Visitors were invited to try “speed dating for authors” this week when four local writers shared their work at a Farnham Literary Festival event.

The Celebrating Local Authors event at Farnham Library on Tuesday, March 10 saw Margot Shepherd, Damiano Polcaro, Jerry Timmins and Sally Ann Melia each give a short 25-minute presentation on their work, allowing readers to hear about their writing journeys.

The rotating format meant visitors could sample a range of genres while hearing directly from the authors about their creative processes and literary careers.

Among them was science fiction author Sally Ann Melia, the pen name of Farnham town councillor Sally Dixon. Her Dodecahedral Empire series spans 12 human worlds linked by politics, conflict and shifting loyalties. A huge fan of Star Wars and Star Trek, she has also drawn inspiration from modern fantasy such as Game of Thrones.

Jerry Timmins, a former BBC producer and reporter, spent 15 years overseeing media coverage for the Americas, Africa and the Middle East. His novel An Elusive Truth draws on his experiences working in Haiti, including a chilling real-life incident when he faced a mock execution by government troops.

Asked why he did not write a non-fiction account of his life in Haiti, he said: “My publisher wanted me to do that, but I wanted to write a novel. I had all these ideas about separation, it was called Separation to start with, and the plot kind of took over.

“I’ve spent all my career writing factual stuff, I wanted to do something a bit different and to see if I could do it.”

Margot Shepherd, who lives near Haslemere, writes historical and contemporary literary novels inspired by real events and her career as a scientific researcher. Her first book, Never Closer, explored the untold stories of the women involved in the discovery of penicillin. Her latest novel, The Yellow Tail Moth, is a mystery centred on two women and the natural world.

Damiano Polcaro is a creative director and scriptwriter from Woking. His debut novel, Bastard, released in August 2025, is a darkly funny crime thriller influenced by Jack Reacher author Lee Child and the films of director Guy Ritchie. He is now working on a sequel titled Karma, alongside screenwriting projects.

Guests also had the question the authors and buy signed copies of their books after the talks, rounding off an evening celebrating local writing talent.