Friday 26th June
£3.00
Jess Smith - Berry Time at Blair
Blairgowrie Library, Leslie St, PH10 6AW
2.30 - 4.00 pm
Jess calls herself a Shenachie, a Traditional Storyteller. Author of six novels recalling her growing up in a travelling family, Jess is a gifted storyteller and singer.
'One of Scotland's most popular authors - a truly charismatic speaker with innate storytelling ability.' - Stirling Council
Get Directions »
Saturday 12th September
£6.00
Keith Brockie – Sketching Wildlife in the Wild
Straloch Garden Studio, Enochdu, Strathardle, PH10 7PH
3.00 - 4.30 pm
Keith is a freelance artist specialising in wildlife and natural history. He has had many books published featuring his own wonderfully delicate and detailed illustrations.
Seats limited to 30 places
Get Directions »
Friday 2nd October
£6.00
(Child age 10+)
/ £6.00
(Adult)
Nick Hesketh - Red of the Dead
Cargill’s Bistro, Lower Mill St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AQ
4.30 - 6.00 pm
How to write a zombie story in ten shambling steps.
Come along and join in the madcap fun of Nick's storytelling workshop. Catch a bite to eat and chew over some story ideas in a fun-filled session with an author whose mission is to inspire through laughter.
Children's Tickets include a meal
Get Directions »
Friday 2nd October
£10.00
(includes post-event Drinks Reception)
An Hour with Janice Galloway
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
7.30 - 8.30 pm
Janice will read from a new book of short stories, Jellyfish, a collection of stories about the extraordinary task of raising children set against stories about passing sexual attractions - why do we write so little about the bigger task? She found so few stories about the discrepancy, she wrote her own.
8.30 - 9.30 Drinks Reception
Hosted by the Provost of Perth & Kinross
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
**CANCELLED** William McIlvanney - In conversation with Janice Galloway
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
10.00 - 11.00 am
Sadly, as a result of ill health, this event has been cancelled.
After the triumphant republication of his books by Canongate in 2013, William McIlvanney has been in demand at home and abroad as a new generation of readers discovers his work. Earlier this year an acclaimed portrait of the writer was screened by BBC2. Widely acknowledged as the godfather of tartan noir, he discusses his writing career, the literary novels and his Laidlaw crime trilogy, and reflects on the changing nature of life in Scotland.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child age 7+)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
Kate Leiper - How to Draw your Dragon
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
10.00 - 11.00 am
In this event Kate will talk about ideas and inspirations taken from legend and nature, and show that by using them, any one of us can 'draw your own dragon'.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Alex Gray - Keep the Midnight Out
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
10.00 - 11.00 am
Alex Gray talks about her latest DSI Lorimer crime novel, Keep the Midnight Out, in which a gruesome Glasgow cold case comes back to haunt Lorimer. Set in both Glasgow and on the Isle of Mull, this is another gripping tale from the pen of a highly acclaimed master of the genre.
‘Alex Gray describes her characters with sensitivity and the investigations in careful detail’ Literary Review
Chair: Karen Campbell
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
Catherine MacPhail - Write to Excite! (from tots to teens and beyond!)
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
11.30 - 12.30 pm
This session will now be taken by Catherine MacPhail.
A session for Tots to Teens and beyond. We've all got a story inside us. Come along, share some stories with Catherine MacPhail, and hear how she creates cracking characters - spooky, sparkly and sometimes really scary.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£0.00
Joan Lennon - Points in Time Book Launch
Royal Hotel Conference Room, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
11.30 - 12.30 pm
Join us for the launch of this year’s BOOKMARK publication Points in Time - the product of creative writing workshops in The Glens, led by last year's writer-in-residence, Joan Lennon.
Talented writers of all ages have been taking part in a series of writing challenges, and this is your chance to share the wonderful results. Children from Kirkmichael Primary School will join the two adult groups in readings from Time to Write.
Take the opportunity to pick up your own free copy - and get it signed by the authors!
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Geoff Hill - Falling Off Motorcycles: a beginner’s guide
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
11.45 - 12.45 pm
Enjoy an entertaining, illustrated insight into Geoff’s epic motorbike trips: Delhi to the UK, Route 66, Chile to Alaska, Route 66, Chile to Alaska, around Australia and around the world retracing the journey of Carl Stearns Clancy, the first round the world rider 100 years ago, complete with Clancy's boots. Adventure, travel and humour!
Sponsored by the Blairgowrie and District Motorcycle Club
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child age 7-9)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
Barry Hutchison - Fiends, Bear-things and the End of the World
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
1.30 - 2.30 pm
Join him as he introduces you to some of his weird and wonderful creations. Marvel at the Swivel-Eyed Ogre-Thing, run in fear from the Invisible Fiends and gallop alongside the cast of The 13th Horseman in a fun interactive talk that's sure to leave you rolling in the aisles.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Karen Campbell - You Can’t Outrun your Shadow
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
2.00 - 3.00 pm
Karen will discuss her new novel, Rise, a book about love, freedom and finding one's place in the world, set around the time of the Scottish referendum. It is described by James Robertson as 'engrossing, entertaining and thoroughly readable'.
Chair: Fiona Armstrong
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child age 7-11)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
David MacPhail - The Nicest Viking
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
3.05 - 4.15 pm
THE NICEST VIKING By Odin’s Trousers!
Prepare yourself for the wrath of the Norsemen! That is, if you don’t mind and it’s not too inconvenient. Anarchic fun as David introduces his brand new book series, The Nicest Viking, an ale-splashing, meat-ripping, hatchet-in-the-head kind of saga, in a world where manners cost nothing (literally), and politeness pays (usually with your life).
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Kenneth Cox - Garden Plants for Scotland
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
3.45 - 4.45 pm
Find out why some plants thrive in Scotland while others struggle. Where does the gardener in Scotland turn to for information in selecting plants? Kenneth is an experienced and entertaining speaker who will address what to grow where in Scotland and why. Ken will describe his favourite plants and some he detests too, just for fun!
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Martin Bell OBE - The End of Empire
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
5.00 - 6.00 pm
Martin served as a soldier in Cyprus from 1957-59. More than half a century later he found in his attic more than 100 letters that he had written home during the EOKA emergency. They described riots and explosions, cordons and searches and a strategy that ultimately failed. From this beginning he has written The End of Empire. He has also drawn on formerly Top Secret documents declassified in the past two years. The result is a story not told before, of the character of the Army at the time, and of the tragedy that befell a beautiful island. Martin has had a fascinating career and an informative talk and entertaining talk is promised.
Sponsored by The A. Proctor Group Ltd.
Chair: Fiona Armstrong
Get Directions »
Friday 26th June
£3.00
Jess Smith - Berry Time at Blair
Blairgowrie Library, Leslie St, PH10 6AW
2.30 - 4.00 pm
Jess calls herself a Shenachie, a Traditional Storyteller. Author of six novels recalling her growing up in a travelling family, Jess is a gifted storyteller and singer.
'One of Scotland's most popular authors - a truly charismatic speaker with innate storytelling ability.' - Stirling Council
Get Directions »
Saturday 12th September
£6.00
Keith Brockie – Sketching Wildlife in the Wild
Straloch Garden Studio, Enochdu, Strathardle, PH10 7PH
3.00 - 4.30 pm
Keith is a freelance artist specialising in wildlife and natural history. He has had many books published featuring his own wonderfully delicate and detailed illustrations.
Seats limited to 30 places
Get Directions »
Friday 2nd October
£10.00
(includes post-event Drinks Reception)
An Hour with Janice Galloway
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
7.30 - 8.30 pm
Janice will read from a new book of short stories, Jellyfish, a collection of stories about the extraordinary task of raising children set against stories about passing sexual attractions - why do we write so little about the bigger task? She found so few stories about the discrepancy, she wrote her own.
8.30 - 9.30 Drinks Reception
Hosted by the Provost of Perth & Kinross
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
**CANCELLED** William McIlvanney - In conversation with Janice Galloway
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
10.00 - 11.00 am
Sadly, as a result of ill health, this event has been cancelled.
After the triumphant republication of his books by Canongate in 2013, William McIlvanney has been in demand at home and abroad as a new generation of readers discovers his work. Earlier this year an acclaimed portrait of the writer was screened by BBC2. Widely acknowledged as the godfather of tartan noir, he discusses his writing career, the literary novels and his Laidlaw crime trilogy, and reflects on the changing nature of life in Scotland.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Alex Gray - Keep the Midnight Out
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
10.00 - 11.00 am
Alex Gray talks about her latest DSI Lorimer crime novel, Keep the Midnight Out, in which a gruesome Glasgow cold case comes back to haunt Lorimer. Set in both Glasgow and on the Isle of Mull, this is another gripping tale from the pen of a highly acclaimed master of the genre.
‘Alex Gray describes her characters with sensitivity and the investigations in careful detail’ Literary Review
Chair: Karen Campbell
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£0.00
Joan Lennon - Points in Time Book Launch
Royal Hotel Conference Room, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
11.30 - 12.30 pm
Join us for the launch of this year’s BOOKMARK publication Points in Time - the product of creative writing workshops in The Glens, led by last year's writer-in-residence, Joan Lennon.
Talented writers of all ages have been taking part in a series of writing challenges, and this is your chance to share the wonderful results. Children from Kirkmichael Primary School will join the two adult groups in readings from Time to Write.
Take the opportunity to pick up your own free copy - and get it signed by the authors!
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Geoff Hill - Falling Off Motorcycles: a beginner’s guide
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
11.45 - 12.45 pm
Enjoy an entertaining, illustrated insight into Geoff’s epic motorbike trips: Delhi to the UK, Route 66, Chile to Alaska, Route 66, Chile to Alaska, around Australia and around the world retracing the journey of Carl Stearns Clancy, the first round the world rider 100 years ago, complete with Clancy's boots. Adventure, travel and humour!
Sponsored by the Blairgowrie and District Motorcycle Club
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Karen Campbell - You Can’t Outrun your Shadow
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
2.00 - 3.00 pm
Karen will discuss her new novel, Rise, a book about love, freedom and finding one's place in the world, set around the time of the Scottish referendum. It is described by James Robertson as 'engrossing, entertaining and thoroughly readable'.
Chair: Fiona Armstrong
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Kenneth Cox - Garden Plants for Scotland
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
3.45 - 4.45 pm
Find out why some plants thrive in Scotland while others struggle. Where does the gardener in Scotland turn to for information in selecting plants? Kenneth is an experienced and entertaining speaker who will address what to grow where in Scotland and why. Ken will describe his favourite plants and some he detests too, just for fun!
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£6.00
Martin Bell OBE - The End of Empire
Royal Hotel, Allan St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AB
5.00 - 6.00 pm
Martin served as a soldier in Cyprus from 1957-59. More than half a century later he found in his attic more than 100 letters that he had written home during the EOKA emergency. They described riots and explosions, cordons and searches and a strategy that ultimately failed. From this beginning he has written The End of Empire. He has also drawn on formerly Top Secret documents declassified in the past two years. The result is a story not told before, of the character of the Army at the time, and of the tragedy that befell a beautiful island. Martin has had a fascinating career and an informative talk and entertaining talk is promised.
Sponsored by The A. Proctor Group Ltd.
Chair: Fiona Armstrong
Get Directions »
All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a parent or designated adult at all times, for all events. Children remain the responsibility of the accompanying adult. Please note that there will be a photographer present at all events. If you do not wish your child/children to be photographed, please contact a member of staff.
Entry is by ticket only. Separate tickets are needed for each child and each adult for each event.
Friday 2nd October
£6.00
(Child age 10+)
/ £6.00
(Adult)
Nick Hesketh - Red of the Dead
Cargill’s Bistro, Lower Mill St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AQ
4.30 - 6.00 pm
How to write a zombie story in ten shambling steps.
Come along and join in the madcap fun of Nick's storytelling workshop. Catch a bite to eat and chew over some story ideas in a fun-filled session with an author whose mission is to inspire through laughter.
Children's Tickets include a meal
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child age 7+)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
Kate Leiper - How to Draw your Dragon
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
10.00 - 11.00 am
In this event Kate will talk about ideas and inspirations taken from legend and nature, and show that by using them, any one of us can 'draw your own dragon'.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
Catherine MacPhail - Write to Excite! (from tots to teens and beyond!)
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
11.30 - 12.30 pm
This session will now be taken by Catherine MacPhail.
A session for Tots to Teens and beyond. We've all got a story inside us. Come along, share some stories with Catherine MacPhail, and hear how she creates cracking characters - spooky, sparkly and sometimes really scary.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child age 7-9)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
Barry Hutchison - Fiends, Bear-things and the End of the World
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
1.30 - 2.30 pm
Join him as he introduces you to some of his weird and wonderful creations. Marvel at the Swivel-Eyed Ogre-Thing, run in fear from the Invisible Fiends and gallop alongside the cast of The 13th Horseman in a fun interactive talk that's sure to leave you rolling in the aisles.
Get Directions »
Saturday 3rd October
£3.00
(Child age 7-11)
/ £3.00
(Adult)
David MacPhail - The Nicest Viking
St Catharine’s Centre, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6HA
3.05 - 4.15 pm
THE NICEST VIKING By Odin’s Trousers!
Prepare yourself for the wrath of the Norsemen! That is, if you don’t mind and it’s not too inconvenient. Anarchic fun as David introduces his brand new book series, The Nicest Viking, an ale-splashing, meat-ripping, hatchet-in-the-head kind of saga, in a world where manners cost nothing (literally), and politeness pays (usually with your life).
Get Directions »
STOP PRESS
Perfect for pre-school children, the free Play Talk Read bus is coming to the Wellmeadow on Saturday, 3rd October from 10.00.
Hop on and listen to stories old and new. Guaranteed to make grown ups smile too!
