Writers and Comedians Sanjeev Kohli and Donald McLeary

Monday 27 February 2017
13:00 – 14:00
University Chapel, West Quadrangle, Main Building Gilmorehill Campus, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ

William Letford has an M.Litt in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow. He was the recipient of a New Writer’s Award from the Scottish Book Trust and an Edwin Morgan Travel Bursary…

Further details

Louise Welsh- Monday 20 February 2017

Monday 20 February 2017
13:00 – 14:00
Public lectures
Louise Welsh
Events – Creative Conversations

University Chapel, West Quadrangle, Main Building Gilmorehill Campus, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ

Louise Welsh is the author of seven novels, most recently Death is a Welcome Guest (John Murray 2015). She is the editor of Yonder Awa, a collection of poetry on the theme of Scotland and the North Atlantic slave trade by Scottish and Caribbean writers and Ghost a collection of one hundred ghost stories (Head of Zeus, 2015).

Further details

Playwright & Novelist Peter Arnott – Monday 6 February 2017

Creative Conversations: Playwright & Novelist Peter Arnott

Monday 6 February 2017
13:00 – 14:00
University Chapel

Website: www.gla.ac.uk/events/creativeconversations/

Peter Arnott was born in Glasgow and began his career at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh in May 1985 with White Rose. That same month his play The Boxer Benny Lynch opened in Glasgow Arts Centre. His first Radio Play, The Genesis Rock, was recorded in 2013, and his Janis Joplin: Full Tilt debuted at Oran Mor and has gone on to touring extensively. Further information

Monday 30 January, 2017 – Richard Price

Creative Conversations: Poet Richard Price

Monday 30 January 2017

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

University Chapel, West Quadrangle, Main Building Gilmorehill Campus, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ

Richard Price, hailing from Renfrewshire, is recognized as one of the more important voices of his generation, a poet who moves comfortably between the lyrical and the avant-garde. His collection Lucky Day was shortlisted for the Whitbread Poetry Prize, and he was an influential figure in a literary movement which he named: Informationist poetry.

Further information

Monday 23 January, 2017 – Malika Booker

Malika Booker is a British poet, performer and playwright. Her writing spans poetry, theatre, monologue, installation and education. Booker is a Douglas Caster Fellow at the University of Leeds, where she is working on her second collection, The Bread of Redemption, She was chair of the Forward Prizes for Poetry Panel in 2016.

More information.

Monday 16 January, 2017 – Award-Winning Writer AL Kennedy

AL Kennedy is a Dundee-born writer of novels, short stories, drama, non-fiction and journalism. She is the author of 17 books: 6 literary novels, 1 science fiction novel, 7 short story collections and 3 works of non-fiction.

Monday 12th December, 2016 Graeme Macrae Burnet

Graeme Macrae Burnet  was born in Kilmarnock in 1967. He studied English Literature and Film & TV at Glasgow University before spending some years teaching in France, the Czech Republic and Portugal. His first novel, The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau, was published by Saraband in 2014. The Herald called it ‘a captivating psychological thriller.’  His second novel His Bloody Project, which tells the story of a brutal triple murder in a Ross-shire crofting community in 1869, was shortlisted for the 2016 Man Book Prize and the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year and is due to published in over 20 countries.

Monday 5 December: Andy Wightman

‌Andy Wightman is a writer, researcher, analyst, commentator and activist on issues of land, power, governance, democracy and money.  He studied forestry at Aberdeen University and spent some time working as an environmental scientist before becoming self-employed in 1992. In 1996 I wrote Who Owns Scotland(Canongate) and in 1999 wrote Scotland: Land & Power. The Agenda for Land Reform in Scotland.   In 2010, he wrote The Poor had No Lawyers (Birlinn), an attempt to provide a historical analysis of the land question and to reinvigorate debate around land relations.  Andy Wightman is a writer, researcher, analyst, commentator and activist on issues of land, power, governance, democracy and money.

Further Details

28 November, 2016 1 p.m: Kevin MacNeil 

Creative Conversations, University of Glasgow Chapel, West Quadrangle, Main Building Gilmorehill Campus, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ

‌Kevin MacNeil is a novelist, poet, playwright, journalist and writing tutor born and raised in the Outer Hebrides, now living in London. His novels, A Method Actor’s Guide to Jekyll and Hyde(Polygon) and bestselling debut, The Stornoway Way (Penguin), were both published to widespread critical acclaim. While his first book, Love and Zen in the Outer Hebrides (Canongate), won the Tivoli Europa Giovani International Poetry Prize for best poetry collection published in Europe by a writer under 35.

www.kevinmacneil.com

Monday 21 November, 2016: Carolyn Jess Cooke

University Chapel, Monday 21 November, 2016 – 1 p.m.

Carolyn Jess Cooke’s books have been published in 23 languages. She has previously received an Eric Gregory Award, a Tyrone Guthrie Award, a Major Arts Council of England Award, and she has twice received a Northern Promise Award. She lives in north-east England with her husband and four children.

More information

Monday 7 November: Amy Liptrot ‌

Amy Liptrot has published her work with various magazines, journals and blogs and she has written a regular column for Caught by the River out of which The Outrun has emerged. As well as writing for local newspaper, Orkney Today, and editing the Edinburgh Student newspaper, Amy has worked as an artist’s model, a trampolinist and in a shellfish factory. The Outrun is her first book.

http://amyliptrot.tumblr.com/

Twitter: @amy_may

Malachy Tallack, Creative Conversations, University of Glasgow Monday 17 October, 2016

>Photo by Craig Colahan

Monday 17 October, 2016 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel

University Chapel, West Quadrangle, Main Building Gilmorehill Campus, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ

Malachy Tallack is from Shetland. His debut book, Sixty Degrees North, was an exploration of the landscapes and cultures of the sixtieth parallel, and tackled that most challenging of questions: what does it mean to be at home? His new book, The Un-Discovered Islands, is concerned with the geography of the mind, introducing an archipelago of mythical, phantom and fraudulent islands. Malachy is a writer, singer-songwriter and contributing editor of The Island Review.

Liz Lochhead – Monday 3rd October, 2016 – 1 p.m.
University Chapel

Liz Lochhead ‌was born in Motherwell in 1947. While studying Drawing and Painting at the Glasgow School of Art she began to write seriously, gradually losing her way with her initial dream of becoming a painter.  In 2005 Liz became Poet Laureate of Glasgow, and in 2011 she was appointed Scotland’s Makar, succeeding Edwin Morgan. Liz Lochhead was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry (2015). Liz is proud to be Honorary President of the Scottish Poetry Library.

First event:  Jake Arnott– Monday 26th September at 1 p.m.

University Chapel, University of Glasgow G12

Bernard MacLaverty, Creative Conversations, 1 February – review Pat Byrne

Creative Conversations – 8 February– 21 March, 2016.

A new series of Monday lunchtime literary events featuring readings and conversations from internationally renowned writers. The audience is encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch. Books by featured authors will be for sale in John Smiths bookshop.

Creative Conversations is organised by the Creative Writing programme. The series is sponsored by the Ferguson Bequest

Free (seats subject to availability)

Monday 8th February 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel, Kerry Hudson

Kerry Hudson was born in Aberdeen. Her first novel, Tony Hogan Bought Me An Ice Cream Float before He Stole My Ma,  was published in 2012 by Chatto & Windus (Penguin Random House) and was the winner of the Scottish First Book Award while also being shortlisted for the Southbank Sky Arts Literature Award, Guardian First Book Award, Green Carnation Prize, Author’s Club First Novel Prize and the Polari First Book Award. Kerry’s second novel, Thirst, was published in 2014 by Chatto & Windus won France’s most prestigious award for foreign fiction, the Prix Femina and was shortlisted for the Green Carnation Prize. Kerry founded The WoMentoring Project and has written for Grazia, Guardian Review and YOU Magazine. She teaches with the National Academy of Writing, Arvon Foundation, Writers’ Centre Norwich and is a mentor for IdeasTap Inspires.
kerryhudson.co.uk/
@Kerryswindow

Monday 15th February – Reading Week

Monday 22nd February 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel, Sam Riviere

Sam Riviere is the author of the poetry collections 81 Austerities (Faber & Faber, 2012), which won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, Standard Twin Fantasy (Eggbox, 2014) and Kim Kardashian’s Marriage (Faber & Faber, 2015). He studied at the Norwich School of Art and Design, and holds a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of East Anglia. In 2009 he received an Eric Gregory Award. He is currently Writer in Residence at the University of Edinburgh and writes a poetry column for The Quietus.
http://samriviere.com/

Monday 29th February 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel, Aonghas MacNeacail

Aonghas MacNeacail poet and songwriter, was born in Uig, on the Isle of Skye. He is also a broadcaster, journalist, scriptwriter, librettist and translator. A native Gael, he writes in Gaelic and English. His collections of poetry have been published in both languages, and his writing has appeared in literary journals all over the world. Aonghas has given poetry readings at major literary festivals across the globe – in Russia, Japan, Poland, Israel, the U.S.A., Canada, and throughout Western Europe. His work has been published in many languages, including German, Italian, Irish Gaelic, French, Hebrew, Finnish and Serbo-Croat.
www.aonghasmacneacail.co.uk/

Monday 7th March, 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel, Dorothea Smartt

Dorothea Smartt was born and brought up in London and is of Barbadian heritage.
She was Poet in Residence at Brixton Market and Attached Live Artist at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, where she was also awarded her first commission to create the collaborative performance from you to me to you. Her solo performance work, Medusa, combining poetry and visuals, was named an ‘Outstanding Black Example’ of British Live Art. In 2000 she was commissioned to write her first play, Fallout, which toured primary schools.
Her first poetry collection, Connecting Medium, was published in 2001, and contains many poems exploring her Barbadian heritage and her experience of growing up in London. The Caribbean Times describes her voice as one which ‘coils up your feelings, around granite chips of truth … unwinds solace, in the most soothing volleys.’ Her second collection, Samboo’s Grave/Bilal’s Grave (2008) explores the history of Samboo, an African slave brought from the Caribbean to Lancaster and buried at Sunderland Point.
literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/dorothea-smartt

Monday 14th March, 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel, James Robertson

James Robertson is a poet and award-winning novelist. He is also a publisher of poetry and of children’s books in Scots which provide a lively introduction to Scots-language literary heritage. James Robertson was Writer in Residence at Brownsbank Cottage, former home of Hugh MacDiarmid from 1993-1995, and was first Writer in Residence for the Scottish Parliament (October 2004). His Voyage of Intent (2005) is a book of sonnets and essays written from his experiences during this residency.

His novels are The Fanatic (2000); Joseph Knight (2003), winner of both the Saltire Scottish Book of the Year Award and the Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year Award; and The Testament of Gideon Mack (2006). His latest novel is And The Land Lay Still (2010), which charts 60 years of change in Scotland and won the 2010 Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year Award.
literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/james-robertson

Monday 21st March, 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel, Jenni Fagan

Jenni Fagan’s debut novel, The Panopticon, received widespread critical acclaim in the UK and abroad and was included in the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s First Book Award.
Fagan is a prize-winning poet and has twice been nominated for The Pushcart Prize. She has been on lists for The Sunday Times Short Story Award, The Dublin Impac Prize, The James Tait Black Prize, The Desmond Elliott Prize and was named as one of the Waterstones 11 best worldwide debuts in 2012. In 2013 she was the only Scottish writer to be on Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists list.
Fagan has written for The New York Times, The Independent and Marie Claire among others. She has also worked as a writer with many charities and groups including Norfolk Blind Association, Lewisham Hospital neonatal unit, young offenders, women in prison in the UK and the US and with women at risk. She is currently Writer in Residence at The University of Edinburgh and her second novel, The Sunlight Pilgrims, will be published by Random House in 2015. In the 2013, she was selected as one of Granta magazine’s decennial list of the 20 Best Young British Novelists.
thedeadqueenofbohemia.wordpress.com/

Bernard MacLaverty

Monday 1 February, 1pm, Glasgow University Chapel.

Bernard MacLaverty has published four novels and five collections of short stories most of which are gathered into Collected Stories (2013). Northern Ireland, Scotland and themes such as Catholicism, guilt and tension, inform his novels and short stories. He is also the author of two books for children and has written several screenplays and libretti for opera.

McLaverty’s publications include Collected Stories (2013) Matters of Life & Death (2006) Grace Notes (1997) Cal (1983) Lamb (1980) His many awards include The Lord Provost of Glasgow’s Award for Literature (2004) BAFTA Scotland (2003) BAFTA (2002) Creative Scotland Award (2001) Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year Award (1997) Booker Prize for Fiction (shortlisted 1997)

Bernard MacLaverty – Glasgow Writer

Link to University Creative Conversations Webpage

Bernard MacLaverty Creative Conversations –Review by Pat Byrne

Since this event, Bernard MacLaverty’s book ‘Midwinter Break’ has been launched to rave reviews. Brilliant.

Despite Glasgow being battered by storm Henry a good crowd turned up at the University Chapel for Bernard MacLaverty at Creative Conversations. It was worth it to hear his short story ‘The Clinic’, where an elderly man is being tested for Glucose Tolerance at a Diabetic Clinic.

The story’s imagery is vivid and the voice of the character clear as we share his anxieties and  sense of the absurd.  The man’s concern with retaining some dignity and his self-awareness draw you into  a story where there is no major excitement or drama – instead it grips with fascinating detail. We are absorbed by the man’s thoughts about other patients, the staff  and  his concern about not making jokes that the nurses will have heard time after time.  We are  the world of the clinic with its the repetitive routine, where at thirty minute intervals he is required to provide bodily fluids, urine and blood,  for testing.   The story captures the atmosphere of ‘The Clinic’, where small considerations gain importance, such as, the consideration  of small decisions about whether to have one finger pricked four times or four fingers pricked once. MacLaverty conveys  the patient’s feelings with economy and ease as he conveys how the Chekov story, ‘The Beauties’, which the man has brought to read, cushions him from the atmosphere of his temporary clinical world.  ‘The Clinic’ was a good choice by MacLaverty – it’s an absorbing  story with great tellability.

Louise Welsh hosted the event and it was intriguing to hear her describe her first meeting with Bernard MacLaverty, when he frequented the book shop she ran in Glasgow’s West End.  Since then both authors have gone on to achieve considerable success and have producing work in various forms.

MacLaverty was asked by a member of the audience whether he was considering a film and he spoke about ‘Lamb’ and ‘Cal’, two of his books which have been filmed. He explained the difficulties and  expense involved in film making and referred to his short film ‘Bye-Child’.  Louise Welsh reminded the audience that this work had gained a Bafta.

Even though MacLaverty managed to fit in another short reading of some flash fiction, there was  a sense that the audience was left wanting more.

A super lunchtime event in an amazing venue.  I look forward to seeing Kerry Hudson next week. I had a great day out, bumped into some good friends (Ciara, Gillean and Mick) and on my way home I even managed to pick up Hudson’s book ‘Tony Hogan Bought Me an Ice-cream Float Before He Stole My Ma’. ‘

Pat Byrne, 1 February, 2016.