Festival boasts amazing line-up
Authors galore will host talks around the city
The 13th Stirling ‘Off the Page’ book festival begins next month.
Organised by Stirling Libraries, it includes a range of events for all ages across rural and urban Stirling district between Saturdays May 12 and 19.
Events will take place around the city, Dunblane, Bridge of Allan and the east villages include St Ninians, Bannockburn, Fallin, Plean and Cowie as well as the Smith Art Gallery and Museum.
Glasgow writer Meg Henderson will be at Bannockburn and Fallin libraries on Monday May 14 – Bannockburn between 11am and noon and Fallin between 2pm and 3pm.
That evening journalist Lesley Riddoch will talk at the Smith Art Gallery and Museum, from 7.30pm to 9pm, about her book on grassroots Scotland entitled ‘Blossom’ which looks at the components of Scottish identity.
Scottish novelist James Robertson – who grew up in Bridge of Allan and whose books include The Fanatic, Joseph Knight, The Testament of Gideon Mack, And The Land Lay Still – will be at Dunblane Library between 7.15pm and 8.15pm on Tuesday May 15. Writer of contemporary fiction Ross Sayers will be at St Ninians Library on May 15 between 7.30pm and 8.30pm.
His debut novel ‘Mary’s the Name’ released in January last year was shortlisted for the Saltire First Book of the Year Award.
Author of the bestselling Dr Ruth Galloway novels Elly Griffiths will be at Bridge of Allan Library that day between 7.30pm and 8.30pm.
The Norfolk writer’s series has won the Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger in the Library.
Writer and comedian Jonathan Meres will be at Plean and Cowie libraries on Thursday May 17 to talk about the twelfth and final instalment of his The World of Norm series.
He will be at Plean Library between 11am and noon and Cowie Library between 1.30pm and 2.30pm.
And an ‘Off The Page’ showcase will take place at the Golden Lion Hotel that evening between 7pm and 10pm when Stirling Makar Clive Wright and writer and publisher Laura Fyfe will introduce other authors accompanied by the folk singer and songwriter Bill Adair.
Council community and planning regeneration convener councillor Chris Kane said: “We have another rich, wide-ranging programme planned for May 2018 bringing events to all parts of the community.
“Stirling is a unique destination with something for everyone and ‘Off the Page’ is just one of the great events running this year.”
Tickets for events can be booked at Stirling district libraries or by calling the Albert Halls on 01786 473544 or the Tolbooth on 01786 274000.
General enquiries can be made by emailing: offthepage@ stirling.gov.uk
And more festival details can be found at www. culturestirling.org/offthepage