Previous Festivals
2008 2007 2006

Adult's Programme 2006

	Isla Dewar Isla wrote newspaper and magazine articles for many years before her first novel, Keeping Up With Magda, was published in 1995. This was followed by a string of bestsellers, including Two Kinds Of Wonderful, The Woman Who Painted Her Dreams and Walking with Rainbows. Isla will read from her most recent book, Getting Out Of The House, and will talk about the observations and thoughts which led her to write it.
	Joan Lingard Joan writes for children as well as for adults and has written over forty books since her first, The Twelfth Of July, was published in 1970. She was awarded an MBE for Children's Literature in 1998. Joan will read from, and talk about, her recent book Encarnita's Journey. Joan shares her time between Spain and Edinburgh and has used her knowledge of both places to provide the setting for Encarnita's Journey. www.joanlingard.co.uk
	Bernard MacLaverty Before becoming a full time writer, Bernard taught English in a number of schools, including Islay High School. As well as five collections of short stories and four novels, he has written fiction for radio, screen and television. Bernard will read from, and talk about, his most recent volume of short stories Matters of Life and Death.
	Anne MacLeod Anne has written short stories and two volumes of poetry, Standing By Thistles and Just the Caravaggio. Her first novel, The Dark Ship, is based on the "Iolaire" disaster. Her second, The Blue Moon Book, moves between Scotland and Poland and is a contemporary exploration of loss of language. Anne's session will combine poetry, prose and an insight into her role as a writer.
	Agnes Owens Agnes began writing in her fifties when she attended an evening class in order to pass an evening away from the house. Since then she has written short stories and a number of novels, including Gentlemen Of The West, For The Love Of Willie and A Working Mother. Her latest book, Bad Attitudes, comprises two novellas. Since publishing that in 2003 she has turned her hand to writing poetry. Agnes will read from some of her books and will describe how she became a writer.
	Christopher Rush Christopher's writing has ranged through autobiography, poetry, short stories and novels. Christopher's first session Song Of Innocence will feature A Twelve Month And A Day, a semi-autobiographical account of his childhood in the East Neuk of Fife. His second session, Song Of Experience will be based on his recent book, To Travel Hopefully, in which he re-traces Robert Louis Stevenson's journey through the Cevennes in an attempt to come to terms with the tragic loss of his wife.

Children's Programme 2006

	Louisa Young Two sessions with half of ZIZOU CORDER. Louisa and her young daughter are co-authors of the Lionboy trilogy, Lionboy, Lionboy: The Chase and Lionboy: The Truth.
	Keith Brumpton Two interactive story and drawing sessions with the author of The Gruesome Twosome and the Kung Fu Pigs series.
	Katie Grant Stirring Up the Skeletons - creating characters from a few old bones. also Heads and Hatboxes Putting the story back into history. also Meeting Hosanna How the de Granville's came to be. Katie is the author of Blood Red Horse and Green Jasper.
	Joan Lingard Two sessions during which Joan will read from, and talk about some of her books - Tilly and the Wild Goats, Natasha's Will, Sign of the Black Dagger and Tell the Moon to Come Out. www.joanlingard.co.uk