SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 5: Forget Bath and Cheltenham Wiltshire's very own literature festival, Word Magic, promises the chance to celebrate the joys of reading with a glittering array of authors. Dawn Gorman gives an exclusive preview of the event.

WILTSHIRE is to have its own literature festival this autumn.

Word Magic Festival, which will see top literary names at venues county wide, means book fans old and young will at last have authors coming to their own towns, rather than them having to travel to literature festivals in Cheltenham or Bath.

The event, which will take place between September 28 and October 5, has been under preparation since last October.

Festival co-ordinator, Sarah Hillier, said: "We wanted to celebrate the joys of reading and writing by offering a series of activities and events where adults and children in Wiltshire can meet real authors, experience the joy of storytelling and special performances, be encouraged to explore new reading choices and generally develop their love of reading.

"We will also be celebrating Wiltshire and its mystery and folklore, in some events."

Unlike at other similar festivals, all children's events, and many adult ones, will be free, with minimal cost no more than £3.50 on others.

"We want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy it, so we have tried to keep ticket prices down," said Ms Hillier.

"There will be events and activities across the county, so hopefully there will be something for everyone, with minimal travel and cost."

The festival will be launched by Beryl Bainbridge, who, five times shortlisted for the Booker Prize, winner of the Whitbread prize and author of novels such as Master Georgie and An Awfully Big Adventure (recently adapted for a film starring Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman), will be talking about her work in Salisbury library.

The majority of the other events, however, will come to the heart of west and north Wiltshire.

Prolific children's author Dick King-Smith, for instance, will be talking to schoolchildren in Chippenham library, Nick Arnold, author of the very popular science series for children, Horrible Science, will be at Warminster library, and novelist, journalist, critic and broadcaster Angela Huth will be at Calne's new millennium library.

A little further afield, Michael Morpurgo, winner of the children's Whitebread Award, Smarties Book Prize and Children's Book Award, will be appearing at Wootton Bassett library. Michael, who has written more than 60 books, is best known for his modern classics, The Wreck of the Zanzibar, Kensuke's Kingdom and Butterfly Lion, seen recently in its stage version at the Arc Theatre in Trowbridge.

More eclectic events include an appearance at Melksham library from 'professional faery' Tanya Batt, from New Zealand, who specialises in telling stories based on folklore from around the world, while in Trowbridge library, the Wessex Actors company will perform Man of the Minute thoughts, theories and facts from 17th century gossip and anecdotalist John Aubrey.

Comedy performer, Gary Nunn, alias Ticklish Allsorts, will be holding storytelling sessions at four locations, including Warminster, while there will be music in the same spot from female acapella group Hen Party and song, music and dance in Bradford on Avon and Corsham as Tinkers Bag perform A Wiltshire Wedding.

There will also be writing workshops across the county, including Chippenham and Melksham, a Harry Potter party in Trowbridge, and poetry in various locations from the Wiltshire-based Dandelion Poets, 'That bloke from Down Under', Australian conservationist and wordsmith Mick Leigh, and Corsham poet Nikki-Siegen-Smith, who will be running a children's poetry workshop in the town's library.

In Trowbridge there will be a reminiscence/literature event for older people, and countywide there will be writing competitions for adults and children and a mystery book promotion with the chance to win book tokens.

Look out for further information on the festival in the Wiltshire Times over the coming weeks.

Full details of all festival events will appear in a brochure in the summer.

In the meantime, Sarah Hillier can be contacted for general enquiries on (01373) 865602 or (01225) 761171, or by email at sarahhillier@wiltshire.gov.uk