It’s one of the best times of the year for Glasgow’s many bookworms: Aye Write! is back for a glorious, book-packed ten days and we hope you’re as excited as we are. Before the festival starts tomorrow, we thought we would share some of our top picks for the varied and inspiring ten days that lie ahead. But don’t forget to check out the packed catalogue for yourself: there are a myriad of events to cater for all sorts of literary tastes, from crime to fantasy, history to poetry. Get involved!
Speculative Books: Subscription Poetry
Pop along to the Mitchell Library on Friday 16th March to learn about the origins and aspiration of Speculative Books, one of Glasgow’s most innovative bookshops and publishers, and their exciting (and pleasingly cheap) subscription service. Dale McMullen and Sam Small will be joined by poet and theatre-maker Leyla Josephine, and poet David Linklater. And, while you’re there, why not treat yourself to a subscription service?
Keith Fergus: Great Scottish Journeys
The perfect gift for fans of travel, adventure or photography, Keith Fergus’s sumptuously photographed book is a glossy compendium of some of Scotland’s best routes, roads and destinations. It’s well worth the early Saturday morning start – you’re bound to leave with plenty of inspiration for future Scottish travels, and a rediscovered appreciation for the beautiful country in which we live.
Muriel Spark: A Centenary Celebration
If you’ve somehow missed the fact that 2018 is the centenary of celebrated Scottish author Muriel Spark’s birth, then fear not: today is the perfect day to catch up on all things Sparkian! The ideal event for newcomers and aficionados alike, it’s sure to be a colourful, literary and fascinating exploration of Spark’s life and novels. Three adjectives that could easily be applied to the author herself.
Has it really been a whole year since 404 Ink launched their bestselling debut book Nasty Women and – with the endorsement of Margaret Atwood – catapulted themselves to literary recognition? Apparently so. Three of Nasty Women‘s eloquent contributors, Laura Lam, Mel Reeve and Sim Bajwa, are set to talk about their experience of being ‘nasty women.’ Definitely one that you shouldn’t miss.
All the budding, emerging, and seasoned writers out there are sure to love the diverse range of workshops delivered by Aye Write! There are workshops dedicated to research, character, poetry, story and plot, children’s books, television drama… If that’s not enough to tempt you, then surely the opportunity of a magical realism workshop with Kirsty Logan will do the trick.
Jackie Kay: The Books That Made Me
Always a popular and enticing series in the Aye Write! catalogue, the latest addition to ‘The Books That Made Me’ is certainly no exception. Join Makar and celebrated poet Jackie Kay at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as she divulges some of the books that have shaped her life.
Gail Honeyman and Sarah Winman: Word of Mouth Best-sellers
Debut authors Gail Honeyman and Sarah Winman have both conquered the literary world: Honeyman with last year’s incredible success Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (recently longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction), and Winman with 2011’s When God Was A Rabbit. I’m sure there’s more than one budding writer out there who is keen to learn the secrets of their sensational debut novels, and isn’t this the perfect opportunity to learn more?
Technically speaking, this event is less of a literary experience and more of a musical rock’n’roll experience with a distinctly criminal flavour. But where else can you see a bunch of famous crime writers – including Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre and Mark Billingham – join forces to serenade an audience?
Scottish Writers’ Centre Speakeasy
Well, we couldn’t forget this one, could we? Come along to our wonderful annual event at the Mitchell Library on Wednesday 21st March at 6pm for a chance to hear some talented prose writers and poets ruminate on the theme ‘Where are we going?’ And if that’s not enough to get your creative juices flowing, then remember to submit to our 10th year anniversary anthology – all information can be found here. Oh, and did we mention our speakeasy is free?
Deeds not Words: The Story of Women’s Rights
It’s been a hundred years since (some) women were given the vote in Britain and to celebrate this historic achievement, bookshops have been inundated with books about feminism, suffrage and gender equality. About time, eh? Two of these wonderful releases are Helen Pankhurst’s (yes, that Pankhurst dynasty) Deeds not Words and Jane Robinson’s Hearts not Minds, which are discussed in this fabulous Saturday afternoon event at the Mitchell Library. (I’m very sad that I’m working that day.)
Are there any other events that you’re looking forward to? Any events that you think are unmissable? Please let us know in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you! You can follow us on Instagram @scottishwriterscentre and on Twitter @@ScottishWriters.
