Highlights | BOOKS
LAUNCH: JENNI FAGAN, THERE’S A WITCH IN THE WORD MACHINE Golden Hare Books, Edinburgh, Fri 14 Sep, Jenni Fagan
goldenharebooks.com Award-winning author of The Panopticon and The Sunlight Pilgrims launches her new poetry collection, an exploration of words as spells. FUN LOVIN’ CRIME WRITERS Albert Halls, Stirling, Fri 21 Sep, bloodyscotland. com Crime writers Mark
Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone, Val McDermid, Stuart Nevelle and Luca Veste take time away from their books to murder some good songs. See preview, page 54. Part of Bloody Scotland. WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL Various venues, Wigtown, Fri
21–Sun 30 Sep, wigtownbookfestival. com A celebrated feature in the Scottish literary calendar attracting many big names. For ten days, Scotland’s National Book Town buzzes with book-related happenings as well as theatre, music and site-specific events in quirky venues. See feature, page 24. SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Fri 19– Wed 31 Oct, tracscotland. org A celebration of live storytelling, uniting Scottish and international storytellers and musicians. Events featuring guests from across the globe.
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BOOKS HIGHLIGHTS
Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add
GLASGOW AN EVENING WITH VAL MCDERMID Waterstones, Newton Mearns, Thu 6 Sep, waterstones.com The Queen of Crime talks about the latest instalment in her wildly popular Karen Pirie series, Broken Ground. She also touches on her life and wider oeuvre.
ANNA STEPHENS, ANNA SMITH SPARK & CAMERON JOHNSTON TALK FANTASY Waterstones, Argyle Street, Thu 20 Sep, waterstones.com Three fantasy writers – Anna Stephens, Anna Smith Spark and Cameron Johnston – discuss their work as well as everything that they love about writing in such a rich and dark genre. MEL SHERRATT LAUNCHES HUSH HUSH Waterstones, Argyle Street, Thu 25 Oct, waterstones.com Mel Sherratt is joined in conversation with Glaswegian crime writer Michael J Malone to talk about her new tale of murder Hush Hush. They will also chew over the process of portraying police work through fiction.
NEIL HILBORN Òran Mór, Mon 29 Oct, oran-mor. co.uk Neil Hilborn slams poetry, just what you’d expect from a College National Poetry Slam champion. EDINBURGH
LAPIN IS HUNGRY Scottish Storytelling Centre, Sat 15 Sep, tracscotland.org Bilingual puppet show telling the story of Lapin, the French rabbit, followed by a book signing. Perfect for children aged 3–6. THE MANY FICTIONS OF WILLIAM BOYD Assembly Rooms, Wed 19 Sep,
assemblyroomsedinburgh.co.uk William Boyd discusses the hallmarks of his long and varied career, including his 15 novels and the hoax he pulled on the art world with David Bowie. MONEYLAND WITH OLIVER BULLOUGH Lighthouse Books, Thu Sep 27, lighthousebookshop.com The investigative journalist talks about themes from his new book, The Last Man in Russia, which looks at the secret world of the stateless super-rich.
TWISTER BY JULIETTE FORREST Golden Hare Books, Thu 4 Oct, goldenharebooks.com The Scottish children’s author presents her new novel Twister, which is aimed at young people aged 9+. The event is interactive and Forrest will chat about magic, heroines and mystery. OUT OF TOWN
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS WITH MARK BEAUMONT Eden Court, Inverness, Tue 11 Sep, eden-court.co.uk An insight into Mark Beaumont’s incredible cycle around the world in 80 days. Also touring, see list.co.uk/books for details. NAIRN BOOK AND ARTS FESTIVAL Various venues, Nairn, Tue 11–Thu 16 Sep, nairnfestival.co.uk A range of musical, literary and artistic events with a fringe drawing on the talents of the local creative community. The programme features a kids’ day, workshops, author events, poetry readings and more.
ALAN TAYLOR: APPOINTMENT IN AREZZO Smith Art Gallery & Museum, Stirling, Mon 17 Sep, stirlingliterarysociety.org.uk Journalist and author Alan Taylor discusses his remarkable friendship with Muriel Spark over the last 16 years of her life, as outlined in his memoir Appointment in Arezzo.
BLOODY SCOTLAND Various venues, Stirling, Fri 21– Sun 23 Sep, bloodyscotland.com An innovative festival drawing on Scotland’s love of the literary macabre and celebrating crime writing by bringing together leading Scottish and international writers, showcasing debut voices and encouraging new writers. See preview, page 54.
TIME’S UP FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling, Sun 23 Sep, bloodyscotland.com Bestsellers Sophie Hannah, Alexandra Sokoloff and Jo Jakeman discuss the recurring issue of violence against women in crime fiction. Part of Bloody Scotland. HELEN FIELDS Waterstones, Dunfermline, Thu 27 Sep, waterstones.com Join Helen Fields, bestselling author of the Perfect series, as she chats to local author Neil Broadfoot about her new novel Perfect Silence.
TIDELINE BOOK FESTIVAL Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine, Thu 27–Sun 30 Sep, tidelinesbookfest. com Largs-based book festival with a great little lineup of events for kids and adults alike.
ISLAY BOOK FESTIVAL Various venues, Islay, Thu 27–Sun 30 Sep, islaybookfestival.org.uk An intimate and friendly festival on the popular whisky isle that caters to Scotland’s love of crime thrillers as well as introducing quirky and challenging books in a programme with something for all ages. INTO THE PEATLANDS BY ROBIN A CRAWFORD Waterstones, Oban, Thu 4 Oct, waterstones.com In his new book Robin A Crawford analyses peatlands over the course of a year to see how they would have been used through history. In this event, he discusses his findings.
NESS BOOK FEST Various venues, Inverness,
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Thu 4–Sun 7 Oct, nessbookfest. wordpress.com Inverness-based book festival that features emerging voices as well as big names in a free programme of events.
AN EVENING WITH ANNA DEL CONTE IN ST ANDREWS Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews, Wed 10 Oct, toppingbooks. co.uk The master of Italian cooking presents her new cookbook Vegetables all’Italiana which shines a spotlight on the veg used in Italian cooking. As well as talking all things Italian cooking, there will be tasters on offer.
ORKNEY STORYTELLING FESTIVAL Various venues, Orkney, Thu 25–Sun 28 Oct, orkneystorytellingfestival.co.uk A programme of walks, talks, story sessions and workshops with renowned storytellers from Scotland and beyond. Guest storytellers for 2018 include Heather Yule and Nela Scholma-Mason.
SCOTTISH YOUTH POETRY SLAM FINAL Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock, Thu 27 Oct, confab.org.uk A total of 720 young people from across Scotland compete through two regional heats which culminates in this final battle for the title of Scottish Youth Poetry Slam, Slam Master 2018. 1 Feb–31 Mar 2018 THE LIST 55