CUMBRIA Council are launching a new literary festival across libraries throughout the county.

Tom Ashton, a Cumbria County Council Library Outreach Project Officer in the Barrow area, has announced the launch of ‘A Write Natter’ - a literature festival stretching across Cumbria, in collaboration with Barra Culture and Cumbria County Council.

The aim of the festival is to increase interest in literacy, to help budding authors reach their potential, and to offer the people of Cumbria healthier and happier lives through a creative outlet.

Cumbria Library Service is divided into six areas: Barrow, South Lakeland, Whitehaven, Workington, Penrith, and Carlisle, and in each of those areas Tom will conduct a 45-60 minute public interview with an author, with time for questions and book signings at the end. On the final day, there will be a public panel discussion involving all the authors at Barrow Library.

Tom said: “I’ve always loved interviewing authors, finding out about their processes and careers, but Cumbria is so vast that wherever you conduct the interview, you tend to exclude half of the county, so I wanted to conduct interviews across all the different areas within a short space of time. I just hope that the trains are running OK.

“The roster really is just a list of local authors with sterling reputations and more than a few awards between them.

“I can’t wait to showcase all the literary talent we have here in Cumbria! Come and check it out, it’s something a bit different to do of an evening."

The dates:

  • Helen Phifer (Horror/Crime) - Barrow Library - 6pm, Friday 21 January 2022
  • Steven Wharton (Storytelling) - Workington Library - 6pm, Friday 28 January 2022
  • Alan Cleaver (Local History) - Whitehaven Library - 6pm, Friday 4 February 2022
  • Amelia Loulli (Poetry) - Penrith Library - 6pm, Wednesday 9 February 2022
  • M.W Craven (Crime) - Carlisle Library - 6pm, Friday 18 February 2022
  • Zosia Wand (Scriptwriting) - Ulverston Library - 6pm, Friday 25 February 2022
  • The Panel - Barrow Library - 6pm, Friday 4 March 2022

Tickets are £2 per person on the door.

To book a ticket, email tom.ashton@cumbria.gov.uk or cathy.fidler@cumbria.gov.uk, or contact your local library branch.