- Edinburgh Writers featured in Scottish Book Trust’s free Celebration book
- A collection of true stories written by people from all over Scotland
Scottish Book Trust has released a free new publication entitled Celebration, in honour of the tenth annual Book Week Scotland. A writer and two writing groups from Edinburgh will have their stories and poems featured in the book.
Book Week Scotland is the country’s biggest celebration of reading and writing and it returns for its tenth year on Monday 15 November to Sunday 21 November.
During Book Week, people of all ages and walks of life come together to share the joy of reading. They are joined in this celebration by Scotland’s authors, poets, playwrights, storytellers and illustrators to bring a packed programme of events and projects to life.
Due to the programme’s special anniversary, this year’s free publication takes on the subject of celebration. 50,000 free copies of the Celebration book, which includes real life stories from people around the country, will be available from libraries, schools and other community venues.
Hundreds of stories from across the country were collected, but only 22 were selected by a panel for inclusion in the Celebration book.
Edinburgh will be represented in the book, with two group poems and a story written by Edinburgh-based writers: How I Celebrate by the Edinburgh Syrian Women’s Group, Revelry by the Open Book Creative Writing Group and A Life Well Lived by Julie Drybrough.
Published authors such as Courtney Stoddart and A Kind of Spark’s Elle McNicoll were also commissioned to write stories about what celebration means to them.
All stories can be read on Scottish Book Trust’s website:
https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/your-stories.
A downloadable version of the book will also be available during Book Week Scotland.
Working in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People, writers included in the book also had the opportunity to record their story for an audiobook version.
Julie Drybrough, author of A Life Well Lived, from Edinburgh said: “It’s meant such a lot to be involved in the Celebration project and be supported by Scottish Book Trust.
“First, to have the piece published on the website felt like recognition and encouragement, but then to be selected for being published in the anthology was an incredible boost for my confidence as a writer. I’m so proud to be involved in this project and very grateful to Scottish Book Trust for the opportunities they create. What a joy.”
The Celebration book includes a selection of stories about what celebration means to the writers included, with the book featuring stories from many different backgrounds and cultures.
The stories included are:
· Celebration: A Definition by Abiy Orr, from Strichen
· Mon the Rovers by Alan Gillespie, from Glasgow
· Bloom by Ali MacDougall, from East Linton
· Celebrating is as easy as ABC by Alison Coyle, from Clarkston
· Mum’s Shoes by Britta Benson, from Cumbernauld
· How I Celebrate, Group Poem by Edinburgh Syrian Women’s Group
· Gordon’s Waddin by Harry, from Newton Mearns
· Stories and Self by Jacqueline Boland, from Dundee
· Blowing Kisses by Jan McKay, from Newcraighall
· A Celebration of Life by Jane Swanson, from Peterculter
· An Ordinary Day by Marriane Berghuis, from Cupar
· A Life Well Lived by Julie Drybrough, from Edinburgh
· 4 Cubed by Kathryn Byre, from St. Andrews
· Another Step Along the Road by Kirsty Hammond, from Darvel
· Painted Nails by Lisa C, from Glasgow
· Running For It by Louise Baillie, from Stewarton
· Fifty by Lynn Blair, from Kilmarnock
· Hello, Hello, Hello! What do we have here, Sir? by Mary Topp, from Connel
· Celebration in Recovery by Matthew Gallacher, from Glasgow
· Revelry, Group Poem by Open Book Creative Writing Group, from Edinburgh
· A Sealabration by Rachael Crofts, from Musselburgh
· Friday Night Treat by Simon Lamb, from Prestwick.
The commissioned stories included are:
- Celebrate by Courtney Stoddart
- Celebrate by Elle McNicoll
- Aisig dhomh gàirdeachas do shlàinte by Eoghan Stewart
- Armàda by Morag Law
- Wales by Ross Sayers
Initiated by the Scottish Government and supported by National Lottery funds through Creative Scotland Targeted Funding, Book Week Scotland is delivered by Scottish Book Trust and its partners fromMonday 15 November to Sunday 21 November.
There are free events taking place across many different local authorities and online, funded by Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC).
For more information about Book Week Scotland 2021 and how you can get involved, visit http://www.bookweekscotland.com where you can find information about all the events taking place in your local area.
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