WriterStories TV

Lily Freeman interviews childrens’ author Vivian French at the Boswell Book Festival in May 2018.

Ali Millar speaks to Justin Cartwright about his new book Up Against the Night, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. Frank McAllister is a man who appears to have it all: wealth, happiness and a comfortable London life. The …

Colin MacIntyre may be more familiar to some as the man behind Mull Historical Society. Under this pseudonym he has become one of the UK’s most respected songwriters and performers, releasing four albums to critical and chart success. Now Colin …

Catriona O’Sullivan interviews Ragnar Jonasson at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Born in Reykjavik, Iceland Ragnar currently works as a lawyer having previously worked in TV and radio. He has translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic and set up …

Ali Millar interviews Stephen Kelman on Day-One of the 2015 Edinburgh International Book Festival. Kelman’s new novel ‘Man On Fire’ is based on the story of a real-life masochist who specialises in feats of extreme endurance. Born in Luton in …

Ali Millar in an illuminating interview with Danish novelist and short-story writer Dorthe Nors at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Nors has burst onto the UK literary scene with a heady cocktail of short stories, ‘Karate Chop’, translated from the …

It’s a wonderful sunny day in Edinburgh and Olivia Vitazkova meets up with Kate Mosse at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. It’s ten years since Mosse burst on the British literary scene with ‘Labyrinth’, the first of her Carcassonne-based Languedoc …

Number ten in the 2015 series of interviews from the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Ninth in the current series of interviews with authors at the 2015 Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Latest in the 2015 WriterStories TV series from the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Sixth in the 2015 series of interviews from the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Fifth in the 2015 WriterSeries of interviews from the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Fourth in the 2015 series of WriterStories from the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Third in the 2015 series of WriterStories.

Second in the 2015 WriterStories series for TV transmission.

One of a series of broadcast programme length compilation of interviews from the 2015 Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Iain Banks is a Scottish author of both mainstream fiction and science fiction, writing under the name Iain M. Banks for his science fiction work. At the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Robert Morgan talks to Iain Banks about his mainstream …

Seventh programme in the 2015 WriterStories series from the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Edinburgh welcomes back one of Scotland’s most ferociously-talented writers. Andrew O’Hagan’s fifth novel, The Illuminations, weaves two linked stories together: the older woman, Anne Quirk, is a Scottish photographer struggling to keep hold of her memories, the younger man is …

Ricky Brown interviews Doug Johnstone about his crime novels, writing process and the importance of setting at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Once a nuclear physicist, Doug Johnstone is now a successful writer and freelance journalist (and blogger) based in Edinburgh. In …

Here Are the Young Men depicts life for four young men on the savage streets of Dublin. Rob Doyle was born in Dublin, and holds a first-class honours degree in Philosophy and an MPhil in Psychoanalysis from Trinity College Dublin. …

Olivia Vitazkova interviews A D Miller the author of Snowdrop on the moral undertow of his new novel The Faithful Couple. Two young British men on the cusp of adulthood, meet at a hostel in San Diego. They strike up …

Bridgett Richards talks with Patrick Gale about his new novel A Place Called Winter which moves far from his customary Cornwall location. The novel evokes the harsh landscapes of the Canadian prairie for those who emigrated from Britain to make …

Ali Millar interviews Sean Michaels on his debut novel, Us Conductors. The novel concerns the creator of one of the world’s strangest instruments. Locked in a cabin aboard a ship bearing him back to Russia and away from the love …

Louise Welsh recently published Death is a Welcome Guest, the second part in her Plague Times trilogy following last year’s A Lovely Way to Burn. Welsh believes good thrillers are a reflection of the times they are written in. ‘The …

In conversation with Ali Millar at the 2015 Edinburgh International Book Festival, Rachel Cusk introduces her new novel Outline, a novel the New York Times has described as ‘lethally intelligent’ and ‘a heartbreaking portrait of poise, sympathy and regret’.

Almost a decade late we’ve edited the interview between Marina Warner and Tana McPhee conducted at Channings Hotel. Warner was in Edinburgh for the Book Festival, talking about her book Signs and Wonders. This collection draws together essays written over …

Talking at the Amnesty International event as part of Edinburgh International Book Festival, author Ian Rankin shares his thoughts on the power of free speech and the written word. Ian Rankin is best known for his Rebus series. Started when …

Robert Morgan of Edinburgh Television interviews Beryl Bainbridge at the 2001 Edinburgh International Book Festival. Beryl Bainbridge was born in Lancashire in November 1934. She wrote her first novel, Harriet Said, during the 1950s, although it was not published until …

Robert Morgan talks to writer Edwina Currie about her series of novels revolving around the ups and downs of political life, and her involvement with Amnesty International, at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Edwina Currie was a member of the …

Author Cathie Devitt introduces her new book, Don’t Drink and Fly, the first novella in a three part series exploring the life of Glasgow-based witch, Bernice O’Hanlon. On a quest to find happiness, Bernice makes her way through the ups …

Hackney based author Kerry Hudson talks about her work at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. Her first novel, TONY HOGAN BOUGHT ME AN ICE-CREAM FLOAT BEFORE HE STOLE MY MA was winner of the Scottish First Book Award and …

Set in Orkney and Edinburgh from the 1950’s to the closing decades of the 20th century, this novel is a moving and compassionate evocation of life in a small fishing community and the struggle to find one’s place and a …

Lesley McDowell talks about her book Unfashioned Creatures, which centres around the life of Isabella Baxter Booth, who was the real-life childhood friend of Mary Shelley. Booth was said to be ‘disturbed in her reason’, and it’s this idea, and …

Author Philip Caveney has been writing since the late 70s, primarily for adults but he now writes for children. His best known books are the Sebastian Darke adventures ,which are about a hapless would-jester, and his miserable side-kick, Max. Caveney …

A.L Kennedy’s work includes novels, short stories, drama, non-fiction and journalism for a variety of UK and overseas publications. Kennedy talks to WriterStories TV from this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, about her collection of short stories. A.L.Kennedy was born …

Author Marcus Sedgwick discusses his writing process, his illustration work and collaboration. His work spans across many genres, and he’s written titles for children, teenagers and adults. Sedgwick’s work has been awarded the Printz Award, the Booktrust Teenage Prize and …

Simon Van Booy’s book Everything Beautiful Began After centres around three individuals who meet in Athens after going to the city to find themselves. Simon Van Booy is a Brooklyn based writer whose work includes The Secret Lives of People …

Writer and poet Fred D’Aguiar explores the Jonestown massacre through a child’s eyes in his new book, The Children of Paradise. The book centres around Joyce and her young daughter, Trina, who are members of a utopian community ruled by …

Writer Lauren Owen presents her debut novel The Quick, a story of a brother and sister who become entwined in a dark and mysterious sector of Victorian London society, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. Lauren Owen grew up …

Sir Kenneth Calman discusses his book A Doctor’s Line, which is a compilation of poetry and prose from over 700 years, exploring the developing relationship between doctors and patients. Sir Kenneth Calman is currently the Chancellor of University of Glasgow, …

Nicole Brandon introduces her short story, The Turing Test, which she read at Story Shop as part of this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. The Turing Test is an adaptation of the Greek myth Pygmalion, a tale about a sculptor …

Glasgow based writer Kirsty Logan, talks about writing short stories, her first novel ‘The Rental Heart and Other Fairytales’ and her new work ‘The Gracekeepers’, which comes out in Spring 2015, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Writer C A Davids talks about her debut novel, The Blacks of Cape Town, a story that traces one woman’s uneasy family history from the Kimberley diamond mine to contemporary South Africa, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.  

Scottish author Sara Sheridan discusses her writing career so far, her interest in history, and the research methods she employs when working on her novels, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. Sara Sheridan was born in Edinburgh, and attended …

Actor turned writer John Gordon Sinclair, introduces his second novel crime thriller Blood Whispers, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. The second in a planned trilogy of novels sees lawyer Keira Lynch defending Albanian prostitute Kaltrina Dervishi, who is …

Writer Victoria Hendry introduces her debut novel, A Capital Union, which taps into the independence debate as newly-wed Agnes becomes embroiled in Scottish nationalist politics of 1942. Victoria Hendry has worked in the London Museum of Jewish Life and Kirkcaldy …

Errol Rivera talks to author Lauren Beukes about her writing, choosing genres and the comic and graphic novel’s place within a festival, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. Lauren Beukes is an award-winning, best-selling novelist who also writes comics, …

Ali Millar talks to author Emma Jane Unsworth, who presents her second novel, Animals, which focuses on best friends Laura and Tyler who live together, angrily philosophising and leading each other astray in the pubs and flats of Manchester. Things …

Ali Millar talks to Scottish writer Louise Welsh about her book ‘A Lovely Way To Burn’, in which Welsh explores the physical and political implications of a worldwide pandemic. Louise Welsh is the author of six novels: The Cutting Room …

Writer Otto de Kat talks to Catriona O’Sullivan about his book News From Berlin, and the importance of thorough research for characters and setting in a historical novel, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. The story centres around a …

Catriona O’Sullivan talks to writer and broadcast journalist Tony Parsons as he presents his new book ‘The Murder Bag’, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. Tony Parsons began his journalism career at the NME, writing about punk music. He …

As part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh City of Literature run a programme called Story Shop, which offers 17 up-and-coming authors the chance to do a 10 minute reading of their work. Alec Beattie will be presenting his …

As part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh City of Literature run a programme called Story Shop, which offers 17 up-and-coming authors the chance to do a 10 minute reading of their work. Writer Keith Dumble talks about his …

As part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh City of Literature run a programme called Story Shop, which offers 17 up-and-coming authors the chance to do a 10 minute reading of their work. Clare Archibald will be reading her …

As part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh City of Literature run a programme called Story Shop, which offers 17 up-and-coming authors the chance to do a 10 minute reading of their work. Marjorie Gill will be reading four …

As part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh City of Literature run a programme called Story Shop, which offers 17 up-and-coming authors the chance to do a 10 minute reading of their work. Ruth Aylett will be presenting to …

As part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh City of Literature run a programme called Story Shop, which offers 17 up-and-coming authors the chance to do a 10 minute reading of their work. Phil Adams will be presenting a …

Laura Clements talks to writer and awardee of the Scottish Book Trust’s Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship, Lisa Ballantyne, about her work. Lisa Ballantyne was born in Armadale, West Lothian and was educated at Armadale Academy and University of St Andrews. …

This edition of the Book Show comes from World Book Day in March 2001, at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms. Featuring interviews with Ian Rankin, Lindsey Fraser of the Scottish Book Trust, and children’s author Julia Donaldson who wrote The Gruffalo, World …

The Book Show presents a Christmas special with storyteller and poet David Campbell reading a festive tale, accompanied by Alexandra Salinasova on vocals.

American author Michael Connelly discusses his book The Gods of Guilt, a crime thriller about defence attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly decided to become an author after being introduced to the work of Raymond Chandler. Connelly studied journalism and creative writing …

Sara-Jane McGeachy interviews author Patrick McGrath about his new book ‘Constance’. McGrath is an English novelist and writes primarily in the gothic fiction genre. His works tend to explore subject matter such as mental illness, repressed homosexuality and adulterous relationships.

Vicki Jarrett is a novelist and short story writer from Edinburgh. Her first novel, Nothing is Heavy, was published in September 2012. Her short fiction has been published in various magazines and anthologies, broadcast by BBC Radio 4, Radio Scotland …

Griff Williams interviews author China Miéville about his work, how the novel can reflect a social project and the potential power of the readership. China Miéville is a fantasy fiction writer, comic writer and academic. Miéville often describes his fiction …

Nicola Bieg interviews Thomas J. MacColl about his short story ‘Timer’, which centres around an old man who is starting feel the effects of old age. MacColl was one of 17 writers selected to feature as part of the book …

Jess Johannesson Gaitan talks to writer Michael Jacobs about his new book The Robber of Memories, at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013. In 2011, Michael Jacobs travelled all the way up the Magdalena to its source high up in …

M Louise Kelly was born in Newcastle but now lives in Edinburgh and mainly writes for Young Adults and children. She gave up a permanent position lecturing in psychology and linguistics to dedicate more time to her writing. She has …

Author Sally Gardner talks to us at the Lennoxlove Book Festival 2013 about her new book Tinder, based on the story “The Tinder Box” by Hans Christian Andersen. She also tells us about her genre of writing and about the …

Julie Whitley talks with Ian Rankin about the Book Festival’s celebration of Iain Banks and how Rebus was brought out of retirement for one or possibly two further books. Ian Rankin is best known for his Rebus series. Started when …

We talk to Irish author Colm Herron at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013, about elements that appear in his work such as comedy, and his early writing as a child.  

First time author Pippa Goldschmidt talks to us about her first novel ‘The Falling Sky’, the uncertainties of the universe, the lengthy process of scientific research and her work as ‘The Regulator for Outerspace’.

Laura Clements talks to South African author Lauren Beukes about her event with Russian author Mikhail Shishkin, discussing the novel as time machine. Both authors are considered to be very different in terms of style and work, but have been …

Nicole Brandon interviews Jonathan Stroud at Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013, where he will be launching his new young adult series, Lockwood and Co. Starting with The Screaming Staircase, this series follows a group of paranormal investigators. Jonathan starting writing …

Scottish crime writer Alex Gray, talks to Errol Rivera about Scotland’s crime fiction and the similarities it has to Scandinavian crime fiction. Alex Gray has written ten crime fiction books. Before embarking on a career in writing, Alex taught English …

Writer Catherine Simpson talks to Julie Whitley about her piece ‘The Cutting Ring’, a short story she wrote especially for the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Story Shop, a daily event that showcases the work of up-and-coming writers living and working …

Writer and journalist Mark Craddock talks about the piece of work he reads at the Story Shop event, which showcases up-and-coming talent living and working in Edinburgh today. Mark is an award winning journalist back in America, and has come …

Author Adam Thirlwell discusses the new book which he has been editing, Multiples, which takes stories from different authors in many languages and translates them into English. The idea is to see whether the essence of the story remains through …

Our Books Coordinator, Nicola Bieg, interviews writer Rosie Hopegood at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Rosie talks about her short stories, some of which she read at the Story Shop, an event that showcases up-and-coming writers in Edinburgh, and what …

Laura Clements talks to Irish writer Eoin Colfer, about the audience he writes for, the importance of having the freedom to write what he likes and exciting future projects. Eoin Colfer is best known for his hugely successful Artemis Fowl …

Esther Woolfson talks to Adam Ley-Lang from the EIBF 2013. In her new book “Field Notes from a Hidden City” she writes about the natural life of cities, in particular Aberdeen, and discusses her interest in the creatures we live …

Mark Harding interviews writer Ken Macleod about his childhood friendship with Iain Banks and working across the genres of near-future science fiction and space opera. Ken Macleod has written 13 works so far, most of which are science fiction. Originally …

Writer Andrew Jamieson talks to Griff Williams about his debut novel, steampunk fantasy, The Vengeance Path. The book was delivered in weekly instalments over the course of three months thus making it only available in short bursts. This throws up …

Jess Johannesson Gaitan speaks to author Amy Sackville about her new book, Orkney. A story of a professor who marries his student, 40 years his junior, and takes her to Orkney for their honeymoon. Told from his point of view, …

Errol Rivera interviews crime writer Denise Mina about the various roles she will be playing throughout her time at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, including her work with the World Writer’s Conference. Whilst researching her PhD thesis on the ascription …

Renowned Scottish writer and artist, Alasdair Gray reads extracts from his new book, ‘Every Short Story – 1951-2012’ at Summerhall. Stuart Kelly discusses Gray’s prolific career and its lasting impact on Scottish Culture.

The Anobii First Book Award celebrates new writers, which are featured in the Book Festival each year. The award is different from others as it allows the readers to place their votes for their favourite debut novelist. This event at …

Screen-writer and novelist Emer Martin introduces her trip to Neu! Reekie! #27 and reads her poem on the war-time evacuation of European artists to New York.  Martin recently completed her short film Unaccompanied following production of Irvine Welsh’s directorial debut …

Interview at Waterstones in Edinburgh with Sandi Toksvig talking about her book ‘Flying under Bridges’

Brian Aldiss is an author of both general fiction and science fiction. Having been greatly influenced by the science fiction pioneer, H.G Wells, Aldiss is also the vice-president of the international H.G. Wells Society. At the Edinburgh International Book Festival, …

Hanif Kureishi is an English novelist, playwright and screenwriter. The themes in his works often deal with subjects like sexuality, racism and immigration. Much of his work such as My Beautiful Laundrette and his novel Intimacy have been made into …

The legalisation of certain drugs has been a hotly contested subject, leading to many arguments for and against the proposals. Roger Pertwee, Professor of Neuropharmacology at Aberdeen University, previously claimed that cannabis should be legalised and sold under similar restrictions …

Emily Molloy interviews Sian Bowen during the launch of her book ‘Suspending the Ephemeral’ at the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh.

Mary Mowat interviews Alistair Findlay at the Aye Write! book festival in Glasgow.

Karina Dent talks with author Dan Rhodes at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2004 on his novel ‘Timoleon Vieta Come Home: A Sentimental Journey’.

Louis de Bernières, published his first novel in 1990 and was selected by Granta magazine as one of the twenty Best of Young British Novelists in 1993. Since then he has become well known internationally as a writer and his …

Jimmy Kerr interviews Northern Irish writer Bernard MacLaverty about his new collection of short stories ‘Matters of Life and Death’, at the 2006 Edinburgh International Book Festival. Bernard MacLaverty has had many careers in his lifetime including a Medical Laboratory …

David Mitchell is an English author whose works have been short listed for the Man Booker Prize, the James Tait Memorial Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. He is known for interweaving many narratives together in the one novel. …

Local author Christopher Wallace and Angela Best talk to Edinburgh Television at a book-launch in Waterstones.

To commemorate Hilary Mantel’s unprecedented second Man Booker literary award, we have an interview with Colleen Connors from 2004 in which Mantel discusses her memoir ‘Giving up the Ghost’.

Tana McPhee interviews Ariel Dorfman in 2004 on his novel ‘Burning City’ written with his son, Joaquin.

Andy Field interviews acclaimed children’s author, Brian Jacques. Jacques was best known for his Redwall series, a set of fantasy novels that told the story of anthropomorphic animals who could speak. There are 22 books in total, which have been …

Tana McPhee interviews Lars Saabye Christensen about his novel, The Half Brother.

Francesca Atkinson interviews Jeanette Winterson on her novel The Powerbook.

Part of the 11/9 publishing imprint series that fosters new Scottish talent, David Cameron and Tom Bryan discuss their new works, Rousseau Moon and The Wolfclaw Chronicles, respectively.

Author Graham Swift discusses his book, Last Orders at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2001.

Robert Morgan’s interview with celebrated ‘vain and greedy’ but iconoclastic author and playwright Gore Vidal at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2001.