36th festival is literally creative

Litfest returns for its 36th year with a host of events for everyone – including, for the first time, Creative Writing workshops for children and young adults.

These sessions invite you to create fantasy worlds with award-winning author Bali Rai, or to explore Morecambe’s dark wartime history with Sarah Hymas.

Highlights also include a vivid performance from Swedish storyteller Mikael Öberg, discovering magical tales of reckless heroes and malevolent spirits; and Lancashire-born David Constantine reading from his latest collection of poetry, Elder, which explores themes of censure, hubris and loss.

One of the masters of the short story, Bernard MacLaverty, will read from his Collected Stories in which his characters live and interact without apology or sentimentality, and talk about a writing life stretching over 50 years.

His subsequent workshop, looking at what makes a story work, is recommended for current or aspiring writers.

Popular children’s author Hilary McKay will explore the theme of family in literature: how relationships, whether real or imagined, shape the world inhabited by the story’s protagonist.

These events and more will be taking place at The Storey, Lancaster Library, The Dukes and Lancaster Castle starting Thursday October 16 until Monday October 20. To book tickets or to download a full copy of the festival brochure, visit www.litfest.org.