Elizabeth Buchan is a) lovely, b) lives not a million miles from Elmbridgy-not-really-south-west-London territory.

Emma

I emailed her to tell her how much I enjoyed her novel, "Separate Beds" and she very sweetly replied.

Anne Fine can certainly be controversial. I've heard from a couple of people who haven't liked her, but no reason she wouldn't be a good guest all the same.

I saw Kate Atkinson speaking once and she was LOVELY - not at all starry considering how awesome she is, and she said she liked my scarf. I would travel for her.
Anne Fine used to come in the bookshop I worked in as a school leaver. I remember her as being a bit scary - she didn't like us to ask her name when she came to pick up special orders, we were just supposed to know who she was. (This was only a couple of years after the Mrs Doubtfire film came out so she might have calmed down a bit since then).
If you're covering non-fiction as well, and depending on your audience (and budget) what about a comedian who has had a book out recently (thinking perhaps of Dara O'Briain's book on the English or similar) - they're always good value in terms of putting on a show as they know how to work an audience, and are a 'name' that might attract people outside the die-hard literary types.

That's a good idea, Catcrag!

Great idea Catcrag. Leila you've jogged my memory: I was told AF hated children. So not top of the list. I want to ask the God of Small People, Andy Stanton. he used to be a kids' standup. I've been told he's not that vibrant in real life, which I find hard to believe, and the kids would probably be so dazzled, they wouldn't care.
I'm so glad Kate Atkinson is lovely. Her books are so lovely and earthy, I couldn't bear it if she was stuck up.

Makes me laugh that AF hates children! She writes so beautifully for them. I also love her novels for adults.

Stuart Maconie had a great book out last year too about Middle England - which I guess Surrey would class as? (The fine details of the geography of the south are a bit of a mystery to me...).

Anthony Horovitz is very good at events.

Emma