The third North Lanarkshire Festival of Books and Writing is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever before thanks to a £7,000 funding boost from the Scottish Arts Council.

Words 2008 takes place from Tuesday 30 September until Saturday 11 October and a terrific line-up of authors has already been agreed to attract everyone from the casual to the most discerning of reader.

In line with previous years, the majority of events will be free and there will be something for everyone – including dedicated events for adults and children as well as Focus on Families Days – in libraries, schools and other venues throughout North Lanarkshire.

The 2008 line-up includes:

·        James Kelman – Booker Prize winning author of 'How Late It Was, How Late'. Kelman is well known for his use of the language of the streets and as a voice for the disaffected

·        Christopher Brookmyre – author of crime fiction such as 'Boiling a Frog' and winner of the 2007 Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Writing Award. His latest title is 'Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks'.

·        Reg McKay – investigative journalist and crime columnist with the Daily Record; well known as a chronicler of Glasgow gangster families and their crimes.

·        Harry Morris – aka 'Harry the Polis', with a different perspective on crime.

·        Tom Shields of Tom Shields Diary fame.

·        Julia Donaldson – best-selling author of the Gruffalo, a monster beloved by small children everywhere.

·        Caro Ramsay – author of 'Absolution'.

Last year's Words festival was attended by around 3,500 people and the council is hopeful that attendance records will be broken at this year's event.

Councillor Jim Logue, Convener of North Lanarkshire Council's Learning and Leisure Services Committee, said: "Words has grown from strength to strength since the inaugural event in 2006 and I am delighted that we have been given this additional support from the Scottish Arts Council, which will ensure we can attract the highest calibre of author and host as many fun and exciting events as possible.

"The great thing about Words is that there genuinely is something for everyone, and it doesn't matter if you only read now and then or if you are an avid reader and quite literally can't put a book down, we'll have something for you.

 "I'm sure Words 2008 will be a great success and I look forward to seeing as many people as possible during this terrific programme of events."

Words 2008 will also feature the announcement of the 2008 Catalyst Book Award winner. The award ceremony will take place during the festival and all four short-listed authors – Tabitha Suzuma, Berlie Doherty, Catherine MacPhail, and Julie Bertagna – will be appearing on stage in North Lanarkshire.

Now in its fifth year, the Catalyst Book Award was set up in 2004 to promote teenage fiction in North Lanarkshire's secondary schools and community libraries and encourage a higher level of teenagers reading for enjoyment.

Catriona Wright, Chairperson of the Catalyst Fiction Group, said: "We are delighted that the Catalyst award will be announced during Words 2008, which celebrates everything that is great about books and writing. Catalyst is about empowering our readers – the young people themselves – and hopefully encouraging them to continue reading as they grow and develop. Words is a great opportunity for them to see what is out there."

Lizanne McMurrich, North Lanarkshire Council's Head of Community Information & Learning, concluded: "We would like to thank the Scottish Arts Council for its support for Words 2008. This year's festival will deliver all that people expect from this terrific event – and more – and will firmly put North Lanarkshire on the map as being home to one of the best literary events in the west of Scotland."

Gavin Wallace, Head of Literature at the Scottish Arts Council said: "The Scottish Arts Council is delighted to support Words 2008 as it goes from strength to strength in connecting the communities of North Lanarkshire and the surrounding areas with books, authors – and words! – of the highest quality. 

"It's a pleasure to watch this gem of a book festival prosper and shine as a bright landmark on the national literary scene."

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