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Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add
GLASGOW
RUTHERGLEN COMIC CON Rutherglen Town Hall, Sat 2 Feb, bgcp.co.uk A host of traders selling comics, graphic novels, crafts, art and more. Plus, there’s a cosplay competition, workshops, quizzes and guest comic artists and writers.
WORKING COMICS LIVE PODCAST Òran Mór, Wed 13 Feb, gla.ac.uk The Working Comics Podcast event invites the public to come and join in on a conversation about making and working in the independent comics biz. The panel for the discussion includes Colin Bell, Catriona Laird, Jem Milton, John Farman, Dave Cook and Eli Winter.
AN EVENING WITH ANN CLEEVES Waterstones, Newton Mearns, Wed 27 Feb, waterstones.com Ann Cleeves launches the paperback version of her last instalment in the Shetland series. The novel, which was adapted into the popular TV series Shetland, sets out DI Jimmy Perez’s last disturbing case. AN EVENING WITH ALEX GRAY Waterstones, Newton Mearns, Tue 26 Mar, waterstones.com Scottish crime writer Alex Gray discusses the latest book in the Lorimer series, The Stalker. There is also a chance to ask the author any burning questions you have about DCI Lorimer and Soloman Brightman.
EDINBURGH
CREATIVE WRITING WITH ES THOMSON Royal College of Physicians, Sat 19 Jan, rcpe.ac.uk Creative crime writing class hosted by a historical crime fiction writer. The three-hour workshop gets participants to use historical material for their inspiration.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED RARE BOOKS EXHIBITION TOURS, IN MANDARIN AND ENGLISH Main Library, Edinburgh University, Mon 4 & Tue 5 Feb, chinesenewyear. scot Kirsty McNab of the Museums in Mandarin team gives a tour of the rare book exhibition, which features among other things an early quarto edition of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost.
ALAN TROTTER: MUSCLE Lighthouse Books, Thu 7 Feb, lighthousebookshop.com Lighthouse Books celebrates the release of Edinburgh-based writer Alan Trotter’s debut novel, Muscle. The novel is a Tarantino-inspired piece of dark fiction, with heaps of violence and madness. PM FREESTONE BOOK LAUNCH Waterstones, West End, Fri 8 Feb, waterstones.com YA author PM Freestone sits down for a conversation with Laura Lam, chaired by Sarah Broadley. She delves into her new YA fantasy adventure, Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom.
TRAVIS ALABANZA ON POETRY AND POWER David Hume Tower, University of Edinburgh, Fri 8 Feb, travisalabanza. co.uk Travis Alabanza – performance artist, poet, writer, theatre-maker and queer activist – performs poetry from his 2017 chapbook ‘Before I Step Outside (you love me)’ and touches on poetry’s political and personal power.
POETRY CIRCUS – BROKEN HEARTS Bongo Club, Fri 15 Feb, thebongoclub.co.uk The wordsmiths at performance poetry company Poetry Circus bring back their anti-Valentine’s themed night for the broken-hearted. Featuring Elizabeth McGeown and Jo Gilbert, plus a burlesque floorshow from Anfromada Mystic and a musical number from the Jennifer Ewan Band. CATHERINE SIMPSON Lighthouse Books, Wed 20 Feb, lighthousebookshop.com Catherine Simpson talks about memories and
mental health at the launch of her memoir When I Had a Little Sister, an account of her younger sister’s struggle with depression and paranoia and her family who never spoke about it.
DOLLY ALDERTON: EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE Queens Hall, Sat 23 Feb, thequeenshall.net The award-winning journalist and writer comes north of the border to talk about her best-selling debut book, Everything I Know About Love. The book is a hopeful account of the trials and tribulations of adulthood. THE KING & QUEEN TOUR: HOLLY BLACK & CASSANDRA CLARE Assembly Roxy, Mon 25 Feb, assemblyfestival.com Talk and signing from authors Cassandra Clare and Holly Black. Clare chats about her latest work Queen of Air and Darkness, while Black chats about The Wicked King.
REAL TALK: STORYTELLING FOR WELLBEING Scottish Storytelling Centre, Thu 28 Feb, scottishstorytellingcentre.com Real Talk hosts an evening of storytelling focused on mental health and wellbeing. The session hopes to create a safe space to talk about the mind and give others insight into individual experiences.
TRACEY THORN – ANOTHER PLANET: A TEENAGER IN SUBURBIA Traverse Theatre, Wed 13 Mar, traverse.co.uk The writer and one-half of musical duo Everything But the Girl launches her brand-new memoir Another Planet: A Teenager In Suburbia, a nostalgic look at growing up in the 70s. OUT OF TOWN
CHARLOTTE RUNCIE WITH SALT ON YOUR TONGUE: WOMEN AND THE SEA Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews, Wed 13 Feb, toppingbooks. co.uk Find out what the sea has meant to women through the ages as Charlotte Runcie presents her new book which mixes personal prose and history.
Travis Alabanza
AN EVENING WITH JANICE GALLOWAY, SCOTTISH FICTION STAR Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews, Thu 14 Feb, toppingbooks. co.uk The celebrated Scottish author reads from her new work Jellyfish, a direct challenge to David Lodge’s declaration that ‘literature is mostly about having sex and not much about having children; life’s the other way round.’ AN EVENING OF TARTAN NOIR WITH JAMES OSWALD AND TF MUIR Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews, Tue 19 Feb, toppingbooks. co.uk Two Fife-based writers, who use the East Neuk as inspiration for their writing, come together to discuss Tartan Noir and their latest offerings THE BOOKSHOP OF THE WORLD WITH ANDREW PETTEGREE & ARTHUR DER WEDUWEN Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews, Fri 1 Mar, toppingbooks. co.uk Two University of St Andrews academics, Andrew Pettegree, Professor of Modern History, and Arthur der Weduwen, post-doctoral research fellow, talk about their new book and the untold story (of how the Dutch conquered the European book market) that inspired it.
BIG SKY: BIG HORIZONS – MARINA BENJAMIN Music Hall, Aberdeen, Mon 4 Mar, aberdeenperformingarts.com Hear about Marina Benjamin’s new memoir Insomnia, a personal account of her experience with the eponymous condition.
WINTER WORDS FESTIVAL Various venues, Pitlochry, Thu 14–Sun 17 Feb pitlochryfestivaltheatre. com The annual literary festival welcomes a diverse range of writers and speakers for a programme of songs, stories and workshops. Notable attendees this year are
Nadia Sawalha, Kaye Adams, Liz Lochhead, Steve Kettley, Neil Oliver and Doddie Weir. GRANITE NOIR Various venues, Aberdeen, Fri 22–Sun 24 Feb, granitenoir. com Aberdeen’s crime writing festival returns for the third year with author events, workshops
and family shows. The 2019 programme includes appearances from Stuart MacBride in conversation with Susan Calman, Abir Mukherjee, Sophie Hannah, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Mark Billingham and more. STANZA Various venues, St Andrews, Wed 6–Sun
10 Mar, stanzapoetry. org StAnza is a literary festival that focuses on verse. Joining the locals in St Andrews for readings, performances, slams, open mics, jazz, films, workshops, poetry- related art exhibitions and installations are a host of local and international wordsmiths at this five- day celebration of poetry. WORLD BOOK DAY Various venues, Scotland, Thu 7 Mar, worldbookday.com The world celebrates books in all their forms for a whole day in this dedicated annual celebration. Look out for events happening across the country and head to list.co.uk/books to find a World Book Day event near you.
H I T L I S T
1 Feb–31 Mar 2019 THE LIST 57