Book Week approaches

[John Dean]

The programme has been announced for the first ever Kirkcudbright Book Week, which will run between Monday March 2 and Friday March 6, 2020.

The week is designed to celebrate the developing literary scene in Kirkcudbright and the wider Dumfries and Galloway area and includes a series of mainly free events featuring authors from the area.

Writers appearing over the week include children’s author Alan McClure, poet Chrys Salt, crime writers Jackie Baldwin, Ian Patrick and John Dean, who is also a children’s author, novelist Jessie M Page and The Gallery Writers, plus art historian Dr Jo Chapman Campbell, who will examine The Glasgow Boys in an event at Broughton House.

The week includes a celebration of World Book Day at Kircudbright Library on Thursday March 5 for younger writers and readers and at Broughton House the day before.

Also, an event held on Tuesday March 3 at 11am at The Galleries in St Mary Street will see extracts read from a new book. Kirkcudbright-based Gallery Writers have been inspired by the creative possibilities offered by the history of Crossmichael. Funded by the Board of the newly-established Crossmichael Heritage Centre, they have come together to create a collection of prose and poetry currently being compiled and will read extracts.

Kirkcudbright Book Week has been organised by a number of organisations and venues, which are featured in the programme.

Chris Walker, from the Selkirk Arms, one of the venues hosting events, said: “This is another string to the bow of Kirkcudbright, a marvellous itinerary which should bring book enthusiasts from all over the region and wider. We’re lucky to have so many talented authors living and working in Dumfries and Galloway.”

Another organisation supporting the book week is Dumfries and Galloway Council and Councillor Andy Ferguson, Chair of the Council’s Communities Committee, said: “We’re delighted to support the Kirkcudbright Book Week by providing facilities to allow it to take place.  This sort of community event is exactly the type of inclusive event that our council looks to support communities in our region to run and is a fantastic example of community empowerment in action.”

Councillor John Martin, Vice Chair of the Communities committee, said: “The Kirkcudbright Book Week is something else for the community of Kirkcudbright to get their teeth into.  We have seen through the Festival of Light, the Tour of Britain and other community events that the town of Kirkcudbright is a fabulous host of such events.  I wish the organisers all the very best and would encourage all our locals, and visitors to check out the book week for themselves.”

Author John Dean, who lives in the area and is one of the organisers, said: “Kirkcudbright and the surrounding area is home to some talented writers and the book week is designed to celebrate their work. It should be exciting.”

You can find out more about Kirkcudbright Book Week by visiting https://kirkcudbrightbookweek.org/

Facebook – search for Kirkcudbright Book Week

Or by contacting John Dean on 07889 554931 email [e-mail]