Fifth Hexham Book Festival fires up

All in all, the Festival will welcome more than 30 authors of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, gardening, history, politics, food and wine, crime and children's books to Hexham, between April 23 and May 2.

It is the fifth such event, and one which is building on the success of those gone by.

This year, for the first time, literary proceedings and celebrations are extending their geographical reach too.

Historian and best-selling writer Philippa Gregory will be at Alnwick Castle, where she will be talking about murder and betrayal in 15th-century England.

In addition, there will be a number of creative writing workshops and sessions throughout the festival, to which aspiring writers can sign up.

For instance, there'll be a whole day of crime writing from the festival's guest director and crime-writer extraordinaire, Val McDermid, who is based in Northumberland. There will also be story-telling and book stalls, fabulous foodie deals and wine tastings, film and book events at Hexham's Forum Cinema, and horticulture and cakes at The Garden Station.

Anyone who is particularly excited about the prospect of the festival - and you can count in the members of the Journal's Culture desk - may also be interested to know that there's an opportunity to become an official Friend of Hexham Book Festival.

Those who sign up will be entitled to a string of exclusive benefits.

For more information on all of the above, as well as a full programme and ongoing updates and festival news, visit the new website at www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk

Hard copy programmes will be available from Friday.