Poets wanted for festival poetry competition

Poets across the world are wanted for a Scottish competition. The 2018 Wigtown Poetry Competition has been launched with an invitation for poets from across the world to take part. Based in Scotland’s National Book Town the competition has, over more than a decade, become one of the UK’s best-established writing prizes and a launchpad…

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Musical compositions in one new volume

A major collection of James Scott Skinner’s musical compositions has been compiled by fiddler Alastair Hardie. The author of The Caledonian Companion has collected 33 famous tunes for violin, arranged in sets, composed or played by The Strathspey King, James Scott Skinner (1843-1927) as he performed in Scotland, England and America and also found in…

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An alternative take on Mary Queen of Scots

Book review: Mary Queen of Scots – A Study in Failure By Jenny Wormald What’s the story? Mary Queen of Scots is a highly detailed and occasionally damning account of the life of one of Scotland’s most famed monarchs. No stone is left unturned and no mistake of Mary’s left unpunished as Wormald truly immerses the…

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When business boomed for the Archangels

Book review: The Archangels Share By Kenny Kemp, Graham Lironi and Peter Shakeshaft What’s the story? The book tells the tale of Archangels, a business angel syndicate founded in Edinburgh in 1992 by Barry Sealey and Mike Rutterford. It follows their story of leading the way in terms of investing in new promising businesses and…

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The story of Martin Guerre touring Scottish theatres

The true story of Martin Guerre is being brought to Scottish theatres over the coming days with the play, The Return. Eden Court Theatre’s new production, The Return, inspired by the old and still mysterious story, has been touring Scotland throughout February, and continues into March. The true story of Martin Guerre is an intriguing…

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The hunt is on to find Scottish writers and poets for new publication

Scots writers with a story or poem in them are being urged to put finger to keyboard. The Scottish Writers’ Centre are looking for submissions as, in partnership with Red Squirrel Press, they are launching an anthology in 2018 to celebrate a decade of the Scottish Writers’ Centre. For 10 years, they have been supporting…

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A Shetland writer in the World War 1 trenches

Shetland Library is to host an afternoon talk about Jack Peterson. Jack’s poetry was used in last year’s Shetland Youth production, In the Still of the Night have We Wept, writes Cameron Avery. The talk and readings will be delivered by Dr Mark Smith of Shetland Museum and Archives as part of a joint project…

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Book review – The Tweed Dales: Journeys and Excavations

What’s the story? In an interesting hybrid of historical writing, folklore and travel writing, Elspeth Turner and Donald Smith attempt to take their reader on both a literary and physical journey through the Scottish Borders. The atmosphere of each of the six journeys they discuss is evoked through stories, myths and true past events all…

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Age is no barrier as Scots OAP writes his first book – in his 90s

They say that everyone has a book in them – and for one Scot, it’s just taken that little bit longer to put pen to paper. A 96-year-old Glaswegian has just published his first novel – which centres on a fight between South American drug barons. William Glen, a tenant at Bield’s Carntyne Gardens retirement…

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Children given inspiration as they remember the sacrifices of World War I

Edinburgh Castle in partnership with WW100 hosted an event that aimed to inspire and inform children prior to the charity’s 2017/2018 arts, poetry and song competition. Never Such Innocence was held on 7 December, with many Scottish schools and children’s groups in attendance, hosted by Major-General Riddell-Webster, the event discussed the roles of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals efforts…

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