Work is underway in Charlotte Square gardens in the construction of the amazingly robust tents of the EIBF.   It seems to spring up like magic every year and then disappear again almost a quickly and seamlessly, a bit like Brigadoon, the mythical Scottish village that is supposed to appear for one day only every hundred years!

Thankfully, unlike Brigadoon,  the book festival lasts for just over two weeks and comes back again each year.  It is a haven for booklovers from the madness that is Edinburgh during Festival time!  Don’t get me wrong I love the Edinburgh in August it feels, sounds and even smells different; exciting and cosmopolitan ,with voices in every lanugage you can imagine to be heard at every turn.

The street theatre is almost as fascinating as the variety of shows that spring up  in any available space, all over the city.  You never quite know who you are going to see around the next corner, or what, for that matter.
You can find out what is happening at the book festival this year on their website

This year I am delighted, and privileged, to  be appearing at the book festival for the 10th year running!

This year my event is a workshop, on 26th August, on Writing for Younger Children. Places for this filled up very quickly and it is fully booked, but there are lots of other great events and workshops on offer.

I will be signing books in the children’s bookshop in Charlotte Square after the workshop,  at around 12.30 on Thursday 26th  August, so if you would like to come along and say hello, please do!

This has been a great year so far for my teenage/YA books with the launch of Dead Boy Talking at the end of the summer term in North Berwick High School,

It has gathered some great reviews and you can find links to these  on my blog Writing the Bookwords

Spider has also been doing well this year being one of the finalists in the Red Book Awards which took place in February and it was also on the long list for the Lancashire Book Awards. Spider is currently on the shortlist for two further awards, the Catalyst Book Awards (October 2010) and the Dumfries Burgh Book Awards (February 2011)

There are also some interesting things happening with regard to Hamish McHaggis series so to all Hamish Fans, come back soon to find out more.