Superlatives were sprinkled around the 2010 Lennoxlove Book Festival like fairy dust. It was simply wonderful, magical. From the moment when the great Mary King appeared at 6pm on the first night to talk about her immense career as Britain's greatest event rider to Tom Conti’s hilarious and touching memories of a career in film, stage and TV, the festival crackled with delight.

West Dunbartonshire’s tenth Literature Festival was, almost certainly, the best yet. From the opening event featuring Richard Holloway at Gartocharn’s Millennium Hall, to the finale with Alistair Moffat (plus glorious Italian buffet!) at a sun-drenched Kilted Skirlie Restaurant at Loch Lomond Shores, event after event attracted large audiences and fulsome praise.

The sixth Ullapool Book Festival in May showcased its usual mix of new and well-known Scottish authors as well as welcoming a Mayan K’iche’ poet from Guatemala.

The 10th Word Festival was certainly a cause for celebration with sold-out events and record crowds to mark a decade of the Festival.

As soon as StAnza: Scotland’s International Poetry Festival unfurled its banners at the Byre Theatre and other venues in St Andrews, Fife, it became clear that this one was going to be special