Wolverhampton Literary Festival: Musicians, authors and poets lined up to perform
From chats with music stars to performances at some of Wolverhampton's most treasured venues – the city's first literary festival is set have something for everyone.
The team behind the inaugural event have now finalised its line-up featuring dozens of authors, poets and acts across 13 venues.
The main attraction for many will be award-winning author Sathnam Sanghera.
The former Wolverhampton Grammar School student's first book, The Boy With The Topknot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton, is being adapted for TV to air on the BBC this year.
It was shortlisted for the 2008 Costa Biography Award, the 2009 PEN-Ackerley Prize and named 2009 Mind Book of the Year.
The 40-year-old has also won numerous prizes for his journalism, including the accolade of Young Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards in 2002.
City councillor John Reynolds, who is responsible for the visitor economy and supports the festival, said: "We are delighted that Sathnam is taking part in the city's first literature festival.
"His books have won incredible reviews and we are looking forward to his 'in conversation' at Wolverhampton Art Gallery."
Others will no doubt be drawn by two rock frontmen as they reminisce about the late 1980s and 1990s.
Ned's Atomic Dustbin frontman Jonn Penney will discuss the early years of the so-called 'grebo' scene with best-selling author Martin Roach at The Slade Rooms.
And The Wonder Stuff frontman Miles Hunt will talk about the bands most commercially successful years between 1990-94.
Younger audiences and those looking for laughs will have a chance to see Black Country treasure Doreen Tipton at the University of Wolverhampton.
Meanwhile, Express & Star columnist Peter Rhodes runs through many of the stories which have been published in this newspaper and latterly put together in his book, Talking With Tommies – The Stories Behind For A Shilling A Day.
The festival takes place between January 27 and January 29.
Full listings are available at www.wolvesliteraturefestival.co.uk
l There is still time to enter the festival's poetry competition of which the winning entry will be read over the weekend.
Entries - on which there are no restrictions - should be emailed to karen.baker@expressandstar.co.uk or sent by post to Karen Baker, Express & Star, 51-53 Queen Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1ES. The closing date is January 20.
