BOROUGH TREATED TO WEEK OF LITERARY EVENTS FOR ALL AGES

A fantastic festival of writing will take place across Sefton from 5-11 November. Sefton Arts in association with Liverpool's Writing on the Wall Festival presents Sefton Celebrates Writing - a packed programme of lyrical events including visits from Pulitzer Prize winning poet Philip Schultz, award winning short story author Carys Bray and Brooke Magnanti (AKA Belle de Jour) plus a host of other talented scribes. The festival will also see members of legendary bands The Specials and The Farm link up for a celebration of Ska, and Liverpool's own rapper/songwriter KOF joins beatboxers and freestylers for a street style spoken word event at Rampworx Skate Park.

Sefton Celebrates Writing kicks off on 5 November with a very special event for all the family at Bootle's Derby Park. Once every hundred years a new gate appears in Derby Park – a gate to both the past and the future! On 5 November, 2012, at 6pm, the gate will appear again and special guest Nancy, a young girl from 1912 will enter the park, along with a host of monsters, trolls, dances and drama in the spectacular 'Nancy & the Bonfire' event, which is suitable for all ages.

Up next on 6 November, is 'Poetry Across the Pond' at The Civic, Crosby, with a beautiful night of poetry from the Pulitzer Prize winning Philip Schultz and Somerset Maugham awards winner Paul Farley – 2 of the most outstanding wordsmiths of our time.

'Poles Apart' takes over Southport Town Hall on 7 November and brings one of Poland's most celebrated writers to the town. Magdalena Tulli is joined by debut novelist A.M Bakalar for an exploration of life for Polish people in the 21st century both at home and abroad. The admission price for the event includes a buffet featuring some of the country's finest cuisine supplied by event partners Gdanska Restaurant.

The publishing phenomena of the century – the titillating but critic-dividing Fifty Shades of Grey will be discussed by 3 leading female scribes on Thursday 8 November at Southport's Wayfarers Arcade. Brooke Magnanti (AKA Belle de Jour), author of The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, Warrington's Helen Walsh, author of award winning novels Brass and Once Upon a Time in England along with award winning Manchester poet and performer Rosie Lugosi will talk all things Fifty Shades from their own unique perspectives.

Local author Carys Bray will be reading from and signing copies of her new book Sweet Home, a collection of her award winning short stories, at Broadhurst's of Southport on 9 November at 5.30pm in an exclusive book launch event, and also on the 9th Rhymin' on the Ramps hits Rampworx Skate Park! For this exclusive event Sefton Celebrates Writing brings Playback, some of Manchester's finest spoken word artists plus Liverpool's own rapper/singer KOF together for an amazing night of spoken word, beatboxing and tunes. Open mic slots are available!

Saturday, 10 November 2012, is a busy day at The Civic, Crosby, with 2 daytime performances of Suitcase Stories, a super interactive storytelling show aimed at youngsters aged 3-8 (and their parents too!) from children's theatre company Tell Tale Hearts, and later that evening grown-ups can enjoy the Double Bass Special event. For this one-off event 'Sir Horace Gentleman' Panter, bass player with legendary 2 tone band The Specials and Carl Hunter, bass player from The Farm will be 'in conversation' for a celebration of Ska, accompanied by The Farm's Peter Hooton on DJ duties, spinning a set of Horace's favourite Ska classics!

The cherry on the top of this feast of Sefton writing is the Sefton Writing Competition Awards Evening at Southport's Royal Clifton Hotel and Spa on Sunday, 11 November 2012, where the talents budding local writers will be recognised.

Tales on the Tracks, from Merseyrail's 'Art on the Network' will run alongside Sefton Celebrates writing from 5 November to 11 November 2012, where new writing dedicated to Sefton will be displayed on billboards in the Northern Line stations between Liverpool and Southport.