The Book Council’s Words on Wheels tour sends a group of top writers into rural New Zealand each year, and this year's line-up has just been announced.

The writers are William Brandt (pictured), Barbara Else, Brigid Lowry, Harry Ricketts, Paul Thomas and Caren Wilton.

The WOW 2004 Tour starts on 17 February 2004 and will be visiting the deep south. It will cover Dunedin, Balclutha, Gore, Invercargill, Winton, Te Anau, Queenstown, Alexandra and Cromwell, before finishing in Timaru on 24 February.

"WOW gives people in rural communities a chance to meet top-flight writers," says Book Council Director Karen Ross. "We find communities are still buzzing long after WOW has departed – it is a real shot in the arm for the cultural life of the region."

Check out the full itinerary of the WOW 2004 Tour here.