Across 2022, we partnered with numerous literary organisations and festivals to host a variety of events for our strand, Shaping Scotland’s Stories. This is our celebration of not only the stories emerging from or connected to Scotland, but offering a look behind the scenes at the people and publishing processes in bringing them to life. Events can be found below.
Year of Stories x Paisley Book Festival: Shaping Scotland’s Stories: From Inspiration to Publication
19th February 2022. Your book has been signed up with a publisher: What happens now? We bring together a duo of authors, alongside their editors, to discuss the life experience and influences behind the work, as well as the working relationship between author and editor. Join Anne Pia, author of creative memoir Language of my Choosing, and her editor Jennie Renton; alongside Mick Kitson, winner of the Saltire First Book Award for his debut novel Sal, with his editor Jo Dingley. Event information.
Year of Stories x Granite Noir: Leela Soma and Ewan Gault
24th February 2022. Two of the country’s most exciting new voices in crime join us to celebrate 2022 as the Year of Scotland’s Stories. In Ewan Gault’s The Sound of Sirens, DI Stark faces a rise in teenage crime, a significant drug operation and vicious turf war in a small coastal town in North East Scotland. While Leela Soma’s Murder at the Mela investigates the brutal murder of an Asian woman, exploring the hate that lurks in the darkest corners but also on the streets we walk. Event information.
Year of Stories x StAnza: Andrés Ordorica & Rachel Plummer in Conversation
10th March 2022. What makes a poetry collection? Join two poets, who are also an author-editor pairing, Andrés N. Ordorica and Rachel Plummer, as they discuss their poetry collections, and also go behind the scenes to explore the author-editor relationship. Andrés’s debut collection, At Least This I Know, works through belonging in both a physical and an emotional sense. Rachel, editor of that collection, is also the author of Wain, which collates LGBT re-tellings of Scottish myths. Event information.
Year of Stories x StAnza: Publishing Scotland showcase
13th March 2022. Join Vikki Reilly, Marketing and Events Manager at Publishing Scotland, as she showcases Scotland’s poetry landscape and the publishers who are contributing to the country’s contemporary literary heritage. From thriving independent publishers, to ongoing publications such as New Writing Scotland, and the literary magazines introducing new writers and the spoken word scene across the country, this showcase will put a spotlight on those working behind the scenes and introduce you to some of the exciting poetry coming out of Scotland, on the page and on the stage. Event information.
Year of Stories x Boswell Book Festival: Keith Broomfield, Leonie Charlton & Anna Fleming
15th May 2022. Three writers with a love of the natural world: Leonie Charlton blends travel and nature writing in her memoir of grief and acceptance as she journeys through the Outer Hebrides on her highland pony following the death of her mother. Anna Fleming, with great lyricism, explores how it feels to climb as a woman and her joyful connection to the mountains in a rock-climber’s eye view of the great majesty of the natural world. Rivers have captivated wildlife writer Keith Broomfield since childhood. In this personal Scottish river wildlife journey, he delves deeper into his own local river, the Devon, to get closer to its beating heart. Rivers Could Sing, Time on Rock and Marram are books for all who love wildlife, wild places, and Scotland’s natural heritage. Event information.
Year of Stories x Borders Book Festival: Shaping Scotland’s Stories
16th June 2022. What does Scotland’s past tell us about Scotland’s present? Publishing Scotland sponsors this session with Borders Book Festival as part of the Year of Stories celebration with a trio of brilliant authors of historical fiction, Flora Johnston, Jean Findlay and Sue Lawrence. Each explores power, ambition, and the price of non-conformity – particularly for women – set against backdrops including the Stuart court in Scotland and London, and the covenanting movement. We’ll explore how much has changed since these times of intrigue, and how events of the past can still resonate today. Event information.
event last night at @BordersBookFest. Absolutely loved talking all things historical fiction with @SueHLawrence, Jean Findlay and @DrKristianKerr
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Year of Stories x Edinburgh International Book Festival: Shaping Scotland’s Stories
22nd August 2022. Get a taste of Scotland’s new literary voices and the publishers responsible for bringing their stories to the world. Scottish broadcaster and author Sally Magnusson is joined by a fantastic line-up of authors and their publishers for a discussion on the process of bringing fresh literary talent to readers and the importance of seeking out new voices to shape Scotland’s stories. Featuring a special reading from Glasgow-based poet Anna Cheung, author Trishna Singh OBE alongside her publisher Clare Cain (Fledgling Press), author Charlie Roy alongside her publisher Peter Burnett (Leamington Books) and Children’s author and illustrator Corrina Campbell alongside her publisher Alan Windram (Little Door Books). Event information.
Year of Stories x ACME Scotland Comic Con
24th & 25th September 2022. Scotland Comic Con returns to Glasgow’s SECC packed with comics, creators, wrestling, TV guests and more, as well as a dedicated space for Publishing Scotland members. Events, as part of their wider line-up, include:
- Nikky Smedley on Over the Hills and Far Away
- Gray Crosbie on Pan, Fried
- A Luna Press showcase, on how to get published
- Thom James Carter on They Came to Slay: The Queer Culture of D&D
- Alan Windram on One Button Benny
Year of Stories x Wigtown Book Festival: Shaping Scotland’s Stories
1st October 2022. Award-winning author Lari Don presents The Tall Tale of the Giant’s Causeway. Discover the traditional Celtic folklore that inspired Lari’s witty story about two bickering giants, imagine your own magical adventures, and marvel at Emilie Gill’s playful and humorous illustrations which bring the story to life! In partnership with Publishing Scotland. Supported by Scotland’s Year of Stories. Event information.
Year of Stories x BookMark Festival: Neil McIntyre
8th October 2022, 1pm, Blairgowrie | Chasing the Deer: The red deer, majestic monarch of the glen, is Britain’s largest land mammal and undisputed king of woodlands and glens. Common across the Scottish Highlands and resident elsewhere, the animal is emblematic of our wild country and a beloved icon. Event information.
Year of Stories x Royal National Mòd: Neil McIntyre
19th October 2022. In partnership with the Mod and Acair. Event information.
