Authors’ thumbs-up for event
Organisers have hailed the 2017 BOOKMARK festival as another successful event.
Hundreds of book lovers from across east Perthshire and beyond enjoyed a number of authors’ events at Blairgowrie Community Campus over the course of two days, followed on Sunday afternoon by a performance by the Blairgowrie Players of The Arrow, a controversial play written by Robert Mercer Nairne from the Meikleour Estate, in Blairgowrie Town Hall.
Esteemed writers such as news reporter, former MP and Unicef ambassador Martin Bell, awardwinning crime writer Christopher Brookmyre, former MP and Home Secretary Alan Johnson, and Dunkeld’s Flora Shedden - a Great British Bake-Off 2015 semifinalist - all impressed audiences.
The prolific Christopher Brookmyre opened the festival with a talk about his new title, Want You Gone, on Friday evening.
His entertaining appearance came with cautionary advice for those who had never read his books to “buckle up” and it was certainly a rollercoaster of a talk, moving seamlessly from computer hacking to Shakespeare.
Rachel Crowther offered a change of tempo, chatting engagingly about her latest novel The Things You Do For Love.
Following Rachel’s appearance, the Provost of Perth and Kinross, Dennis Melloy, hosted a drinks reception for authors and guests.
He said: “BOOKMARK was born of a passion for literature in all its forms, with the aim of encouraging readers and nonreaders of all ages to explore the world of the imagination.”
Describing his own literary journey from childhood he went on to congratulate those involved in the festival for their significant achievements since 2013, including the authors in schools programme which this year saw 750 primary school pupils have the opportunity to meet a “real live” author.
Martin Bell OBE was back at BOOKMARK for a second time, and this year he spoke about war, politics and the death of news in a thought-provoking talk, describing his latest book as “drawing on the lessons of life It wasn’t just the organisers who were pleased with the festival - authors and members of the audience were also impressed.
And none more so than Martin Bell, who said that he had enjoyed his first appearance at BOOKMARK so much that he invited himself back.
He told the Blairie: “It’s a marvellous event.
“I’m concentrating on Scotland at the moment, the Scots are such a literary crowd.
“I’ve just done the Wigtown and Skye festivals and wasn’t going to miss this.
“I wasn’t disappointed either, and I will be back again if I can think of another book to write.”
Former MP and home secretary Alan Johnson described the event as “fabulous” and added: “I am looking forward to coming to Blairgowrie and this festival as often as they invite me.
“My next book is out in September next year so that could work out well!”
The co-founder of the Bloody Scotland crime writing festival, Lin Anderson, also wants to come back, commenting: “It was great fun and beautifully organised, a wonderful community venue, great flowers, fantastic sound and light and I love the army of red t-shirts - I think I’ll be taking a few ideas back to Bloody Scotland with me.”
Ron Butlin was also back at BOOKMARK for a second appearance.
He said: “It is really good to be back, BOOKMARK is one of the best festivals that I know and the audiences are a delight, and make me think hard!”
Christopher Brookmyre described the audience as “very warm”, adding: “It’s a very welcoming festival, and very well organised.”
Perthshire’s very own Flora Shedden praised the event as well. learned in the hard corners of the world and putting them between hard covers”.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom though as he peppered his talk with his self-penned odes on everything from camera crews to Tony Blair to umbrellas.
Novelist and co-founder of the Bloody Scotland crime-writing festival, Lin Anderson, chatted about the latest book in her 12-title series featuring forensic expert Dr Rhona MacLeod, Follow The Dead - Silence The Living, and went on to host Ron Butlin, who was also back at BOOKMARK for a second
She said: “It’s fantastic, and it’s so nice that it’s so busy and in our local area.
“It has huge crowds for such a small place as Blair, and it is so communitydriven which is lovely.”
Coupar Angus resident David Carson has been a BOOKMARK regular since the festival’s inception in 2013.
He said: “Like all live events, BOOKMARK provides an opportunity to learn more, appreciate more and laugh more.
“The authors and contributors all have great knowledge of their subject and in communicating that enthusiasm to their audience. appearance.
The former Edinburgh makar chatted with Lin and the audience about Billionaires’ Banquet and also read from his new children’s adventure story Steve and Frandan Take On The World.
Dunkeld’s Flora Shedden talked about her experience on television show The Great British Bake-Off and despite having rushed to the festival from her new bakery venture in the Highland Perthshire town, which is due to open in a couple of weeks, she gave a heartfelt and passionate plea for people
“The festival is so well organised, it’s just absolutely brilliant and I would urge anyone who hasn’t been before to go along - they won’t regret it.
“It is a great event for the town and for the wider area and the team deserve a great deal of credit for what they have achieved.
“It’s not easy to establish a festival outside the major cities - Wigtown is a great example of a success story but it had better watch out because Blairgowrie is fast catching up!”
And as the event was closing, one festival-goer was heard to comment : “I haven’t seen an unhappy face all weekend.” of her generation to rediscover traditional ways to enjoy food as a social experience, and to make the most of the fantastic local produce available rather than following the latest food fads.
One of the highlights of the festival was the appearance by former MP and Home Secretary Alan Johnson, who spoke about his extraordinary journey from the slums of London to the corridors of Westminster.
The former postman described how one decision by one individual in a position of authority changed the course of his and his sister’s lives when they were teenagers, and spoke with genuine admiration and respect for his mother and his sister and the sacrifices they had made.
The trade unionist, who said that books, music and football were his biggest passions, detailed the fight against the privatisation of the Royal Mail and then the fight for compensation for the trawlermen of Hull, and other ports, and their families.
Alan also hosted the BOOKMARK festival dinner at the Red House Hotel in Coupar Angus on Saturday evening.
Chair of the BOOKMARK festival, Janey Lambie, was delighted with the success of the event.
She told the Blairie: “What can I say? It has been a brilliant BOOKMARK, and we’re already looking forward to next year.
“We have had wonderful authors, wonderful interviews, wonderful audiences.
“It has been great to have Waterstones on board this year, and Horsecross Arts, and would like to thank them for all their support.
“I think the festival experience has been much enhanced by the venue as well, and would like to thank Jaclyn and her team at the campus and Jillian from Something Special Flowers for all their hard work.
“I am so very grateful to everyone who helped make BOOKMARK 2017 a success.”
Next year’s festival will take place on Friday, October 5 to Sunday, October 7.