EDINBURGH BOOK FEST IS GOING OUTDOORS FOR 2021

EDINBURGH International Book Festival is going fully outdoor this year and will stream online. 

The biggest book fest in the UK has cconfirmed that the 2021 Festival will take place from Saturday 14 to Monday 30 August 2021 from the beautiful indoor and open, grassy outdoor spaces of the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh College of Art on Lauriston Place.

  While the full programme and event details will not be announced until the end of June, the Book Festival team are planning a range of live online author talks, workshops and readings and, only if circumstances permit, some events for in person, albeit socially distanced, audiences.  

 Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival said, “While we are now experiencing a full lockdown in Scotland which is challenging for so many people on so many levels, we very much hope that the combination of this, together with the ongoing vaccination programme, will bring the virus under control by August.  While 2020 proved extremely challenging for the Book Festival it also opened up some extraordinarily exciting opportunities.  

Building on the success of our online Book Festival we can now announce that we will be entering into a new strategic partnership with the University of Edinburgh that will enable us to inhabit this innovative space in 2021 with facilities to create events for both digital and, if circumstances permit, physical audiences.

 “Covid19 has created a huge tectonic shift in the way that live events, ourselves included, can reach their audiences.  With in-person ticket sales impossible to forecast this August, we simply can't justify incurring the costs of the tents and infrastructure we'd normally put into Charlotte Square Gardens.    It is highly probable that most events will take place online, and the need for broadcast studios is more likely than large venues for an audience.    

 “In the grassy courtyard of Edinburgh College of Art we will, if rules allow, recreate the elements of the Book Festival that our audiences love – bookshops, cafes and open spaces in which to come together safely offering the ‘oasis of calm’ for which the Book Festival is renowned.  The College offers excellent studio and theatre facilities for both online broadcasting and potential events with a socially distanced audience.”

 He added “We intend that this partnership with the University will be a long-term arrangement, and the Book Festival will continue to occupy their spaces when a Covid-free Festival, with audiences able to enjoy live events in person, can be staged.    However digital events will continue to be a key part of future Book Festivals, enabling us to reach truly global audiences as well as those closer to home who face barriers to attending the event.  We are excited that our hybrid festivals of the future will engage with authors and audiences around the world in a more environmentally responsible way.”

 Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, Professor Peter Mathieson, said, “We were delighted to be asked by the Edinburgh International Book Festival to support future events through this mutually beneficial arrangement. Building on our existing partnership this new deeper relationship will help to ensure that people in Edinburgh, and all over the world, can continue to come together to explore the power of ideas through their love of literature.”   

This strategic partnership gives the Edinburgh International Book Festival licence to occupy spaces within the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh College of Art in August.  The University of Edinburgh will operate catering and bar provisions, if permitted by the Government’s Covid19 guidelines, while the Book Festival is on. 

The 2020 Edinburgh International Book Festival presented a fully digital programme In August, with 146 online events ranging from daily draw-alongs to conversations with Bernardine Evaristo, Douglas Stuart, Samantha Power, Matt Haig, Hilary Mantel and Marian Keyes.  Audiences watched and engaged with events from around the world and have continued to watch on demand over the winter months.  

The full programme will be at www.edbookfest.co.uk.

THE BROONS WELCOME BAY CITY ROLLERS, GERARD BUTLER AND JUDY MURRAY AT AWARDS BASH

THE first ever annual Broons Awards kicked off in Scotland tonight with a host of names including Gerard Butler, Lorraine Kelly, Judy Murray, Walter Smith, Aggie Mackenzie, Gordon Smith Bernard Gallagher and The Bay City Rollers.

Scotland's favourite comic strip family was celebrating its 80th anniversary in Glasgow's Grand Central Hotel by awarding Scotland's other families and friends for all their good work.
The stylish tartan and shortbread evening began with a lively performance by Clanadonia who whooped up the crowd before telly host Lorraine Kelly was introduced by an exclusive Broons comic strip.

She said: "I'm thrilled. I've never had a welcome like that before."
Guests were then treated to a very special message from Hollywood actor Gerard Butler and showbiz correspondent Ross King.

The duo enthused: "We're really sorry we can't be there tonight but we have been in The Broons ourselves and are really humbled by that. We are really humbled by you all so well done tonight."
The two lads then joked the Editor Richard Prest was buying everyone a drink before Gerard added that Ross would be buying a round. Ross of course corrected him saying he earned more money.
Guests tucked into traditional dishes of haggis, neeps, and tatties followed by fillet of beef and clootie dumpling for desert.

The ceremony itself awarded people - and one four legged friend - for their personal achievements, many in the face of adversity.
And there wasn't a dry eye in the house after hearing some of their stories.
Presenters included Walter Smith, Aggie Mackenzie, Sanjeev Kohli, Brian Soutar, Emmerdale's Bhasker Patel, and Judy Murray.
The Bay City Rollers closed the night with all their big hits and maw, paw and the bairns were left crying out for more.
The well deserving prize winners will be in the Sunday Post

SAM HEUGHAN INTERVENES AS WILLIAM SHATNER BOLDLY ARGUES WITH OUTLANDER CAST AND FANS

OUTLANDER star Sam Heughan and his castmembers appear to have been getting trolled online by Star Trek's William Shatner.
And while the actors seem to be taking it on the chin as playful banter, some of the loyal series fans are a tad dismayed by Shatner's attitude.
The ribbings began after Shatner took the mickey out of Sam's outtfit choice at a Scots press conference for Zero Waste Scotland.
When a fan praised Sam saying he was 'looking freaking awesome', William replied: "Until he put on those shoes." 
After Sam asked him for advice on what to wear to his upcoming Tartan Day Parade appearance in New York next month, Shatner then added: "I can call in Betsey Johnson and I'm sure she'd love to advise."
The two actors had been joking previously about a dinner date they'd planned - and Shatner, who claimed he'd been stood up, asked Sam to donate something to his charity auction. 
He wrote: "#He now has to bring gifts to redeem himself! "
The conversation then took a turn for the worse as Shatner appeared to criticise actor Claire Fraser on the series.
He said: "I (heart) Catriona...she's a fine actress. Claire meh ;)
After that, things got messy as Outlander fans were quick to jump to Claire's defense.
Shatner, who referred to the loyal fans as Cray Cray's (crazies), then had a pop at actor Richard Rankin who plays Roger Wakefield on the show.
When Richard asked Shatner if he was trying to get a spot on the series, Shatner replied: "Yes Lord of the Blue rocks" 
He also said: "You have no idea how desperate I am to go to the cold Scottish highlands and create box jumping pastimes, before adding : "So you are another crazy who is on that show."
Richard replied: "Now Mr Shatner. To insult me is one thing but to insult my colleagues is quite another."
Author Diana Gabaldon then tried to calm things down by joking: "A simple Yes would have sufficed."
The slanging match continued until Shatner, who also appeared to insult Diane by saying he'd read Wikipedia rather than the eight Outlander books, let rip:
"You know RikRankin I did some research and decided you are not relevant until the second part of next season IF at all XO."
Even Sam Heughan had to intervene by asking: "Play nice boys."
Shatner then sloped off adding: "I'll be back later to cause more aggravation..."
Looks like there's more drama going on here than in the actual books!

REBUS AUTHOR WROTE POETRY FOR RADIO TIMES IN HIS TEENS

REBUS writer Ian Rankin confessed he once sent a poem into the Radio Times to try and get published.
The award winning crime writer may have sold more than 20 million books, which have spawned several telly shows, but he claims punk music inspired him to get creative.
As he appeared at The Tower Digital Arts Centre in Helensburgh for a Cafe Improv session with Scots musician King Creosote, Fife born Ian, 55, revealed his DIY attitude came from music.
 He said: "The whole thing about punk was it came along at the right time. I was 16 or 17 in high school and we were trying to start a magazine and thought anyone could do it. I was brought up on prog rock and you had to have Mellotrons and know classical music and score stuff.
"With punk you could just pick up the cheapest  guitar going and hammer away at it. It was like that. Anybody can do it to get on board. You want to be a writer? I was sending off stories and poems to ridiculous places like The Times Literary Supplement and I even sent off a poem to the Radio Times thinking maybe they will take it. I was eighteen at the time and thought why not? " 
Ian, whose first book The Flood was published in 1986 by small indie uni run company Polygon in Edinburgh, added: "It was DIY things, in Scotland per say, not just in music and film but writing too.They were put together by kids  fresh out of high school trying to do something different ."

JK ROWLING OFFERS UP SOME MAGICAL BANTER WITH TINIE TEMPAH

HARRY Potter author JK Rowling got her wand out to scold musician Tinie Tempah after he quipped that she should go back to magic school.
The Edinburgh based author behind the book and film franchise was having some banter with fans on her Twitter account when Tinie, who's new song Girls Like includes the line 'Tell J.K that we still rolling', decided to test her humour.
 After a fan asked if she'd ever imagined that she'd be name dropped in a song about what girls like, JK confessed: "I did not" .
Tinie, who was clearly in the mood for a verbal joust, then decided to challenge with his own wizardly humour.
He told JK: "Well maybe you should have spent more time in Divination class #girlslike."
JK, who has bewn known to debate with more than a few celebs in her time, didn't take his cheek sitting down and she responded rather dryly: "Divination is a very imprecise brand of magic!"
We think he-who-must-not-be-named has met his match.

JK meantime has just confirmed  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will form part of a trilogy of movies.

HOLLYWOOD'S SCARLETT JOHANSSON GOES THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

 SCARLETT Johansson has taken time out of the silver screen to do some bed time reading.

 The Avengers star decided to curl up with a copy of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for her latest project with her sister Vanessa Johnson who is also an actress.

The two sisters bring the classic children’s story to life for Audible, allowing anyone who snaps it up to go to sleep to the sound of her voice.

Scarlett said:  “Having grown up loving the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and reading many books aloud with Vanessa, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to share my love for Alice with an audience. I hope that this recording is enjoyed by not only those who are existing fans of the material, but also by new and curious readers, who may just be discovering Carroll’s work for the first time.”

Vanessa added: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is such a deliciously whimsical and curious story. We had such a blast dialoguing during the recording process, thinking about the characters, and creating an audio world for this book. I hope the joy that we experienced together comes across to listeners.”

Rosamund Pike, Dan Stevens, James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet and Tim Robbins have read similarly for Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content.