Labyrinth, has been named as one of Waterstones’ top 25 books of the past 25 years. She has always been generously supportive of other authors and a true champion of female writers. I have known Kate for many years and I can guarantee that anyone who comes to listen to her is in for a real treat.”

Kate Mosse is also the founder of the global Woman in History campaign. Her latest book, Feminist History for Every Day of the Year, is her first aimed at young adults and is said to ‘shine a spotlight on amazing women and girls changing our world for the better’.