‘Pay what you can’ for event

The Hebridean Baker is one of a plethora of literary stars that have been booked for the return of Paisley Book Festival.

Organisers of the literary extravaganza say more than 50 authors, poets and event hosts will attend a total of 32 public events and 36 school events over the four-day event.

Running from Thursday, February 16 to Sunday, February 19, the festival will bring a wealth of talent from the UK book scene to Paisley including Darren McGarvey, Jackie Kay, Michael Pederson, Denise Mina and Tariq Ashkanani among others.

And in a first for Paisley Book Festival, the majority of events will allow those attending to pay what they can in recognition of the cost-of-living crisis.

Highlights of the four-day event include McGarvey talking about his new book The Social Distance

Between Us which was released earlier this year – and focuses on the chasm between those in power and those in poverty. The event will be chaired by Kerry Hudson, the festival’s writer in residence.

Kay and Pedersen will also be in conversation about the notion of friendship.

A reference to Pederson’s book Boy Friends, it’s an event they’ve been hoping to do together for quite some time and will be brought first to Paisley.

For crime lovers, an event hosted by Rusa Qureshi will bring together Mina, Scottish crime writing royalty, and relative new comer Ashkanani, who won the Bloody Scotland debut prize this year.

Coinneach as The Hebridean Baker will be talking about his latest cook book, his extraordinary life and love of food in the social media age.

Festival programmers – Heather

McDaid, an award-winning independent publisher, and Sha Nazir, an artist, writer and producer – have brought together these literary talents to wow audiences in the town.

Heather previously said:“We can’t wait to bring such a fantastic range of authors to Paisley, some returning, others for the first time.

“From crime fiction, poetry, memoir, children’s and far beyond, we’re looking forward to welcoming audiences to celebrate and discover new books and authors in their many forms, particularly after the last few years of disruption, both in terms of events, and life more broadly.”

The festival will be based in the University of the West of Scotland’s union as a main venue, as well as Paisley Central Library and a new venue at the Art Department, Outspoken Arts.

Visit paisleybookfest.com for more information and to book tickets.