Hexham Book Festival brings Paddy Ashdown, Janet Street-Porter and Lara the Spy-dog under one roof, as director Susie Troup tells Tamzin Lewis.
A CURRENCY of words, suggests Hexham Book Festival director Susie Troup, may be one solution to current economic gloom.
Despite financial constraints, Susie has organised the biggest book festival to date with some big names in attendance, many of whom, she reveals, have waived their normal fees to read in Hexham.
Susie, who lives in Tynedale, says: "A lot of authors haven’t charged this year, which could be the recession or could be because the book festival has more of a reputation now and they want to come.
"We have a good mixture of the populist and literary, with a children’s programme running in schools too.
"There are nice extensions to the festival, including its presence at the Forum Cinema in addition to outreach events at Gibside, Kielder and the Garden Station at Langley."
The festival, which benefits from funding from the Northern Rock Foundation, and began as a one-day event in 2006, has flourished into a week-long programme of readings, talks and workshops.
Part-time teacher Susie, who also runs a book group at Hexham General Hospital, says: "Over the last few years, people have come from Cumbria, Yorkshire, Northumberland and County Durham and there has even been a visitor from the Netherlands."
She adds: "Join us this year for lively discussion, heated argument, passionate readings and stimulating entertainment, all without breaking the bank."
The first event today is a chance to meet the author Wendy Moore, whose recent book Wedlock charts the tempestuous life story of Mary Eleanor Bowes who inherited Gibside in 1760 from her father, the coal-mining magnate George Bowes. Wendy will be at Gibside Chapel to host this event which explores Mary’s disastrous marriage to Andrew Robinson Stoney, "Georgian Britain’s worst husband."
Also looking at women on the edge is County Durham author Wendy Robertson, whose new short story collection Knives is written with sharp humour.
Wendy, who has spent three years working with female prison inmates, will read from her collection on April 29 at Hexham’s Queens Hall.
