Scottish Book Trust today announces the 10 recipients of the New Writers Awards 2022, which provide a selection of talented writers who have not yet published a full-length book or collection with professional guidance to help them move towards publication, as well as financial support.
Funded by Creative Scotland and run by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, the awards have supported over 140 creative individuals since 2009.
Six of the awardees this year are based in Edinburgh, including: Agata Maslowska from Poland; Helena Fornells Nada from Barcelona; Roshni Gallagher from Leeds; Armarna Forbes from Colorado; Eimear Bush from Northern Ireland and Firas Ibrahim from Syria.
The judging panel included: Jenny Colgan, Sheena Kalayil and Viccy Adams for fiction; Jen Campbell, Sean Wai Keung and Laura Fyfe for poetry; Akemi Dawn Bowman and Ross Sayers for Children’s and Young Adult fiction, alongside Scottish Book Trust staff.
The Gaelic Books Council selects the Gaelic New Writer Awardee.
Former New Writers awardees include: Bridget Khursheed, whose poetry collection The Last Days of Petrol was recently published by Shearsman Books; Sarah Smith, whose debut novel Hear No Evil will be published by Hachette; and Catherine Simpson, whose memoir One Body will be published by Saraband, both in February.
The 2022 awardees are:
Poetry:
Agata Maslowska
Helena Fornells Nadal
Roshni Gallagher
Children’s and Young Adult:
Armarna Forbes
Lindsay Hirst
Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction:
Dougie Strang
Eimear Bush
Firas Ibrahim
Rae Cowie
Gaelic:
Shelagh Campbell
Each of the 10 recipients will receive a £2,000 cash award and support tailored to their needs including mentoring from writers and industry professionals, training opportunities, and the platform to showcase their work to publishers and agents.
Marc Lambert, CEO ofScottish Book Trust, said:“Announcing our New Writer Awardees is a fantastic way to start 2022. Some of this year’s cohort have interacted with other Scottish Book Trust programmes, and we are delighted they have reached this stage of their journey.
“We wish all the awardees best of luck and look forward to seeing their publications in the future.”
Alan Bett, Head of Literature and Publishing, Creative Scotland said:“Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers awards recognise the wealth of talent in the ranks of Scotland’s developing writers and takes these individuals to the next level through tailored mentoring and training.
“It’s exciting to think that the names on this list have the potential to sit across book spines in the near future, on published collections of poetry, novels or works of non-fiction. Creative Scotland wishes the best of luck to each of them.”
Alison Lang, Director of the Gaelic Books Council, said:“We are delighted be partnering with Scottish Book Trust once again to support an emerging Gaelic writer.
“We will be following Shelagh Campbell’s progress with interest as she works on her new crime novel, and we very much look forward to seeing this and other work in print in due course.”
The New Writers Showcase, a celebration of work by last year’s awardees, will be held online through Scottish Book Trust’s social media accounts on Wednesday 6 April. Information about tickets will be available on Scottish Book Trust’s website.
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the fourth Ignite Fellowship awardees.
The Fellowship supports established writers who are embarking on a significant project. This year, the panel has selected author Meghan Flaherty from East Lothian and writer Michael Lee Richardson from Glasgow.
Martin MacIntyre, an author and storyteller from Edinburgh has been selected as the Gaelic Ignite Fellowship awardee, funded by the Gaelic Books Council.
The Ignite Fellows will receive a £2000 bursary and tailored creative support to suit their individual projects. The fellowship will run for one year, from December 2021 to December 2022.
Meghan Flaherty is the author of Tango Lessons, which Kirkus Reviews called “a vibrantly intelligent reading pleasure.” She has an M.F.A. from Columbia University in literary nonfiction. Her work has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, The Iowa Review, Psychology Today, Parents, and online at the New York Times, The Paris Review, and elsewhere. She moved to Scotland in September 2020.
During her Ignite Fellowship, Meghan will be working on her second book, a memoir about motherhood, memory, and the self – the stories we tell each other in order to live, and how those narratives define us.
Meghan Flaherty said:“I’m deeply honoured and delighted to be given the extra boost.
“With two small boys at home, my work is often first to slip from focus. Scottish Book Trust just gave me the support to change that, at least for this year!”
As well as a writer, Michael Lee Richardson is a youth worker. Their short film, My Loneliness is Killing Me – directed by Tim Courtney – won a BAFTA Scotland Award in 2018. Michael’s new short, Who I Am Now – directed by Jack Goessens – will be released soon. (NOTE:Michael Lee Richardson uses they/them pronouns)
Their radio drama, The End of the World, aired on BBC Radio Scotland, and their books The Extraordinary Life of Alan Turing and The Extraordinary Life of Freddie Mercury were published by Puffin.
During their Ignite Fellowship, Michael will work on The Other Team, a young adult novel set in Glasgow that follows the trials and tribulations of Mosaic, a ragtag football team made up of young gay, bisexual and transgender men.
It is based on characters from Michael’s short story of the same title which appears in the award-winning young adult anthology PROUD. Football forms the backdrop for the dramas of the young characters’ lives at home, touching on key themes of mental health, sex and relationships, with strong themes of community, friendship and team spirit.
Michael Lee Richardson said:“When I first started out as a writer, I used Scottish Book Trust’s website to learn how to write, and to find and apply for opportunities, and they’ve always been there for me as a writer – from being part of their Labs, to winning the New Writer’s Award, and delivering workshops as part of their Live Literature programme – so I’m delighted to receive this Fellowship and to be working with them again.
“The Other Team is an idea I’ve had for a long time, and I’m so, so excited to get started.”
Martin MacIntyre is an acclaimed author, bard and storyteller, who has worked across these genres for over twenty years; he has written eight works of fiction and one collection of poems. In 2003 his short-stories in Gaelic and English, Ath-Aithne (Re-acquaintance), won The Saltire Society First Book Award.
His novels Gymnippers Diciadain (Wednesday Gymnippers) and An Latha As Fhaide (The Longest Day) were in contention for their Book of The Year awards in 2005 and 2008 while his second story collection Cala Bendita’s a Bheannachdan (Cala Bendita and its Blessings) was shortlisted for both The Donald Meek Award and The Saltire Literary Book of The Year in 2014.
For his Ignite Fellowship, Martin will be honing a new manuscript of Gaelic poems, inspired by Catalonia and Wales, to maximize their potential reach in up to four languages: Gaelic, Catalan, Welsh and English.
Martin MacIntyre said:“I am delighted; this is a very useful opportunity at this point in my career as a poet and specifically regarding this current ambitious collection.
“Catalonia and Wales proved fertile areas for the seeds of poems to grow and I am indebted to those whose company I shared on the way.”
“Tha mi air mo dhòigh glan; ’s e cothrom glè fheumail a tha sa phrogram aig an ìre seo nam dhreuchd mar bhàrd agus gu h-àraid a thaobh a’ chruinneachaidh ùir amasaich seo.
’S ann gu math torrach a bha ùir nan dàn an Catalonia is sa Chuimrigh is bu thoigh leam taing a thoirt dha na daoine fialaidh a ghabh rium air mo shlighe.”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“Congratulations to our three new Ignite Fellows. We’re grateful to our funders for supporting this programme for a fourth year, providing writers with essential mentoring and financial assistance that will help their careers reach new heights.”
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:
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.
National charity Scottish Book Trust has today launched a major fundraising campaign, backed by The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, to drive its new ambition of ensuring everyone in Scotland has access to books and that no one misses out on the many lifelong benefits this brings.
Since the pandemic, the charity has been overwhelmed by increasing demand for its vital work to support vulnerable children and families.
Featuring a woodland illustration of The Gruffalo’s ‘deep dark wood’ from the iconic picture book, with the main Gruffalo character missing from the scene, the campaign refers to the famous line from the story that ‘there is no such thing as a Gruffalo’ and uses it to illustrate that for many children this is true because they don’t have books at home.
Without books, children are missing out and the impact of this lasts a lifetime. Books help families bond, bring joy and comfort, give children a sense of escapism and, importantly, improve their mental health and wellbeing.
New research conducted by Scottish Book Trust revealed that 85% of parents from Scotland’s most deprived areas said that reading helps them bond with their child and that reading makes their children happy, while 95% of all parents in Scotland said they think it is important for children to own their own books.
Julia Donaldson said: “I have read and performed my stories to many children in Scotland and when The Gruffalo was published, I was writer-in-residence at Easterhouse in Glasgow. I have seen first-hand how books can light up a child, catch an imagination and change a life.
“A lot of the work I have done has been alongside Scottish Book Trust and I have seen the important and effective work that they do for children and families throughout Scotland.
“I couldn’t be more pleased that The Gruffalo is now leading a fundraising campaign for the charity at a time when families need books and support more than ever.”
Axel Scheffler said: “It is sobering to see these well-known pictures from The Gruffalo without the characters included and to be starkly reminded that so many children and families have no access to books.
“Helping them to gain access is an urgent issue and I hope that this campaign will be able to raise the funds needed for Scottish Book Trust to make a difference to children’s lives in Scotland.”
Scottish Book Trust also surveyed education and early years practitioners and their responses underlined the need for books at home was great, with over two thirds stating some children they work with only own books gifted to them by Scottish Book Trust. Over 90% of respondents also stated that some pupils had lost reading skill and vocabulary due to lockdown.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“The need for our work has never been greater than now, and the stark, long-term effects of the pandemic have only exacerbated this. Access to books and reading are absolutely essential for a child’s development and life chances – without books at home, young people in Scotland are missing out.
“By supporting Scottish Book Trust’s fundraising campaign, you can help us deliver more of our vital work to support those who need our help the most. We are incredibly grateful to Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler and Macmillan Children’s Books for their support.”
Funds raised from the campaign will enable Scottish Book Trust to deliver more of its life-changing work. Some examples of its programmes include specialist outreach support for young families through Bookbug for the Home, providing tactile books for children with additional support needs, supporting those living with dementia and the people who care for them, and giving books to families in need through food banks and community hubs.
Programme launch celebrates 10-year milestone with Denise Mina
2021 marks ten years of Book Week Scotland, and Scottish Book Trust has today (12 October) launched a programme of events around the theme of ‘Celebration’.
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has worked closely with partners to provide both online and in person events.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“2021 marks a decade of Book Week Scotland, a massive milestone that all of us at Scottish Book Trust are extremely proud of.
“Last year alone, we reached 292,000 people through free Book Week Scotland events. Book Week Scotland would not be possible without the many libraries, bookshops, community groups and schools that take part.
“Over the last ten years, Book Week Scotland has become a highlight of Scotland’s literary calendar, the national event where a huge range of partners celebrate the connective power of reading and writing.
“It is where communities all over Scotland gather together to have conversations with writers and other readers, and where individuals all over the country share their love of books and the books they love.
“We look forward to celebrating ten years of Book Week Scotland with a fantastic line-up, with events both online and in person.”
Alan Bett, Head of Literature and Publishing at Creative Scotland, said:“For a decade now, Book Week Scotland has provided the perfect opportunity for readers across the nation to come together in community groups, bookshops, libraries and at home to share and explore a love of reading.
“With an exciting and diverse line-up of emergent and established names and forms of writing, from live poetry to comics, the centenary year programme is a true celebration of literature.”
Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive of The Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC) said: ““Libraries will be hosting events from Shetland to the Borders, connecting communities and ensuring everyone across the country can meet likeminded individuals, and enjoy all that the week has to offer.
“We will also be celebrating Mobile Libraries Day as part of Book Week Scotland, which allows us to recognise the vital role that our mobile libraries play in some of the remotest parts of Scotland, as well as for those who are not able to visit their own local library.
“Reading is Scotland’s favourite pastime, and we look forward to sharing in the country’s love of books.”
Book Week Scotland is the country’s biggest celebration of reading and writing and it returns on Monday 15 November to Sunday 21 November.
Award-winning author Denise Mina kicks off the celebrations at Glasgow Women’s Library, where she filmed a new documentary: The Women Writers of Garnethill with tour guide Melody House.The film explores the contribution women writers have made to the area, and the city of Glasgow. It will premiere on YouTube on Monday 15 November at 12.30pm.
Book Week Scotland will also launch a social media campaign, #ILoveMyLibrary, on Monday 15 November, encouraging the public to join in and share their memories of their favourite or local library. Top authors in Scotland will also join the campaign, celebrating the library they most treasure.
On Monday evening, for those who wish to join Book Week Scotland from the comfort of their own homes, there will be a downloadable role-playing game written by visual artist Adrian Barber. A star-studded line-up will play through the game, featuring: Marvel comic writer Kieron Gillen; bestselling author Val McDermid; DC Comics writer Ram V; Marvel comic writer and bestselling novelist Marjorie Liu; and award-winning comic artist and author Hari Conner.
On Tuesday 16 November at 11am, there will be a Book Week Scotland special Authors Live event with Patience Agbabi. The event will jump into the world of her time-travel adventure stories, The Infinite and The Time Thief. Patience will be talking about the climate change themes that inspired the novel, and she will also share her love of wordplay and poetry.
On Wednesday 17 November at 12.30pm, Book Week Scotland will premiere a new documentary with former Makar Jackie Kay on her debut novel, Trumpet. The film will offer exclusive insight to the inspiration and writing of the bestselling book.
On Thursday 18 November at 11am, there will be another Authors Live event: a panel on Young Scottish Voices featuring Nadine Aisha Jassat, Chris McQueer and Cat Hepburn. They will showcase their writing and share how young people can use their own voices and experiences in writing and storytelling.
On Thursday evening, the Damian Barr Literary Salon will team up with Book Week Scotland to bring an unmissable event starring Baggage author Alan Cumming in conversation with Damian Barr, and poetry performances from the ascendant talents of Lennie Pennie and Courtney Stoddart. The event will run online Thursday 18 November at 7pm and tickets are available to buy here.
In the year of Scottish coastlines and waterways, Harry Josephine Giles, Evie Wyld and Raman Mundair will join Book Week Scotland for a Celebrating Island Literature panel, chaired by Pàdraig MacAoidh. The event will premiere on Saturday 20 November at 4pm on YouTube.
Libraries and community groups across Scotland are also taking part in Book Week Scotland, some who have been partners of the programme for a decade, including Glasgow Women’s Library, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Union Learning, Uist Art Association and Wigtown Book Festival.
50,000 free copies of the Celebration book, which includes real life stories from people around the country, will be available from libraries and other community venues during Book Week Scotland. The book includes 22 stories selected by a panel, plus commissioned pieces from Courtney Stoddart, Elle McNicoll, Eòghan Stewart, Mòrag Law and Ross Sayers.
The full Book Week Scotland 2021 programme will be live from Tuesday 12 October.
Highlights from Book Week Scotland 2021 programme:
Monday 15 November
Ullaverse: this year, Book Week Scotland will be celebrated in Ullapool with Ullaverse, a poetry trail around the village featuring work by some of the most exciting poets writing in Scotland today, many of whom have appeared at Ullapool Book Festival. There will also be a few old favourites included as well as work created especially for the event. The poems will be displayed in windows around the village. Most will be big and bold with a few little gems hidden along the way. Free, unticketed event: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/ullaverse
The Art of Wild Swimming: photographer Anna Deacon and writer Vicky Allan will talk about their newly published book The Art of Wild Swimming: Scotland and Taking the Plunge: The Healing Power of Wild Swimming for the Mind, Body and Soul. Anna and Vicky will discuss their favourite outdoor wild swimming spots and asking them for their top tips. Join in with the audience Q&A and find out how to be the safest, most joyous and invigorated wild swimmer you can be. Online event hosted by Stirling Libraries, 7pm. Tickets: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/the-art-of-wild-swimming
Tuesday 16 November
Poetry and pals: An evening with Nadine Aisha Jassat and Andrés N. Ordorica. Join Nadine Aisha Jassat and Andrés N. Ordorica, two exciting and brilliant poets, in conversation as they discuss their first poetry collections, their own poetic process, dive deeper into one another’s work, and take your questions. Nadine’s Let Me Tell You This takes readers on a journey exploring heritage, connection, and speaking out, her poems demonstrating the power of heart and voice. At Least This I Know, the upcoming debut by Andrés works through belonging both in a physical sense and emotional, be it the belonging of immigrant bodies in new countries, or the belonging of the queer self within found families and safe spaces. The event is free and will be livestreamed on YouYube at 7pm: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/poetry-and-pals-an-evening-with-nadine-aisha-jassat-and-andres-n-ordorica
Checkpoint with Joe Donnelly. Video games power up minds, kick ass and save lives. Author Joe Donnelly, author of Checkpoint, games writer and mental health advocate, will be livestreaming gameplay on Twitch.tv as he takes viewers on a journey through the lesser-known side of game Grand Theft Auto V, showing how it can be a vehicle for mental health support in the most unlikely of ways. The event is free, and will be livestreamed on Twitch at 7pm. Tickets: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/checkpoint-with-joe-donnelly
Bold Types: Creative Writing Showcase: from 6.30pm, shortlisted writers read out their stories and poems on this year’s theme – CELEBRATION. Glasgow Women’s Library panel of judges includes: poet and filmmaker Sunnah Khan, member of 4 BROWN GIRLS WHO WRITE poetry collective; writer Noren Haq, whose short story features in the recent anthology A made in heaven: Muslim women write about love and desire; and GWL’s own Librarian, Wendy Kirk. Free, online event. Tickets: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/bold-types-creative-writing-showcase
Talk by one of Scotland’s most gifted authors James Robertson. Kinross-shire Local Events Organisation presents a talk by one of Scotland’s most gifted authors, James Robertson. Ever since the acclaimed And the Land Lay Still, readers have been waiting for another novel that would articulate the changing spirit and soul of Scotland. News of the Dead is that book. Featuring three characters, hundreds of years apart, the novel is set in the Braes of Angus, where the fictional Glen Conach is the home of fables and folklore gathered over the centuries. Milnathort Town Hall on Thursday 18 November at 7.30pm. Free event, tickets: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/talk-by-one-of-scotland-s-most-gifted-authors-james-robertson
Friday 19 November
Interactive Event with Donna Ashworth: as part of Book Week Scotland, the Fife Women’s Tent Facebook Group will host Donna Ashworth, author and poet. The night will begin with Donna introducing herself, followed by readings and then opening up for Q&A and discussions with the participants. Free, online event from 6.30pm: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/interactive-event-with-donna-ashworth
No Stone Unturned: Celebrate the reunion of poet Tom Pow with The Crichton Writers in this Book Week Scotland event organised by The Bakehouse Community Arts. The Crichton Writers is the writing group formed following a creative writing course led by Pow in 2003. Many Crichton Writers have gone on to be published and win prizes. Their recent anthology No Stone Unturned – stories of stone caving in Dumfries and Galloway is a tribute to their versatility and skill. The Bakehouse, 44 High Street, 7.30pm. Tickets: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/no-stone-unturned
Saturday 20 November
Writing crime set in St Andrews: Marion Todd is a crime fiction novelist, currently working on the 6th book in the DI Clare Mackay series, set in St Andrews. A native of Dundee, early success saw her winning first prize in Family Circle magazine’s short story competition and she began experimenting with a variety of genres before settling on crime fiction. Marion will introduce her crime series and speak about the process of creating, researching and writing crime fiction based in a town we all know so well. St David’s Centre, St Andrews at 10.30am. Free, unticketed event: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/writing-crime-set-in-st-andrews
Celebrating Our Community and Our Coast with Christopher Trotter. Join author Christopher Trotter on a virtual journey along the Fife Coastal Path at Leven. Christopher will showcase fish and shellfish caught in the waters local to Leven and produce grown in the local area using photos, videos and stories. He will then cook a selection of recipes from his new book, Coasts and Waters: The British Seafood Cookbook, in real-time for people to try at home. This event will celebrate community and the bounty of the local Leven area through the joy of cooking and eating together. 2pm, Largo Library and Community Hub, 7 Lundin Square. Tickets: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/celebrating-our-community-and-our-coast-with-christopher-trotter
Sunday 21 November
Mayflies: An Evening with Andrew O’Hagan. Craig Smillie will lead the conversation, paying particular attention to O’Hagan’s latest book, Mayflies; an incredible story that charts a weekend of youthful excess in 1980’s Manchester and the aftermath thirty years later. There will also be an opportunity for our audience to ask questions and engage in the discussion. The Glad Café, 1006a Pollokshaws Road, 7pm. Tickets: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events/2021/mayflies-an-evening-with-andrew-o-hagan
Environmental focus next up for the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour
From Monday 27 September to Saturday 2 October, the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will visit primary school pupils across the country as it continues its series of virtual events.
The tour will focus on the environment, with talks from conservationist, vet, TV presenter and author Jess French, author and rewilding pioneer Isabella Tree with d illustrator Allira Tee, and adventurer and bestselling author Abi Elphinstone.
The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.
During the pandemic, the tour has been delivered virtually, live streaming into classrooms and living rooms across Scotland and the rest of the UK, with educational watch on demand video content viewed over 100,000 times.
The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will host virtual events on the environment for schools across Scotland, with an audience of around 5,000 pupils.
Jess French will talk to young people about the world’s incredible forests and how they can get involved and learn how to protect them. She will share educational extracts from her book: ‘Let’s Save Our Planet: Forests: Uncover the Facts. Be Inspired. Make A Difference.’
Isabella Tree and Allira Tree will discuss insights from her book: ‘When We Went Wild’, a joyful, sustainably printed picture book about two farmers who decide to let their farm run wild, inspired in part by Isabella’s own experience at the world-renowned Knepp rewidling project in West Sussex.
Isabella will also show pupils around the farm via a virtual video tour before reading the book and sharing how she and her husband turned a loss-making farm into a sustainable, wildlife enterprise. This will be followed by an interactive drawalong with the book’s illustrator Allira Tee, who joins the tour live from Melbourne, Australia.
Author Abi Elphinstone will virtually visit P4–7 pupils about her real-life adventures, living with the Kazakh Eagle Hunters in Mongolia to kayaking through the Norwegian fjords.
Abi will also discuss her Unmapped Chronicles series: ‘The Crackledawn Dragon’ – a voyage across a secret kingdom full of silver whales, fire krakens, and underwater palaces. She will share how her own experiences and adventures in the natural world inspire her magical realms and beasts, as well as showing pupils how easy it is to leap into stories of their own.
Authors Live will also return on Thursday 30 September with Abi Elphinstone. schools across Scotland can sign up for P4–7 classes and watch the event live from their classrooms. There will also be a chance to ask the author questions during the event through a Twitter Q&A.
Magical Beasts at Edinburgh Zoo
For budding young writers and animal lovers, Abi Elphinstone will also host Inventing Magical Beasts workshops at Edinburgh Zoo (Budongo Theatre) on Saturday 2 October, starting at 10am and 11.30am.
The event is included in the price of zoo admission, and families are invited to come along and meet the author. Abi will demonstrate how young people can invent their own magical beasts, using animals from Edinburgh Zoo as inspiration. There will also be signed copies of the author’s book available to purchase.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said:“We are delighted that the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is focusing on the environment, a topic that young people are incredibly engaged with.
“We’re pleased to have experts in both conservation and rewilding joining the tour. The pupils are sure to learn more about their planet and how to protect it for many years to come.
“We hope families can join our event at Edinburgh Zoo, where Abi Elphinstone will help inspire the next generation of budding writers.”
Beccy Angus, Head of Discovery and Learning at Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the wildlife conservation charity which leads Edinburgh Zoo, said:“It is wonderful to welcome Abi Elphinstone to the zoo.
“As a wildlife conservation charity, education is at the heart of what we do. We hope this event will help our visitors learn more about the spectacular species in our zoos and around the world, and inspire the next generation of conservationists.”
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has announced that nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award 2022 are now open.
Run in association with Walker Books, the award aims to honour someone working with Bookbug who has used the programme to make a real difference to the lives of the young children, families and communities they work with.
Scottish Book Trust is asking people across the country to nominate a librarian, early years worker, volunteer, health visitor, or anyone who uses Bookbug in their work. The winner will receive a special trophy and a bundle of picture books worth £500 from Walker Books.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“Scottish Book Trust is pleased to welcome nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award: a prize that celebrates the fantastic work of our Bookbug practitioners across Scotland.
“Without the hard work of those in libraries, early years settings and through the health service, many young children would not know the joy of sharing stories, songs and rhymes. Our thanks to Walker Books for supporting the prize and allowing us to recognise these heroes in the local community.”
Kylie Watt, Nursery Practitioner at Longridge Nursery and winner of the Bookbug Hero Award 2021, (above) said:“I was extremely honoured to have won the Bookbug Hero Award for 2021. It affirmed my passion and vision as an educator to actively encourage the joys, benefits, and motivations of reading from a young age.
“Nominating your colleagues allows them to share their best practice, passing on new ideas and skills and importantly acknowledging their efforts and successes.”
Jane Winterbotham, Publishing Director at Walker Books said:“The Bookbug Hero Award highlights all the fantastic staff who run Bookbug programmes across their communities, and we are delighted that we can continue to show our appreciation and support of that work by sponsoring the award.
“The award shows appreciation for practitioners who champion reading and work tirelessly to change lives through stories. We look forward to hearing more about the next Bookbug Hero.”
Nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award can be made online via Scottish Book Trust’s website. The closing date for nominations is Friday 26 November 2021.
Scottish Book Trust has announced ten schools who will receive fully-funded author residencies this school year to inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing.
The residencies will also give professional writers the opportunity to build relationships with the school and work together on a creative project. Longstone Primary School will work with storytellers Macastory and Woodlands School will work with comic artist and writer Malcy Duff.
The Live Literature School Residencies Programme, now in its sixth year, is funded by the Walter Scott Giving Group and delivered by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing.
Three ASN centres were also awarded fully-funded author residencies in the third year of the Additional Support Needs strand of the programme, funded by the Mohn Westlake Foundation.
Schools across the country were invited to apply to the programme which brings professional authors into the classroom to inspire and engage pupils.
Each school taking part in the programme will receive 12 fully-funded residency sessions and ASN schools will receive 15 fully-funded sessions, carried out by an author from Scottish Book Trust’s author directory. It includes over 600 professional writers, poets, playwrights, illustrators, performance poets and storytellers.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “The Live Literature School Residencies Programme is incredibly important, as it allows authors to build relationships with a school over time, working together with pupils on a dedicated project.
“Many of these projects will work with the local community and will also build on the school’s COVID recovery plan, addressing issues such as pupil wellbeing; rebuilding reading and writing cultures and also lost transition time for P7/S1.
“We are grateful to our funders the Walter Scott Giving Group and the Mohn Westlake Foundation for making this programme available to all schools including ASN settings.”
The residencies will run across the 2021-22 school year and finish by May 2022. The Walter Scott Giving Group has funded the Live Literature School Residencies Programme for six years, and the Mohn Westlake Foundation has funded the ASN School Residencies Programme for three years. As well as an author residency, schools will receive a resources grant of £500.
Each school’s project will be showcased on Scottish Book Trust’s website, alongside suggested learning resources and helpful tips to make the most of the residency sessions.
Angela Pearston, Head Teacher at Longstone Primary School, said: “We are so excited about our forthcoming residency and hope that it will inspire and motivate our pupils to have confidence in their abilities as storytellers and writers.”
Macastory said: “We are delighted to be involved in the project and are excited to explore stories of the past from the Longstone area of Edinburgh with the children. We’ll see where that takes their imaginations! We can’t wait to see how the pupils will imagine their version of Longstone’s amazing history.”
Karen Byrne, Principal Teacher Support for Learning at Woodlands School, said: “Woodlands is excited to explore journeys of hope and resilience through word and sequenced visuals. We want to share and establish confidence in our personal and collective voice and continue this beyond the residency.”
Malcy Duff said: “I’m excited about offering comic book storytelling as a creative medium for learners to develop their own visual language and explore new narratives that challenge the old. I hope this work will increase participants’ confidence and expand the use of comic book storytelling as an important form of communication.”
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the shortlist for the 2022 Bookbug Picture Book Prize. Now in its sixth year, the shortlist includes Alastair Chisholm, Catherine Rayner, David Roberts, and Zoë Ingram.
The award was established to celebrate the most popular picture books by Scottish authors and illustrators and to encourage reading for pleasure.
The shortlist is selected by an independent panel of experts including Primary 1 teachers, a children’s librarian, children’s bookseller and Bookbug coordinator as well as experts from Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years Team.
The winner is then chosen by thousands of children across the country who can cast their votes online either at school with their teacher or at home with their families, via the Scottish Book Trust website.
THE BOOKBUG PICTURE BOOK PRIZE 2022 SHORTLIST IS:
Arlo the Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep by Catherine Rayner
Inch and Grub by Alastair Chisholm and illustrated by David Roberts
My First Book of Woodland Animals illustrated by Zoë Ingram
The 2022 shortlist features an exhausted lion who meets an owl friend; competitive cavemen; and a beautifully illustrated wild animal spotter guide.
Catherine Rayner is an author and illustrator of children’s picture books. She studied Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art where, for her final degree show, she created what would go on to be her debut picture book.
Originally from Yorkshire, Catherine fell in love with the city of Edinburgh and still lives there. She was winner of the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for Harris Finds His Feet. In 2010, she was the inaugural illustrator in residence at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Catherine Rayner said:“I’m so excited to be on such an amazing shortlist. “I’m a huge supporter of Scottish Book Trust and all they do so this is an exceptionally special honour. Arlo is extremely excited too!”
Alastair Chisholm is an award-winning children’s author and puzzle creator. He’s the author of the sci-fi middle-grade adventures Orion Lost and Adam-2, and children’s picture books The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears, as well as books of Sudoku, Kakuro and other puzzles, including the Kids’ Book of Sudoku and Kids’ Book of Kakuro series. Alastair lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two children.
David Roberts is a children’s illustrator originally from Liverpool. He has illustrated a large number of books in both black and white and colour. He has worked with such well-known authors as Philip Ardagh, Peter Bently and Julia Donaldson.
His sister Lynn Roberts is also a writer and the siblings have collaborated on several retellings of fairy stories, including Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale, which was shortlisted for a Blue Peter Book Award, and Little Red: A Fizzingly Good Yarn, which was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
Alastair said:“It’s a joy to see Inch and Grub shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize, and especially to be included in the Bookbug bag!
“This is a brilliant and vital project, and one my own daughters benefited from when they were younger – it’s wonderful now to think of my and David’s book becoming part of it. Thank you so much!”
Zoë Ingram is an artist & illustrator based in Edinburgh. With a printed textile design degree under her belt and a career in the creative arts spanning over twenty years, Zoë now focuses on client commissions and personal work.
Zoë primarily works with mixed media and digital applications, often combining traditional and digital techniques. Zoë has also recently written and published her first book, Oh My Gouache!, a beginner’s guide to painting with opaque watercolour.
Zoë said:“I’m so thrilled to be shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize.“It’s such an honour to be chosen and I just hope that everyone who reads My first book of Woodland Animals has as much fun finding out about all the lovely animals and insects in the book as I did when I was illustrating them.”
61,000 pupils across Scotland will receive a free copy of each of the three books on the shortlist, which are given to every Primary 1 child during Book Week Scotland (15 November – 21 November), in the Bookbug P1 Family Bag.
The winner of the Bookbug Picture Book Prize will be announced in an exclusive video to all registered groups on Wednesday 26 January. The winner will receive a specially commissioned trophy and £2,000 while shortlisted authors and illustrators receive £500 per book.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize. We encourage schools and families across Scotland to read the shortlisted titles and vote for their favourite.
“We hope the children receiving their Bookbug P1 Family Bag will enjoy sharing these stories at home and with their classmates.”
Katalina Watt, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland, said:“The Bookbug Picture Book Prize is such a special award with its focus on reading for enjoyment and placing young readers at the heart of the selection process.
“Warm congratulations to all the authors and illustrators who submitted their stories and to those making up such a rich and varied shortlist.”
The deadline for voting is Friday 10 December 2021 at 5pm.
Ten new books in Scots have been awarded funding by the Scots Language Publication Grant.
Now in its third year, the Scots Language Publication Grant was created by the Scots Language Resource Network to support Scots publishers and to encourage Scots writers. It is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing.
This year’s successful awardees include translations of well-loved stories such as Aesop’s Fables by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson, and Lemony Snicket by Thomas Clark. Brian Holton will also reimagine poetry of Li Bai and Du Fu (two of the most renowned poets of Ancient China) to new audiences.
Applications were assessed by a panel with expertise in Scots and publishing, including a representative of the Scots Language Centre, Scottish Book Trust and Waterstones.
Three publishers based in Edinburgh were awarded Scots Publication Grants: Itchy Coo (an imprint of Black & White Publishing), Leamington Books and Taproot Press.
The successful titles are:
A Series o Scunnersome Events, Book the First: The Boggin Beginnin (Itchy Coo) by Thomas Clark and illustrated by Brett Helquist
A Working Class State of Mind (Leamington Books) by Colin Burnett
Berries Fae Banes (Tippermuir) by Jim Macintosh
Hard Roads an Cauld Hairst Winds: Li Bai an Du Fu in Scots (Taproot Press) by Brian Holton
Laird Graham an the Kelpie (Giglets Education) by Jax McGhee
Norlan Lichts (Rymour Books) by Sheena Blackhall, Sheila Templeton and Lesley Benzie
Phantom the Ginger Mog (Wee Stoorie Press) by Kirsty Johnson and illustrated by Mandy Sinclair
The Day It Never Got Dark In Dundee (Rymour Books) by Ian Spring
The Itchy Coo Book o Aesop’s Fables in Scots (Itchy Coo) by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Wheesht (Foggie Toddle Books) by Susi Briggs and illustrated by William Gorman.
The Scots Language Publication Grant provides assistance for publishing new work (including translated texts), reprinting existing historical or culturally significant work, and also effective marketing and promotion of existing and new work.
Education Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville said:“The Scottish Government is pleased to continue to support the Scots Publication Grant for a third year.
“We have seen how this funding can develop talent while widening accessibility of a variety of genres, with titles both new and old, to the Scots speaking community. My congratulations to those who have been successful this year.”
Rhona Alcorn, CEO of Dictionaries of the Scots Language and Chair of The Scots Language Resource Network, said:“The Scots Language Publication Grant plays a hugely important role in supporting Scots as a contemporary literary medium.
“This year’s winning titles illustrate the breadth of creative work in Scots today and truly include something for everyone.”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“Scottish Book Trust is pleased to offer Scots Publication Grants to these ten new titles.
“The diversity in genre and subject matter of the successful awardees is fascinating: from children’s stories to poetry; from classic tales we grew up with, to ancient Chinese poetry. Our thanks to the Scottish Government and the Scots Language Resource Network for making this grant possible.”
