DARTMOOR has been the inspiration for novels, poetry and plays for hundreds of years — and this year, such creative writing will be celebrated in a literature festival. The patron of the Festival of Dartmoor Literature will be West Devon-based Children's laureate Michael Morpurgo — the festival will also mark the 10th anniversary of The Dartmoor Society. Over the weekend of 9 to 11 May, in Tavistock Town Hall, writers from all over the country will be speaking about the influence of Dartmoor on their work. Others will explore writers of earlier generations such as Eden Phillpotts and John Trevena. Tom Greeves, chairman of The Dartmoor Society, said: 'Alice Oswald, whose award-winning poem Dart won her the TS Eliot prize in 2002, will talk about her work with poet James Crowden. A Dartmoor village is the setting for Salley Vickers's humorous novel Mr Golightly's Holiday, and the Teign valley is the context for the award-winning semi-autobiographical novel In A Place of Fallen Leaves, to be discussed by author Tim Pears. 'If it's medieval murder mystery you fancy, then don't miss Bernard Knight and Michael Jecks dissecting their 12th and 14th century gripping Dartmoor tales.' For lovers of romantic historical fiction, Tania Crosse, Lilian Harry and Marcia Willett will be speaking about their highly successful Dartmoor novels. Dr Greeves said: 'Tavistock features significantly, because the first known, and probably best, Dartmoor poet, William Browne, was born in the town in about 1590, but also because the very first Dartmoor novels were written by Anna Eliza Bray in the vicarage in the 1820s and 1830s.' Dr Greeves said excerpts from their work will be part of a performance of readings and songs on the Friday evening by members of The Tavonians and others , including Andrew Wilson, Kate Walker and Bill Murray, exploring 400 years of writing about Tavistock. And The Hound of the Baskervilles has not been forgotten either — on the Saturday evening David Stuart Davies will present 'An Evening with Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle'. West Devon writers Roselle Angwin, Mark Beeson and Maggie Clark will also take part, and Nick Groom (with Donna Landry and Dafydd Moore) will host a discussion about whether or not a distinct body of Dartmoor writing can be said to exist. Bookstalls of new and old books will be available, as well as a special souvenir programme. There will also be Morris dancing, and an opportunity to visit the oldest known writing on Dartmoor at 1,400 years old! Tavistock Library is running a competition for a poem inspired by Dartmoor — there are £150 worth of book tokens to be won — closing date 2 May. Tickets can be obtained from Tavistock Library or, for Saturday and Sunday, on the door. Otherwise go to http://www.dartmoorsociety.com">www.dartmoorsociety.com where a booking form can be downloaded or call 01822 617004 or 023 9236 3961.