James Eno

 James Eno writes political thrillers with a dash of a wry smile: relaxed, sexy and full of evocative landscape. He is the grandson of the American writer from the Edwardian period, Henry Lane Eno. James has travelled extensively, reflected in the settings of his books, Seeking The Spoils and Shadows On The Island, in Scotland, the European Parliament, and the Caribbean. His next book, due in 2013, will be set in Shetland.

David Lipsey

David Lipsey is a Labour peer and racing fanatic. He is a former director of the Tote and chair of the Shadow Racing Trust. He is President of the British Harness Racing Club (and drives pacers) and Chairman of the British Greyhound Racing Board. In between racing engagements he has been a political adviser to the Foreign Secretary and to Tony Blair when Prime Minister, a senior journalist on The Times and Sunday Times,  ‘Bagehot’ of The Economist and a member of the government commissions on long-term care of the elderly, the voting system, and the funding of the BBC. He lives on the Welsh borders with his wife and trotters.

Jessica Meredith

Jessica Meredith moved to the Welsh borders in the 1990s after working in publishing in London. As a writer she has contributed to several rural magazines and has ghosted for many celebrities – ‘hiding my writing behind their public personae’, as she says. Her first novel under her own name, Beyond Gospel Pass, is a family saga set around Hay.

Simon Mundy

Simon Mundy has written several books of poetry, biographies of composers, and volumes on cultural politics and management. He is the official blogger for the Hay Festival (www.hayfestival.com - click on ‘Writing from Hay). His first novel, Silent Movements, is published by Hay Press and the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber wrote of it, ‘Simon Mundy really knows where music, politics and history collide. He also understands the processes of a performer’s life.’ Away from writing Simon is on the boards of many arts organisations, including the European Union Baroque Orchestra, is an Adviser to UNESCO and is Associate Fellow of the African Leadership Centre at King’s College London in Nairobi.