VARIETY is the spice of life, which means this year's Whitsunday Writers Festival is going to be very spicy indeed.

Starting today, the theme is 'Diversity' and the festival features an interesting mix of authors including a true crime writer, a romance novelist, a doctor, a reef expert and a venomologist.

Also speaking is digital journalist and adventurer Ben Southall who is well known in the Whitsundays for winning Best Job in the World in 2009 and becoming caretaker of Hamilton Island, which he put into his 2015 book 'The Best Job in the World: How you can make a living from following your dreams'.

Ben spends his time travelling and blogging and has just returned from Everest Base Camp.

Festival founder Gloria Burley said the writers festival, which is taking place at Lure, Abell Point Marina for the first time, was a complete package for book lovers.

"The Writers Festival is a complete package - it is a weekend of fine dining, mingling with other book lovers and listening to inspiring authors talking about their books, their lives and their adventures," Ms Burley said.

"This year, for the first time, there is the opportunity that every budding writer longs for and that is to be able to speak to an audience about their book or poem in a segment called Fifteen Minutes of Fame, on Sunday, and they can also sell their books.

"And if you want to know the real story of the Great Barrier Reef, then come and listen to expert Professor Iain McCalman, author of 'The Reef - A Passionate History, from Captain Cook to Climate Change', which should be of great interest to all of us living here on the Great Barrier Reef."

A full list of Saturday's inspirational author's talks is on the website.

Tickets cost just $30 each or a full-day pass costs $120 (six speakers) and includes a delicious lunch and tea/coffee.

Friday night welcome drinks officially open the festival - everyone is welcome with a cash bar and complimentary canapes courtesy of Fish D'Vine.

On Saturday night there is a Literary Dinner with after-dinner speakers Ben Southall and venomologist Prof. Bryan Fry, author of Venom Doc.

A Long Table Lunch closes the festival on Sunday.

See www.whitsundaywritersfestival.com for more information (including a full program) or follow the festival on Facebook.

Tickets are available at www.whitsundaytickets.com.au.

Friday, September 2　　　　　　

8.45am- Annie Seaton

11am- Dr John and Elizabeth McIntosh

1.45pm- Lindsay Simpson

6.30pm- Welcome Drinks including cash bar & complimentary canapes

Saturday, September 3

9am- Dr John & Elizabeth McIntosh

10.15am- Lindsay Simpson

11.15am- Ben Southall

1.15pm- Professor Bryan Fry　

2.15pm- Professor Iain McAlman

3.30pm- Annie Seaton

6.30pm- Literary Dinner with speakers Prof Bryan Fry and Ben Southall

Sunday September 4

9am- Professor Bryan Fry

9.30am- Annie Seaton

10.15am- Dr John and Elizabeth McIntosh

10.45am- 15 minutes of fame- Your chance to talk about your book

2pm- Close