Bookface Sip and Swop with Gillian Shirreffs
Saturday 25 October, 2025, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Saints of Ingram, 158 Ingram St, Glasgow G1 1EJ
Come along for a fun and cosy afternoon at Saints of Ingram in Glasgow on Saturday 25th October from 3-6pm. when Bookface is hosting a luxury raffle to support Beatson Cancer Charity.
Following the success of her bestselling debut Brodie, Glasgow writer Gillian Shirreffs returns with ‘Elephant’—a raw, sharply honest book about illness, loss and survival.
Told through tweets, emails, texts and thoughts, Elephant follows a woman facing a breast cancer diagnosis. But it’s no traditional cancer memoir. This is a bold, darkly funny and unflinching account of what happens when life tips sideways. It’s about waiting, loneliness, absurdity, and the small, human connections that help us keep going.
Praise for Elephant is already strong. Elissa Soave calls it “rare and wonderful,” while Prof. Victor Montori M.D. describes it as “a masterpiece.”
Gillian Shirreffs lives with MS. She holds a Doctor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing – her writing explores illness, the body, and the things we struggle to say out loud.
‘Elephant’ is for anyone who’s waited too long for news, struggled to ask for help, or laughed inappropriately at the worst possible moment. It’s about the elephant in the room—and what happens when you finally look it in the eye.
What You Can Expect
Sip fizz or non-alcohol options
Enjoy 30 min interview with Gillian on her work and latest book
Luxury raffle with proceeds to Beatson Cancer Charity
Participate in book swap with 300 titles to choose from
You will meet Gillian on the day and be able to buy a copy of her new book.
This section: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, Pat's Home Page Blog, What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more
Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, Pat's Home Page Blog, What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more
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Written by : Pat Byrne
Publisher of Pat's Guide to Glasgow West End; the community guide to the West End of Glasgow. Fiction and non-fiction writer.
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