A veteran sports journalist with tales of some of Scotland’s best-known figures, and the return of cabaret to Clydebank are among the events still to come in this year’s Booked! literary festival.
The festival, which kicked off on Saturday, saw a quarter of the total tickets available gone within just two days of bookings opening. After a week almost half had been snapped up.
The 14th annual festival has already seen comedy actor Gregor Fisher, national newspaper columnist Erwin James and popular crime writer Claire McGowan entertain audiences in Dalmuir, Gartocharn and Parkhall, and there are still a dozen writers, poets and musicians lined up.
Crime writing and historical fiction will combine when award-winning journalist turned novelist Neil Mackay speaks about his historical epic The Wolf Trial, and Orcadian Amy Liptrot will then recall her struggles with alcohol addiction and eventual solace in returning home, as documented in her memoir The Outrun.
Brooke Magnanti – author of the blog Belle de Jour, which was subsequently adapted for television as The Secret Diary of a Call Girl – will speak about her new crime thriller The Turning Tide.
For sports fans a special ‘match day’-themed event will see Radio Clyde sports broadcaster Hugh Keevins return to his Faifley roots to chat about encounters with the likes of Gordon Strachan and Sir Alex Ferguson.
This year’s Booked! festival will also include a series of special events to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Clydebank Blitz, which falls this year. Artist Tom McKendrick, whose Blitz-inspired paintings are currently on display at Clydebank Town Hall, will speak about the events of 1941 and how it has inspired his work. Meanwhile local authors Meg Henderson, Sue Reid Sexton and Cathy Forde will each host events reflecting on the Clydebank Blitz.
Councillor Michelle McGinty, the council’s Educational Services Convener, said: “It is fantastic to see Booked! 2016 get underway. Our libraries see hundreds of thousands of visits each year so we know they’re popular, but Booked! is an opportunity to really celebrate what they have to offer as well as getting people in who might not already be library members.
"I hope as many people as possible will join us for some of this year’s exciting programme of events, if they haven’t done so already.”
Councillor John Mooney, Depute Convener, added: “Once again our libraries staff have done the council proud by getting such an impressive line-up for this popular annual festival.
"I would encourage anyone to pick up a brochure or check out the online edition and book their place at one, or many, of the fantastic events on offer for Booked! 2016.”
Booked! events are free but ticketed (with the exception of a £5 charge for Rally and Broad cabaret with discounts available for tables of eight).
The full brochure is available online at www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/booked2016, and tickets are on sale at www.wdcbooked.eventbrite.co.uk.
Book tickets in person by visiting your local library and speaking to a member of staff. To find your nearest branch visit www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/libraries/library-branches.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here