Focus
A celebration of D&G creativity and talent
Autumn 2024
Features:
A Manifesto for Creative Wellbeing
Calling all young people in the South of Scotland Music and the Multiverse We Want You – DG Unlimited Talent Pool Sharing is Caring
Visiting the Garden of Eden Dates for your Dairy Tabi’s Recommended Reads
Welcome to our Autumn edition! Can you believe we are already in September? It seems only a few weeks since many of us gathered at the DG Unlimited conference in April.
FOCUS is our showcase of creativity from around Dumfries and Galloway. In our region with the end of summer, comes an influx of new dates for our diaries as key annual events kick off – Music at the Multiverse, DMC Presents TRAX, Wigtown Book Festival, Kirkcudbright Fringe, and so many more.
We’re also excited to show you some of the highlights from this summer. Despite the rain, the team have enjoyed getting out and about. Don’t miss the feature by our own Lauren McDougall as she shares her adventures at this year’s Eden Festival.
DG Unlimited recently launched its Talent Pool, and Resource Sharing Library – they are two activities we are offering as a direct result of the feedback we have received from you, our members. We are so often asked for recommendations of professionals and freelancers in the region, and we want to ensure everyone has a chance to access the commissions and opportunities available in this region. Join our talent pool so you don’t miss out!
With the change of the season, we anticipate many changes to come in our region’s creative sector, but there is much to be positive and excited about. We’ll continue to lend a helping hand to our fellow creatives, championing and showcasing the outstanding cultural contributions this region makes and working with our friends and partners. Enjoy this autumn and all the beauty it brings.
Tabi
Tabi Mudaliar, Editor of FOCUS Magazine and Director DG Unlimited.
FOCUS is a creative digital magazine brought to you by DG Unlimited. FOCUS is free to access and download from dgunlimited.org. It is published to shine a light on the creative and cultural work, activities, and projects in Dumfries and Galloway.
FOCUS magazine is brought to you as a result of the generous support of Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Cover image: © Lauren McDougall, Eden Festival 2024
A Manifesto for Creative
A Draft Creative Wellbeing Manifesto for Dumfries & Galloway as part of Healing Arts Scotland 2024
Recently, DG Creative Wellbeing Network presented its draft Manifesto for Creative Wellbeing. Creative expression is an essential part of being human and keeps us well but is often neglected as we age due to barriers such as rigid higher education structures, life’s demands, and unequal access.
Creative Wellbeing
OutPost Arts, DG Creative Wellbeing have formed a Manifesto to inspire, inform and positively disrupt the creative wellbeing conversation in our region.
They aim to creatively interpret the Manifesto in new, exciting ways, encouraging audiences to engage with and form their own connections to its themes.
The sharing of the Manifesto is part of the event ‘DG Creative Wellbeing: Reflections & Exhibition’, which took place recently in the Atrium in Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary. The event was a colourful and engaging event, well attended by creative colleagues and partners, NHS Directors, Staff, members of the public.
The event was delivered as part of the Scotland wide Healing Arts Scotland (HAS) 2024 Programme, the first ever countrywide Healing Arts week, happening around Scotland from 19th – 23rd August, led by Scottish Ballet and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, and in collaboration with the World Health Organisation. HAS is a weeklong celebration of arts and health events, highlighting the joy they bring to those who take part, and their importance to the nation’s physical, mental and social health.
The ‘DG Creative Wellbeing: Reflections & Exhibition’ event pulls back the curtain on the innovative work OutPost Arts have been doing across D&G from early 2023. OutPost Arts have worked with a range of cross-sector partners to increase access to creative wellbeing opportunities in the region.
There is a retrospective display in the permanent exhibition space in DGRI which can be viewed during hospital times, and by staff and patients at any time. At the event, attendees helped to create a collective piece of art which will be framed and hung to further enhance DGRI’s Atrium space. All who attended were surprised and delighted by the appearance of Oceanallover who gave us a unique and engaging performance. The surprise on the faces of those in the atrium was wonderful to see! Ocean all over are a unique and highly regarded site-specific theatre and performance Arts Company representing the work of Artistic Director Alex Rigg and a collective of freelance creatives.
The attendees were also moved to hear personal testimony shared by Heather Bestel who is a participant in this years Art Journal Project. Heather’s powerful words were moving and meaningful, shedding a light on the real and positive health benefits creativity has on our wellbeing.
The Manifesto underlines the power of creativity and highlights the potential benefits of incorporating art and culture into our lives, using plain language to increase accessibility.
The Manifesto isn’t just words – it’s an agenda for change, and it is for all of us. Visit the website for more information and to share your thoughts using the QR code which can be found at DG Creative Wellbeing Manifesto or on the leaflet pictured here.
Calling all Young People in the South of Scotland!
SOSE are excited to announce that applications are NOW OPEN again to join their Youth Advisory Forum! This is your chance to make a real impact on the future of our region. If you’re aged 16-25 and passionate about driving change, they want YOU to bring your voice, ideas, and energy to the table.
Why Join?
• Shape the future of the South of Scotland by sharing your unique perspective.
• Collaborate with local leaders and other young people to influence decisions that matter.
• Develop new skills and gain valuable experience in leadership and community engagement.
Ready to make a difference? Apply before 30th September through their website and you can build a thriving, sustainable, and inclusive future for all > https://bit.ly/4ch0oCs
#SuccessStartsHere #YouthAdvisoryForum #FutureLeaders #MakeADifference #YouthVoicesMatter
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vXQri1Aih1c&authuser=2
Music At The
Tide Lines, photo © Mike Bolam
The Multiverse
Festival-goers attending the fourth Music at the Multiverse festival at the weekend enjoyed fantastic live music, sunshine and showers in one of Scotland’s most spectacular outdoor venues.
Hooziers, all photos © Mike Bolam
The two-day festival which took place at Crawick Multiverse near Sanquhar on the 31st August and the 1st September, was enjoyed by a crowd of over 2000 music-lovers from across the South of Scotland as well as visitors from as far afield as the US.
One festival-goer travelled all the way from Maine in the US to Dumfries and Galloway to see Tide Lines perform in Scotland and she wasn’t disappointed! Despite an untimely thunderstorm arriving just before the Sunday headliners taking to the Main Stage, Sarah and many others braved the rain in their ponchos to enjoy the finale at Music at the Multiverse 2024.
A stop sign wasn’t enough to halt Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 fans from joining the party in the Sun Amphitheatre on Sunday evening either.
The festival, which had an exceptional line-up with The Hoosiers, Toploader, Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5, The Lucky Doves, The Lutras, EBB, Elias T. Hoth, Kissing the Flint, The Mocking Byrds, Tiderays and The Cherry Pinks all joining Tide Lines on the Main Stage, prides itself on providing a platform for big names, as well as a big stage for some of the best local talent.
The Lutras
Sarah from Maine, USA
The Lucky Doves
Toploader
Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5
Friends Lauren and Eilidh, from Leadhills and Wanlockhead
Tiderays
Elias T. Hoth
Elias T. Hoth
The Mocking Byrds
The Cherry Pinks
Sharon Glendinning, Event Promoter for Music at the Multiverse, said:
“What another fantastic weekend we had here at Crawick Multiverse! We are delighted with the initial feedback and response on social media from those who came along to enjoy themselves, as well as from our performers. A quality line-up of big names and local artists, our expanded food and drink village, the additional motorhome spaces, the new Cosmic Lounge and, of course, the weather all helped! We have a unique venue that we believe is the perfect stage for outdoor events and festivals, but we couldn’t possibly deliver this standard of event without the incredible commitment and experience of our event partners and the many other people who make this an event that we are all proud to be part of.
Our thanks to everyone who came along and supported us again this year; and a massive thank you to our event staff team and contractors, who worked tirelessly in difficult conditions, to support the set up and delivery of the event during the festival period - you all make this the friendly, relaxed, organised and professional event that we want it to be, so thank you all.”
EBB
All photos © Mike Bolam
Thanks to a talented group of DJs led by Michael Smith, the dance tent was booming all weekend with performances from Public Domain, Flip N Fill, Technotronic Ft Eric Martin, Malcolm X, We Love Old Skool, Brett Lawrie, Steven Allan, Stephen Holland, Blair Crawford, Nicky Nally, Stevie Lennon, Jamie Benson and Paul Cooper.
The audience was also treated to a weekend of performances from young, up and coming artists. Thanks to a partnership with Up Yer Airts to programme the new Cosmic Lounge, this additional performance space provided young artists including; Dopesickfly, Zoe Bestel, Ella Campbell, Alexander and the Greeks, Kate Kyle, Palliro, 8 DAYS, DJ LIL’J, Anna Murray, Emily Major, Rhelm and The High Priestess, with the opportunity to enjoy the festival experience.
Up Yer Airts Producer, Liam Russell, also took a brief break from showcasing the young performers in the Cosmic Lounge to take up his own spot on the Main Stage with The Tiderays.
As well as the work of festival organisers to keep young people, local artists, businesses and the wider
community involved in the festival, it is thanks to support received from local community sponsors, that more young people and families were given the opportunity to attend and enjoy the festival this year.
While Music at the Multiverse is hosted and funded by The Crawick Multiverse Trust with funding contributions from Dumfries and Galloway Council and EventScotland, the Trust is exceptionally grateful to their event partners; Yellow Lab Events and SW Audio and to all the sponsors and supporters who have offered in-kind or financial support to the festival and, of course, to the new and loyal festival-goers for coming along to enjoy the weekend.
Sponsors and supporters include; Community Windpower, The Globe Inn, Annandale Distillery, David Hardie Engineering Ltd, Shaw, The Holywood Trust, Lloyd Dumfries, J & J Currie, Paul Fergusson Heating and Electrical Engineers, Hire and Supplies, Plaswood (Berry Bpi), Alba Design, Print, Display, Asher Associates, McGowan Miller Construction Consultants, Genesis Occupational Health and Safety, Thomsons Foodservice, Land Technology Ltd and Carronbridge Sawmill Ltd.
Zoe Bestel
Ella Campbell
Alexander and the Greeks
DJ Lil’J
Kate Kyle
The High Priestess
“As a small independent charitable Trust, running an event of this scale doesn’t come without its challenges, including escalating costs and our rural location. Although this was a hugely successful event, and in fact our most ambitious to date, we are aware that future festivals will require additional resource and greater investment to achieve a larger audience and a more sustainable model for the future. This year more than ever we have experienced a higher number of return customers, as well as firsttime visitors, so as we become more established, we hope that our growing reputation as a quality, family-friendly festival, will also continue to attract a growing audience of new festival goers too. This along with greater investment, will help us to deliver Music at the Multiverse in 2025 and beyond. In the meantime, our grateful thanks to everyone who made Music at the Multiverse 2024 a fantastic weekend in Upper Nithsdale.”
Gillian Khosla, Chair of The Crawick Multiverse Trust, said:
DJ Technotronic Ft Eric Martin, all photos © Mike Bolam
TALENT POOL
Talent pool is our list of creative talent in the region. DG Unlimited is a member organisation, and we are all about people. We are currently developing a talent pool of creatives in this region who are available for commissions and work. This is going to be a comprehensive list and will take some time to develop so we are doing it in stages and gathering names by creative practice. First up are multimedia and digital creatives:
Photographers
Videographers
Illustrators
Creative writers
Poets
Social media specialists
Graphic designers
Sound artists
Sound designers
Multi-media creatives of all types!
A listing on the DG Unlimited talent pool (which will adhere to GDPR and data security) is free, but you do need to be a member to be added. Sign up as a member.
If you are a member, simply drop our comms team an email to comms.dgu@gmail.com and they will send you a form to be added to the DGU Talent pool.
How does it work?
It’s simple. DG Unlimited are often asked by our members, partners, public agencies, and cultural organisations to make recommendations of great creative practitioners and talented individuals we have in our region who are available for commissions or for work. In our last membership consultation, you asked DG Unlimited to open up these freelance creative practitioner opportunities for all in a more equitable, fair, diverse, and inclusive way. This is one of our solutions. Join our Talent pool today
SHARING IS CARING
Sharing is Caring is the DG Unlimited equipment bank of creative resources, available to borrow, free of charge, for activities, workshops, or events that you are running.
To help us build up our bank of equipment, we are asking our members and partners if they have any equipment in good working order that they no longer need and would like to donate.
Do you have equipment you would be willing to have listed as available to borrow when you don’t need it? If you have any items you would like to donate or loan, let us know – we’re particularly looking for musical instruments, artists’ tools, digital equipment. Any other items of equipment that you may have in a cupboard, unused, make a brilliant start.
We already have artists’ easels, thanks to our friends at A the Airts in Sanquhar. We also have digital drawing tablets, pop-up gazebos, a pop-up selfie wall, lanyards, badge holders, pop-up banners, and more. In time, we hope to develop a library of resources our members can draw upon with certainty.
If you have equipment you’d like to loan or donate – or need to borrow some yourself, please get in touch!
THE GARDEN OF EDEN
Photo © Lauren McDougall
Eden Festival 2024 saw the garden being open for another year of fun, frolics and finding new friends. This chapter was the best yet with some weather-related challenges not even dampening the spirits.
Photos © Lauren McDougall
VISITING THE GARDEN OF EDEN
LAUREN M c DOUGALL
This June, I was fortunate enough to photograph Eden Festival for DG Unlimited, an experience that will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Eden Festival is a place of joy and creativity, and I felt deeply honoured to document the vibrant energy and unity that it fosters. The festival’s spirit of happiness and togetherness is truly unparalleled, and capturing these moments was a profoundly rewarding experience.
As a photography graduate from the University of the Arts London, I have had the privilege of documenting a wide array of events, workshops, and exhibitions across Dumfries, Glasgow, and London. Each experience has helped shape my skills and passion for photography, but nothing quite prepared me for the unique challenge and excitement of working as a certified press officer for the first time.
Stepping into the role of an official press photographer was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. Like many creative professionals, I was no stranger to the infamous ‘imposter syndrome’—that nagging doubt about whether I could deliver what was expected of me. Fleeting moments of anxiety crept in as I wondered about the ‘what ifs’: What if the images didn’t turn out as well as I hoped? What if the unpredictable weather sabotaged my shots? And, most importantly, what if I wasn’t as confident as I needed to be for this significant step in my career?
Yet, despite these momentary lapses in confidence, I knew I wasn’t alone. I’m incredibly fortunate to have a supportive network of friends and family, with a notable mention of my uncle, Paul Hackett, who has always believed in my skills and abilities.
Moreover, working with DG Unlimited provided a nurturing and empowering environment. The encouragement I received from Tabi and David was invaluable—they pushed me forward with unwavering confidence, allowing me to embrace this opportunity with enthusiasm rather than apprehension. Their support reminded me of the profound impact a positive network can have on one’s creative practice and professional growth. It’s a reminder that, with the right encouragement, we are often more capable than we realise ourselves.
The festival itself was an unforgettable experience despite the persistent rain that made its presence known. However, not even the dreary weather could dampen the spirits of the festival-goers—or mine. There was an infectious energy at the festival, an overwhelming sense of joy and creativity that radiated from everyone in attendance. Capturing these moments on camera felt almost effortless, as the genuine happiness and unity of the crowd made every shot a testament to the vibrant atmosphere of Eden.
Looking back, I am grateful for the challenges and the growth that came with this opportunity. It has not only strengthened my skills as a photographer but also deepened my appreciation for the power of collaboration and support in the creative industry.
In the end, this experience reaffirmed my belief that with passion, support, and a little courage, we can achieve great things—both in our creative endeavours and our lives.
Hannah Gould
We have focused on becoming more family friendly over the last few years and with so many more kids attending we increased the size of the kids area and included a teens tent this year, with activities such as sock wrestling and graffiti workshops.
Don’t worry though there was still plenty of things to keep the adults amused too. The best pub in Scotland, Rabbie’s Tavern was packed and jumping from Thursday night all the way to Sunday night with a plethora of live music from traditional all the way through to bluegrass. The lost disco lit up the skies with the Eden flame throwers adding a magical atmosphere along with our main stage flames bringing all the crowds to see our headliners Amadou and Mariam.
We also had a new area for this year with the introduction of the Bodega which housed talks during the day and cabaret at night.
With ten stages set across the lovely Raehills Meadow there really is something for everyone and we love being able to share our gorgeous pocket of Galloway with folk from all over the country.
We realise that the current climate is financially tough for people at the moment and as a result we have
frozen ticket prices for the last two years. We also make sure that all food traders offer an affordable Eden meal deal and we keep the bar prices reasonable.
We also have a massive focus on being as green a festival as we can, banning single use plastics and offering a reusable cup system, meaning you can take a piece of Eden home with you.
What makes Eden is the people. We have a huge team of volunteers who come and build the festival every year and the amount of people who come and help is amazing.
We pride ourselves on our crew and ticket holders and love the fact they all come back to party with us year upon year.
So HUGE thanks to all who were involved with Eden Festival this year and for those who have not been come check us out….
Photos © Lauren McDougall
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY EVENTS
What’s on at CatStrand
Clan Latino, 21st of September, Catstrand
Clan Latino is set to arrive in New Galloway this September, bringing a vibrant experience of Latin music, Dance and Soundsystem culture with it.
The evening opens with a chance to learn Salsa from international Colombian dancer Valentine Naranjo, followed by a Latin American dinner accompanied by Puerto Rico’s, John Lix Feliciano.
The night then moves into a real Latin fiesta hosted by the Desiato Soundsystem from 8pm until late. They will be joined by a live show from Azulon, and live dance performances from Valentina Naranjo.
Morag You’re a Long Time Deid 10th of September, Catstrand
This dynamic, experimental musical is a love letter to ancestors who “didn’t fit” that playfully warps, disrupts and reconfigures traditional Scottish ballad singing.
The play follows Sam, a Canadian girl – who inherits her Scottish grandmother’s piano. Sam also inherits the mystery of her Scottish granny’s story. An intimate letter composed of fragmented ballads leads Sam to uncover Morag’s possible queerness and find a voice of her own.
Batsükh Dorj & Johanni Curtet, Tuvan Throat Singing from Mongolia 10th of October, Catstrand, New Galloway
Musician Batsükh Dori, perfectly masters the different throat singing styles typical of the Tuvans. Accompanied by Johanni Curtet, a specialist in throatsinging in the West, Batsükh sings about his nomadic culture.
Batsükh sings to us about his nomadic culture through mountains and travels, notably by imitating the rhythms of horses and the flow of water. A rare and complete artist: A luthier, he masters his own sound; and as a composer he brings a major contribution to his musical tradition.
For more information, and to book tickets for all of these events, visit the link.
https://gcat.scot/arts/
Face
to Face with Raeburn, with Amanda Herries, 28th of September, Print Room, Wigtown Book Festival
Join the curator of this summer’s free exhibition at Kirkcudbright Galleries, “Eye To Eye: Sir Henry Raeburn’s Portraits”, Amanda Herries, for a fascinating behind-the-scenes talk about the challenges of mounting a major exhibition. She’ll delve deep into Raeburn’s life, exploring how his portraits became status symbols in an increasingly vibrant, confident and prosperous Scotland. She will also discuss writing the accompanying book to the exhibition, Henry Raeburn, The Mirror of Scotland.
For more information, and to book tickets, click the link below.
https://tickets.wigtownbookfestival.com/sales/mainprogramme/events/wbf-2024/events/face-to-facewith-raeburn-with
Dorothée Pullinger – Designer of the first car for Women, a play by Dave Dewar Friday the 11th of October, The Parish Church Hall, Kirkcudbright
Saturday the 12th of October, The Usual Place, Dumfries
Visit The Parish Church Hall in Kirkcudbright, and The Usual Place in Dumfries to watch a combination of live music and drama, about the life and work of Dorothée Pullinger. Dorothée dreamed of becoming an automobile engineer. In 1914, she applied to join the Institution of Automobile Engineers, but was told “the word person means a man”.
At aged 21, she became Lady Superintendent of Vickers Munitions factory in Barrow-in-Furness, in charge of 7000 women during World War 1. For this she was awarded the MBE. In 1920, aided by her father, she designed the ‘Galloway’ car in Kirkcudbright, built by women, for women. Driven out of the automobile industry by rampant sexism, she turned to owning a chain of laundrettes, saying “No man can say that washing is taking away work from men!” She was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame in 2012.
A professional cast will play Dorothée, her father, and a narrator/interviewer, with two musicians on cello, accordion and voice.
For more information, and to book tickets, visit: http://www.cultural-connections.co.uk/events.html
Elly Suh & Yuki Negishi, Absolute Classics
16th November, Cochran Hall, Kirkcudbright
17th November, Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries
Praised as “a sensitive and absorbing interpreter”, Korean American violinist Elly Suh stands out as a performer whose musical charm, interpretative originality, and unique creative vision breathe fresh life to concert stages around the world.
Yuki Negishi has established herself as a pianist of rare poetry, passion and virtuosity, equally at home as an adjudicator, educator and researcher, captivating audiences wherever she performs around the world.
Visit Cochran Hall in Kirkcudbright, and Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries, this November, to see them in concert, presented by Absolute Classics.
For more information, and to book tickets, visit: https://absoluteclassics.co.uk/series/
Workshops
Community Project Stone Carving 9th – 13th of October, Shambellie House, New Abbey
This is Part One of a Community Project to develop links between Shambellie House, its grounds and the local community. The course will be a five-day intensive course exploring and experiencing the techniques of stone carving, developing your artwork and stone carving skills. Tuition and guidance will be given on an individual basis with the enjoyment of working within a group in a relaxed informal atmosphere.
For more information, and to book, visit:
https://www.shambelliehouse.org/product/ community-project-stone-carving-at-shambelliehouse/?wbc_cal_start=1728432000&wbc_cal_ end=1728518400
Reuse, Recycle, Recreate: Draught Excluder/Doorstop, 12th of October, Creation Mill Langholm, Langholm
Get creative with fabric to create either a draught excluder or a weighted door stop. These are a great addition to your home or make a thoughtful gift!
The workshop is suitable for beginners; however, some basic sewing machine experience will be beneficial.
To book your place, visit the link below.
https://www.creationmill.org/2024-events/intro-tosewing-dkk6z-7l3rg
Colours of the Earth: Pigment, Paint and Pastel making workshop 13th of October, The Old Mill Palnackie
In this workshop participants will be exploring and learning the foundations of making pigment, paint and pastels. You will be using foraged goodies such as stones, earth, clay, iron and shells that can be found locally or elsewhere in the UK, as well as looking at bought sustainable earth pigments.
There shall then be a chance to take part in the processes of turning stones into a pigment and then into various paints such as water colour and egg tempera. There also will be opportunities to try out different types of stones, rocks and clays to see how each one is different in consistency and potential colour.
For more information, and to book your place, visit: https://theoldmillpalnackie.com/workshopsandtalks/ colours-of-the-earth
Opportunities
Soundwave JAM Session, Studio Moffat & The Holywood Trust, 28th of September, The Studio Theatre, Moffat
Soundwave JAM is a regular meet-up for young musicians (aged 15 to 25), happening at the Studio Theatre in Moffat. Soundwave is s a space for young and emerging musicians and bands to play music together - somewhere to learn and grow, find your sound, and have a platform for your amazing talent.
This session will also be joined by music producer Liam Russell of Stomping Ground Creative/Geez a Choon. Liam will be there to guide you to create songs, write lyrics, add instrumentation, work on samples and effects and give some tips and advice for working in the music industry.
For more information, visit the link below.
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/makechangecollective-cic/soundwave-jam-session/e-gbrlyg
MERZ Hunker Down Six-Month Residency
In view of Creative Scotland’s decision to withdraw grants for individual artists, Merz Gallery are presenting one free place for an artist from Scotland on the MERZ six-month ‘hunker down’ residency. The residency offers an over-wintering opportunity for two artist/writers to work individually or collaboratively in rural South West Scotland, from October 1st 2024 to March 31st 2025
The ‘hunker down’ residency at no 5 includes an opportunity to exhibit at MERZ gallery and/or the Museum of Model Art, with filming and interviews with Summerhall TV. Projects can also be undertaken with local primary schools. Trips to local artists, galleries and museums etc can be arranged.
For more information, email: hello@merz.gallery
Christmas Fair Stall Opportunity 23rd of November, The Old School Lockerbie
The Old School Lockerbie are looking for local artisans or small business owners to showcase their creations at their upcoming Christmas Fair in November. This is a fantastic opportunity to promote your creative practice, connect with the community, and network with local businesses.
To book a stall, get in touch with via email: coms@lockerbieoldschool.org or call 07385603772.
Tabi’s READING Recommendation
It’s festival time for bibliophiles!
I am delighted to have been invited again this year to chair some author events at the forthcoming Wigtown Book Festival. I’ve started reading and preparing and I thought it would be fun to share the three books with you, alongside an invitation to read along with me and then to join us at Wigtown. Have a look at the outstanding Wigtown Book Festival programme 2024. Hope to see you around Scotland’s Book Town very soon.
If you do fancy reading along, please try to buy your books from one of our region’s independent book shops. All the titles featured at the festival this year are available at the events and at the Wigtown Festival Company Book shop and online shop.
Remember, Remember, Elle Machray
The publisher says…
“Gunpowder, treason and a plot to destroy the British Empire…
1770. Delphine lives in the shadows of London: a secret, vibrant world of smugglers, courtesans and small rebellions. Four years ago, she escaped enslavement at great personal cost. Now, she must help her brother Vincent do the same.
While Britain’s highest court fails to administer justice for Vincent, little rebellions are no longer enough. What’s needed is a big, explosive plot – one that will strike at the heart of the transatlantic slave trade. But can one Black woman, one fuse and one match bring down an Empire?
An incendiary alternative history, Remember, Remember is a gripping story of conscience, conspiracy, queer identity and courage in the face of injustice.”
Tabi says…
From the first page this book reads like historical fiction. You will find yourself immersed in the stench, hierarchy, and social extremes of 18th Century London. Elle Machray drops the reader into the streets where merchants, gentleman’s clubs, taverns, and brothels are neighbours, and the bustle of the streets and stench in the alleys is never far away.
But hidden within the pages are references which embed the narrative with contemporary resonance. With a post pandemic 21st Century eye, the author brings to my mind the murder of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement, the dunking of Colston’s statue in Bristol harbour, and her story seeks to point out the inequalities and brutal inhumane slave trade, extreme poverty, and civil rights. These are hefty subjects, and while the story does not seek to present solutions to these prevailing issues of humanity, they are cleverly and wisely woven into the narrative. This story is full of political secrets, conspiracies, deception, underground tunnels which invoke fleeting thoughts of the ‘Underground Railway’, betrayals, plots, and daring perilous escapes. It could be a film. I’ll wager someone out there is considering it. With its contemporary sensibilities, and its diverse cast of characters – in terms of ethnicity and sexuality – this book is a ripe fruit on the tree of TV and films rights, but before all that – this is Elle’s debut novel and it deserves to be read and enjoyed.
The Cracked Mirror, Chris Brookmyre
The publisher says…
“FORGET WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT THAT CRIME NOVEL
You know Johnny Hawke. Hard-bitten LAPD homicide detective. Always in trouble with his captain, always losing partners, but always battling for the truth, whatever it takes.
You know Penny Coyne. The little old lady who has solved multiple murders in her otherwise sleepy village, despite bumbling local police. A razor-sharp mind in a Sunday best hat.
Against all the odds, against the usual story, their worlds are about to collide. It starts with a dead writer and a mysterious wedding invitation. It will end with a rabbit hole that goes so deep, Johnny and Penny might just come to question not just whodunnit, but whether they want to know the answer.
A cross-genre hybrid of Agatha Christie and Michael Connelly, The Cracked Mirror is the most imaginative and entertaining crime novel of the year, a genre-splicing rollercoaster with a poignantly emotional heart.”
Tabi says…
If you love Miss Marple, (I have never met anyone who dislikes Miss Marple), and you love a bit of LA gumshoe gritty crime drama, then this is the literary collision of two books in one that you will be surprised and delighted by. Forgive me, I may seem bias, Mr Chris/ Christopher Brookmyre is, and has been, my favourite Scottish Crime author since 2001 when I read the first in his Angelique De Xavier series, A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away, which you must read, if you haven’t already. Twenty-three years later, it’s still a laugh out loud utterly readable fast paced crime novel. It also set me on the path to acquire and read all of Chris Brookmyre’s books, which I have done. And so, to his Cracked Mirror. This is two novels, neatly spliced together with the deft hand of a seasoned card shark splitting and merging a pack of cards before a big money poker game. Penny Coyne – yes that is her name, is adorable and you will fall for her instantly. She is East Coast Scottish, wears her twin set with absolute pride and has a heart of sugar and a will of steel. Meanwhile, Johnny is a typical LA cop, think Rebus but with a gun, a hardened LA outlook on life, and an American accent. You can really hear the distinct accents of the two sleuths as you read!
It will not surprise you to learn that ‘there’s been a murder’. One dead guy, definitely, or maybe two dead guys? Or was that other one a suicide?... And then you’re in! I’m not telling you anything else. Other than to say, I predict it will be devoured in one weekend, which is how I roll with my Brookmyre novels. This one is no exception. I can’t wait to interview him at the festival!
The Life and Lies of Charles Dickens, Helena Kelly
The publisher says…
“A radical reassessment of the famed Victorian author, revealing the true story behind the creator of some of literature’s best-known novels.
This dynamic new study of Charles Dickens will make readers re-examine his life and work in a completely different light. First, partly due to the massive digitalisation of papers and letters in recent years, Helena Kelly has unearthed new material about Dickens that simply wasn’t available to his earlier biographers. Second, in an astonishing piece of archival detective work, she has traced and then joined the dots on revelatory new details about his mental and physical health that, as the reader will discover, had a strong bearing on both his writing and his life and eventual death.
Together these have allowed her to come up with a striking hypothesis that the version of his life that Dickens chose to share with his public—both during his lifetime and from beyond the grave in the authorised biography published shortly after his death—was an elaborate exercise in reputation management. Many of the supposed formative events in his life—such as the twelve-year-old Dickens going to work in a blacking factory—may not have been quite as honestly-related as we have been led to believe.
And, in many respects, who can blame him? Dickens’s celebrity was on a scale almost unimaginable to any author writing today, with the possible exception of J. K. Rowling, and, like many people who become suddenly famous, he soon realised what a mixed blessing it was.”
Tabi says…
I remember the first Charles Dickens I read. I did read it, all of it. Great Expectations was my 14-year-old literary grudge-match. My English teacher, the late, dear Mr Manson, who remains my favourite and the most influential of all my school teachers, suggested I read it for my English exam. Mr Manson and my Dad are the two men who set me on my path as a writer and communicator, and the only men who would ever successfully convince me to read a Dickens novel. And so, it was with these memories in my mind that I opened Helena Kelly’s revealing insights into the man we have all grown up hearing about and having to read at some point. As a university student I fell out of love with Dickens and what I perceived as his colonialist, Victorian moralistic, white saviour riddled books. I admit that was possibly harsh and I now feel comfortable to acknowledge his works for what they are while understanding, if not excusing, the Britain he lived in. This book takes time to read, I am still reading it. Packed with facts, hypothesis, and opinion, I noted in my research that it has been ‘marmite’ to Dickens enthusiasts and scholars. I am not a Dickens expert, but I know writing, and this is written well. I’ll finish it in time for my interview with the author. I look forward to asking her about her obvious passion for all things Dickens.
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Acknowledgements
DG Unlimited would like to thank all the contributors and everyone who has contributed to the making of this magazine. And, to extend our gratitude to Dumfries and Galloway’s creative community for helping to make our region such a vibrant, culturally active, and creative place.