ONCE again some of the country’s most exciting and well known writers will be turning up in our area as part of this year’s Essex Book Festival.

Following the official launch in Chelmsford with locally born artist Grayson Perry on February 29, the big names come thick and fast, starting off with former Liberal Democrat MP Vince Cable at Essex University on March 1.

Essex University will once again be the centrepoint for many of the events in our area with talks by debut novelist Max Porter, poet and critic Chris McCully and perhaps one of the best known authors in the UK, Louis de Bernières, who will be chatting about his latest novel The Dust That Falls From Dreams.

Also located on the Wivenhoe Park Campus will be the festival’s very first Writer in Residence, Damian James Le Bas, who will be living out of his blue van outside the Student Centre gathering stories from the campus community before heading off to Firstsite in Colchester for the festival’s special Home Weekend.

That runs at the art gallery from March 19 and 20 focussing on ideas about home and identity, and featuring storytelling, workshops and talks.

Other highlights include acclaimed crime writer Frances Fyfield giving the Dorothy L Sayers Lecture in Witham, Richard III historian John Ashdown-Hill at Wivenhoe Library, historian A N Wilson at Layer Marney Tower, and Colchester author Guy Saville at Great Dunmow Library.

Festival director, Ros Green, says: “What I’ve always liked about Essex is it’s ‘Can Do’ positive attitude and so once again there’s a real aspirational theme running through the festival with up-and-coming writers side-by-side with some really big names. I think festivals can be a really inspiring platform for emerging writers, particularly when you have those big names around.”

• Running throughout the month of March all over the county for more information on this year’s event go www.essexbookfestival.org.uk

Book Festival Listings

March 1 Vince Cable, Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall, Essex University, 7.30pm.

March 1 Isabelle Grey, Maldon Library, 8pm.

March 2 Chris McCully, Art Exchange, Essex University, 7pm.

March 2 John Ashdown-Hill, Wivenhoe Library, 7pm.

March 3 Lucy Beresford, Burnham Library, 7.30pm.

March 7 Karin Littau and Jeffrey Geiger, Lakeside Theatre, Essex University, 6pm.

March 9 Max Porter, Art Exchange, Essex University, 7pm.

March 11 Frances Fyfield: Dorothy L Sayers Lecture, Witham Library, 7.45pm.

March 14 Short Film Screenings: Adaptation, Lecture Theatre Block 10, Essex University, 6pm.

March 15 Carole Hayman, Clacton Library, 7.30pm.

March 15 A N Wilson, Layer Marney Tower, 7.30pm.

March 16 Patrician Press: Suzy Norman, Martin Johnson and Danielle Wrayton, Wivenhoe Bookshop, 6.30pm.

March 16 Guy Saville, Great Dunmow Library, 7.30pm.

March 16 Damian James Le Bas, Art Exchange, Essex University, 7pm.

March 16-19 Damian James Le Bas Festival Writer-in-residence, outside Art Exchange, Essex University.

March 17 Louis de Bernières, Essex Business School Lecture Theatre, Essex University, 7.30pm.

March 19 Helen Dunmore, Colchester Library, 3pm.

Home Weekend, Firstsite Art Gallery, Lewis Gardens, Colchester.

Saturday, March 19.

Thinking Home Panel Discussions, 11am to 5pm.

Nicky Werenowska, 1pm to 2.30pm.

Glenys Newton, 3.30pm to 5.30pm.

Building A Boat Ceilidh, 7pm to 10pm.

Sunday, March 20.

Chris Rushton Book Making Workshop, 11am and 1.30pm.

S J Fowler, 1pm to 3.30pm.

Wendy Constance Imagination Workshops, 11am to 11.40am (adults) and 1pm to 1.40pm (children)

Rosie Sandler Poetry Workshops, 12pm to 12.40pm (adults) and 2pm to 2.40pm (children)

Emma R McNully, 12.45pm to 1.15pm.

Maggie Freeman Short Fiction Workshop, 3pm to 3.40pm.

March 22 Sarah Winman, Braintree Library.

March 23 David Starkey, Mercury Theatre, Colchester, 7.30pm.

March 24 Simon Callow, Mercury Theatre, Colchester, 7.30pm.

March 31 Rosie Thomas, Harwich Library, 7pm.