It's very exciting to see a small idea that was a throw away idea in my interview for the job of arts editor turn into something palpable, especially something that has already begun to inspire people even though the festival hasn't yet begun. We launched in 2010 but this year is much bigger - and we've expanded it on to the Echo's website as well as the LDP's.

One of the items is a series of ebooks featuring Daily Post & Echo readers' poetry and short stories - I could tell from the messages that accompanied with the submissions that it took a lot of courage for some people to share their work. I think it's commendable that they took the leap.

The idea of LiveRead is that it's a celebration of Liverpool writers and writing - writers at all different levels that is. So we've got best-selling authors such as Stephen Baxter and Willy Russell featured alongside amateur writers dreaming of a publishing contract, alongside people who write because they want to and never expect to see it in print.

You can read a full programme of events by clicking here.