From this week Essex book lovers are going to be in seventh heaven with the start of the county's annual book festival.

Now quite rightly regarded as the biggest reading and writing festival in the Eastern region, the Essex Book Festival 2007 has a super line-up of some of the best up-and-coming and most popular authors around.

The event starts on Wednesday and among those making their way to Essex next month is the Scottish author of such books as The Crow Road and The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks.

He will be at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester on March 15 when he will be talking about his new novel The Steep Approach To Garbadale, about a family which has grown rich from a board game called Empire.

Another highlight is a unique chance to share the insights of Inspector Morse from the two men who helped make him famous, author Colin Dexter and the producer of the popular television series, Ted Childs.

In Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Morse - But Were Afraid To Ask, the duo will be interviewed by Fordham's own crime writer Mike Ripley at the Civic Theatre in Chelmsford on March 7.

Other dates to stick in your diary include Radio 4 performance poet Matt Harvey in Manningtree on March 11, the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion at Chelmsford's Shire Hall on March 21, Colchester's historical romance writer Barbara Erskine in Maldon on April 11 and a whole series of events marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Dorothy L Sayers in her home town of Witham.

Kicking the festival off on Wednesday will be a special programme of events taking place in Witham library which will include a special appearance by best-selling crime writer PD James who will be talking about Dorothy L Sayers.

For more information go to essexbookfestival.org.uk or pick up a festival brochure in any Essex library. Tickets for the events are available from the Mercury Theatre on 01206 573948.

And talking of the Mercury Theatre I went to see Death of a Salesman there last week and as such can heartily recommend you all go and see it.