A highly-anticipated book which re-tells one of Scotland’s most macabre murders will come under the spotlight during an online literary festival curated from Perthshire next month.
And Loose Woman and former Coronation Street star Denise Welch will also feature when Pitlochry Festival Theatre (PFT) plays host.
PFT was this week thrilled to announce the exciting line-up for the Winter Words which will take place online from Monday, February 14 until Sunday, February 20 and coincides with the start of Scotland’s Year of Stories.
Like last year, the 18th year of Winter Words will be a little different offering a smaller series of digital events.
But the upcoming festival will be both live and interactive and, as with every year, will bring together an exciting line up of well- known, and well-loved authors, playwrights, poets, adventurers, broadcasters, and TV personalities all in one virtual space.
Celebrated Scottish crime writer and playwright Denise Mina will be discussing her latest novel Rizzio, a re-telling of the 16th Century murder of David Rizzio, Secretary to Mary Queen of Scots.
The tragic episode is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style, which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history to life.
Denise Welch will be talking about The Unwelcome Visitor: Depression and How I Survive It, her bracing yet accessible account of living with depression.
There will be a pre-recorded interview with Alexander McCall Smith, author of the highly successful No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, who will be discussing other novels he published in 2021.
Scottish Makar and 2012 Costa Poetry award winner Kathleen Jamie will be in discussion with playwright David Greig.
Author and theatre critic Arifa Akbar will be talking about her acclaimed Costa nominated biography Consumed: A Sister’s Story, while writer and broadcaster James Crawford will be discussing his acclaimed BBC television series Scotland from the Sky.
Also featuring in this year’s line-up will be award-winning, best-selling and critically acclaimed author Craig Russell, whose latest novel Hyde last year won the prestigious McIlvanney Prize.
Award-winning Scottish author Ewan Morrison discusses his novel How to Survive Everything and Edinburgh writer and editor Arusa Qureshi will be talking about her book Flip the Script: How Women Came to Rule Hip Hop.
Elsewhere, illustrator Eilidh Muldoon will lead a live illustration session for all the family; local historian and former chair of Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Colin Liddle, will be talking about Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s history over the last 70 years, and Scottish actor Kenny Boyle who will be discussing his debut book The Tick and Tock of the Crocodile.
This year’s closing event, sponsored by the Highland Book Prize, will be the author and ecologist Andrew Painting and Merryn Glover in conversation about how landscape, specifically the Cairngorms, has inspired their writing.
Also featuring on Saturday, February 19 will be ‘What Are You Reading?’ - a free virtual book shop café where people will be able to recommend and talk about their favourite book to others.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s associate director Amy Liptrott will host the event.
Like last year, the festival will have an all-access Winter Words package which will give online viewers access to all 13 online events plus the opportunity to receive recordings to watch at their leisure for a period, shortly after the festival.
To find out more and for tickets call the box office team on 01796 484626 or visit www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com/winterwords
