Here’s a look at what we’ve been getting up to at the Festival so far. There are more pictures over at our Facebook page, too.

Last Thursday, National Poetry Day, we launched the Festival…..

and helped Birmingham Libraries announce the new Birmingham Poet Laureate, Jan Watts.

Yumm Cafe in Digbeth hosted our lovely launch party and quiz, chaired by charming, funny poet Matt Harvey, who also entertained us with a few poems and got to know the 2010-11 Poet Laureate, Roy McFarlane, who also shared some words with the waiting crowd!

 Roy, assuring us there are ‘bikes, bikes everywhere…’ in Amsterdam.

On Friday, we joined Tindal Street Press for the launch of their new anthology, Too Asian, Not Asian Enough, at Ikon Gallery.

 Thanks to Ikon for the gorgeous backdrop!

After Tindal Street, we met writer Ian Leslie, who, in conversation with head of the new Library of Birmingham project Brian Gambles, shared with us the thinking behind his books, Born Liars. We all are, in turns out, but don’t worry, it’s okay… with special thanks to the RSA for co-presenting this event.

Saturday was our book fair for independent presses, States of Independence (West), at Eastside Projects in Digbeth.

After a very early start the presses got down to some serious bookselling, and a programme of brief readings and seminars went on throughout the day.

There was soup and cake, too…

On Monday,we were delighted to join The Writers’ Guild in presenting  ‘Developing Writers with the BBC’ featuring the BBC Writersroom’s Paul Ashton.

Amongst these events a Fringe festival has been happening in and around the Festival Bookshop, featuring everything from drop in sessions with the Book Doctors to events with authors, including Edmund Bealby-Wright and Linda Green. Today favourite poems were shared with new Birmingham Poet Laureate Jan Watts.

So much more to come!! Keep checking our facebook page, our Blog, which contains some great reviews of the events we’ve enjoyed so far, and of course book your tickets for everything still to come!

Here is the Birmingham Post’s Interview with Will Self, ahead of his event on Thursday 13th October.

Image: Polly Boland

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have had to cancel the following event Owen Hatherley: The New Ruins of Great Britain. Owen Hatherley is unfortunately unable to attend the Birmingham Book Festival this year. We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience caused.

If you have already purchased tickets for this event, or wish to book tickets to any of our other fantastic events, please contact the Box Office on 0121 446 3232.

To see what other great events are taking place during the Festival, please click here

We would like to invite you once again to experience Bodies in the Library, a free evocative audio tour of Birmingham Central Library.

Commissioned by Theatre Writing Partnership and Writing West Midlands, BODIES IN THE LIBRARY by Sibyl Ruth is a poetic and evocative audio journey exploring the past and present of Birmingham’s Central Library. Reflect on the pain and pleasure of its architectural idiosyncracies with some of its inhabitants, both real and imagined.

In 2013, the new Library of Birmingham will be open for business. Nevertheless, before indulging in that fantastic new construction, you now have the chance to go behind the concrete walls of its predecessor and look at the old library with new eyes. Author Sibyl Ruth takes you on a poetic journey through time and library space by telling you the building’s untold stories. It is a good-bye to a building from the past, just before we delve into the future. Reflect on the vision and promise of the building when it first opened, with some of its inhabitants – both real and imagined. Discover intimate corners and wide vistas as you tread familiar paths in a long farewell.

To enjoy it you can use your own mp3 enabled device or borrow one from Bodies itself. The audio project is available to experience now and will continue to run throughout the Birmingham Book Festival 2011.

For more information follow visit www.theatrewritingpartnership.org.uk you can also follow theproject on Twitter( @ears_wide_open)

This project is a partnership between Theatre Writing Partnership and Writing West Midlands.