Book lovers in the north east now have a home page to call their own with the launch of www.literaturenortheast.co.uk, the new north east literary website which goes live on Wednesday 15 October. The site will be invaluable for local readers and writers, with its comprehensive listings of literary events and readings in the region. The site will also include an A-Z of North East Writers, as well as featuring news and longer features, which will appeal to anyone interested in the local literary scene.

Novelist DJ Taylor, who is one of the judges of this year's Booker Prize, thinks that the new website will help put the region firmly in the centre of the country's literary map: "At a time when writing from beyond the confines of the M25 is adding a significant flavour to the 57 varieties of the British novel, this initiative should do wonders in helping to raise awareness of the literary talent that currently flourishes in the north east."

The A-Z of North East Writers, which will be a cornerstone of the new site, is a showcase for the many talented professional writers based in the region. Another major feature of the site will be The Timeline of North East Literature, compiled and edited by poet Kevin Cadwallender, which will be added to the site in the coming months. The Timeline promises to be an individual and entertaining look at the historical significance behind some of the north east's key literary achievements.

The website is supported by Independent Northern Publishers, which represents independent fiction and poetry publishers throughout the north east of England, and New Writing North, the writing development agency for the north east of England.