Writing features N-Z

Writing Catscape
MIKE NICHOLSON's book Catscape won the 2005 Kelpies Prize, offered annually by Floris Books for new and outstanding works of Scottish children's fiction. Here the author describes how he came to write his novel.
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Darien to Dream
The author of The Fundamentals of New Caledonia, DAVID NICOL, on the history of the failed Scottish colony that inspired his novel.
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May Revels and Roslin
Rosslyn Chapel provides one of the main themes in Magic Afoot, the first issue of Textualities magazine, which will be available mid-May. In it, MARK OXBROW, co-author of Rosslyn and the Grail, recalls his fateful first visit to the chapel and discusses its literary, spiritual and historical associations. In 'May Revels and Roslin' he draws out the interesting connections between Robin Hood, Roslin gypsies and May Day tradition.
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Annie Wilson and the Roslin Inn
At the close of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century an eccentric Roslin villager, Annie Wilson, delighted and infuriated visitors with her own highly distinctive guided tour of Rosslyn Chapel. By MARK OXBROW, co-author of Rosslyn and the Grail.
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The Wandering Road to Rosslyn
Author MARK OXBROW recalls his fateful first visit to Rosslyn Chapel and its literary, spiritual and historical associations.
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Jacob Polley Interview
A conversation between Benjamin Morris and poet JACOB POLLEY on the nature and power of words, and the effects of language in our lives and superstitions.
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Philip Pullman Interview
Jennie Renton interviews PHILIP PULLMAN, author of the His Dark Materials trilogy.
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Pamphlet Power, Poet Power
This article is a precis of a talk given by TESSA RANSFORD at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, 2001.
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For Tessa at Seventy
To mark TESSA RANSFORD's seventieth birthday, Textualities presents a personal appreciation of her work by Eileen Crerar-Gilbert.
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The Poetry of Rodney Relax
In this audio interview, Edinburgh inkster RODNEY RELAX discusses his latest publications and performances and fondly remembers his friend and fellow poet Sandie Craigie.
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Overexposure in the Frame
In his debut novel, HUGO RIFKIND takes as his setting the celebrity world he covers in his gossip column. And as it happens, the central character is a gossip columnist, just like him. But all is not quite as it seems, as he tells Jennie Renton in this audio interview.
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Meslier
Theatre director DAVID ROYLANCE gives the background to the creation of Meslier, a new play about a largely forgotten but influential freethinker who lived almost 300 years ago. Part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
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Kjersti Scheen Interview
Textualities editor Jennie Renton interviews Norwegian crime writer KJERSTI SCHEEN about her first book to be translated into English, Final Curtain.
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Fictional Memorials of the North-East
Dundee author ANDREW MURRAY SCOTT discusses his new novel, The Big J, and looks at the importance of a sense of place in his writing and the way fact lends depth to fiction.
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Contour Lines
Human rights campaigner and lawyer RAJA SHEHADEH follows the contour lines, political and geographic, of the West Bank of Palestine.
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The Real Dr Frankenstein?
Christopher Goulding talks about the medical influences behind MARY SHELLEY's Frankenstein. In particular he looks at Dr James Lind, Percy Shelley's tutor at Eton, who was among those who pioneered the use of electricity in medicine.
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Carol Shields
Magnificently multi-tasking Canadian author CAROL SHIELDS raised five children and wrote twenty books. The winner of major literary prizes, her work reached a broad international readership. She died in 2003. This interview with Ruth Thomas from the Scottish Book Collector archive took place in 2000.
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Maison d'Emma
Novelist and poet MORELLE SMITH travels to Maison d'Emma, a residence d'artistes north of Montpellier.
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Citadels of Vertigo and the Ethics of Desire
What is our true identity and what is our purpose here on earth? Poet and traveller MORELLE SMITH looks beyond orthodox religious structures and finds inspiration in the landscape of Languedoc, relating it to the traditions of the mediaeval Cathars and troubadour poet-musicians of the same period, through the work of Michel Roquebert and Arthur Guirdham.
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Scottish PEN
Scottish PEN has been supporting Scottish writers and upholding freedom of expression for over eighty years. MORELLE SMITH briefly details its aims and history, before summarising recent Scottish PEN events.
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Inflamed by Sparks
Eric Dickson takes us on a journey through his extensive MURIEL SPARK collection.
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The Influences of my School Days
Rachel Boase discusses how she gained an irreversibly Sparkian vision from reading MURIEL SPARK's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
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Lived-in Books
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON found great pleasure in reading, and joyed to get emotionally caught up in a novel. Robert Louis Abrahamson explores the writer's philosophy of literature.
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RLS and Bluidy Jack
Richard Woodhead writes of his love of the author, which inspired him to write The Strange Case of ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
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A Major Minor Poet?
Archive article taking a critical look at ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON's poetry. He has long been overlooked or openly derided by commentators who consider him not 'a major poet' but, argues David Fergus, it is time we read his verses again and began to take him a little more seriously.
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A Book Of One's Own
Indulgence, reproach, habit, lie, confession... ALAN TAYLOR discusses the private life and public face of diaries. Whether anodyne or sensational, they all have something to reveal.
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Recurring Phrases
RUTH THOMAS considers avian leitmotifs in her stories, but cautions against over-analysing texts.
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The Colour of Wednesday
VALERIE THORNTON discusses her synaesthesia, an unusual neurological condition which confuses the senses, in her case identifying letters with colours.
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Through a Glass Lightly
Scottish illustrator, glass-engraver and teacher, HELEN MONRO TURNER, inspired generations of glass artists and left a creative legacy that continues to delight. Brian Blench offers an overview of her life and art.
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20,000 Leagues Below Loch Katrine
A new English version of JULES VERNE's 'lost' novel The Underground City has been published to mark the centenary of the author's death. This article features an interview with the novel's translator, Sarah Crozier.
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The Poet with True Grit
With McGonagallesque verve, BOB WATT champions Scotland's most maligned son and trounces his detractors.
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Death and Literature
Transcript of a discussion between LOUISE WELSH and LIN ANDERSON about the fascination of crime writing. The talk was part of the autumn 2005 programme of 'meet the author' events at North Edinburgh Arts. The authors discuss their influences, and the ethics of writing about crime.
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Grounding a World
Grounding a World is a collection of seventeen essays by people from diverse walks of life, responding to the work of KENNETH WHITE.
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Golden Hour
The Forest is an eclectic arts space and café in Bristo Place, Edinburgh. In this audio interview Forest café manager, RYAN VAN WINKLE introduces their latest publishing project The Golden Hour, named after the weekly Forest readings.
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Chasing the Moths
Frederick Lewis on collecting the works of VIRGINIA WOOLF, with an examination of her life.
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Writers Bloc Blog
WRITERS BLOC breaks into print. December 2004.
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