About Us
Celebrating Women’s Fiction
The Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival is a new literary festival celebrating writing for, by, and about women.
We are an inclusive event and welcome everyone who finds joy in reading women's fiction - commercial, romance, historical, literary, book club and beyond.
Our festival showcases authors of genres that are often overlooked, and our aim is to give readers the opportunity to connect with their favourite writers.
Organising committee: Jane Anderson, Olivia Kekewich, Kristin Pedroja, Robin Facer, Emma Steele, Sarah Garretson, Fran Woodrow, and Grace Baird
Women’s Fiction is an umbrella term for women-centered books that focus on the characters' life experiences, and are marketed — but not exclusive — to women readers.
The Women's Fiction genre includes many commercial and mainstream novels, romantic fiction, and other subgenres. It can be contemporary or historical and have elements of magic, mystery and more.
It is distinct from women’s writing, which refers to literature written by (rather than promoted to) women.
JANE ANDERSON
Jane writes historical fiction.
The Girl Who Fled the Picture was published in 2023. The Paintress is scheduled for July 2024.
She is a founder and host of the Edinburgh Writers’ Forum.
In 2023 Jane’s next novel The Orchid Hunter’s Daughter was Highly Commended in the Jenny Brown Associates Debut Writers Over 50 Award.
Currently Reading: Cold Kitchen by Caroline Eden
Book recommendation: The Wedding People by Alison Espach
OLIVIA KEKEWICH
Olivia is Assistant Manager and Events Coordinator at the award-winning Edinburgh Bookshop, and co-creator of Wee Three Indies virtual events platform.
In 2019, she received the James Patterson Young Bookseller Special Achievement Award and she has been shortlisted for Individual Bookseller of the Year at the British Book Awards twice (2022 & 2024).
Currently Reading: Swept Away by Beth O'Leary
Book Recommendation: So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne
KRISTIN PEDROJA
Kristin writes women’s fiction and won the Women’s Fiction Writers Association’s Rising Star award. She is also a writer and editor for a Swiss boarding school.
In 2008 she started the Highland Literary Salon in Inverness (now Highland LIT) which she hosted and coordinated until 2011. She has chaired book launches and events in Edinburgh, Inverness, and Melbourne and is a founder and host of the Edinburgh Writers’ Forum.
Currently Reading: The Two Roberts by Damian Barr
Book Recommendation: Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
SARAH GARRETSON
Sarah Garretson is an MSc Publishing student at Edinburgh Napier University writing her dissertation on the risks and opportunities of marketing books on TikTok.
In between school, internships, and freelance editing, she enjoys reading books across all genres from heart-racing thrillers to fun fantasies and meet-cute rom-coms.
Currently Reading: Youthjuice by E.K. Sathue
Book Recommendation: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
ROBIN FACER
Robin is a former television producer who writes women’s fiction, mystery, and suspense.
She is a Women's Fiction Writers Association's Rising Star award finalist and a graduate of Boston's Grub Street Novel Generator. Robin is currently represented by literary agent Gina Panettieri of the NYC agency Talcott Notch.
Currently Reading: The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke
Book Recommendation: Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
EMMA STEELE
Emma writes women’s fiction.
Having previously worked as a commercial solicitor in Edinburgh, Emma now writes speculative love stories for Mountain Leopard Press (an imprint of Headline). Her debut novel, The Echoes of Us, was published in June 2024 in the UK and has been translated internationally. The book has also been optioned for an Amazon movie.
Currently Reading: The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Book Recommendation: Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell
FRAN WOODROW
Fran Woodrow (aka Fran McBookface) is an archivist by day and a voracious reader, book blogger, and occasional crafter by night.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that historic fiction is her favourite genre.
Currently Reading: Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell
Book Recommendation: Birding by Rose Ruane
GRACE BAIRD
Grace Baird (of GracesBookshelf) is a Scottish Literature graduate and book blogger currently working at a foodbank and cramming in as much reading as possible the rest of the time. She has a special interest in Scots language literature and hunting down obscure female authors the canon has forgotten!
Currently reading: Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Book recommendation: Private Rites by Julia Armfield