Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events.

hyndland bookshop inside

Books, talks and poetry events. Glasgow has everything on offer for lovers of literature, including major book festivals, book launches, poetry slams and spoken word open mics.

Plenty to choose from with events showcasing new talent as well as acclaimed writers and poets.

Events and New Books To Watch Out For

Mary Irvine’s blog: West End Festival 2016

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A Reet Gud Neet (that’s my maternal origins emerging!) What a wonderful few days and I’m not referring to the strange phenomenon sweeping the area – clement weather – rather to two visits to Glasgow. The first was to the Hydro to see Neil Young. I’ve composed my account of that in longhand. Will type […]

Read the full article: Mary Irvine’s blog: West End Festival 2016

Book Launch: Glasgow Women Poets, Oxfam Book Shop Byres Road, Monday 20 June, 2016

glasgow women poets a collection

Monday 20 June, 2016 – 6.30 p.m. Oxfam Bookshop Byres Road 330 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AP Emily Dickinson’s poem, ‘I’m nobody – who are you?’ asks a question we all should answer – some of us choose to do that in poetry. Glasgow Women Poets is a varied print collection of poetry by women […]

Read the full article: Book Launch: Glasgow Women Poets, Oxfam Book Shop Byres Road, Monday 20 June, 2016

From Callton to Catalonia, 2 July, 2016, Paisley Arts Centre

From The Calton To Catalonia     Sat 02/07/16 Fair Pley presents From The Calton To Catalonia as part of this year’s Sma’ Shot celebrations.          Saturday 2nd July, 7.30pm Paisley Arts Centre, 15 New St, Paisley PA1 1EZ Tickets: £12 / £10 concession + bkg fee* Box office A moving and evocative play that […]

Read the full article: From Callton to Catalonia, 2 July, 2016, Paisley Arts Centre

West End Festival 2016: Ten Writers Telling Lies, Sunday 19 June

Ten Writers Telling lies

Ten writers got together with the musician Jim Byrne and wrote ten songs. Come along and hear the music and the stories behind the songs. Ten Writers Telling Lies at West End Festival 2016 Gibson Street GalaSunday 19th June Tchaiovna House of Tea 42 Otago Lane, G12 8PB Sunday 19 June 2:30pm Free Www.glasgowwestend.co.uk/category/ten-writers-telling-lies Some […]

Read the full article: West End Festival 2016: Ten Writers Telling Lies, Sunday 19 June

Book Launch: Devil Take The Hindmost by Martin Froden, Mono, 7th July, 2016

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  Book Launch of Martin Froder’s prizewinning ‘Devil Take The Hindmost’ Mono, 12 Kings Court, Glasgow G1 5RB 7 July, 2016 7 p.m. Winner of the Dundee International Book Prize At £10,000, the Dundee International Book Prize is the richest prize for an unpubished novel in the UK. This year’s winning title, Devil Take the Hindmost, is […]

Read the full article: Book Launch: Devil Take The Hindmost by Martin Froden, Mono, 7th July, 2016

How to Write a Song, Chiara Berardelli, Waterstones Byres Road, 23 June, 2016

chiara berardelli

‘How do you write a song?’ Singer-songwriter Chiara Berardelli shares the secrets of her own songwriting process and of some of the greats. Waterstones Bookshop, 351-355 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AU Thursday 23rd June @ 7.30 pm www.chiaraberardelli.com Chiara’s Facebook Page Free event

Read the full article: How to Write a Song, Chiara Berardelli, Waterstones Byres Road, 23 June, 2016

Shore to Shore, Celebrating poetry and community with the Poet Laureate and friends UK Tour

Shore-To-Shore-Poets

Celebrating poetry and community Poet Laureate and friends – touring UK and Celebrating Independent Bookshops Carol Ann Duffy, Gillian Clarke, Imtiaz Dharker, Jackie Kay, John Sampson plus special guests. Over fourteen consecutive days across Britain from Cornwall to Scotland, Carol Ann Duffy will perform alongside three of the fellow poets whom she most admires: Gillian […]

Read the full article: Shore to Shore, Celebrating poetry and community with the Poet Laureate and friends UK Tour

Bloody Scotland, Stirling, 9 – 11 September, 2016

bloody scotland

The 2016 Bloody Scotland programme is here! All events are up and tickets available now! http://www.bloodyscotland.com/events Participating writers include  Graeme Macrae Burnet  Louise Welsh Donate to Team Bloody Scotland on the Caledonian Challenge

Read the full article: Bloody Scotland, Stirling, 9 – 11 September, 2016

University of Glasgow: Centre for Open Studies: Ten Writers Telling Lies West End Festival 2016

Ten Writers Telling lies

Ten Writers are participating in a project with the musician Jim Byrne to produce a book and complementary cd, which will be produced early 2017.  In the meantime you can catch them perform their work at Three Events at the West End Festival 2016 Of the ten writers, six are students from the Centre for […]

Read the full article: University of Glasgow: Centre for Open Studies: Ten Writers Telling Lies West End Festival 2016

Writer Salon, #ScotLitFest Facebook, Zoe Strachan and Jenny Brown, Sunday 26 June, 2016

writer salon #scotlitfest facebook

Creative writing advice salon for writers Zoe Strachan, Sunday 26th, 11am – 12pm Facebook Negative Space, Zoë’s first novel, was published in 2002 (Picador), followed by Spin Cycle in 2004 and Ever Fallen in Love in 2011 (Sandstone). She also writes short stories, libretti, plays, essays and journalism.  She lives in Glasgow with her partner Louise Welsh, […]

Read the full article: Writer Salon, #ScotLitFest Facebook, Zoe Strachan and Jenny Brown, Sunday 26 June, 2016

An Evening with Liz Lochhead, Waterstones Argyle Street, Tuesday 14 June, 2016

liz lochhead waterstones argyle st

‘Fugitive Colours’ Your chance to meet Liz Lochhead, poet, playwright, campaigner, and former makar of Scotland!   Tuesday 14 June, 2016, 6.30 – 8 p.m.   Liz will be in Waterstones Argyle Street store reading from and talking about her new brilliant collection of poetry, and Waterstones Scottish Book of the Month, Fugitive Colours; don’t […]

Read the full article: An Evening with Liz Lochhead, Waterstones Argyle Street, Tuesday 14 June, 2016

West End Festival 2016: Poetry at Hillhead Library, Sunday 12 June

magi gibson and cinnamon and indigo poetry reading

Come and be moved to laughter, tears and all the emotions in between. Hillhead Library348 Byres Road, G12 8AP Sunday 12 Jun 2:30pm Presented by Cinammon Press and Indigo Dreams Press. Six prize-winning Scottish poets have teamed up to present an afternoon of striking and original poetry. Andy Allan, A C Clarke, Magi Gibson, Eileen […]

Read the full article: West End Festival 2016: Poetry at Hillhead Library, Sunday 12 June

Calling all poets and writers: University of Glasgow Creative Writing West End Festival 2016

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Call for Submissions Open to writers and poets! Do you fancy reading some of your newest writing at the West End Festival? University of Glasgow’s Creative Writing folks are hosting a ‘New Writers Showcase’ on Tuesday 21st June 2016 at “So, What Comes Next?” a hip pub at 182 Queen Margaret Drive, Glasgow. Submit a […]

Read the full article: Calling all poets and writers: University of Glasgow Creative Writing West End Festival 2016

Book Launch: Buy Buy Baby by Helen MacKinven, 7 July, 2016 – Falkirk

buybuybaby helen mackinven

Buy Buy Baby Helen MacKinven Behindthewall, 14 Melville Street, Falkirk, FK1 1HZ 7 July, 2016 – 7 p.m. What price tag would you put on a baby? Set in and around Glasgow, Buy Buy Baby is a moving and funny story of life, loss and longing.Packed full of bitchy banter, it follows the bittersweet quest […]

Read the full article: Book Launch: Buy Buy Baby by Helen MacKinven, 7 July, 2016 – Falkirk

Book launch: This Far Back Everything Shimmers by Vicki Husband, Thur 30 June, Waterstones Byres Road

far back everything shimmers

THIS FAR BACK EVERYTHING SHIMMERS by Vicki Husband Book launch on Thursday 30th June – at Waterstones Books, 351 – 355  Byres Rd, Glasgow G12 8AU The universe has never been depicted so intimately, nor the mundane so infused with stellar significance as it is in the poetry of Vicki Husband. This debut collection is […]

Read the full article: Book launch: This Far Back Everything Shimmers by Vicki Husband, Thur 30 June, Waterstones Byres Road

The Sma’ Shot Slam 2016, Paisley Town Hall, Saturday 2 July, 2016

sma shot slam paisley

The Sma Shot Slam 2016 Saturday 2 July, 2016 7.30 p.m. Paisley Town HallSecond annual Sma’ Shot Festival poetry slam event.COMPETITORS vie for £50 prize money and a place in the Scottish Slam Finals in Edinburgh in March 2017.AUDIENCE get entertained by top performance poets with musical interludes.EVERYONE can visit the well stocked licenced bar.And […]

Read the full article: The Sma’ Shot Slam 2016, Paisley Town Hall, Saturday 2 July, 2016

Centre for Open Studies, University of Glasgow, Ten Writers Telling Lies at West End Festival

At this year’s West End Festival Ten Writers are participating in an event with musician Jim Byrne.  Of the ten five attend Alan McMunnigal’s Creative Writing Classes at Glasgow University.  Some have also studied at Glasgow University’s M.Litt in Creative Writing.  They include writers whose work has been published in Germany and by Legend Press, […]

Read the full article: Centre for Open Studies, University of Glasgow, Ten Writers Telling Lies at West End Festival

Love’s Long Road by G D Harper

love's long road

Set in and around Glasgow’s West End in the 1970s, Love’s Long Road is GD Harper’s debut novel. Described by the Sunday Post as ‘a gritty summer read’, it is the story about a young woman leading a double life because of fear and guilt about her past. The eBook is on promotion with Amazon […]

Read the full article: Love’s Long Road by G D Harper

Lies of the Land – Chris Dolan, Book Launch Review by Pat Byrne

lies of the land

Chris Dolan promised ‘a book launch with a difference ‘ on 1 June, 2016, when he launched his second Maddy Shannon mystery novel with the help of his many talented friends – it certainly worked out that way. There was a great turn out at Glasgow Caledonian University on a beautiful sunny evening and the […]

Read the full article: Lies of the Land – Chris Dolan, Book Launch Review by Pat Byrne

STFU 6th Humanity’s Afterparty The Blue Chair Friday 3 June, 2016

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The Blue Chair, 85 High Street G1 1NB 7 p.m. #rd June, 2016 STFU – Spoken Word That Leaves A Mark! STFU is back to get its monthly fix of eyeballs and you lot get to sit around and enjoy words and shit. Also, secretly we siphon off your precious bodily fluids and sell them […]

Read the full article: STFU 6th Humanity’s Afterparty The Blue Chair Friday 3 June, 2016

Aye Write! An evening with Tess Gerritsen, Mitchell Library, 21 July, 2016 6.30 p.m.

tess gerritsen

21st Jul 2016  •  6:30PM – 7:30PM  •  Mitchell Library The New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series, now gives us a gripping stand-alone thriller: Playing with Fire. Tess Gerritsen, the New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series, now gives us a gripping stand-alone thriller: Playing with […]

Read the full article: Aye Write! An evening with Tess Gerritsen, Mitchell Library, 21 July, 2016 6.30 p.m.

Book launch: The Wrong Child by Barry Gornell, Cup, Merchant City, Wed 1 June, 2016

    Wednesday 1 June at 6.30pm   Celebrate the launch of The Wrong Child, Barry Gornell’s brilliant second novel.   Cup, Virginia Court, in Glasgow’s Merchant City.   The novel is the story of a village where 21 of the 22 children die in a disaster and only the ‘wrong child’ survives. Barry is […]

Read the full article: Book launch: The Wrong Child by Barry Gornell, Cup, Merchant City, Wed 1 June, 2016

Mary Irvine’s Blog: Booked! The Grand Finale

The Scarecrow

The Grand Finale to a successful festival and who better to ensure it finished on a high than Rhona Cameron, TV personality and comedienne who had her own popular sitcom ‘Rhona’. Another well attended event with over 40 people turning out on quite a dreich night. (Note how I slip into the local patter!) The […]

Read the full article: Mary Irvine’s Blog: Booked! The Grand Finale

Scotland the Best – 12th edition of Peter Irvine’s Bestselling Guide

scotland the best image

Essential reading for all Scottish tourists and handy or locals as well. The true Scot’s insider’s guide to the very best Scotland has to offer. Fully revised and updated in Pete Irvine’s own unique style. Includes over 2000 recommendations for every type of adventure. Trusted for over 20 years, this fully comprehensive and independent guide to […]

Read the full article: Scotland the Best – 12th edition of Peter Irvine’s Bestselling Guide

Thursday, May 26, 2016 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Travel

Fail Better: if you close the door, McChuills, 9 June, 2016

McChuills, 40 High Street, G1 1NL the night could last forever. Keep the sunshine out and say hello to never. All the people are dancing and they’re having such fun, I wish it could happen to YOU Come away from the sunshine and join us in the arched neverland of McChuills to hear some of […]

Read the full article: Fail Better: if you close the door, McChuills, 9 June, 2016

The University of Glasgow: Friendly Shelves

friendly shelves front cover

The first full, and gloriously illustrated, account of the birth and growth of The University of Glasgow Library from the Renaissance and Reformation; through the emerging Enlightenment; Industrial Expansion & Migration; War, Peace & Opportunity and on to New Horizons is being publicly launched at the University in mid June. This new book of 288 […]

Read the full article: The University of Glasgow: Friendly Shelves

Scottish Writers’ Centre ‘In Process’ Masterclass with John McShane CCA Tue 21 June 2016

john mcshane

7pm, £6/£3 (Free for SWC Members) tickets on the door, CCA Clubroom 18+ Alfred Hitchcock famously stated that three things were needed to make a good movie: the script, the script, and the script. Screenwriting is completely unlike other forms of writing in that the script is not the finished work, but more akin to […]

Read the full article: Scottish Writers’ Centre ‘In Process’ Masterclass with John McShane CCA Tue 21 June 2016

Scottish Writers’ Centre ‘In Process’ Masterclass: Gerry Loose Tues 7 June, 2016

Tue 7 June 2016 CCA 7pm, £6/£3 (Free for SWC Members) tickets on the door, Clubroom 18+ 0141 352 4900 On Thursday 26 May Gerry will be a featured guest on Pulse Community Radio with Shirley Whiteside, a professional book reviewer.  Shirley will be talking books with Gerry  at 2:00 pm on Pulse 98.4 Radio. […]

Read the full article: Scottish Writers’ Centre ‘In Process’ Masterclass: Gerry Loose Tues 7 June, 2016

St Aloysius Primary School – Bookbug Week 2016

bookbug-week-2016

Bookbug Week 16–22 May 2016 Angela Proctor visited St Aloysius Primary  for a book reading with children from classes  P3 – P7 as part of Bookbug Week, 2016. Angela read to them from her book Thumble Tumble and the Ollpheist. This is a children’s novel about a wee witch from the magical Isle of Arran […]

Read the full article: St Aloysius Primary School – Bookbug Week 2016

bookbug-week-2016

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