New leaves in Hong Kong International Literary Festival revamp

The Hong Kong International Literary Festival has had a shake-up - it has a new manager, new faces on the board and a good line-up secured for the festival, which takes place November 1-10.

Among the 24 overseas authors participating in the 13th festival are Jung Chang, Shin Kyung-sook and Nordic crime writers Thomas Enger, Ake Edwardson and Antti Tuomainen. They will join nine local writers at 53 events, including nine for children.

"From this tiny dot on the corner of the South China Sea that we call home, we invite you to jump aboard ship and have your literary appetite stimulated and nourished," says the co-chair of the board of directors, Christine Van.

Paul Tam - former marketing director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra - is the festival's new manager. "It's my first festival and we've worked hard at getting the line-up. We have a more clearly defined series so it's easier for the audience to navigate through the programme book," Tam says. "I'm excited, we've got authors coming from all over the world."

The events are also better scheduled this year, with shorter sessions over lunchtime, making it possible to slip out of the office for a dose of culture, and more events at the weekend.