Award-winning writers, household names and exciting new talent is set to take to the stage in Blairgowrie at the popular BOOKMARK festival over the weekend of October 5-6th.
The wide-ranging programme has been curated to appeal to readers of all genres and features old favourites, BOOKMARK regulars and new writers.
Award-winning author and illustrator of 12 children’s books Natalie Russell will open the event with a lively illustrated talk about the centuries old tradition of combining art with words.
Mollie Hughes’ life as a mountaineer and sports adventurer has taken her from the summit of Mount Everest to ski-ing to the South Pole and in Blairgowrie, she will be talking to Merryn Glover in what promises to be an exhilarating journey.
Fiction writers Allan Radcliffe and Zoë Strachan will lead a ‘creative conversation’, followed by award-winning author Chris Whitaker who will talk about his new novel All the Colours of the Dark with D V Bishop.
Saturday’s line-up will close with Laura Shepherd-Robinson, described as one of the best new writers of historical fiction, who will talk about her latest novel The Square of Sevens with BOOKMARK Patron Rosemary Goring.
Sunday’s proceedings get under way with a celebration of William Soutar featuring poets from Tippermuir Press, followed by Billy Kay talking about his new book, Born In Kyle, and then the winner of the 2023 BOOKMARK Book of the Year award, Karen Campbell. Karen will also announce the winner of the 2024 BOOKMARK Book of the Year award, while the winner of the Christine Findlay Prize for pupils at Blairgowrie High School will be announced on Sunday afternoon.
The first of three sessions on Sunday afternoon will see acclaimed writers S G Maclean, Sally Magnusson and Douglas Skelton discuss historical fiction.
Sticking with the historical theme, well-known writer and historian Jamie Jauncey will talk about his memoir of his great-great uncle, Cunninghame Graham – better known as ‘Don Roberto’, the co-founder of the Scottish Labour Party – with Magnus Linklater before Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzmann, who write together as Ambrose Parry, bring proceedings to a close chatting about their series of crime thrillers set in mid-19th century Edinburgh.
The BOOKMARK festival was established in 2012 after enthusiasts from one of the town’s book groups got together to bring renowned writers to the east Perthshire town to talk about their work.
The volunteer-run event has a friendly, community feel to it and is supported by organisations including The Gannochy Trust and local businesses such as The A Proctor Group, Castle Water and Hodge Solicitors, Something Special Flowers, Perth Theatre and Concert Hall, Perthshire Box Office and Adventure Into Books.
If you haven’t been already why not make 2024 the year you see what all the fuss is about!
Tickets for individual events are £10 and can be purchased from Adventure into Books in Blairgowrie (01250 872852), Perthshire Box Office (01738 621031), Rhona Christie (01250 875613 or rhona.maclean@yahoo.co.uk) or online at www.bookmarkblair.com Weekend and day tickets are also available.
