In the 50th year since the first moon landing, Brid Lit 2019 gears up for launch.

And it’s going to be out of this world, with something for everyone who loves books and literature.

There’s Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, novelists Melvyn Bragg,  Sadie Jones, Deborah Moggach, David Nicholls and Max Porter, as well as non-fiction historians Max Hastings, Tom Holland, Tim Bouverie and journalists Lindsey Hilsum, Steve Richards and Channel Four News’s Matt Frei, guest speaker at the George Millar Literary Dinner.

Nature writers Stephen Moss (birds) and Peter Marren (butterflies) and legendary cricket commentator Henry Blofeld are on the bill, along with Jason Goodwin, who lives locally, and a workshop session on spirit of place with local authors Rosanna Ley, Gail Aldwin and Maria Donovan.

It’s always really difficult to choose which Brid Lit events to attend. But, this year, the decision is going to be harder than ever. It’s the best line-up yet in the event’s fifteen-year history. I can’t wait to get my hands on some tickets.

No-one looks forward to winter but those dark days in November always seem a little bit brighter when Brid Lit comes to town. Such a diverse range of writers in the most exquisite of places.

Some people base their winter breaks around the festival. Last year, Maggi Ouin, from Broadwindsor, was accompanied by four old schoolfriends she’s known for 58 years. They come to stay with her and enjoy all that Brid Lit has to offer.

Valerie Barnes, from Bridport, has been coming to the festival for years. Last year she took her friend, Lynne Boot.

Val told me: “Brid Lit director Tanya Bruce-Lockhart has access to so many interesting and iconic people and everyone who doesn’t get tickets ends up being upset because they’ve missed it.”

Festival Friends enjoy priority booking two weeks before tickets go on sale to the public. To find out more about becoming a Friend, visit the festival website.

The 15th BridLit runs from Sunday 3  to Sunday 9 November in venues throughout the town. The brochure will be out later this summer, when tickets will be on sale from August through Bridport Tourist Information Centre and online at bridlit.com

So keep your eye on this website. You wouldn’t want to miss it.