September slides into my favourite season. Autumn is not only the time of magical mists and mushrooms blooming in dark corners of the woods as the first frosts creep in, but it’s also time for Scotland’s best crime fiction festival www.bloodyscotland.com
Centred around the historic city of Stirling and the Golden Lion Hotel, this three day event is a truly special place for fans of crime fiction with something for everyone’s tastes, from cosy, to thrilling, to serial killer thrillers, police procedural and gothic. It’s also my local festival, and this year, I’ll be returning as a published author for the first time.
On Friday 13th, I’m doing loads of secret stuff through the day (more on that later) before taking part in the Debut Prize Panel at 4.30pm in the Central Library, when me and my four fellow shortlisted authors Dan, Martin, Allan and Doug, will be quizzed by BBC arts journalist Pauline McLean on our books, before the opening ceremony and prize giving in the Golden Lion, when the debut winner and the overall winner of the prestigious McIlvaney Prize, will be crowned. It’s already sold out and will be a smashing event!
For me, returning to the place where I won the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect event in 2019, this time with a published novel, will be very special indeed.
On Saturday, I’m looking forward to watching Alex Gray’s pick of the best debuts panel, and seeing the Icelanders Katrin and Lilja (and fellow Orenda authors) take to the stage to talk about their icy brand of noir, a favourite of mine!
Saturday night, I’ll be on another panel with last year’s debut prize winner Kate Foster and Orenda author Michael Malone to talk to Teddy Jamieson about all things spooky in The Witching Hour. So excited to see what magic we’ll brew at this event.
Sunday morning will be cheering on the rookies in my tartan trainers, at this year’s Pitch Perfect, brilliantly chaired as usual by Jenny Brown and can’t wait to see what fantastic tales are spun, during the nerve wracking hour that can often lead to authors getting agents and book deals.
Apart from all of that, I’ll be meeting many friends, catching up with authors, bloggers and readers, hopefully signing some books and catching as many wonderful panels as I can.
Tickets are still on sale and whatever your poison, Bloody Scotland will have something deadly to suit.
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