It’s been a tense few days for Going West organiser Murray Gray (pictured with Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey).

First Jenny Bornholdt had to pull out of the keynote Curnow Reader this coming Friday evening. Then Karlo Mila stepped in, but now she’s had to pull out after the death of Tonga's King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

But all’s well that ends well, for Chris Price has stepped into the breach. Price (also pictured) is a past editor of Landfall, and was for many years coordinator of the New Zealand International Arts Festival's Writers and Readers Week.

Her first book of poems, Husk, was published by AUP in 2002 and won the Montana Best First Book of Poetry award; her latest, Brief Lives, has already garnered considerable acclaim.

Bornholdt's second slot at the festival, a romantic pairing with hubby Gregory O’Brien on Saturday afternoon at 1.30, has also been affected: this time Ian Wedde is the substitute.

Wedde has written some of the greatest New Zealand love poems, including the high octane Beautiful Golden Girl of the Sixties, and now Wedde and O’Brien will read from their work and discuss the relationship between poetry, body and soul.

One final other change is an addition: Huia Publishers are launching James George’s latest novel on Saturday at around 5.45pm. This was slated for Titirangi’s Lopdell House but has now moved to the main festival venue, the War Memorial Hall.

We suspect that Murray will soon be switching to the decaffeinated blend at Titirangi's Hardware Cafe: there's only so much excitement a bloke can take when dealing with literary types. Check here for the latest Going West programme details.