With just three weeks until the start of Wells Festival of Literature tickets are close to selling out for some of this year's speakers.

The festival, which runs from 18-26 October, features a whole range of authors, poets and celebrities, along with a literary quiz and special events for local schoolchildren.

Sellouts so far include TV's Countdown queen Susie Dent and poet Pam Ayres, with just a few tickets left for author Jonathan Dimbleby, human rights lawyer Shami Chakrabati and art historian Bendor Grosvenor.

So, don't miss out but start booking now! Here are just a few gems from the festival's nine-day event at Cedars Hall.

Crime novel enthusiasts may like to hear Jonathan Coe talk about his new satirical crime caper The Proof of My Innocence, or Louise Minchin on her celebrity survival thriller Isolation Island.

A former BBC Breakfast host I'm a Celebrity contestant, Minchin knows the ropes when it comes to celebrity egos struggling for survival on an island bristling with hidden cameras.

There's more satire in John O'Farrell's novel Family Politics, a humorous account of political divisions within one family.

For film buffs Kate Hext goes Wilde in the Dream Factory, a fascinating story of how Oscar Wilde's influence provided a blueprint for eccentric comedies and gangster movies in early American cinema.

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Or for sports fans David Horspool scores highly in his book More Than a Game, a history of how sport has defined both Britain's past and present.

Pick up a brochure at numerous local venues for full festival listings – including information on how to book for the Sunday night literary quiz taking place at The Swan Hotel. Last year's event was a sellout and this one promises to be even bigger and better.

For tickets call 01749 834483 (9.30am-12.30pm weekdays) or visit www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk