New face at helm of book festival

A popular Blairgowrie literary festival has welcomed its new leader.

Gail Wylie, chairwoman of the Muriel Spark Society, will lead the Bookmark festival in 2018.

The appointment, which will be made official in the next few weeks, comes after former chairwoman, Janey Lambie, announced she was stepping down.

This year, the annual festival – which recently welcomed guests including Christopher Brookmyre, former MP Alan Johnson and Bake Off star Flora Shedden – is working towards becoming an incorporated charity.

Gail said: “I first approached the Bookmark team in my capacity as chair of the Muriel Spark Society, about perhaps doing a Muriel Spark event next year to mark the centenary of her birth. I was asked to be chair of the festival committee.

“I was delighted to be asked to take on the role.”

She said: “I have been involved in teaching literature all my working life and to have the opportunity to invite writers to this part of the world is one I didn’t feel I could pass up.”

She added: “I have been very impressed by the calibre of writers that come to the book festival and am relishing the chance to be able to build on that.

“I think it is very important that leading writers break out of Edinburgh and Glasgow. There are enthusiastic readers all over the country – including Blairgowrie – willing to give a very warm welcome to authors.”