THE Examiner’s long-established Literary Luncheon once again offered up a feast of entertainment at the Galpharm Stadium yesterday.

With an eclectic line-up of five speakers, the annual event – now in its 23rd year – had a strong Yorkshire theme and there were plenty of laughs for the audience of 300.

First to speak after the three-course luncheon, compered by Examiner Head of Content, Andy Hirst and sponsored by florist Yorkshire Rose, was Yorkshire MP Austin Mitchell, a former academic, broadcaster and journalist.

His latest book, Austin Mitchell’s Grand Book of Yorkshire Humour, is a compilation of regional wit and Yorkshire dialect anecdotes.

“Yorkshire humour is,” he said, “a product of a hard industrial society.”

It’s our aim at the luncheon to serve up something for everyone. Our second speaker, Lucy-Anne Holmes, chick-lit author, transformed an on-line blog into a novel. Lucy-Anne, who travelled from her home in London to be with us, explained how she wrote a blog about her quest to find love and found a new career instead. Like the central character in her book, 50 Ways to Find a Lover, Lucy-Anne worked as a waitress and actress before becoming a full-time writer.

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The luncheon also heard from children’s author Malcolm Rose, whose cutting-edge science-based books are popular with both parents and young readers alike.

A former lecturer in chemistry with the Open University, Malcolm lives in Sheffield, where he now works full time as a writer. He has 36 titles to his name, including his latest, Forbidden Island.

For art lovers there was the chance to meet art historian Lynne Green, who has written and published a book about world-famous Yorkshire raku potter David Roberts.

Lynne launched her own imprint, Greendrake, in memory of her late husband Jonathan Drake, who was a prominent figure in the arts. Painting With Smoke is a showcase for David’s work.

Last, but certainly not least, the luncheon heard from former schools inspector Gervase Phinn. Gervase is the author of many books on his life as an inspector in Yorkshire schools and something of an expert on the things children say.

However, his latest offering, All Our Yesterdays, is a book of reminiscences and observations by contributors ranging from well-known personalities such as Freddie Trueman to film stars and down-to-earth Yorkshire people such as himself.