Award-winning novelist Joanne Harris is set to headline this year’s Manx Litfest in September.

The six-day event will take place at a variety of venues around the island, and audiences will be entertained by visiting and local authors, illustrators, poets and storytellers, as well as the return of much-loved events such as the ‘Book Fanatics’ Quiz Night’ and ‘Writers’ Day’.

There will also be plenty on offer for younger readers, with numerous school visits included in the schedule alongside library events with children’s authors and illustrators.

Joanne Harris attended the fourth Manx Litfest back in 2015, and is well-known for her bestselling 1999 novel ‘Chocolat’, which was turned into a film featuring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

Joanne is the author of many other critically-acclaimed works in a whole variety of different genres, including gothic horror, psychological thriller, Norse mythology, fairytales and cookery.

She has judged numerous literary awards, including ‘The Orange Prize’ and ‘The Whitbread Prize’, and she has also written articles for the UK press on travel and literature.

Joanne also appears regularly on radio and TV. In 2021 she was a guest on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, where her chosen book was the collected works of Victor Hugo.

Joining Joanne in the line-up of visiting authors, illustrators, poets and storytellers are:

  • Susie Alegre, a Manx-born international human rights lawyer with a specialist understanding of the impact of technology and AI on human rights.
  • M.J. Arlidge, an acclaimed crime writer whose novels have been runaway bestsellers in the UK and abroad.
  • Elise Downing, author of ‘Coasting’, which tells of her amazing 5,000-mile run round the coast of Great Britain.
  • Mark Grist, award-winning poet, rapper, storyteller, podcaster and children’s author.
  • Pauline Hazelwood, author of the hugely popular ‘Saddletank’ series of picture books.
  • Dominic Kelly, a storyteller whose work is inspired by European oral storytelling traditions, folklore and myth.
  • Clare Mackintosh, author of 10 bestselling crime novels.
  • Kate Nash, literary agent who set up her own agency in 2009, and who has won or been shortlisted for many awards.

Festival director Helen Jessopp commented: ‘Manx Litfest is a real labour of love by our small committee and it is wonderful to see the 2025 festival coming together with a brilliant group of visitors due to take part.

‘We feel really privileged to be part of something that, for over a decade, has enabled the Manx community to engage with literature, helped build a community that celebrates creativity, and hopefully inspired people from pre-school age upwards to create something of their own.

‘The Isle of Man is lucky to be home to a great number of talented people, who we hope to see at Writers’ Day and our Poetry Celebration, sharing their work with other Manx creatives and allowing us to use the festival to celebrate established and burgeoning talent.

‘The festival is friendly, welcoming, and for all. We hope to see you there.’

For more details of the 2025 line-up, you can visit https://www.manxlitfest.com/, where the festival programme and ticketing information will be available soon.