Category: General

Islay Book Festival 2025 – First Authors Announced

by Fiona McDerment

It’s hard to believe that we’re already in May! IBF2025 is now less than four months away and the first brilliant authors for our 2025 festival have already been announced.

Len Pennie

Photo of a young woman on a beach. She has red hair and is looking directly at the camera
Len Pennie

Len Pennie is a poet who writes predominantly in the Scots language. She writes passionately about the promotion of minority languages, survivors of domestic abuse, and the destigmatisation of mental illness. Her debut collection, poyums, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller, won Scots Book O The Year 2024, was shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Awards and the British Book Awards, and was the best-selling debut poetry title of 2024.

Peter Mackay

Black and white photo of a man with dark hair and some stubble. He is wearing a dark coloured shirt open at the neck and is looking directly at the camera.
Peter Mackay. Photo credit Annette Mueck

‘S ann à Leòdhas a tha Pàdraig MacAoidh, agus chaidh dà leabhar bàrdachd leis fhoillseachadh le Acair – Gu Leòr (2015) agus Nàdur De (2020) – agus pamflaid le Clutag Press, From another island (2010). Tha e ag obair mar òraidiche aig Oilthigh Chill Rìmhinn agus o 2024 tha e air a bhith Makar na h-Alba.

Peter Mackay is a poet, broadcaster, translator and lecturer. He has two collections with Acair – Galore (2015) and Some Kind of (2020) – and a pamphlet, From another island (2010), with Clutag Press. Originally from the Isle of Lewis, he lives in Edinburgh and works in the School of English at the University of St Andrews. In 2024 he was appointed Scottish Makar.

Jen Stout

A headshot of a woman with short brown hair standing in front of a yellow wall. She's wearing a dark top and a denim jacket and is looking directly at the camera.
Jen Stout. Photo credit Andrew Crawley

Jen Stout is an award-winning journalist and author from Shetland. Her debut non-fiction book Night Train to Odesa (2024, Polygon) was named best first book by the Saltire Society and is longlisted for the Highland Book Prize. It was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. 

Jen has lived in Moscow and Leipzig, and has worked all over Ukraine covering the impact of Russia’s war on ordinary people. Her reporting there was shortlisted for prizes by Amnesty International, the Foreign Press Association, and the Scottish Press Awards; in 2023 she won a Travelling Scholarship from the Society of Authors. She writes most often for the Sunday Post, Prospect magazine, and the London Review of Books. 

Before going freelance Jen was a local newspaper reporter, and a BBC radio and TV journalist. She lives in Edinburgh. 

We can’t wait to see you all there!

IBF2024 Author Spotlight: Mike Billett

by Fiona McDerment

Today we are delighted to bring you another in our series of author spotlights, giving you an insight into the wonderful people who will be with us at Islay Book Festival 2024. Today we’re getting to know Mike Billett.

As well as being a whisky connoisseur, Mike is a leading peatland scientist with a background in geology, soil and water science. During his 40-year career in research and education – at the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling and at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology – he researched and wrote extensively on the peatlands of the British Isles, Scandinavia and the Arctic, focusing on water quality, carbon, peatland management and environmental change, writing many research papers, book chapters, reports, and articles.

In recent years he has immersed himself in the landscapes, taste and qualities of Scotland’s single malt whiskies and has applied his deep understanding of the science of peatlands to this passion. Peat and Whisky is his first non-academic book.

We asked Mike about his previous visits to Islay, and what he’s looking forward to this time. He told us, “I have visited Islay many times, and not just for the whisky. My first trip was in my early teens. At that age I was more interested in the wild places of Islay and Jura and their inhabitants. I still am, but have since discovered ‘the Water of Life’ and the island’s rich culture and history. We now visit annually with family, friends and our dog ‘Paddy’, attracted by the warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere of the island and the Ileachs. Each trip throws up new beaches, walks, whisky and friends, but this will be my first time at the Islay Book Festival and for Bruichladdich Distillery to host my event is special.”

Talking about his book and the session he will hold at Bruichladdich, Mike said, “As a geoscientist in a former life and most recently a peatland scientist, ‘Peat and Whisky – the Unbreakable Bond’ is about so much more than whisky. It encompasses landscape, place, travel, personal memoir, popular science, climate change; it is not just about Scotland and Scotch Whisky. It is my first book and what has really pleased me is that the book has been read and enjoyed both by whisky and non-whisky people, as well as finding its way to readers across the globe.”

Of course, there are many authors who will be with us at the Islay Book Festival this year, and Mike is keen to hear more from them too. “What really stands out to me is the special event surrounding the life of George Orwell. Featuring Les Wilson’s excellent ‘Orwell’s Island’, it marks the 75th Anniversary of the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four. It is hard to think of a more influential novel in my generation and one that resonates deeply with today’s divided and dangerous world.”

You can buy Mike’s book at the Festival, or in advance here: Peat and Whisky: The Unbreakable Bond.

Mike will lead a special event on the Friday afternoon at Bruichladdich Distillery, which will include a whisky tasting – this event is already sold out, but you can join the waiting list.

Islay Book Festival 2024 Tickets On Sale Now!

by Fiona McDerment

Four days, eight venues, more than 20 different authors – what a brilliant way to spend a weekend! Tickets are on sale now via Ticketsource, and you can find out more about all our exciting events on our website. 

Multi-session and single day passes for Saturday and Sunday are available for those who don’t want to miss a moment of the programme! Some sessions have limited spaces – these are not included in the passes, and we highly recommend booking for these asap to make sure you don’t miss out.

Islay Book Festival 2024: Full Lineup Announced

by Fiona McDerment

We are thrilled to fully unveil another stellar lineup for this year’s Islay Book Festival!

Islay Book Festival 2024 Line Up

Author of Mayflies, Andrew O’Hagan, will open our festival in style on Thursday 29 August, answering questions about his new novel, Caledonian Road, from Ileach and BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell.

On Friday 30 August, peat scientist Mike Billett will hold a distillery event in the afternoon, while the evening will see a lively conversation between crime fiction superstars Chris Brookmyre and Denise Mina.

Saturday 31 August will start with a sea swimming session hosted by adventurer and author of Blue Scotland, Mollie Hughes. Sue Lawrence will present her new historical novel Lady’s Rock, set on Mull and Islay. A panel on the theme of ‘Welcoming Nature’ will feature Mollie Hughes, Orkney-based nature writer Victoria Bennett, and poet Alycia Pirmohamed. Concomitantly to this event, children’s author Maisie Chan will hold a fun-filled session adapted to children with additional needs.

Gaelic poetry and translation will both be in the spotlight with a conversation between Taylor Strickland, winner of the Scottish Poetry Book of the Year Award 2023, and Niall O’Gallagher, current An Comunn Gàidhealach Bard.

We will celebrate the 75th anniversary of George Orwell’s 1984 with a special event moderated by the novelist’s son and Patron of the Orwell Society, Richard Blair. Les Wilson, author of Orwell’s Island: George, Jura and 1984, and Gary Younge, winner of the Orwell’s Prize for Journalism 2023, will both feature as participants.

On Sunday 1 September, there will be a poetry walk with Alycia Pirmohamed, organised in partnership with the Islay Natural History Trust. Ronald Black and David Caldwell will co-present their respective forthcoming books, John Dewar’s Islay, Jura and Colonsay and The Archaeology of Finlaggan. Author of All My Wild Mothers: Motherhood, Loss and An Apothecary Garden, Victoria Bennett, will be in conversation with local author Tracey Hunter on the themes of grief, nature and healing.

There will be an afternoon tea with Sue Lawrence, who will tell us all about her new Scottish baking book, featuring a few Islay bakers in its pages. And finally, we’re hugely honoured that BBC journalist and presenter Clive Myrie has accepted to join us to talk about his memoir, Everything is Everything, with Lord George Robertson of Port Ellen.

As well as this general programme, there will be a substantial school programme as usual, with authors Alan Windram, Maisie Chan, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Linda NicLeòid and Mollie Hughes visiting pupils from nursery to senior students. Author Victoria Bennett will also pay a visit to the residents at Gortanvogie Residential Home.

Please sign up to our newsletter for our announcement about event timings, locations and ticketing in due course.

See you all in August!

IBF Authors on the Highland Book Prize Longlist

by Fiona McDerment

The Highland Book Prize has announced its 2023 Longlist, and several IBF authors feature. Alan Warner, Kapka Kassabova and Sally Huband are all past or future authors appearing at the Festival. Well done to all the authors on the longlist!

The prize is presented by the Highland Society of London and Moniack Mhor, Scotland’s National Writing Centre, and celebrates literature that comes from the rich landscape and culture of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. This includes books written by authors who live in the Highlands or were born there, as well as books whose content is Highland themed.

Twelve books were selected from 76 eligible submitted titles by a team of volunteer readers with a diverse range of backgrounds and experience, in conjunction with the judging panel, Moniack Mhor, and the Highland Society of London.

For more information, visit Highland Book Prize.

Another highlight of our 2024 festival

by Charlène Busalli

Islay Book Festival are thrilled to bring you another highlight of this year’s festival… a very special event around George Orwell! It will be chaired by the author’s son and Patron of the Orwell Society, Richard Blair (pictured), to mark the 75th anniversary of the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. One thing we can already tell you is that Les Wilson, author of Orwell’s Island: George, Jura and 1984, will be joining the conversation. More details about this event organised in partnership with The Orwell Society and the other authors taking part will be announced soon.

Unveiling our 2023 programme!

by Charlène Busalli

The Islay Book Festival committee members have been busy bees in the last few months, and we are so very happy to unveil our 2023 programme!

This year’s festival, including school and children’s events, will take place from Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 September.

Our general programme at the Gaelic College will kick off on Friday 8 September for a special evening with the Hebridean Baker, sponsored by Jura Distillery. Expect Gaelic singing, stories, recipes, a cocktail demonstration, and even a baking competition!

On Saturday, Kapka Kassabova will start the day off with an event fittingly sponsored by The Botanist around her stunning new book Elixir, which focuses on the wild plant gatherers of the valley of the Mesta in her native Bulgaria.

The next speaker will bring us back closer to our shores. Angus Peter Campbell will talk about his new novel in English, Electricity, a beautiful ode to island life, as well as tell us what it was like to translate George Orwell’s Animal Farm into the Gaelic Tuathanas nan Creutairean.

The afternoon will see us move on to poetry as Gerda Stevenson reads from her latest collection, Tomorrow’s Feast, which centres on the legacy faced by the next generation.

After poetry, romance will be in the spotlight as the Scottish queen of ‘Feel Good Fiction’, Jenny Colgan, presents The Summer Skies, her new escapist stand-alone novel set in the Scottish islands.

And to wrap up this busy day, what could be better than a fascinating Tartan Noir panel? Marisa Haetzman, writing under the pseudonym Ambrose Parry with husband Chris Brookmyre, will be in conversation with Sarah Smith, to chat about their respective historical fictions, Voices of the Dead and Hear No Evil.

On Sunday, Alan Warner will take us on a famous Hebridean journey in Scottish history as he discusses Nothing Left to Fear from Hell, his latest short novel about Bonnie Prince Charlie’s escape after the Battle of Culloden.

Chitra Ramaswamy will follow with what promises to be a moving event about her book Homelands, inspired by her friendship with Holocaust survivor Henry Wuga, who escaped Nazi Germany as part of the Kindertransport to settle in Glasgow.

Our Sunday afternoon session will be all about palaeontology, as Steve Brusatte presents his two popular science books The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, drawing from the fossil discoveries Steve and his team have made on the Isle of Skye over the past decade.

Alongside this exciting general programme, Gerda Stevenson will run a poetry workshop at Ardbeg Distillery on Sunday afternoon (booking essential as places are limited), and there will also be two children’s events: Anne and Steve Brusatte will visit MYFOS in Port Ellen on Thursday for an after-school session around their picture book Dugie the Dinosaur, while Philip Reeve will present his Utterly Dark middle-grade series at the Mactaggart Leisure Centre on Sunday afternoon.

Our varied school programme will include sessions with Lari Don, Sarah McIntyre, Philip Reeve, Anne and Steve Brusatte, and Angus Peter Campbell for a visit to the Gaelic Medium Unit. Alan Warner, Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve will also visit the students of Islay High School. 

And Gerda Stevenson will bring poetry and songs to the residents of Gortanvogie Care Home.

Mindful of the cost of living crisis, we’ve kept the price of tickets for our general programme low at £5 (£3.50 concession) per event, and, for best value, you can also purchase a festival pass for £30 (£20). Children’s events at MYFOS and the Mactaggart Leisure Centre are free. 

For more information about the individual events and to find out exact times and book tickets, click here.

We hope to see many of you join us in September for a big celebration of words and stories!

Support us with Argyll Community Lottery

by Charlène Busalli

We’ve launched an Argyll Community Lottery page! As a charity, the Islay Book Festival relies solely on funding from our sponsors and the generosity of the public. You can now support us in a fun way by purchasing Argyll Community Lottery tickets here: https://www.argyllcommunitylottery.co.uk/support/islay-book-festival.

Tickets cost only £1, with a draw every Saturday night. Each ticket has a 1 in 50 chance to win, with prizes ranging from free extra tickets to £25,000. When someone chooses us as their cause, 50% goes to us, 20% to admin costs, 20% to prizes and the remaining 10% is shared between all the other good causes registered with the lottery, so it means it benefits other local charities as well.

We hope many of you will choose to support us this way, and wish you good luck in the lottery. Gun robh math agaibh!

Revealing our 2023 line-up!

by Isla Rosser-Owen

Our committee has been busy putting together an exciting line-up for this year’s Islay Book Festival on 8-10 September, and we couldn’t wait to share the names of our guest authors with you ahead of the busy season.

Coinneach MacLeod, aka The Hebridean Baker, will open the festivities with his stories and recipes.

Tartan noir will be well represented, with the presence of Ambrose Parry and Sarah Smith.

Jenny Colgan will come to argue that Scotland, and its islands in particular, are a great setting for romance, not only for murder.

Multi-talented Angus Peter Campbell will present his latest novel in English, chat about translating George Orwell into Gaelic, and possibly share a bit about his acting career.

Gerda Stevenson will put poetry on the programme, while Alan Warner will regale us with the Hebridean adventures of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

British and European history will feature prominently in Chitra Ramaswamy’s event, while Kapka Kassabova will tell us what the Bulgarian forests hold in common with the Scottish Highlands.

Palaeontologist Steve Brusatte will talk about the history of life on Earth, and be joined by his wife Anne to visit Islay schools with their picture book inspired by the Isle of Skye’s fossil finds. Star storyteller Lari Don will undoubtedly delight pupils’ imagination. And last but not least, super duo Sarah McIntyre & Philip Reeve will be back to the island to present their new series.

Needless to say, we have a fantastic programme in the works for you, and we’ll be back soon with more detailed information about all our authors’ books and individual events. Stay tuned!

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