Author Archives: johndean1

Exciting things are happening as Kirkcudbright Book Week becomes Kirkcudbright Book Festival with a new website, a new programme and a new Facebook page. The 2026 event will run from March 5-8 and details will be announced on January 1. This website will no longer be used for updates. The new website at http://www.kbtbookfestival.org isContinue reading “All change at book festival”

Poet Kenneth Steven has a knack of picking fascinating subjects and giving them a distinctive treatment and his latest collection A Song Among The Stones adds to that reputation. Kenneth, who has appeared at Kirkcudbright Book Week, chose the story of 7th Century Irish hermit monks who left the island of Iona and dared toContinue reading “Poetry collection inspired by bravery”

Advanced orders are being taken for an anthology of short stories produced by a new Scottish publisher working with a highly inventive format. 274 Miles features forty stories, none more than 274 words. The collection, which will be Glasgow-based Tantallon Tìr’s debut anthology when it is published on September 30, 2025, takes its title fromContinue reading “Anthology celebrates the best of Scottish writing”

Another crime writer who appeared at Kirkcudbright Book Week 2025 was shortlisted for a major award. Hot on the tail of news that D V Bishop had been shortlisted for two Crime Writers’ Association Daggers, just missing out on winning, came the inclusion on the shortlist for the Harrogate International Festivals Theakston Old Peculier CrimeContinue reading “Second author named on shortlist”

We are delighted to hear that crime writer D V Bishop, who appeared in one of the events leading up to Kirkcudbright Book Week 2025, was shortlisted for two prestigious Dagger awards. The author was one of five who visited bookshops across Dumfries and Galloway as part of the build-up to Kirkcudbright Book Week inContinue reading “Author shortlisted twice”

Crime writer John Dean has a new website whose contents include numerous free pieces of advice for aspiring authors. The website offers ‘handy hints’, on topics ranging from creating characters and developing plots to finding ways to be inspired by the landscape and how to make dialogue sound realistic. John, who has had twenty fiveContinue reading “Website offers free help to aspiring writers”

Experts from various sides of the publishing world provided plenty of entertainment in the penultimate event of Kirkcudbright Book Week. Publisher Ian Spring, the founder of Rymour Books, Elizabeth Parsons, of Kirkcudbright Book Shop Gallovidia, and authors Anstey Spraggan and Gerry Hassan debated the dramatic changes in the industry in a debate held at TheContinue reading “A lively debate”

A couple of days ago, we asked people to get in touch if they wanted to mention an outstanding moment from this year’s Kirkcudbright Book Week. George Nevin sent us a comment about the talk by war historian Prit Buttar (pictured here) on The Siege of Leningrad at The Kirkcudbright Galleries. George said: “The talkContinue reading “A memorable experience”

Would you like to read work from the Kirkcudbright Book Week authors of tomorrow? Well, now you can because the winners have been announced in our short story competition for young writers from Dumfries and Galloway. The competition, which ran for the second year, was one of the events for young writers linked to theContinue reading “Young story competition winners are announced”

A large and appreciative audience enjoyed listening to Andy Wightman, (pictured right), a writer and researcher focusing on land governance, land ownership and community land rights, when he appeared at Kirkcudbright Book Week on Thursday (March 6). The event was held at Kirkcudbright Parish Church and was chaired by author Gerry Hassan.

The creator of the first Kirkcudbright Book Week event to sell out (there have been plenty more since) fascinated his audience with his talk at Café Feast on Wednesday (March 5). Phil Robinson’s talk, entitled The Evolution of Typography, saw the typographer, artist and ancient language expert take his audience on a through the changingContinue reading “A journey through the ages”

Kirkcudbright Book Week is well under way and we’re hearing plenty of comments from audience members who have enjoyed particular performances or moments.Well, if you wish to suggest one of your own, don’t keep it to yourself, share it with the rest of us by sending your name and details of what you wish toContinue reading “What’s your favourite Book Week moment?”

Author Des Dillon provided plenty of entertainment when he appeared in Wigtown as part of a series of events organised by Kirkcudbright Book Week Society to celebrate the work done by bookshops. Writers have visited shops across Dumfries and Galloway during February as part of the build-up to the fourth annual Kirkcudbright Book Week, whichContinue reading “Author entertains his audience”

We here at Kirkcudbright Book Week greatly appreciate the support of those organisations that spread the word about our event. So, we were delighted to witness the support of two organisations who are promoting our article which looks at how some of the writers who will appear at Book Week between March 3 and 9Continue reading “With a little help from our friends”

We have set young writers in Dumfries and Galloway a challenge in our latest short story competition, which is linked to the forthcoming Kirkcudbright Book Week in March. Entrants have been asked to provide examples of Flash Fiction – but what exactly is Flash Fiction? We have produced an article that may help. It wasContinue reading “Handy hints for competition entrants”

The Scottish Book Trust has agreed to support some of the events staged during Kirkcudbright Book Week in 2025, through its Live Literature programme. The programme helps organisations such as Kirkcudbright Book Week Society attract high quality writers to their events by meeting some of the authors’ costs as well as keeping some ticket pricesContinue reading “Trust helps society reach new audiences”

A project that supports young authors in the Kirkcudbright area of Dumfries and Galloway has received further funding. The project, which helps young people in Kirkcudbright to develop their creative writing skills by working with writers, has received £500 from the Galloway Association of Glasgow, the second time that the organisation has supported the project.Continue reading “More support as inspiring creative writing project goes from strength to strength”

Kirkcudbright Book Week Society has been granted £4,750 to support the town’s annual literary celebration which it organises. The society is among a number of organisations celebrating the latest round of funding awards from the National Lottery Community Fund for activities that will bring people together and help communities thrive. Its successful application was basedContinue reading “Book Week Society reaches out to readers”

A project that supports young authors in the Kirkcudbright area of Dumfries and Galloway is to extend into its third year after funding was secured for initiatives that include a literary festival run by students. The project, which helps young people in Kirkcudbright to develop their creative writing skills by working with authors, is aContinue reading “Exciting project for young writers to run for third year”

Dumfries and Galloway Council has announced £270,000 of funding for more than 35 festivals and events across its area, including Kirkcudbright Book Week. Event organiser Kirkcudbright Book Week Society has been awarded £1,995 towards the annual event, which is held in the first week of March. The Society has welcomed the award, which it saysContinue reading “Book Week Society named among events funding awards”

Author Carol Dean, who appeared at Kirkcudbright Book Week 2024 where she gave a talk based on her popular Native American series of books, has a new title out. The book, the latest in the series, is titled Navajo Culture and the Unbreakable Code and tells how Native Americans worked secretly during both World Wars,Continue reading “New book in series is published”