Newark Book Festival aims to be bigger and better

Almost 40 authors, poets and illustrators will be taking part in Newark Book Festival, which starts today and continues until Sunday.

This year the theme is Landscapes In Literature, giving the opportunity to highlight the importance of location in fiction and non-fiction writing.

Organiser Sarah Bullimore said last year’s revamped festival attracted more than 2,500 people. This year they had more events, more writers and more venues, and were hoping that would bring in more people.

“This year’s festival is bigger and better than ever,” she said.

“This is a real community event that has something for everyone.

“I am eager for the whole community, young and old, to embrace the festival, get inspired and enjoy themselves. It is going to be fabulous.”

Matt Haig, who grew up in the town and was educated at Magnus School, will be the headline speaker, returning for a second year after a sell-out event last year.

Matt will be speaking at the Palace Theatre on Saturday and will focus on his book, Notes On A Nervous Planet.

Children’s events include a workshop to make a magic land, Crafts In Neverland, and a Wind In The Willows storytelling session.

Author Lucy Rowland and illustrator Ben Mantle will introduce young readers to their book, The Little Red Reading Hood, and James Nicol will be reading from A Witch Alone, at Newark Library.

Illustrators will be hosting talks and workshops, including Mark Chambers, who has created a free postcard for the festival.

Other authors taking part include Katherine Woodfine, author of bestselling children’s novels The Sinclair’s Mysteries; Anne Youngson (Meet Me At The Museum); Helen Cullen (The Lost Letters Of William Woolf); Laura Purcell (Silent Companions); Elizabeth Chad-wick (The Greatest Knight) and Elly Griffiths (author of the Ruth Galloway crime series).

The festival starts this evening with Fiona Theokritoff and Jane Wyles, of Southwell, who will host a poetry event in Gannets Bistro.

Author Tom Cox, of Nottinghamshire, will be in Newark Library, talking about his book, 21st Century Yokel.

The Market Place will have a literature quarter throughout the weekend, which will feature local authors, second-hand book stalls and the chance to meet children’s writers.

There will be walk-about characters on both days including wild and wacky bookworms, two dashing knights, comedy gardeners, and Cockney land girls.

The Laxton-based National Holocaust Centre will be among those holding a stall on Sunday selling books for both children and adults.

They will be giving out discounted tickets so people can go to the centre in August to listen to survivor talks, as well as visit the exhibitions and memorial gardens.

Many of the book festival events are free. Those needing a ticket are £10 or under.

The full programme is available at www.newarkbookfestival.org.uk or in the festival brochures, which are available at the 11 festival venues, coffee shops and libraries.