One of the UK’s most in-demand authors, Jasper Fforde, is lined up for a much-anticipated speaker event in Axminster.

A writing phenomenon not just in the UK but across the world, Fforde will be interviewed by Archway Bookshop’s Tim Pritchard at the Minster Church on Friday 20 September from 6.30pm.

Owner of Archway Books Simon Holmes said: “The Community Waffle House is our regular home for author events but we have previously filled the Minster Church for an Ann Cleeves interview and we know that Jasper has a big following. He certainly has some great enthusiasts amongst our regular customers.”

Forde is the author of 17 books over a range of genres including fantasy, crime and sci-fi.  Before his breakthrough as an author with ‘The Eyre Affair’ in 2001, he had worked in the film industry for 19 years in roles that included ‘focus puller’ on top films.

He always harboured a dream of becoming a full time writer and finally broke through after receiving 76 rejection letters. Over the past 23 years, he has acquired a huge reader base with some extraordinary stories of devotion - one couple even adopted the name of his legendary character Thursday for their daughter.

 In Swindon, the local council named roads after characters in his books. Fforde is known mainly for his ‘Thursday Next’ novels, but has also published two books in the loosely connected ‘Nursery Crime’ series, two in the ‘Shades of Grey’ series and four in ‘The Last Dragonslayer’ series.

He is regarded as a very collectable author, with limited edition hardbacks often selling out months before publication. He likewise has a massive following in the United States. 

In Axminster he will be talking mainly about his latest publication, ‘Red Side Story’, the long-awaited sequel to ‘Shades of Grey’, as two citizens of a world whose hierarchies are based on the colour spectrum strike out on a quest looking for answers.

Tickets are available from Archway Bookshop - £7 for the event only or £20 with a copy of the book. You can also book online via www.archwaybookshop.co.uk.