This year's Edinburgh International Book Festival was launched today at the Signet library in Edinburgh. But at the same time a digital launch was taking place on twitter, with excited tweets speeding their way through the internet, as the line-up was revealed, and the online programme released.
So what got you buzzing?
Perhaps unsurprisingly it was the big name authors that got people's attention at first - Philip Pullman, Fay Weldon, Louis de Bernières, Alan Bissett, and Alexander McCall Smith.
There was excitement over the guest "City of Literature" writer in residence Christos Tsiolkas coming over from Melbourne.
Roxyreadings could barely contain their excitement about the inclusion of post-modern poet Paul Muldoon.
But there was also recognition on twitter of the efforts to involve new writers - more than forty debut authors are featured in the festival line-up, and visitors will be able to select their favouite, as part of the new Readers First Book Award.
"Exciting news - #edbookfest have commissioned 50 writers to write short stories/essays around theme of 'elsewhere'...." RobAroundBooks
That emphasis on interactivity and creativity can also been seen in the way that this year's festival have commissioned 50 writers to produce short stories, The first five, by authors including Michel Faber, A L Kennedy and Louise Welsh have already been completed, and the rest will be made available through the book festival website as they are produced, with twitter updates as they are completed.
Interesting juxtapositions also grabbed people's attention on twitter.
EddMcCracken delighted in the fact that the festival had managed to being together hair dresser and household name Vidal Sassoon, and renowned Irish poet Seamus Heaney, together in one festival programme - though not, it should be emphasised, together in the same event.
Praymurray picked out an intruiging discussion on the importance of the political cartoon in journalism, featuring Steve Bell and Gary Trudeau, author of the American Doonsbury cartoons, at Monday 23 August at the RBS Main Theatre.
And the prescence of the Moomins was remarked on more than once. It's the 65th anniversary of the celebrated children's series, and Sophie Jansson, niece of the creator of the Moomins, Tove Jansson, will be speaking about what it was like growing up with the characters on Saturday 14 August.
It's certainly a diverse offering - and remarkable to think that so many events and authors can be packed into the Charlotte Square gardens over the 18 day event.
• This article was modified on June 18. The original included the incorrect spelling A L Kennedey. This has been corrected.
