Literary festival nets a prize-winner

Award-winning British writer Alan Hollinghurst will be one of the star attractions of next year's Auckland Writers and Readers Festival. 

A cultural highlight of the year, the festival is being held at the Hilton between May 19 and 22 and features author talks and panel discussions.

The programme is still to be finalised, but Hollinghurst, whose novel Line of Beauty won this year's Man Booker Prize, is expected to attend the opening night on Thursday May 19.

He will also participate in a panel discussion with three other international stars and conduct a one-hour interview with Auckland writer and filmmaker Peter Wells on stage.

Many New Zealand authors will also participate in the four-day festival, which is sponsored by the New Zealand Herald.

They include Whale Rider author Witi Ihimaera and award winners Annamarie Jagose and Anne Salmond.

The programme of events will be finalised by the beginning of February 2005, and tickets go on sale on Friday, April 8.