CRIME AND NOURISHMENT AT TARBERT BOOK FESTIVAL

TARBERT Book Festival, now in its fourth year, provides an intimate opportunity to meet authors and gain insights into their works.

Crime in all its forms will be one of the major talking points of this year’s festival next week running from Friday October 28 to Sunday October 30.

Headline speaker is the award winning Scottish crime author Christopher Brookmyre who has just won the inaugural McIlvanney prize at the Bloody Scotland festival.

The event begins, with a closed session not open to the public, in Tarbert Academy on Friday October 29, when invited children's writers visit the school.

Early levels pupils will hear the stories of Terry Tiddlemouse, created by Joey Porter; Angela Proctor will read from her new book, Thumble Tumble and the Ollpheist, witchy adventures set on the island of Arran; and, to complete the day, Stevie White and Fin Cramb will give a presentation to senior pupils about the creation of their graphic novel of J.M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan'.

Friday evening sees the main festival programme get started.

Loch Fyne Gallery bookshop will host the climax of the first Tarbert Book Festival Writing Competition, for invited guests only, when the winner is announced and the first prize of a residential writing course at Moniack Mhor is awarded.

Saturday’s action in the Templar Arts and Leisure Centre starts at 10am with A Writers' Workshop led by author, Anne Hamilton, judge of the writing competition, adult tickets are £10.

At 11am novelist, Catherine Czerkawska, will read and talk about her new book, 'The Jewel', an historical novel charting the romance of Jean Armour and Robert Burns.

After lunch at 1pm one of Scotland's best-regarded contemporary writers, Janice Galloway, will be talking about her latest collection of short stories, 'Jellyfish'. Both these events are £6 for adults. A fascinating insight into the life of famous crime novelist, Josephine Tey, is promised in the appearance of Jennifer Morag Henderson, at 2.15pm on Saturday in the Anchor Hotel. Her new biography of this crime writers' favourite has been well-received.

Later at 3.30pm in the same venue '1588: A Calendar of Crime' is the title of writer Shirley McKay's session as she reads from her latest collection of Huw Cullan stories.

On Saturday evening award-winning novelist, Chris Brookmyre, is the guest for the Springbank Sessions, at the Stonefield Castle Hotel, talking about his new book, 'Black Widow'.

Sunday sees the final event of the weekend as local writers come to the fore, the event will include Marian Pallister, Fiona Malkin and Kilmartin archaeologist, Roddy Regan.

The main sponsor of this year's event is Blue Energy Ltd.

Full details of times, venues and tickets are available on the website www.tarbertbookfestival.