This year for the first time, North-East Scotland's month-long festival of new writing in performance takes place in September instead of May, and the festival will now be called New Words instead of Wordfringe.

However we do have a short season of literary events in late May to whet your appetite for the main feast in September. This programme has been created by a partnership of North-East venues, promoters and publishers in association with North East Writers.

New Words artistic director Haworth Hodgkinson launches this season with a poetry workshop at Woodend Barn exploring the use of places as inspiration. Aberdeen-based novelists Bill Kirton and Olivia McMahon will read from their latest books at Cellar 35, and Knotbrook Taylor will be the guest poet at one of the ever-popular open poetry nights at Better Read Books that have become a part of the literary calendar.

Michael William Molden will be signing copies of his new novel, there's a launch of a new anthology of art-inspired poetry at Aberdeen Arts Centre, and Poetry Aberdeen rounds the season off with the launch of the first collection from Aberdeenshire's young and highly talented poet Bryony Harrower.

North East Writers would like to offer thanks to the following partners, whose support has made this season possible:

Aberdeen Arts Centre
Better Read Books
Books and Beans
Cellar 35
Koo Press
Malfranteaux Concepts
Poetry Aberdeen
Woodend Barn

Look out for full details of the New Words 2010 festival on www.newwords.co.uk.