BOOKS | Events Thursday 23
Edinburgh Nothing But the Poem The Edinburgh Bookshop, 219 Bruntsfield Place, 447 1917. 6pm. £5 (£3). Poetry discussion forum with no preparation or previous knowledge required. This month’s focus is on Mary Oliver.
Saturday 25 Edinburgh Nothing But the Poem Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 11am–12.30pm. £5 (£3). See Thu 23.
Sunday 26
Edinburgh Shore Poets Henderson’s @ St John’s, St John’s Terrace, 3 Lothian Road, 229 0212. 7pm. £5 (£3). Regular local poetry meet, featuring thought-provoking new verse and live music. With Meg Bateman, Iain Matheson and Martin McIntyre.
Tuesday 28 Glasgow FREE Dawn O’Porter: Paper Aeroplanes Waterstones, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 4pm. The television presenter and author signs copies of her new novel, a coming-of-age story drawn from her own childhood growing up in Guernsey.
Edinburgh FREE Rebecca Solnit: The Faraway Nearby Word Power Bookshop, 43 West Nicolson Street, 662 9112. 6.30pm. The author reads from and discusses her memoir, which takes three boxes of apricots as its jumping off point.
✽ FREE Inky Fingers Open Mic The Banshee Labyrinth, 29–35
Niddry Street, 558 8209. 8–11pm. First watch a doc about six young British poets they journey to the prestigious Brave New Voices slam (held at the White House, doncha know), then stick around for the regular Inky Fingers open mic.
Thursday 30 Edinburgh FREE Nicola Morgan: Blame My Brain Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Morgan launches a new edition of her non-fiction book, in which she explains the teenage brain – no, really. FREE Allan Massie: Surviving Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 7–8pm. Massie talks with Chris Dolan about his new novel following a group of British expatriates in Rome, connected through AA meetings.
Friday 31
Edinburgh Joe Hill: NOS4R2 Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. £5. Hill launches his latest horror novel, taking questions from the audience and signing copies of his books. Booking essential. See preview, above. Guid Crack Club Waverley Bar, 1 St Mary’s Street, 557 1050. 7.30–10pm. By donation (£3 suggested). Tonight, guest storyteller Tony Robertson performs the tales, ballads and stories of travellers.
Aberdeen ✽ Margins Book and Music Festival Various venues, Aberdeen, marginsfestival.com Times vary. Prices vary. Back again for year three, this hip young festival spreads its wings to a new city for Margins Aberdeen. Set over two weekends, confirmed acts so far include Robert Newman, FOUND, Alasdair Gray, and more for six days of music, books and debate.
56 THE LIST 16 May–13 Jun 2013
Thursday 6 Edinburgh FREE Dickson Telfer: The Red Man Turns to Green Waterstones George Street, 83 George Street, 0843 290 8309. 6.30pm. The author launches his new book of short stories, with a reading, Q&A and signing session. James Robertson: The Professor of Truth Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. 7pm. £5 (Waterstone’s loyalty card holders £4). The author launches his latest novel, in which a man continues to obsess over the deaths of his wife and daughter in a plane bombing more than two decades later. Tickets from Waterstones West End. See review, page 54. FREE Mary Contini: Easy Peasy Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 7–8pm. In conversation with Pru Irvine, talking all things food.
Sunday 9
Edinburgh FREE Edinburgh Skeptics Bookgroup and Cafe Social Espresso Mondo, 116 Lothian Road, 07896 745991. 2–4.30pm. Monthly chats about books related to popular science topics, plus tea, coffee, booze and cakes.
Tuesday 11
Edinburgh Jo Caulfield Presents . . . The Speakeasy Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 8pm. £6. A relaxed evening featuring a diverse bill of artists telling true stories live on stage. With crime writer Ian Rankin, comedian Susan Calman, mindreader Colin McLeod, storyteller James Spense, musician Colin McEwan, comedian Ben Verth, a 10-minute play by Dave McFarlane, plus others. The School of Poets Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 8–11pm. £2 for taster session; £10 for annual membership. Monthly workshop-type poetry session aiming to encourage and develop writing skills. All skill levels welcome.
Wednesday 12 Edinburgh Café Voices Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £5. Storyteller Mio Shapley celebrates the famous Japanese phrase ‘Ichi-go Ichi-e’ – making the most of once in a lifetime opportunities.
Thursday 13
Edinburgh FREE Inky Fingers SPEAKeasy The Forest Café, 141 Lauriston Place, 229 4922. 5.15–7.45pm. A group for writers of all levels of experience to practise performing their work aloud to a supportive group of peers. Email inkyfingersedinburgh@gmail.com to book a place. Cross Cultural Reading: Pia Juul and Ali Smith Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. 6pm. £5. Smith and Danish author Juul both read from their latest publications. Presented by the Danish Cultural Institute. Melrose Borders Book Festival Harmony Garden, St Mary’s Road, 0844 357 1060. Times vary. Prices vary (£3–£13). Until Sun 16 Jun. Taking place in the National Trust’s Georgian Harmony Garden, the Borders Book Festival attracts world- class writers and also hosts the £25, 000 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction. This year, Joanna Lumley and Phyllida Law talk autobiography; a number of fiction writers, including Kate Mosse, Hilary Mantel and Simon Scarrow, introduce their latest efforts; and a slew of non-fiction events cover crime, food and drink and history.
HORROR JOE HILL Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 31 May
The latest novel from author Joe Hill is a full throttle horror story. In NOS4R2, a serial killer prowls both real and imaginary worlds in his Silver Wraith Rolls Royce, abducting children for a hundred year reign of terror. The killer takes his captives to Christmasland, a dark subversion of everything that is festive. ‘A lot of successful horror works on the juxtaposition of the innocent and harmless with the utterly terrifying,’ says Hill. ‘If you are walking by an old abandoned house and you can hear “Jingles Bells” coming from inside and it’s the middle of summer – that’s not right. There’s something very wrong about that.’
This is Hill’s third novel, alongside his continued work in the comics world, creating Locke & Key and The Cape. His 2010 novel Horns is currently being adapted for the big screen, directed by Alexandre Aja (Switchblade Romance/The Hills Have Eyes) with Daniel Radcliffe in the lead role. ‘I had the chance to be on set and watch him work for a couple of days and I was blown away. I think he’s wonderful for the part. There’s something fascinating about watching Harry Potter struggle not to give in to temptation.’
Of course we can’t ignore the elephant in the room, especially
considering his chosen genre, and we have to mention that Hill is Stephen King’s son. ‘My dad is an influence on my work every time I sit down at the computer.’ Hill wanted to prove himself as a writer, and never wanted to cash in on his father’s fame. It wasn’t until 2007, after he’d already had a collection of short stories and his first novel Heart- Shaped Box published, that Variety confirmed Hill’s lineage. ‘I was afraid if I wrote as Joseph King someone might be tempted to publish a mediocre piece of work because they saw a chance to make a quick buck from that last name. Then the internet got me almost as soon as my first book came out. I did a couple of appearances to promote it and people were like “hey don’t you think he looks like . . . ?”’ (Henry Northmore) ■ NOS4R2 is available now from Gollancz.
Saturday 1 June Tuesday 4
Aberdeen ✽ Margins Book and Music Festival Various venues, Aberdeen, marginsfestival.com Times vary. Prices vary. See Fri 31.
Sunday 2
Aberdeen ✽ Margins Book and Music Festival Various venues, Aberdeen, marginsfestival.com Times vary. Prices vary. See Fri 31.
Monday 3 Edinburgh FREE Blackwell’s Book Quiz Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8201. 6pm. Test your literary credentials in teams of up to five. Booking essential.
Edinburgh FREE Tricolour: NLS Poetry Night National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 6.30pm. Three spoken word and performance poets with three different styles and three different outlooks. This month it’s Harry Giles, Tickle and Rachel McCrum.
Wednesday 5 Glasgow Scott Ian The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. 7pm. £15. The Anthrax guitarist embarks on a solo spoken word tour, promising ‘an evening of ridiculous truth’. Word Play Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8.30pm. £2. Open mic night with acoustic music, poetry and prose, hosted by the Word Factory.