Novelist Louis de Bernières, author of the best-seller Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, is headlining the Margate Bookie festival this May. The prize-winning author will discuss his career, read from his novels and answer questions from the audience on Saturday, May 5.
Jake Arnott – whose crime novels The Long Firm and He Kills Coppers were both adapted for TV – also makes his Bookie debut. More than 30 writers will appear at the special Spring Bookie, which is held at Turner Contemporary over the first Bank Holiday weekend on May 5-7.
Margate-born Salena Godden, one of Britain’s foremost spoken word artists and poets, will host a performance masterclass on Sunday, May 6, before taking to the stage at The Dug Out that evening.
On Monday 7 May, top travel writer Anna Hart will discuss her new book Departures with fellow Margate resident, author Daisy Buchanan, and Thanet Writers will launch a new anthology which brings together more than twenty short stories from local authors.
Alongside the walks, talks, author readings and workshops will be the ever-popular children’s craft and storytelling events with local authors Dosh Archer, Sam Gayton and Tamara Rattigan.
Margate Bookie founder, Andreas Loizou, said: “My aim was to create a friendly festival which has something for everyone. As well as seeing the authors that are familiar, I would love people to try something different, perhaps dicovering their new favourite writer in the process. There’s so much local talent and I’m proud the Bookie can help to showcase it.”
The full programme can be found at www.margatebookie.com/programme. Tickets are on sale now and there are several special offers for Thanet residents.