Top authors heading for 2008 Bexhill Children's Book Festival

part in this year's Bexhill Children's Book Festival.

Simon Messingham is the author of seven Dr Who novels, including the latest story, The Doctor Trap. He will be talking at the Saturday, September 27 festival at the De La Warr Pavilion about how he writes his stories and where he gets his ideas.

He will be joined by a very special, very scary guest - "Be sure it doesn't exterminate you," organisers warn.

Karate princesses, seasick pirates and demon vacuum cleaners - not to mention 100mph dogs and vagrant Vikings - who else but Jeremy Strong could write such wonderfully funny stories about characters such as these?

Mini Grey, last year's Kate Greenaway medal-winner and chosen as one of the top 10 best new illustrators published since 2000, has a wild and inventive imagination. How else could she write her sometimes tragic but always humorous stories such as The Egg Drop, The Story Of The Dish And The Spoon and Traction Man Is Here?

Visitors to this year's festival are invited to hear how she gets her inspiration and meet her Traction Man hero - Turbodog.

Electrotaur, Slashermite and Stinkermite have been joined by Bashertaur. Ali Sparkes' mad taur monsters take young readers to new depths of fear and heights of terror with a chilling and panicky trip through the perils of marshmallow, mind-control and killer fingerknitting.

Visitors will be able to join Ali as the ex-newspaper reporter, singer and Pontin's Bluecoat tells how she gets her inspiration and makes up stories around the monsters she draws.

Bexhill Town Mayor Cllr Patrick Douart opens the 2008 Bexhill Children's Book Festival at 10.45am on September 27. Jeremy Strong will be appearing from 11am until 11.45; Mini Grey from noon until 12.45pm.

From 1pm until 2pm it's all aboard for Pirate Party, a pirate feast with games and competitions.

Ali Sparkes will be on from 2pm to 2.45pm and Simon Messingham from 3pm to 3.45pm.

Author sessions may be booked at the De La Warr Pavilion booking office in person. Telephone bookings on 01424 229111 taken by credit or debit card will be subject to a 1.50 booking fee per transaction.

Online booking can be found at www.dlwp.com/booking. All children under eight must be accompanied by an adult.

In addition to meet-the-author sessions, the festival includes readings, craft activities and book-signings.

Tickets for Pirate Party are 3.50. Tickets for Simon Messingham's session are 3; Ali Sparkes, Mini Grey and Jeremy Strong sessions are 2.50 (adults 1).

The festival is presented by Rother District Council, East Sussex County Council, Bexhill Schools Consortium and the De La Warr Pavilion.