Top authors to appear at second Plymouth International Book Festival

A ten-day literary extravaganza will leap off the page as the second Plymouth International Book Festival gets underway today (Thursday 31 October).

Man Booker Prize winner Ben Okri, comic turned writer Charlie Higson and award-winning author Kate Mosse will top the bill, with renowned regional names and spoken word stars also taking part in events across the city.

There will also be a family focus to coincide with half term, with events for children and a series of writing workshops aiming to encourage people of all ages to unlock their creative potential.

The Festival is organised through a partnership of Plymouth University, Plymouth City Council and charity Literature Works, with funding and support from Arts Council England.

Festival Director Bertel Martin said: “From the classics to spoken word, and horror to comedy, there is something to cater for all tastes at the 2013 Plymouth International Book Festival. There are more than 40 events taking place around the city over the next 10 days, featuring some of the best writers, poets and speakers from Plymouth, the UK and the world. We hope it will inspire our audiences and encourage them to engage with literature – whether through reading, writing or listening – in the future.”

Thousands of people visited the inaugural Festival in 2012, where they were treated to a range of author talks and performances as well as events for young people.

For 2013, the programme includes talks by Ben Okri, widely acclaimed as one of Africa’s greatest writers and winner of the Booker Prize in 1991, and Fast Show creator and actor Charlie Higson, who will be speaking about his teen horror series, The Enemy.

Kate Mosse, best known for her 2005 novel Labyrinth, will talk about her debut collection of short stories, The Mistletoe Bride & Other Winter Tales, while Gavin Extence will speak about his debut novel The Universe Versus Alex Woods, which has received rave reviews this year.

Spoken word stars including Ian McMillan, Lemn Sissay and Linton Kwesi Johnson will give performances and the event will also feature a day dedicated to the influence of women in literature, with this year marking the 200th anniversary of the publication of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

In response to feedback from last year’s event, there will also be more workshops, with focuses on topics such as creative writing and poetry. Among the authors running those are Philip Gross, Christopher Wakling and Courttia Newland.

Mr Gross, who spent his formative years in the city and is now the Festival’s patron, said: “Events like the Plymouth International Book Festival are about sharing experiences and enthusiasm, and making people realise that most writers initially have a hard time finding our way. When I was growing up here, there was always a sense of Plymouth being a springboard, because of its location as a port city, and now as patron of the Plymouth International Book Festival, I hope I can help to take its literary prowess to a global audience.”

Tickets for all the events, and more information, are available through the Festival website at www.plymouthinternationalbookfestival.com.