Tag: writers

New Debut Lab launched to support Scottish authors

Nine Edinburgh writers selected for new initiative

Scottish Book Trust has unveiled a new initiative to support writers based in Scotland whose debut, full-length work in poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction was published after December 2019 and impacted by the pandemic. Debut Lab is funded by, and a collaboration with, Creative Scotland.

Delivered remotely through a series of seven live-on-Zoom workshops and a range of additional online resources, Debut Lab will support writers affected by the pandemic during this transitional stage in their careers.

Workshops will include networking, marketing, author events and funding opportunities, and will be led by industry professionals including Mairi Oliver, owner of Lighthouse Bookshop, and writers Maisie Chan and Helen Sedgwick, as well as Creative Scotland’s Literature Team and Scottish Book Trust staff.

Nine writers based in Edinburgh have been selected for Debut Lab, including:

  • Amy B. Moreno, whose debut picture book, A Billion Balloons of Questions (Floris) will be published in June 2022
  • Caron McKinlay, whose debut novel The Storytellers (Bloodhound Books) will be published in May 2022
  • Charlie Roy, whose debut novel The Broken Pane (Leamington Books) was published in 2021
  • Flora Johnston, whose debut novel What You Call Free (Ringwood Publishing) was published in March 2021
  • Helen Boden, whose debut poetry collection A Landscape to Figure In (Red Squirrel Press) was published in November 2021
  • Kirsti Wishart, whose debut novel, The Knitting Station (Rymour Books) was published in March 2021
  • Lauren Pope, whose debut poetry collection, Always Erase (Blue Diode Press) was published in January 2022
  • Niamh Hargan, whose debut novel Twelve Days in May (HarperFiction) will be published in April 2022
  • Ry Herman, whose debut novel Love Bites (Quercus Publishing) was published in July 2020

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “Scottish Book Trust is pleased to support eighteen authors through our new initiative, Debut Lab.

“Being a debut author is daunting enough, but the pandemic and following lockdown made it incredibly difficult for authors to promote their work.

“We hope to shine a light on this fantastic range of books, from children’s novels to collections of poetry. Our thanks to Creative Scotland for making this possible and allowing us to give essential support to this cohort.”

Katalina Watt, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland said: ““Creative Scotland is so pleased to be working with Scottish Book Trust on this vital initiative for debut authors impacted by the pandemic.

“Through a series of live online workshops and additional resources led and facilitated by industry professionals, Debut Lab will highlight the wonderful variety of works and support these authors in the next exciting steps of their author journeys.”

Collective Exhibition Launch | Acts of Observation

Collective is delighted to present Acts of Observation, a group show by artists and writers Ana García Jácome, Jeda Pearl Lewis, Abi Palmer and Simon Yuill. The new exhibition spans our entire site and is presented as a series of solo presentations, or ‘acts’, throughout our different buildings, spaces, and online.

Dynamic in form and content, the artists brought together present a diverse range of works including film, interactive installation, writing and architectural interventions. 

Acts of Observation directly questions, contextualises and challenges how we negotiate institutional language and spaces, and how disability is represented. The participating artists articulate and politicise notions of recovery and offer visions of positive, inclusive futures.

Artworks on display include: interactive installation Crip Casino by Abi Palmer, where absurdist poetic diagnoses are delivered by the spirit of Elvis reimagined as a medical practitioner; two film works by Ana García Jácome – It’s Like She Had Never Existed and The [ ] History of Disability in Mexico, new poetry by Jeda Pearl which questions how we are observed and which bodies are seen as sublime; and a new text work by Simon Yuill, expanding the text works produced for the artist manifesto Not Going Back to Normal.

Join us on Saturday 25 September, 2 – 4pm, to celebrate the opening of the exhibition, including a live poetry reading by Jeda Pearl Lewis. This is an open event and all are welcome.

Much of the event will take place outdoors in our new ‘Play Shelter’ so please dress for the weather! Numbers inside the exhibition spaces will be monitored in line with social distancing advice so a short wait may be required.

Please RSVP by booking a free ticket on Eventbrite. 

If you have any questions about the event, contact us at mail@collective-edinburgh.art

Rare Birds Book Club launches newsletter for budding writers

Bi-weekly newsletter hosted by famous female authors

Home of female fiction and letterbox lockdown companion, Rare Birds Book Club, is set to launch a brand-new newsletter, aimed at budding writers.

From 22nd March, Prompt will be dropping into inboxes every other week packed with tips, tricks and invaluable info for those who like writing – from the daily scribblers to the ‘going to write a book someday’ dreamers.

Containing a writing exercise, pointer or prompt to encourage writers (and aspiring writers) to put pen to paper and get composing, each newsletter is hosted by a published author who has been there before and wants to share some writing wisdom to help spark inspiration.

The first newsletter, hosted by Maggie O’Farrell, author of best-selling novel, Hamnet, will be followed up by further writing royalty, with editions from the likes of Jessie Burton (The Miniaturist), Elizabeth MacNeal (The Doll Factory), Laura Jane Williams (Our Stop) and Elizabeth Day (How to Fail).

Authors will provide the tips they themselves use, from ideas on how to start a project and exploring new or current scenarios, to getting out of a writing rut. There will also be exercises to try when you have the writing itch, but no idea how to scratch it and prompts to help you get to know your characters or story.

Rare Birds founder, Rachel Wood, shares why Prompt is the perfect bookmark for writers old and new: “This newsletter is all about ideas – how to get them and how to build on them and the aim is simply to prompt our readers to get writing.

“We want to spark creativity, push boundaries, and chart new territory. They say we all have a book in us, well we want to be the ones who coax it out of you. Who knows, one day we could be sending your book out to our book club!”

Free to subscribe and featuring past and present Rare Birds Book Club authors, as well as Wood’s personal favourites, the newsletter will also shine a spotlight on the author themself, as well as their current work and future projects.

To sign up to the newsletter, visit: 

https://rarebirdsbookclub.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b9cc7b74a69f54f10b90003f3&id=307071a319

For more information visit: 

https://rarebirdsbookclub.com/blog/prompt 

Edinburgh Ignite Fellowship awardees announced

Scottish Book Trust has announced the third Ignite Fellowship awardees.

The Fellowship supports established writers who are embarking on a significant project. This year, the panel selected poet and performer Courtney Stoddart and artist and filmmaker Raman Mundair. Poet and translator Niall O’Gallagher 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 2020 to December 2021.

Courtney Stoddart, from Edinburgh, is a Scottish-Caribbean performer whose work focuses racism, womanhood and growing up in Scotland.

She has featured in various theatrical productions, including Hannah Lavery’s Lament For Sheku Bayoh at the Lyceum Theatre. Courtney recently featured at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and appeared on Damian Barr’s The Big Scottish Book Club.

During her Ignite Fellowship, Courtney will work on her first poetry pamphlet featuring themes of race, identity and the ramifications of colonialism and imperialism.

Courtney Stoddart said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been selected for this year’s Ignite fellowship. I am incredibly thankful to Scottish Book Trust for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started on my project.”

Raman Mundair is an Indian born writer who is based in Shetland and Glasgow. She is an award-winning author and was longlisted for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative Award and is a winner of the Robert Louis Stevenson Award and a Leverhulme Fellowship.

Raman has published poetry, fiction, drama and non-fiction and has performed and exhibited her artwork around the world from Aberdeen to Zimbabwe. She is currently a dramaturg and mentor for Scottish Youth Theatre on the Stories 2020 project. Raman will use the fellowship to bring her work into focus with the help of her mentor.

Raman Mundair said: “I am delighted to be offered this opportunity and look forward to possibilities that it will open for me and chance to amplify my voice and work as a hitherto overlooked writer, artist and director.”

Niall O’Gallagher, based in Glasgow, is the author of three books of poetry in Gaelic and was the recipient of a New Writers Award from the Scottish Book Trust ten years ago.

In 2019 Niall was named Bàrd Baile Ghlaschu, the City of Glasgow’s first Gaelic Poet Laureate. In 2020 he won the Gaelic prize in the Wigtown Poetry Competition for his poem ‘Penelope’.

During his fellowship, Niall will be working on his fourth book, a verse-novella called Litreachan Plàighe (Plague Letters), told through a series of letters between characters who find themselves separated from one another.

Niall O’Gallagher said: “I’m delighted. The New Writers Award I received from Scottish Book Trust and Gaelic Books Council in 2010 really helped me take my poetry from my notebook into print.

“I’m excited to work with them again as I develop my work further.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “The Ignite Fellowship is important as it helps to give already established artists a boost in their career.

“In what has been a challenging year, we hope this award will provide inspiration and support, and we look forward to seeing the new projects from the writers.”

Scottish Book Trust: Ignite Fellowship open for applications

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has announced that applications are open for the Ignite Fellowship.

Now in its second year, the Ignite Fellowship recognises the achievements of professional writers and will offer tailored, practical and financial support to help writers find time and space to fire up their careers. Continue reading Scottish Book Trust: Ignite Fellowship open for applications

Best-selling rebel writers engage with Edinburgh communities for Book Week Scotland

Akala and Sam Coniffe Allende to take part in unique community events

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has announced details of events in Edinburgh featuring bestselling writers Akala and Sam Coniffe Allende as part of ‘Pitch It’, a new programme for Book Week Scotland 2018. Continue reading Best-selling rebel writers engage with Edinburgh communities for Book Week Scotland

Independence: write or wrong?

referendum flagsTwo months from referendum day, two prominent Scottish writers have set out a personal case for Yes and No – and Allan Massie and William McIlvanney are to discuss their differing perspectives on independence at a special event marking 50 days until referendum day.

Two new pamphlets by leading Scottish writers inspired by the 2014 independence referendum were published yesterday, two months to the day until Scottish voters go to the polls to determine Scotland’s future. The publications are the latest in an ongoing programme of Saltire Series Pamphlets, commissioned by non-political independent charity the Saltire Society.

One pamphlet, entitled ‘Nevertheless’, makes the case for a No vote in the September poll and is the handiwork of prominent journalist and writer Allan Massie. The other pamphlet, ‘Dreaming Scotland’, authored by the novelist and poet William McIlvanney, sets out his own reasons for voting Yes.

The two writers will be in conversation with one another at a special event to be hosted at the Central Hall in Edinburgh at 7.30pm on Wednesday 30 July and chaired by Robyn Marsack of the Scottish Poetry Library, marking exactly 50 days until the historic vote takes place.

Massie has written almost 30 books, including 20 novels and won the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year award for his 1989 novel A Question of Loyalties about Vichy France.

Arguing the case for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom, Allan Massie’s Pamphlet concludes:

“It is, for me, a matter of self-confidence. If you feel the lack of that, you will vote for independence. If you feel confident of Scotland’s ability to remain Scottish and prosper in the Union, you will agree that we are indeed Better Together and vote “no”. The Unionist says, I am Scottish. Nevertheless I am also British, and value the Union with England, “our sister and ally”, as [Sir Walter] Scott called her.”

William McIlvanney is also a past winner of the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year award for his 1996 novel The Kiln and has been previously described by none other than Allan Massie as ‘the finest Scottish novelist of our time’.

Setting out his reasons for voting in favour of independence, McIlvanney writes:

“Politically, Scotland’s like a living entity which has been cryogenically frozen and stored within the UK for over 300 years. Isn’t it time to come out of history’s deep-freeze and explore for ourselves who we really are? Whatever that reality turns out to be, let’s confront it. It’s time to grow up and take full responsibility for ourselves. A yes vote would do that.”

Saltire Society Executive Director Jim Tough said:

“Much of the political debate around the referendum has rightly been focused on practical questions and the economic case for and against. We wanted to provide an opportunity for some more philosophical thought to be given to the question. Hence we asked two of Scotland’s contemporary writers, each bringing an alternate perspective, to contribute these thoughtfully argued pieces.

“We wanted personal reflections rather than polemics. I think they dig that bit more deeply into what motivates people to vote one way or the other at a more instinctive level. Both pamphlets also offer some fascinating insights into the way history has shaped the Scotland we live in today – and who we are as modern Scots.”

Tickets for the ‘McIlvanney and Massie in Conversation’ event as well as both limited edition Pamphlets (‘Nevertheless’ by Allan Massie and ‘Dreaming Scotland’ by William McIlvanney) can be purchased from the Saltire Society offices or through the Saltire Society website: www.saltiresociety.org.uk.

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