Frank Cottrell Boyce
AWARD-WINNING screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce is the latest major author to be signed up to take part in the Daily Post’s online literary festival.
The man behind hit films 24 Hour Party People and Millions will be answering readers’ questions in a live interview hosted by the newspaper’s website next month.
Cottrell Boyce, who lives in Crosby, won the 2004 Carnegie Medal for his children’s book, based on his screenplay for Millions.
His second novel aimed at young people, Framed, was shortlisted for both the 2005 Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year Award.
Daily Post editor Mark Thomas said: “I am very excited a writer of Frank Cottrell Boyce’s calibre is taking part in LiveRead.
“He is one of Merseyside’s most accomplished screenwriters, and I’m sure our readers will enjoy questioning him.”
Internationally renowned horror writer Ramsey Campbell will also be a star guest of the first online literary festival to be organised by a UK newspaper.
Run by the Daily Post from March 15-19, the festival will be a celebration of Liverpool writers and writing – both amateur and professional.
It will also feature a performance by Neil Caple, former Brookside actor and star of Funny Money, currently playing at the Royal Court, and book readings by local authors.
Daily Post columnist and best-selling author Jane Costello will take part in a live discussion about what it takes to get your manuscript published, while Wirral-based literary consultancy Bubblecow will be on hand to offer tips on getting published.
There will also be a serialised story, which unravels according to readers’ votes, and a live book group focusing on novels by Willy Russell and Beryl Bainbridge.
Local writers are invited to submit previously unpublished short stories for inclusion in an ebook, released as part of the festival. There is no payment for the use of the selected stories and copyright is retained by the author.
To submit a story for publication, send it by email to laura.davis@liverpool.com. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 10.
Meanwhile, photographers are invited to recreate scenes from their favourite books to be featured in an online picture gallery on the LiveRead webpage. Further details at the LDP Flickr site: http://tiny.cc/ldpflickr
LiveRead runs from March 15-19. Further details on how to get involved at www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liveread
