Book festival to welcome audiences back to Wigtown

Wigtown Book Festival is to welcome audiences and authors back to Scotland’s National Book Town this autumn, following last year’s digital-only event.  Taking as its theme, Hello Stranger, the 2021 festival (22 September to 4 October) will be two days longer than in previous years, with more than 140 events for adults and young people,…

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The Wigtown Poetry Prize is launched for 2021

The Wigtown Poetry Prize, an annual celebration of poets and poems in the country’s three indigenous languages, has had its first ever digital launch. The decision follows the success of last year’s online prizegiving ceremony (which was part of the Wigtown Book Festival) in reaching a larger, worldwide audience. It is hoped there will be…

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Scandis and Americans join Scots for Granite Noir

AUTHORS from Scotland, Scandinavia and the United States will star in next month’s online Granite Noir book festival. Aberdeen’s international crime writing extravaganza will include appearances by Camilla Läckberg and Attica Locke. Well-kent faces popping up on screen include David Baldacci, Stuart MacBride, Peter May, Val McDermid, Jo Nesbo, and Ian Rankin. The festival will…

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Edinburgh’s book festival flits to new home

THE Edinburgh International Book Festival is moving from its traditional home in Charlotte Square Gardens to the University of Edinburgh’s College of Art. This year’s festival will take place from Saturday 14 August to Monday 30 August at the college. The festival plans to use both indoor and outdoor spaces at the Lauriston Place site.…

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Winners of writing awards unveiled

A POET based in Newcastle was last night named as the winner of the £1,500 Wigtown Prize. Anna Woodford, whose work was entitled Portrait of My Grandparents as Souvenirs, said: “My poem is concerned with my family history, specifically my grandfather’s experiences of having to flee wartime Poland to make a new life in Nottingham,…

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Wider audience for Wigtown young adult books

WIGTOWN YA, the UK’s largest young adult literature festival, continues this week as part of the wider online Wigtown Book Festival. This week’s virtual speakers include Dean Atta talking about The Black Flamingo, Catherine Bruton presenting No Ballet Shoes in Syria and Michelle Thomas explaining My Sh*t Therapist. Previous online events can also be watched…

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Wigtown Book Festival reveals line-up

WIGTOWN Book Festival has unveiled its online programme, which includes the world premier of author Alexander McCall Smith’s Ninian’s Gift song cycle Other highlights across the ten-day virtual festival include Alastair Campbell, Maggie O’Farrell, and Andrew Marr. More than 80 guests will take part in the festival, which aims to promote local businesses affected by…

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Book festival hails global audience

THOUSANDS of viewers from throughout the world have tuned in to watch live sessions from the Edinburgh International Book Festival online. People have watched the performances from as far away as Algeria, Brazil and Nigeria. Highlights from the first few days of the virtual festival have included Ian Rankin, Julia Donaldson, Hilary Mantel, and Bumi…

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Tenth Boswell Book Festival delayed till October

The Boswell Book Festival, the world’s only event dedicated to memoir and biography, has been postponed. The programme for the 10th Boswell Book Festival was to have been announced with a line up of writers proving that great lives make great stories. However, the festival which had been due to take place from 8-10 May…

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