City of York Council today announced details of the line-up for the city's second Literature Festival, which will take place from 1 to 15 March 2008.

To warm residents up to the festival's busy programme of literary-themed events and activities, 'Chocolat' author Joanne Harris will be visiting York on 16 February. The best-selling author will come to York on February 16 as part of the Viking Festival to promote her new children's book 'Runemarks'.

Highlights of the Literature Festival programme will include a speech by Hugh Haughton of the University of York's literature department, who is editor of Faber's 'Poetry of the Second World War'. This will take place at King's Manor on Monday 3 March. On 12 March, York Writers will present Jean Saunders, the hugely popular author of  'A Cornish Maid' and 'Prodigal Daughter', in a special event hosted at Guppy’s on Nunnery Lane. A series of workshops planned for the duration of the literature festival include a writing session with Marion Husband, author of 'The Boy I Love' and 'Paper Moon', on Friday 7 March and a Dreamcatcher magazine writing workshop on Sunday 2nd March.

City of York Council is working in partnership with a host of organisations to finalise the programme for the Literature Festival, including Borders, Waterstones, York University, York St John University, York Theatre Royal, National Railway Museum,   York Writers, Melton's Too,  Writers Together, Pennine Poets and Spoken Word.

Miles Salter, Read Write York co-ordinator, said "We want to continue with the strong community theme of 2007's event, and are delighted that so many local groups and individuals want to be part of the York Literature Festival. We look forward to a diverse and exciting programme, and warmly welcome the entire local community to get involved."

Local groups who would like to hold a relevant event can contact Miles Salter by emailing: miles.salter@york.gov.uk

Further details of the programme will be announced during the coming weeks.