The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Why Bookmark is one festival that’s well worth noting in your diary
Blairgowrie Book Group members are set to bring some of the biggest names in publishing to Perthshire in October.
With featured writers including Maggie O’Farrell, James Naughtie and Stuart MacBride, Bookmark, the Blairgowrie, Rattray and The Glens Book Festival has captured the imaginations of book lovers and authors since its inception four years ago.
And for the festival’s chairwoman Christine Findlay, the strength of this year’s line-up is a sign the event has begun to achieve real recognition in the literary world.
“Collectively, I think it is the best programme line-up so far,” she says. “It’s all about building up your identity. “When we started out, people told me it takes at least five years and this year we have noticed the evidence of that.”
This year, authors have actually been contacting organisers to express their interest in taking part – a significant first.
“The world of book festivals is very small,” says Christine, “so word does get out.
“We are moving to a bigger capacity venue and looking to sell more tickets this year.”
Getting Maggie O’Farrell, the bestselling author of After You’d Gone and Instructions for a Heatwave, to come to Blairgowrie was something of a coup.
She will be talking about her latest novel This Must Be the Place.
“We managed to get her at the 11th hour,” laughs Christine.
Joining the novellist will be BBC Radio 4’s James Naughtie, who will be introducing his latest spy thriller Paris Spring.
“I’m so delighted that someone of James Naughtie’s stature is coming just as he is at the end of his Today Programme era and at a very interesting point in his career,” Christine says.
Another well-known name and face is Sally Magnusson, who will talk about her moving account of her mother’s dementia.
“We tried to get her last year,” explains Christine, “I went and listened to her at Pitlochry Winter Words.
“Her book touches so many people and she is very empathetic with her audience. It is not all doom and gloom – there’s lots of humour in it.”
It is the balance the Bookmark team has brought to the programme that most excites Christine.
Crime author Stuart MacBride has been on the hit list for festival organisers for the past two or three years and has now been persuaded to come along.
And the Highland countryside will be the focus when naturalist and conservationist Sir John Lister-Kaye talks about his latest book God of the Morning.
Add food writer turned-novelist Sue Lawrence and Richard Holloway, reviewer and former Bishop of Edinburgh, to the mix and there is something to suit every literary taste.
Since Bookmark began, a fringe event has been an important aspect of the proceedings and this year Christine feels her team has brought something special to the area.
The Hunterian Poems is a celebration of poetry inspired by paintings from Glasgow University’s Hunterian Art Collection.
On September 10, Alan Riach, professor of literature at the university and Mungo Campbell of the museum will be joined by some of the participating poets in the Garden Studio, Straloch, Enochdhu, between Bridge of Cally and Pitlochry.
There is still much to be done before Bookmark begins in October and for Christine and the other members of the team, organising a book festival from scratch has certainly been a labour of love.
“On reflection, we look back and think we must have been crazy.” she
laughs. “But it is very satisfying to see that it has reached the point it has now reached.”
A former English teacher, Christine is passionate about reading, writing and literature and to that end, Bookmark 2016 is designed to attract children who might not otherwise get to literary events.
“The children’s element will bring the festival directly into local schools,” she says. “We hope to reach many more children, perhaps ones who don’t have books at home.”
A number of author visits will start in September, the first of which will feature Ross McKenzie, author of The Nowhere Emporium.
Bookmark takes place from Friday October 7 to Sunday October 9 at Blairgowrie Community Campus. www.bookmarkblair.com