Huddersfield Literature Festival

Huddersfield Literature Festival 2008 7th-16th March 2008

Taking place at venues across Huddersfield. A celebration of the written, spoken, sung and read word. The online brochure is now available to download! Please go to www.litfest.org.uk

This year's authors include Joanne Harris, (festival patron), who'll be discussing her life and work, including her new book The Lollipop Shoes; zany poet Nick Toczek who'll show you how to twist a rhyme and turn rhythm into poems, with a few magic tricks up his sleeve; novelist and broadcaster Stuart Maconie, who'll be reading from and discussing his new book Pies and Prejudice; plus sharp, silver-tongued performance poetry and lyrics from Generation TxT.

Made in Bradford, is a collection of frank interviews with British Pakistani men in Bradford; discussing everything from faith, forced marriages and freedom. Especially for the festival, the book is brought to life through live performance and debate with the book's editor, Yunis Alam.

Speakers include Doreen Lawrence, who recounts the impact of the murder of her son, Stephen, in her stunning and inspiring memoir, And Still I Rise. Caine-Prize nominated Nigerian Writer, Sefi Atta discusses her brand new work and nomination for the 'African Booker Prize'. Louise Page, Royal Literary Fellow, whose play Salonika is at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, leads a creative writing master class to inspire and illuminate.

Catch the world premiere of Beast Market, a powerful new piece of verbatim theatre. Chol Theatre gathers the diverse voices of Huddersfield to take a fresh, funny and forthright look at what’s happening under the surface of this Pennine town. Don't miss The River, a brand new commission from writer David Lawton, performer Eilon Morris, and musician Camilo Tirado and, who fuse music, performance and text in an intimate exploration of freedom.

Poet Jim Greenhalf is praised by writers such as Tony Harrison, Alan Sillitoe, Anne Fine, Jim Burns and Vernon Scannell. Described as "an act of defiance", experience Greenhalf's writing yourself. Sarah Corbett was shortlisted for the Forward and TS Eliot Prizes. Sarah will present brand new poems from her forthcoming collection, Other Beasts, as well as reading from Huddersfield University's recent anthology, The Intelligent Woman's Guide.

The Small is Beautiful Writers' Day and Book Fair features Ian Clayton, James Nash and Gaia Holmes, who'll share their writing secrets and discuss how to get published. Small Presses, Big Voices celebrates what's hot off the press: the new voices and new work emerging from some of the country's best small presses.

“Words are the backbone of my life, as an actor. Therefore it is my absolute pleasure to be asked to be a patron for Huddersfield Literature Festival. It’s fitting that the place described as ‘the poetry capital of the North’, finally has its own literature festival. This emerging and dynamic new festival is dedicated to celebrating the power of words, wherever we may find them. May you enjoy all that the festival has to offer'

Patrick Stewart (Actor and Festival Patron)

“I am very happy to be a patron of Huddersfield Literature Festival, where established authors will be able to give a platform for new writers to launch their work to the public. It is so difficult to be a new writer nowadays and yet there has never been more exciting new talent and more interest in books. I am delighted to be associated with this project.”

Joanne Harris (Author and Festival Patron)

For further information about Huddersfield Literature Festival, please contact:

Rommi Smith
Creative Writing Projects Officer and Festival Co-ordinator
T: +44 (0) 1484 471 895
E: brochure@litfest.org.uk