Margate Bookie brings a host of literary events to Margate this weekend

Local charity, The Margate Bookie, which works to encourage a love of reading is hosting its fourth annual literary festival this spring.

The Margate Bookie organises an annual event which features a mix of established authors, rising literary stars and breakout local talent. A special spring edition takes place from 5 to 7 May at Turner Contemporary and other venues in Margate’s Old Town.

Louis de Bernières

Novelist Louis de Bernières, author of the best-seller Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, is headlining the festival. The prize-winning author will discuss his career, read from his novels and answer questions from the audience on Saturday 5 May.

Jake Arnott – whose crime novels The Long Firm and He Kills Coppers were both adapted for TV – also makes his Bookie debut. Margate-born Salena Godden, one of Britain’s foremost spoken word artists and poets, will host a performance workshop on Sunday 6 May, 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.

Anna Hart

More than thirty authors are taking part in the Margate Bookie. Alongside the walks, talks, readings and workshops will be the ever-popular children’s events with local writers Dosh Archer, Sam Gayton and Tamara Rattigan, and happiness expert Vanessa King.

The Margate Bookie was established in 2015 by 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 discovering their new favourite writer in the process.

“There’s so much local talent and I’m proud the Bookie can help to showcase it. My long-term goal is to make Margate as famous for writing as it is for art.”

Sam Gayton

The full programme and tickets are available from www.margatebookie.com The events are all free or low cost and there are plenty of special offers for Thanet residents.

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