Have you ever wondered how Thomas Hardy wrote and planned his famous works?

Dr Mary Rimmer, who recently retired from the University of New Brunswick in Canada, will host an open talk this Thursday (7) titled 'How Hardy Framed His Texts'.

The novelist and poet wrote, planned, or had a hand in planning the various texts and images that introduce his novels - the titles, the title pages, the prefaces and sometimes even the covers.

This talk is set to consider a range of questions raised by the way Hardy frames his texts for prospective readers, and probe the connections between the frames and the texts.

Dr Rimmer has edited Desperate Remedies, published articles and book chapters on Hardy and collaborated on editions of four early Trinidad novels. She is now working on a book on culture and allusion in Hardy and on an edition of The Trumpet-Major for Cambridge University Press.

Thursday's talk is part of the Hardy Country Lecture Series organised by not-for-profit organisations who are working together to promote the life and work of Thomas Hardy and the county of Dorset. These include Dorset County Museum, University of Exeter, National Trust, Thomas Hardy Society and Kingston Maurward College.

How Hardy Framed His Texts will take place at Kingston Maurward College at 7.30pm on Thursday. Admission is free. For enquiries call 01305 262735 or visit www.hardysociety.org