The Edinburgh International Book Festival is still going on, but unfortunately for me (due to work and other commitments) it is over for another year. I thought I’d give a few brief observations of the events I saw this year.
Ali Smith – Lady behind me in the queue said she’d seen Sarah Brown in the toilets, I had just been in the loos myself but had completely failed to notice Mrs Brown. Ali Smith a genuinely lovely person who has a real passion for words and language. Told an anecdote about the looters which was analogous to Marie Antoinette. Wished me good luck with my own writing when she signed my book.
Emerging writers reception – Spoke to lots of interesting and talented folks. Got free wine and chocolate!
Workshop with Iain Gale – Workshop about historical fiction (which I’ve never written before but want to try). Introductions from other attendees went on for a while (I am here to listen to Mr Gale and do not wish to hear a fifteen minute account of why you are pursuing your own historical novel) but Iain Gale was really helpful (when he eventually got to speak) and his step-daughter gave us all handouts. I liked his idea of immersing yourself in a time period using music and films.
Gutter unbound event – Handed a bag of drugs (okay, sherbet and tic tacs) on the way in. Got a £5 voucher for the festival bookshop which I used to buy Alan Bissett’s new novel which he read an extract from. He also performed an extract from Trainspotting which persuaded me that I have to go back and re-read that. I read it when I was 15/16 and I think I missed a lot of the humour and social commentary. Four writers reading their work who were all great. Alan Bissett and Chris Adrian my particular favourites of the night. Lady sitting opposite us turned out to be Andreea Kindryd. I wish I’d known at the time as she seems quite an amazing lady from the flyer she left us at the end of the night. Skulked past police on the way home with our drugs.
David Vann and Miriam Toews – Chaired by Doug Johnstone (whose novels and music I also enjoy). Went purely because of David Vann (who is an amazing writer) but found Miriam Toews equally fascinating. Talked of family suicides while the rain beat down on the Spiegeltent. Asked David Vann for his interpretation of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian while he signed my book. His answer made much more sense than anything I’ve read to date so I will now also have to re-read Blood Meridian.
Neil Gaiman - Frank Skinner sat a few rows behind me in the audience. Neil Gaiman was fascinating and has an amazing imagination. Talked about fairy tales and Dr Who. He drew a little sketch in my book when I got it signed. Lots of die-hard fans in the queue (never seen such a long signing queue before) that made me feel slightly fraudulent (even though I am a fan and I forced myself to keep watching Dr Who until his episode came on, despite feeling that the new season has been dumbed down and I’m not keen on Amy Pond or Matt Smith as the Dr). The phrase that kept flashing through my head was ‘wow, he is supercool!’
City of Literature
Daniel Swift and Christopher Ward – Saw lots of ex-Virgin Megastore (where me and my fiancé used to work) employees wandering around the festival while we queued. Shared a joke with the man standing next to me in the queue at the expense of some rude people trying to jump in front of us. Roy Hattersley was in the audience. Sheena McDonald was chair and her mobile went off in the middle of a reading. Incredibly moving, poignant event. Both writers eloquent and charming. Shocking anecdotes of how the class system was still in play when disposing of the bodies of those who died on the Titanic. Beautiful violin playing which brought a tear to my eye.
General observations – Book festival audiences ask long questions. My ‘books I want to read’ list is longer than it was.
