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The 2011  Edinburgh International Book Festival will begin on Saturday 13th August in Charlotte Square.

I love the fact that the green leafy city centre garden is transformed into a quite magical world of books in August every year, and a little like Brig o’ Doon it vanishes again soon after!

I am delighted that I have been invited again this year.  Below are some of the details of my events at the Book Festival.

If you are around come and say hello.

On Thursday 18th August 2011 – 5.30pm

Along with other writers, I will be reading as part of the Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers series

Friday 19th August 2011 5.00pm

I will be talking about the research I did for SPIDER and DEAD BOY TALKING

(This event is to be chaired by Philip Ardagh – I am really looking forward to that!)

On Friday 26th August 2011 – 11am

I will be running a writing workshop-

Making it as a Children’s writer

(THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT)

and finally, as part of the

Edinburgh International Book Festival Schools programme

I will be speaking to primary school children  about  Hamish McHaggis and friends on 30th  August 2011.
This is on the Schools Gala Day

( NB -The Book Festival is closed to the general public on 30th August)

Here is Hamish at a previous festival appearance, with the fabulous staff in the Author’s Yurt I wonder -did he need an author pass to get in ???)

August is fast approaching and the weather is (mostly) good and at times glorious which I hope it will be a week tomorrow on Saturday 6th August when  I will be at the Traquair Fair reading Hamish McHaggis stories.

Do come along and say hello!

The fair is on all weekend Saturday and Sunday (6th and 7th August) and has all sorts of amazing entertainment for all ages.  It sounds like it will be a great weekend.

It is also almost time for the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Back soon with more details of my events at the Edbookfest!

ON the weekend of 9th and 10th July 2011 a new Literary festival was born the

ABBA LITFEST

This, the first-ever online children’s book festival has been a huge success and the best news of all is that it is still going on at ABBA the AWFULLY BIG BLOG ADVENTURE

Over the weekend there were 40 blog posts a variety of  videos, fascinating blogs and competitions, some of which are still running until 20th July, so get on down there and win yourself a book or book-related goodies!

Cathy MacPhail and I got together to produce a video see below, (that was a first for both of us!) chatting about the fabulous week we enjoyed as tutors on an ARVON Foundation writing course Writing for Children .

Linda Strachan and Cathy MacPhail on Arvon Writing Course

Don’t miss
John Dougherty’sfabulous musical tribute to ABBA.  So get on down there and be a part of the latest Awfully big blog adventure.

A huge vote of thanks to the hardworking authors who made it such a success, Elen Caldecott,  Sam Mills and Lucy Coats.

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