Archive

February 2010

January 2010

• Meet the Author: Diana Gabaldon

  Thursday 14 January 2010
  

  Bestselling author Diana Gabaldon will be signing copies of her long-awaited new novel, An Echo in the Bone

December 2009

• Meet Andy Goram

  Thursday 03 December 2009
  

  A chance to meet Scottish footballing legend Andy Goram and buy his new book

November 2009

• Makar Reading in Ayr

  Thursday 26 November 2009
  

  Three of the Makar Poets will be reading from their work at an event in Ayr.

• Imprint Book Festival 2009

  Thursday 19 November 2009
  

  The third Imprint Book Festival, organised by the libraries of East Ayrshire Council, has drawn some leading Scottish writers this year

October 2009

• Makar Reading in Irvine

  Sunday 11 October 2009
  

  The Makar Poets will be joined by singer-songwriter Tragic O'Hara

• Launch of Death of an Ocean

  Friday 02 October 2009
  

  Euan Clarkson and Brian Upton will launch their new geological history of the Scottish Borders at The Main Street Trading Company

September 2009

• Wigtown Book Festival 2009

  Wednesday 30 September 2009
  

  There is a packed programme at the 2009 autumn Wigtown Book Festival

• Scottish Borders Walking Festival: The Story of the Border Reivers

  Friday 11 September 2009
  

  Alistair Moffat, the broadcaster and author, will give a lively talk on the history of the Border Reivers

• Scottish Borders Walking Festival: The Border Line

  Wednesday 09 September 2009
  

  Broadcaster and author Eric Robson explains the convoluted history of the border between England and Scotland

• Scottish Borders Walking Festival: New Minstrelsy of the Borders

  Tuesday 08 September 2009
  

  As part of the Scottish Borders Walking Festival, Walter Elliot discusses his anthology The New Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borders

• 'Just for Kicks' Launch in Ayr

  Monday 07 September 2009
  

  The Scottish rugby star Kenny Logan will be launching his autobiography in Millbrae

July 2009

• Pie, Peas and Poetry with the Makar Press

  Friday 31 July 2009
  

  Rowena M Love, Sheila Templeton and Michael Malone of the Makar Press will be sharing poetry and pies

June 2009

• Zig-Zag: The Paths of Robert Burns

  Friday 26 June 2009
  

  Bringing together some of the 36,000 objects forming Scotland’s national collection about Robert Burns, this major touring exhibition celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of our national bard.

• Borders Book Festival 2009

  Thursday 18 June 2009
  

  The Borders Book Festival continues to grow, with a new children's programme

• Teacher & Librarian Open Day

  Wednesday 03 June 2009
  

  North Ayrshire Library & Information Service is holding a teacher/librarian event

• June Author Visits To North Ayrshire Libraries

  Monday 01 June 2009
  

  Des Dillon, Janice Galloway and others will be appearing at libraries across North Ayrshire

May 2009

• Poetry Picnic with the Makar Press

  Sunday 24 May 2009
  

  Join the Makar Press poets for their annual poetry picnic - bring food and a receptive ear

February 2009

• Scots Language For Adults Discussion

  Friday 27 February 2009
  

  A discussion on the history of the Scots language, and its relevance to today's adults

January 2009

• Melrose Literary Society 2009

  Tuesday 13 January 2009
  

  Readings and events hosted by the Melrose Literary Society in January, February and March 2009.

November 2008

• Meet the Author: Catriona McCloud

  Tuesday 25 November 2008
  

  Local author Catriona MacLeod discusses her latest novel

October 2008

• Clare Grogan Launches The Adventures of Tallulah Gosh

  Wednesday 15 October 2008
  

  Clare Grogan, best known as an actress and singer, begins her writing career with the first in here The Adventures of Tallulah Gosh series for children.

• Melrose Literary Society - 2008 Programme

  Tuesday 07 October 2008
  

  Details of events hosted by the Melrose Literary Society in October, November and December 2008

• Wigtown Book Festival: Sunday 5th October

  Sunday 05 October 2008
  

  Rodge Glass; Andy Hall; David Steel; Meaghan Delahunt; Christopher Brookmyre;

• Wigtown Book Festival: Saturday 4th October

  Saturday 04 October 2008
  

  Lydia Syson; Kathleen Jamie; Shona MacLean; Karen Campbell; Stuart Kelly; Willy Maley; Andrew Drummond

• Wigtown Book Festival: Friday 3rd October

  Friday 03 October 2008
  

  Tom Mcreath

• Wigtown Book Festival: Thursday 2nd October

  Thursday 02 October 2008
  

  Andrew McCulloch; Charlie Allan; Des Dillon

• Wigtown Book Festival: Wednesday 1st October

  Wednesday 01 October 2008
  

  David Hopes; Denise Mina; Kirsty Scott; Haig Gordon; Catriona McPherson

September 2008

• Wigtown Book Festival: Tuesday 30th September

  Monday 29 September 2008
  

  Alastair Scott; Linda Cracknell; Clara Weatherall

• Wigtown Book Festival: Monday 29th September

  Monday 29 September 2008
  

  Poetry in the Wilds; BBC Radio Scotland Book Café; Gregor Townsend

• Wigtown Book Festival: Sunday 28th September

  Sunday 28 September 2008
  

  Alastair Reid, Menzies Campbell, Roger Hutchison, Bernard MacLaverty, AL Kennedy, Craig Murray, Des Dillon, Edwin Moore,

• Wigtown Book Festival 2008

  Friday 26 September 2008
  

  The 10th Wigtown Book Town Festival features around 150 authors and performers , and this year has a particular focus on Irish writing.

• "A Publisher and His Friends" and "500 Years of Printing"

  Friday 12 September 2008
  

  Two exhibitions celebrating publishing and printing in Scotland will run alongside each other at the Dumfries Museum

August 2008

• Poetry Doubles: Crawford and Burns

  Monday 25 August 2008
  

  Robert Crawford and John Burns will be hosting another DGAA Poetry Doubles evening

June 2008

• Summer Poetry from UWS

  Thursday 19 June 2008
  

  Summer Poetry readings from Alison Craig, Gerrie Fellows and Sheila Templeton

• Borders Book Festival 2008

  Thursday 19 June 2008
  

  Details of Scottish authors and events at the 2008 Borders Book Festival in Melrose

• Poetry Doubles: Les Murray & Nicola Black

  Monday 09 June 2008
  

  Internationally acclaimed poet Les Murray, and local talent Nicola Black, will appear at a Poetry Double Event

May 2008

• True North Launch

  Monday 26 May 2008
  

  Explorer Gavin Francis talks about his new book True North

• Writer's Free-for-All

  Sunday 25 May 2008
  

  A free opportunity to read from your work and share your thoughts with others.

• Poetry Picnic with the Makar Press Poets

  Sunday 25 May 2008
  

  The Makar Press Poets will be hosting their annual Poetry Picnic, as part of the Burns an' a' that! Festival.

• No! I Don't Want to Join A Book Club

  Saturday 24 May 2008
  

  Virginia Ironside discusses growing old disgracefully, the subject of her latest novel.

• From Laptop to Bookshop: Writing Workshop for Women

  Saturday 24 May 2008
  

  A two hour workshop for emerging writers, run by Debbie Taylor. This workshop is only open to women.

• Gerry Cambridge Poetry Reading

  Saturday 17 May 2008
  

  Gerry Cambridge will be reading from some his work at Bladnoch Distillery

• Short Stories with Linda Cracknell and Sara Maitland

  Monday 12 May 2008
  

  Linda Cracknell and Sara Maitland read from their latest collections, and discuss the value of the short story

• Wigtown Poetry Competition Prize-Giving Lunch

  Saturday 03 May 2008
  

  The winners of the 2008 Wigtown Poetry Competition will be announced at a lunch event in Bladnoch.

April 2008

• Contemporary Scots Poetry with Rab Wilson

  Thursday 10 April 2008
  

  Rab Wilson reads some of his favourite contemporary Scots poetry

March 2008

• Kenneth C Steven at The Bakehouse

  Saturday 01 March 2008
  

  Children's author and poet will be appearing at The Bakehouse in Gatehouse of Fleet

February 2008

• The Second Annual MacDiarmid Lecture with Prof. Douglas Gifford

  Wednesday 20 February 2008
  

  Professor Douglas Gifford will give the Second Annual MacDiarmid Lecture, titled "The Story and the Poem".

• Kenetic Poetry: Words on the Move

  Monday 18 February 2008
  

  Words on the Move is a collaboration between writers and animators to create kinetic poems on the web.

• Putting Together Your First Poetry Collection

  Thursday 07 February 2008
  

  Andrew Forster will be reading from his new collection Fear of Thunder, and discussing the process of creating your first poetry collection

January 2008

• Suhayl Saadi Reading

  Thursday 31 January 2008
  

  Suhayl Saadi, the Glasgow poet and novelist, will be reading from and discussing his writing.

• Rab Wilson on the Contemporary Legacy of Burns

  Thursday 17 January 2008
  

  Rab will be reading Burns poems and drawing out some of the big themes in Burns’ work, with talks throughout the region.

• Rab Wilson Mobile

  Tuesday 15 January 2008
  

  Rab Wilson will be reading Scots poems on the mobile library service.

December 2007

• Rab Wilson Reading Scots Poems

  Tuesday 04 December 2007
  

  Rab Wilson reads from a wide selection of Scots poetry in this series of library events

• The Gentle Art of the Murder Monger

  Tuesday 04 December 2007
  

  The Kirkcudbright Literary Society has asked Catriona McPherson to talk about murders...

November 2007

• Highwayman's Curse Double Launch

  Monday 05 November 2007
  

  Nicola Morgan launches two books - a novel and a fact book - at the same event in Dumfriesshire

October 2007

• Poetry Doubles: Lochhead & Bryden

  Monday 15 October 2007
  

  Poet and dramatist Liz Lochhead is joined by printmaker Hugh Bryden

• Wigtown Readers Day

  Friday 05 October 2007
  

  An annual 'get-together' at the Wigtown Book Festival with authors Janet Paisley and Maggie Fergusson

September 2007

• Wigtown Children's Book Festival Autumn 2007

  Saturday 29 September 2007
  

  Events at the 2007 Wigtown Children's Book Festival, part of the larger Autumn Book Festival

• Wigtown Scottish Book Town Autumn Festival 2007

  Friday 28 September 2007
  

  Details of the 2007 Autumn Book Festival at Scotland's National Book Town.

• Poetry Doubles: Sweeney & Smith

  Monday 24 September 2007
  

  Matthew Sweeney and Mike Smith share their poems.

• Poetry Doubles: Szirtes & Helyer

  Monday 17 September 2007
  

  George Szirtes is joined by Laura Helyer for a Poetry Doubles reading.

• Eskdalemuir Writers Group

  Sunday 16 September 2007
  

  A call to create a new writers group in Eskdalemuir

• Poetry Doubles: Hadfield & Jones

  Monday 10 September 2007
  

  Jen Hadfield and Vivien Jones appearing at Poetry Doubles this September.

• Poetry Doubles: Luther & Atkin

  Monday 03 September 2007
  

  Carola Luther and Jean Atkin appearing at Poetry Doubles.

• Autumn Poetry Workshops

  Monday 03 September 2007
  

  Three poetry workshops and masterclasses.

August 2007

• Poetry Doubles: Leonard & Macmillan

  Monday 20 August 2007
  

  Tom Leonard and Gaelic & English poet Angus Macmillan appearing in Poetry Doubles.

• Poetry Doubles: Daljit Nagra & Fiona Russell

  Monday 13 August 2007
  

  Poetry Doubles with Daljit Nagra and Fiona Russell

• Poetry in the Wilds: Wet and Wonderful

  Saturday 04 August 2007
  

  A poetry workshop inspired by a morning visit to Threave Gardens. Bring wellies!

July 2007

• Wigtown Scribblers Workshop

  Monday 30 July 2007
  

  Kenneth C Steven will be sharing his poetry writing experience with the Wigtown Scribblers

• Poetry in the Wilds: Island Inspiration

  Tuesday 24 July 2007
  

  Scottish Natural Heritage and the Baron's Craig Hotel host a poetry workshop with an ecological theme

• Borders Book Festival 2007

  Saturday 21 July 2007
  

  The 2007 Borders Book Festival will run from 21st to 24th June 2007, with a new permanent home.

June 2007

• Makar Poetry Picnic

  Sunday 03 June 2007
  

  The four Makar Press poets host another of their popular poetry picnics, this time in the gardens of Brodick Castle.

May 2007

• Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival

  Friday 25 May 2007
  

  The 2007 Dumfries and Galloway Arts festival runs over May and June this year.

• Wigtown Book Town Spring Festival 2007

  Saturday 05 May 2007
  

  The annual Wigtown Spring Festival is held in early May this year, including the results of the 2006 Wigtown Poetry Competition.

April 2007

• Vicki Feaver Introduces Poetry

  Thursday 26 April 2007
  

  Poet Vicki Feaver introduces the Scottish Poetry Library's Dumfries collection at events in Newton Stewart and Dumfries.

March 2007

• Makar Press Poetry Reading

  Friday 02 March 2007
  

  Four Makar Press poets will be reading some new poems, plus others from their collections.

January 2007

• Storytelling Training Course

  Tuesday 16 January 2007
  

  The Scottish Storytelling Centre are running a two-day training course for storytellers

December 2006

• Sir Walter Scott's Selkirk

  Sunday 03 December 2006
  

  A celebration of the time when Sir Walter Scott was the Sheriff of Selkirk.

November 2006

• Poetry Readings with the Makar Press

  Sunday 19 November 2006
  

  Two Ayrshire and Arran poetry readings from the Makar Press poets

• Book First Aid and Repairs

  Tuesday 14 November 2006
  

  A book first aid and repair course for booksellers, librarians and book collectors, with Maureen Duke.

• New Voices: Andrew Philip and Helena Nelson

  Monday 13 November 2006
  

  Helena Nelson and Andrew Philip help budding poets prepare a 'writer's CV', to help you get your work read and published.

• Make A Simple Book

  Monday 13 November 2006
  

  An beginner's introduction to book binding one day course.

• Launch of Last of the Line

  Wednesday 08 November 2006
  

  STV presenter will be launching his third novel, The Last of the Line, at this event in Ayr

September 2006

• Novel Approach

  Wednesday 27 September 2006
  

  Performance Poets Elspeth Murray and Richard Medrington present a poetry guide for fiction readers.

• Scottish Book Town Children's Festival

  Saturday 23 September 2006
  

  Running over the weekend, we have details of the best children's events at the Scottish Book Town Festival

• The Wigtown Poetry Competition Launch 2006

  Saturday 23 September 2006
  

  This is Scotland's National Poetry Competition and the second Annual Wigtown Poetry Competition.

• Scottish Book Town Festival

  Saturday 02 September 2006
  

  The Wigtown Autumn Festival has ten days of readings, performances, exhibitions and debates.

• Immortal Longings

  Saturday 02 September 2006
  

  Dumfries and Galloway Writers’ Network in association with the Bakehouse invite writers from across the region to a day of writing workshops.

August 2006

• Launch of Bike Scotland Trails Guide

  Sunday 20 August 2006
  

  Escape the Festival crowds with the launch of Bike Scotland Trails Guide.

• Gaelforce Arts Extravaganza

  Friday 18 August 2006
  

  Make the most of Gaelforce 2006 and enjoy the glorious south-west of Scotland.

• 27th Annual Traquair Fair

  Saturday 05 August 2006
  

  This is the 27th Traquair Fair, a unique weekend of entertainment for all ages.

• Poetry Doubles in Dumfries & Galloway

  Tuesday 01 August 2006
  

  An annual series of Poetry Readings, marrying local poets with international poets. Details are still to be confirmed.

July 2006

• Summer Writing Roadshow D&G

  Tuesday 25 July 2006
  

  A series of one to one writing surgeries in eight towns across the region.

June 2006

• Borders Book Festival 2006

  Thursday 22 June 2006
  

  The 2006 Borders Book Festival runs from 22nd to 25th of June.

• Carol Ann Duffy and Vicki Feaver: Poetry Doubles

  Sunday 11 June 2006
  

  Carol Ann Duffy and Vicki Feaver will be reading from their poetry collections in this Poetry Doubles Special.

May 2006

• Poetry Picnic with the Makar Press poets

  Sunday 28 May 2006
  

  Bring along your favourite nibbles for an afternoon of picnic and poetry.

• Burns An' A'That! Festival 2006

  Friday 26 May 2006
  

  The 2006 Burns An' A'That! Festival is a celebration of life and contemporary Scottish culture held in Turnberry, Mauchline and other Ayrshire towns.

April 2006

• May Day Launch of Cowboys for Christ

  Sunday 30 April 2006
  

  Robin Hardy returns to the remote fiefdom of 'The Wicker Man' and reminds us that, even in the 21st Century, strange local customs can still be unsettling to unsuspecting visitors. He talks to film producer Gary Gillies.

• Wigtown Book Town Spring Festival & Wigtown and Bladnoch Book Fair

  Saturday 29 April 2006
  

  The Book Town Spring Festival and Wigtown & Bladnoch Book Fair

• Don Paterson: Sonnets to Orpheus

  Friday 28 April 2006
  

  Don Paterson will be reading from and talking about his forthcoming collection "Orpheus"

• Children's Bookshelf Poetry Tour

  Monday 24 April 2006
  

  Poets Elspeth Murray and Richard Medrington will perform classic children's poems as well as from their own work, talk about their work in schools and answer questions from the audience.

• PBFA Book Fair

  Saturday 15 April 2006
  

  Antiquarian and secondhand bookselling fair from the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association.

• Launch of Scots: The Language of the People

  Thursday 06 April 2006
  

  Details of the South Ayrshire launch of Carl MacDougall's Scots: The Language of the People

March 2006

• Renewal Poetry Workshop: Poetry in the Woods

  Saturday 25 March 2006
  

  Poetry workshop led by special guest poet and wildlife photographer Gerry Cambridge, followed by a 4.30pm reading of his poetry and poems selected from the poetry postcards and interpretation from the Poetry in the Woods project.

• Galway Kinnell's "Selected Works"

  Tuesday 14 March 2006
  

  14/03/06. Pulitzer-prizing winning American poet Galway Kinnell will be reading from his poems, and presents them in conversation with Scottish poet Ken Cockburn.