Hello Book Lovers

Andrew, Dial Lane Books
Apr 10
4 min read

5 Years

You can't fail to have noticed that we celebrated a huge milestone on 3rd March – 5 years of Dial Lane Books, and of being Ipswich’s ONLY indie bookshop. Its been one a hell of an unprecedented 5 years, and it’s certainly not been easy, but we’re still here and we’re still going, and that is thanks to YOU!

So thank you – from the bottom of my heart. Without you it’s just me prancing and dancing around an empty shop, but thanks to you – the Dial Lane Books family – I actually get to do what I truly believe I was put on this earth to do, which is to entice you all with amazing books and crown myself bookseller extraordinaire.

I’ve often said that I’m living the dream, and that is genuinely how I feel. What I do, and my shop … this isn’t work - this is my passion and joy and love, and is nothing other than a dream come true.

So thank you. All of you.

Right then … who’s ready for the next 5 years?

Book Group

Saturday 26th April – 5pm

Strange Pictures

Uketsu

Book Group

Saturday 24th May - 5pm

Why I Am Not A Bus Driver

Ashley Hickson-Lovence

This will be Ashley’s third book group visit, and following on from his last visit when we discussed our first YA title – the incredible Wild East, we’ve got another book group first, as Why I Am Not A Bus Driver is Ashley’s (and ours) first poetry collection. Naturally I’m hoping that Ashley will read a poem or two, as I still get goosebumps thinking about the last time he read his work.

Kids Book Group

Sunday 13th April

Wildlands

Brogen Murphy

Join us (and author) at 3pm to talk about this amazing debut

Sunday 18th May – TBC

Kids Book Group

Sunday 22nd June

Clem Fatale has been Betrayed

Eve Wersocki Morris

Join us (and author) at 3pm to discuss this brilliant title

Kids Book Group

Sunday 19th October

The Girl who Raced the World

Nat Harrison

Join us (and author) at 3pm to talk about this amazing debut

End of the Counter

Starting in May, we’ll be reintroducing the End of the Counter slot (formerly the 1 o’clock slot) so if you’re a local author and fancy a chilled and relaxed hour at the end of the counter on a weekday at 1pm, talking to customers and selling your books, simply ping over an email to hello@diallanebooks.co.uk and we’ll start scheduling some dates.

Whilst we will of course promote all End of the Counter slots on the DLB Instagram and Facebook pages, it is hoped that you will do the same across your social media platforms to increase interest and attendance numbers.

Charity Fund Raising Quiz

With this summer’s Hop To It! Sculpture trail on the horizon, and Dial Lane Books once again sponsoring one of the sculptures, my fundraising hat is now firmly on, and what better way of kickstarting things than with a good old-fashioned quiz!

Join us at St. Stephen’s Church on Thursday 26th June from 7-10pm, where the legendary Al (from the Fat Cat) will be testing your general knowledge with a range of marvellous and fun rounds – and all in the name of raising as much money as possible for the incredible St. Elizabeth Hospice.

Tickets are £10 each (max 8 people per team) and will be available from www.diallanebooks.co.uk from 27th April.

Ipswich Book Festival

Yes book lovers, the first Ipswich Book Festival is GO!

We – Tony Felgate, Cathy Frost, Emma Lightfoot and my good self have been beavering away behind the scenes for the last few months and we are delighted that the news is finally out – that the first Ipswich Book Festival will be taking place across multiple venues throughout the town from Friday 3rd – Sunday 5th October 2025. We are over the moon to announce that we have our first headline slot sorted, and on Friday 3rd, the one and only Larry Lamb will be in conversation with Camilla Barnes. Both see their debut fiction titles published this month, and they are also friends, so expect the unexpected.

More names and news and info and goss will be published over the coming weeks and months, so here’s a few things you can do to make sure that you’re always kept in the loop:

Follow ipswichbookfestival on both Instagram and Facebook