A NUMBER of best-selling authors will gather in South Lakeland next month for their annual conference.

Writers including Cumbria-born Mike Craven (The Puppet Show) and Kate Ellis (The Wesley Peterson Series) will meet at the Macdonald Old England Hotel, Bowness, on the weekend of April 12-14.

There will be talks from a number of different people, including forensic pathologist Dr Charlie Woods who will be giving guidance on forensic pathology to the assembled authors.

A former Lancashire police officer will be discussing what goes into managing a major incident, while Cumbria's first Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes, will also speak.

Fans will then get the chance to take tea with the writers on Sunday April 14, when the Old England Hotel hosts 'Cupcakes and Crime'. Some of the names on the panel are: Martin Edwards, whose book 'Gallows Court' is released in paperback on April 4; Kate Ellis, whose book 'The Boy Who Lived with the Dead' (The Albert Lincoln series) is out in paperback on May 2; Peter Lovesey, whose book Killing with Confetti (The Peter Diamond series) is out in July; as well as Mike Craven.

Cumbria Libraries will also be hosting talks by various authors in the week leading up to the conference. Information can be found at your local library.

Tickets to 'Cupcakes and Crime' are £8.50 and can be booked at the hotel, by telephone on 015394 87894, or via e-mail at Events.oldengland@macdonald-hotels.co.uk.