'A book lovers' playground' - Author Lee Child and TV star Rob Rinder on way to first-ever Whitby Lit Fest

Child’s books have been translated in multiple languages, had two Hollywood adaptations starring Tom Cruise, and a hit Amazon Prime series featuring Alan Ritchson.

The blockbuster author will be in conversation with broadcaster, barrister and author, Rob Rinder.

Lee will be discussing the new Reacher book – Exit Strategy - co-written with his brother, Andrew Child.

The 30th title in the Jack Reacher series is published on November 4.

Child will also discuss his first-ever autobiographical collection, The Stories Behind the Stories, which is published this September.

Rinder is a Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author, with a series of novels inspired by his experiences as a barrister: The Trial, The Suspect and The Protest.

More than 40 authors are expected to descend upon Whitby for the inaugural festival, which runs from November 6 to November 9.

Whitby Lit Fest will also champion writers, past and present, who have been inspired by Whitby, and celebrate the coast’s literary heritage.

Festival Patron, Kate Fenton - the author and former BBC Radio 4 producer - said: “Whitby is a book lover’s playground.

"I’ve been known to march protesting family members up the 199 Steps at midnight to sit, as Bram Stoker’s silly Lucy does, on a lonely bench in the gale-blasted churchyard, daring a bat to swoop down.

“Strolling along West Cliff, I like to imagine I might bump into Jackson Brodie because I’ve noticed brilliant Kate Atkinson is fond of sending her detective to our town – and I kid myself I’m personally acquainted with the characters in Ben Myers’ The Offing, set just down the coast in Robin Hood’s Bay.

"The place’s clearly an enduring inspiration for writers, and it’s marvellous so many will be gathering here in November, along with us inky-fingered bookworms, young and old.”

The anniversary of Bram Stoker’s birthday is on November 8, and the festival has plans to mark the occasion, alongside its links to Charles Dickens, who stayed at the White Horse and Griffin while visiting Whitby.

Lois Kirtlan, Committee Chair of the Whitby Lit Fest, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome a literary giant, like Lee Child, to launch a landmark event for readers and writers alike.”

A major theme of the first festival will celebrate Whitby’s dramatic coastline and landscapes, with authors focussing on nature, travel, and the outdoors, as well as a wider look at wellbeing.

Lois said: “It’s a chance for readers to go on a literary adventure, to discover new authors alongside established and acclaimed writers, with the remarkable backdrop of Whitby in November, with its quieter coastal paths and dramatic sunsets.

"Throw in our famous fish and chips, and we think it’s every bookworm’s paradise.”

Other themes include crime fiction, gothic horror, and working-class writing.

The festival will also feature a poetry strand to celebrate established and emerging local poets.

A bespoke children’s strand is centred on a writing competition for schoolchildren delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, to ignite a love of writing and reading in young audiences.

The full programme and ticket sales will be announced later in the year.

The event is an initiative by the Whitby community, with a steering committee of businesses The Whitby Bookshop and Hetty & Betty, alongside North Yorkshire Council Libraries, Visit North Yorkshire, and English Heritage, which looks after Whitby Abbey, with support from Cause UK Public Relations and Hello Technology.

Whitby Lit Fest is being established as a charity.

Ticket prices will be affordable and accessible.

The committee welcomes sponsorship and volunteer support.

Visit www.whitbylitfest.org.uk if interested.