THE first AsparaWriting Festival has begun celebrating crime writers from across the country as they come to the Vale to discuss their work and hold writing master classes for budding authors.

Over weekends until June 20 events will take place at the Evesham Hotel, All Saints Church in Evesham and Coughton Court, near Alcester.

Other authors attending include Stella Duffy, who has written 13 novels, 50 short stories and 10 plays and Simon Brett, author of over 90 books. Both will be holding workshops and discussions during their weekends in Evesham.

Festival chairman and owner of The Evesham Hotel, Sue Jenkinson, said: "We’re very excited to be bringing the first AsparaWriting Festival to Evesham. The authors are all masters of their craft and budding writers will learn a lot from their workshops and discussions."

Next Thurday (May 1) will see the first of the events taking place at 7pm at All Saints Church as Rebecca Tope, famous for her Cotswolds crime stories, gives a talk entitled, The Cotswolds and Me.

Then on Sunday, May 11, Peter Guttridge, the Observer's Crime Fiction Critic, will be there for Crime Writers and Other Liars.

Tickets to individual workshops and evening talks start from £12.

For the full programme and to book tickets visit AsparaWritingFestival.co.uk.