Big-name authors to provide 'zesty kick-start' for inaugural St Andrew's Book Festival in London

The new Scottish book festival will be staged across London – and will feature renowned authors of the ilk of Sir Ian Rankin

A star-studded line-up has been announced for the inaugural St Andrew’s Book Festival – a week-long celebration of Scottish literature taking place in London this autumn.

For the opening event on 25 November, the poet and author Michael Pedersen has curated what he has described as a “zesty kick-start”, featuring two former Scottish Makars, Jackie Kay and Liz Lochhead, plus the artist, writer and KLF star Bill Drummond and the poet and musician Bee Asha.

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Best-selling authors Sir Alexander McCall Smith and Andrew O’Hagan also feature in the programme, as do crime writers Sir Ian Rankin, Ann Cleeves and Chris Brookmyre.

Author Ian Rankin Pic: John DevlinAuthor Ian Rankin Pic: John Devlin
Author Ian Rankin Pic: John Devlin

The television presenter and journalist Lorraine Kelly will be reading from her Orkney-set novel The Island Swimmer, and there will also be an appearance from tennis star Judy Murray, author of the memoir Knowing the Score and tennis novel The Wild Card.

Non-fiction writers in attendance will include Damian Barr, Gavin Esler, Alistair Moffat, James Naughtie and Chitra Ramaswamy, and there will also be opportunities to discover work by exciting debut authors, including Genevieve Jagger, Lynsey May, Andrés N Ordorica and Chris Carse Wilson.

Commenting on the new festival, Sir Alexander McCall Smith said: "Scottish writers have always kept an eye on London and London has always kept an eye on Scottish writers. This exciting festival keeps an eye on that tradition and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

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Organised by Scots in London, with The Scotsman as media partner, the St Andrew’s Book Festival will take place in venues around central London from November 25 until December 1, coinciding with St Andrew’s Day on November 30. Festival venues include Scotland House in Blackfriars, St Columba's Church in Knightsbridge and The Caledonian Club in the West End.

Liz Lochhead PIC: Michael GillenLiz Lochhead PIC: Michael Gillen
Liz Lochhead PIC: Michael Gillen

Michael Pedersen, currently writer-in-residence at the University of Edinburgh, said: “An unfurling of Scottish word slingers intae the belly of London, during the hallowed month of November, is a fantabulous and vital thing – especially given the fecund and gallus state of the Scottish book world at the moment. Especially given the sublime curatorial company I find myself in. I'm looking forward to every ounce and inch o’it – the reading, chairing and championing and aw the bolts of lustre beyond.”

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