bc books author availability 2016

Children’s Author Availability Brochure

2016

Jan RutherfordPublicity and Marketing Director

Birlinn Ltd 10 Newington Road

West Newington House Edinburgh EH9 1QS

Tel: 0131 337 9724

Mob: 077 1047 4308 E:mail: [email protected]

CO N TAC T

Anna MarshallEvents Manager

Birlinn Ltd 10 Newington Road

West Newington House Edinburgh EH9 1QS

Tel: 0131 337 9724

Mob: 078 3577 3083 E:mail: [email protected]

BC Books

www.birlinn.co.ukwww.birlinn.co.uk 2

www.birlinn.co.uk www.birlinn.co.uk 3

CONTENTS

KEY TITLES 2016Iain McIntosh

Alexander McCall SmithBenedict Blathwyat

Tim ArchboldDebi Gliori

Scoular AndersonAllan Burnett

James RobertsonKate Leiper

GEMS OF 2015Ron Butlin & Jim Hutcheson

Tom PowStephen White & Fin Cramb

Joan LennonJoe Friedman

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IAIN MCINTOSHIain McIntosh’s publishing work includes illustrations, book jacket designs, newspaper and online illustrated daily novels – the ‘44 Scotland Street’ and ‘Corduroy Mansions’ series - for best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith.

Iain uses both traditional and digital techniques. His work has appeared in award-winning packaging, advertising, design, direct marketing and digital publishing. Newspaper and editorial work includes illustrations for The Financial Times, The Telegraph, Times Educational Supplement, Good Housekeeping, Reader’s Digest, The Sunday Express Magazine and mastheads for several newspapers.

Iain lives in central Edinburgh, two minutes walk from 44 Scotland Street.

Illustrator based:Edinburgh

Willing to travel: UK and beyond.

Happy to do: Bookstore and external events, schools and libraries, festivals

large and smallLive Literature Funded: No

Meet the Illustrator


Author based: Edinburgh

Willing to travel: Anywhere in the world

Happy to do:In-discussion or solo events;

festivals large and small.2016 – limited availability

Live Literature Funded: Yes

www.alexandermccallsmith.com@McCall Smith

ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH

June 2016: The Sands of Shark Island (School Ship Tobermory Series Vol. 2)October 2015: School Ship Tobermory (School Ship Tobermory Series Vol. 1)

Also available: Precious and the Mystery of Meerkat Hill (pbk); Precious and the Mystery of the Missing Lion (pbk); Precious and the Monkeys (pbk)

An hour in the company of Alexander McCall Smith is an hour of sheer delight!

Who is Alexander McCall Smith?Alexander McCall Smith is one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors. His career has been a varied one: for many years he was a professor of Medical Law and worked in universities in the United Kingdom and abroad. Then, after the publication of his highly successful No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which has sold over 20 million copies, he devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over 45 languages and become bestsellers across the world.

About School Ship Tobermory (9-12 years): Follow the exploits of the children who go to a most unusual school – the sail-powered training ship Tobermory. When a film crew arrives in Tobermory Bay, Ben and Fee are invited to be extras. But their suspicions are soon aroused – is the film crew genuine, or are they up to something sinister? Ben and Fee soon discover the truth when they uncover a dastardly plan masterminded by a South American businessman.

About The Sands of Shark Island (9-12 years):After successfully thwarting a dastardly plan to steal rare marine animals from the sea around the Scottish island of Mull, Ben and Fee MacTavish feel they can relax and con-tinue learning all about nautical life on board School Ship Tobermory. But it’s not long before their everyday routine is interrupted by an extraordinary event. Ben, Fee, their fellow students and the crew of the Tobermory find themselvesembroiled in another adventure that leads them thousands of miles from Mull to a small island in the Caribbean, where they learn extraordinary details about Captain Macbeth’s past and come face to face with modern-day pirates.

Praise for Alexander McCall Smith:

‘Perfect escapist fiction’ – The Times


BENEDICT BLATHWYAT

June 2016: Ferry May 2016: Bear’s AdventureAlso available: Tig and Tag,The Little House by the Sea

Who is Benedict Blathwyat?Benedict Blathwayt started as a painter working from his own studio at the age of seventeen, and held a number of successful exhibitions. Since then he has worked in the Hebrides as a dairyman (which accounts for the Scottish scenery in Little House by the Sea) and in Wales as a wildlife artist for Nature Conservancy. Now living in Somerset, he is the well known writer and llustrator of over thirty children’s books, and author of the best-selling Little Red Train series and Dinosaur Chase and Dinosaur Disaster! Married to an artist, Ben Blathwayt lives in Somerset on the edge of Exmoor and has two sons.

About Ferry (0-5 years):

Find out what happens when Captain Kit welcomes his passengers aboard his ferry in this charming board book.Benedict Blathwayt’s award-winning illustrations are full of detail which are guaranteed to stimulate the interest of very young children (ages 0-5 years) and help develop their powers of observation. About Bear’s Adventure (5-7 years):Bear is one of the family. He goes everywhere with his young companions. Then one day, somehow, Bear is left behind at the seaside. As the sun goes down, the tide comes in, and Bear begins his great adventure. Find out how he gets home in this delightful story written and illustrated by one of Britain’s favouite children’s authors.

Praise for Benedict Blathwyat: ‘These books are so much more than your usual picture book’ - Mumsnet.com

‘I loved this book. Mummy renewed it a few times for me from the library. I knew all the story and would try to tell it to others’ - Malachi (2 years 2 months), Goodreads.com

Author based:Somerset

Willing to travel: UK and beyondHappy to do:

Bookstore and external events, schools and libraries, festivals large and small

Recent events:Edinburgh International Book Festival

Live Literature Funded: No


TIM ARCHBOLD

June 2016: Clarty Jim McCloud Tappety Tam Fairley

Who is Tim Archbold?Tim wrote and illustrated his first children’s book in 1988 and he hasn’t looked back since! Picture books, young fiction, non-fiction, illustrations for magazines, posters, graphic design for exhibition and display; Tim usually works in pen and brush with ink and his style is spontaneous, quirky and usually humorous. He particularly enjoys writing and illustrating funny stories for children.

Tim Archbold’s work will be instantly recognisable to millions of parents and children because of his work on the Read Write Inc and Oxford Reading series, used in schools throughout the UK.

About Clarty Jim McCloud (5-7 years):

Every day Clarty Jim McCloud’s granny makes him sandwiches. But not ordinary sandwiches; these sandwiches are so truly terrible that every day Clarty Jim feeds them to a hungry catfish on the way to school.One day Jim gets a job at Shove & Bargeworth Ironwork Company and no longer passes the river where his fishy friend lives, so the catfish gets hungry and searches for other things to eat. Find out what happens when he swims up river and arrives at the Shove & Bargeforth Great and Grand Garden Party. There are lots of tasty cakes to eat, but what attracts his attention is something altogether different . . . WillLady Margery Bargeforth’s baby really be eaten by a catfish? Will Clarty Jim save the day? About Tappety Tam Fairley (5-7 years):Tappety Tam Fairley is the odd-job man in High Hope village, where he keeps everything neat and tidy. So much so, in fact, that High Hope wins the Best Kept Village competition every year – much to the annoyance of the inhabitants of Low Hope Village, who have never wonanything at all.As the annual competition draws near again, the High Hope village committee meets to give Tam his list of odd jobs to spruce up the place and ensure that High Hope wins the award yet again. But who is the mysterious Mr Tallboy who also attends, and why does he want to change the items on Tam’s list? Should the street really be filled with elephants, and the pond filled with fresh custard?

Praise for Tim Archbold:‘Plenty to pour over and chuckle at’’ - Lovereading4kids.co.uk

‘Different to any other book we’ve read before’ - Amazon.co.uk review

Author based:Scottish Borders

Willing to travel: UK and beyondHappy to do:

Bookstore and external events, schools and libraries, festivals large and small

Recent events:Edinburgh International Book Festival



DEBI GLIORIJune 2016: A Hebridean Alphabet

Also available: The Tobermory Cat; Tobermory 1,2,3

Who is Debi Gliori?A master storyteller and brilliant entertainer, Debi Gliori was born in Glasgow and studied at Edinburgh College of Art. She is well known both for her picture books and her novels for children, and has been shortlisted for all the major prizes, including the Kate Greenaway Award (twice) and the Scottish Arts Council Award. Debi was the Shetland Islands’ first Children’s Writer-in-Residence, and the Edinburgh Book Festival Illustrator-in-Residence in 2015. She published her first book in 1990 and since then has published so many successful books that she has lost count. She has written and illustrated No Matter What, The Trouble with Dragons, Stormy Weather and, most recently, The Scariest Thing of All.

About A Hebridean Alphabet (5-7 years):This is a beautifully conceived picture flat in which Debi Gliori describes and illustrates all kinds of things you might see over the course of a single day in the Hebrides. Inspired by the landscape, seascape, weather, animals and birds, this is not simply an exquisite alphabet book, but also a wonderful celebration of some of the most magnificent scenery in Britain.

Praise for Debi Gliori

‘Full of detail , allusion and charm [it] can be returned to time and again.

– The Scotsman, Children’s Books of the Year 2012

Author based:East Lothian

Willing to travel: Anywhere in the UK

Happy to do: Bookstore and external events, schools and

libraries,festivals large and small

Recent events:Wigtown Book Festival, Waterstones

UK tour; Edinburgh International Book Festival, libraries, Lennoxlove Book

Festival, Aye Write, Borders Book Festival, Durham Literature Festival, Dundee

Literature Festival.Live Literature Funded: Yes


SCOULAR ANDERSONScoular Anderson is an author and illustrator. He has worked on over 100 books, including all Allan Burnett’s And All That series. As a child he spent most of his time writing stories and illustrating them. He later studied graphic design at Glasgow School of Art, and has been working as an illustrator ever since.Illustrator based:

Dunoon, ArgyllWilling to travel: UK and beyond.


large and smallLive Literature Funded: No



ALLAN BURNETT July 2016: The Celts And All That The Vikings And All That

Also available: The Story of Scotland: Inspired by the Great Tapestry of Scotland; World War I: Scottish Tales of Adventure; World War II: Scottish Tales of Adventure; and the All That series of history books for young readers: Robert Burns And All That, Macbeth And All That, Mary Queen of Scots And All That, Bonnie Prince Charlie And All That, St Columba And All That, William Wallace And All That and Rob Roy And All That.

Who is Allan Burnett?Allan Burnett is an author, journalist and historian with a passion for bringing the past to life through exciting talks and workshops that mix the serious with the very silly. As well as regular festival appearances, he works with schools and libraries across Scotland. He believes that history gives children a sense that they are part of something, that their own lives are the latest chapter in the greatest story ever told - and it’s a great tool for improving their reading, writing and speaking skills too.

About The Celts And All That (8-12 years):Celts and All That is a book bursting with blood-curdling battles and dead important details about the ancient Celts. Everything you need to know about human sacrifice and headhunting is all in here – plus a recipe for making your own Celtic bog butter. Packed with incredibleillustrations of everything from iron-age jewellery to timber fortresses, this is an essential guide to a brilliant bunch of ancient Europeans whoshaped our world. About The Vikings And All That (8-12 years):Vikings and All That is a skull-splitting saga about the wild, seafaring warriors who burst into history in the 8th century and looted, plundered, pillaged and burned their way from their native Scandinavia to the British Isles and much of Europe. Packed with fantastic, fun illustrations of everything from the Vikings’ warships to their favourite board games, this is the book that answers all the key questions youmigth have. If you want sensible answers, packed with historical facts and thoughtful revelations about the Vikings’ civilised side, then this is the book for you. But if you want boatloads of bearded, shield-biting maniacs bearing down on defenceless, sandal-wearing villagers, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!

Author based:Sweden/EdinburghWilling to travel:

Happy to consider anything in the UK and beyond. Visits the UK several times a year.


libraries, festivals large and smallRecent events:

Edinburgh International Book Festival, Borders Book Festival, National Library of Scotland


www.allanburnett.com


JAMES ROBERTSON August 2016: Book of the Howlet (English Edition) Buke of the Howlat (Scots Edition)

Also available: Robert the Bruce: King of Scots

Who is James Robertson?James Robertson is one of Scotland’s most significant writers, whose novels include Joseph Black (winner of the Saltire Scottish Book of the Year and the Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year 2003/2004), The Testament of Gideon Mack (longlisted for the Man Booker prize in 2006), And the Land Lay Still, and The Professor of Truth (2013). He is general editor of Black and White Publishing’s Itchy Coo imprint, which produces books in Scots for young readers.

About The Book of the Howlet/ Buke of the Howlat (7-9 years):Originally written in the 1440s by Richard Holland, a Scottish cleric who was chaplain to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray, The Buke of the Howlat is one of the great poetic gems of fifteenth-century Scots.Believing himself to be ugly, a young owl (howlat) decides to speak to the most handsome bird of all, the peacock, and ask his help so that Nature can change him. But the peacock isn’t sure this should be done – after all, Nature doesn’t usually make mistakes – and summons a council of birds to make a decision. A huge feast takes place, and Nature herself appears and orders all the birds present to give the owl one of their feathers. But the result is not what they expect. The howlat’s initial joy turns to unbearable arrogance at his new-found beauty, and drastic action must be taken . . . Praise for James Robertson’s Robert the Bruce:

‘A gloriously illustrated picture-book ...with expertly concise text by one of Scotland’s finest novelists’ – The Herald

‘This unique book will enthral readers of all ages’ – Scottish Field

Author based:Fife

Willing to travel: Anything in the UK and beyond.


libraries, festivals large and smallRecent events:

Edinburgh International Book FestivalLive Literature Funded: Yes


KATE LEIPERKate was brought up on the north-east coast of Scotland enjoying rock pools, building forest dens and getting stuck in trees. She went on to study at Gray’s School of Art where she specialised in printmaking. She is passionate about telling stories through her work. In Aesop’s fables, in Native American beliefs, and in the Aboriginal Dreaming, people have projected human qualities upon animals. For Kate, drawing animals gives an immediate connection to a preconceived image that an artist can develop into a character. She is fascinated by how people relate to images, developing stories of their own.

Kate works in a variety of media and exhibits regularly in group and solo shows. She has illustrated many books including The Book of the Howlet.

Illustrator based:Edinburgh

Willing to travel: UK and beyond.


large and smallLive Literature Funded: Yes


Gems of 2015


RON BUTLIN & JAMES HUTCHESON October 2015: Here Come the Trolls!

Who is Ron Butlin?With an international reputation as a prize-winning novelist, Ron Butlin is also one of Scotland’s leading poets and a former Edinburgh Makar/ Poet Laureate. At various times he has been a lyricist with a pop band, a footman, male model and barnacle scraper. He was made Edinburgh University’s first Honorary Writing Fellow, together with Ian Rankin. His work has won many prizes and been translated into over a dozen languages.

Ron is a highly experienced reader and teacher. He has given 100s of creative writing workshops for primary and secondary schools as well as readings in festivals worldwide – from a one-room school in Shetland to an Arab tent in the Middle East, from a standing-room-only event in Edinburgh’s Queens Hall to the House of Lords in London! With musicians, he is a regular performer on the Edinburgh Fringe.

Who is James Hutcheson?James Hutcheson is Creative Director at Birlinn. He has been designing books, book jackets and album covers for many years.

About Here Come the Trolls!:

Through gaps in the roof we didn’t repair,Through cracks in the walls we pretend aren’t there . . . . . . the trolls have come creeping while we were all sleeping.

Trolls on your chair, trolls in your bed –is anything worse than a troll on your head?

What happens when your house is invaded by trolls – mischievous creatures who do nothing but cause havoc and mayhem? Find out in this zany and charming book which tells you how to get rid of them for good and make your house a troll-free zone!

Praise for Ron Butlin:

‘Butlin is the best, the most productive Scottish poet of his generation’ - Douglas Dunn

‘One of our finest contemporary poets’ - Alexander McCall Smith

Author based:Edinburgh

Willing to travel: Anywhere in the UK & beyond

Happy to do: Readings, discussion events, creative writing

workshops in schools, libraries, bookshops and festivals.

Recent events:Edinburgh International Book Festival, multiple bookshop and schools events



Author based: Dumfries


Happy to do: Bookstore and external events,

schools, festivals large and small, bespoke events, libraries etc

Recent events:Wigtown Book Festival, Dundee Literature Festival, Boswell Book

Festival, National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh International Book ferstival

Borders Book FestivalLive Literature Funded: Yes

TOM POW May 2015: Sixteen String Jack and the Garden of Adventure (aimed at readers aged 6–12) Also available: A Wild Adventure (2014); Concerning the Atlas of Scotland (2014); When the Rains Come (2012); In Another World: Among Europe’s Dying Villages (2012); In the Becoming (2009)

Who is Tom Pow?Tom Pow was born in Edinburgh in 1950 and studied at the University of St Andrews. He taught in Edinburgh, London and Madrid before settling in Dumfries where he taught for many years at Dumfries Academy. He then took up the post of Head of Creative and Cultural Studies at the University of Glasgow Crichton Campus, Dumfries, where he is now Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing and Storytelling. Tom’s last two poetry collections were shortlisted for Scottish Books of the Year.

About Sixteen String Jack :One day, Daisy’s grandmother takes her to an overgrown garden. Many, many years before, other children had played in that garden – Sixteen String Jack and Dare Devil Dick were shipwrecked there; and often they fought pirates side by side till the sun went down. But it was only Sixteen String Jack whose fame would never die, for he grew up to become J.M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan.

In this poignant and beautifully illustrated story, award winning writer Tom Pow and Sendak Fellow Ian Andrew search out the magic that, in time, would produce the most famous character in children’s literature.

About Concerning the Atlas of Scotland:Tom Pow spent six months as writer in residence at the National Library of Scotland Map Library in Edinburgh. He was so inspired by the collection that they hold and by the stories that they tell that he wrote a collection of poetry based on that experience. Published by Polygon but with input from the National Library and illustrated with details from the collection, this beautiful and quite haunting collection will be welcomed by map lovers as well as poetry lovers.

Praise for Tom Pow:

‘A subtle, lyrical poet’ – The scoTsman Praise for In Another World : ‘Through essays, photos, stories and poems, Pow eloquently charts the decline of Europe’s rural life’ – Financial Times ‘[A] limber, engaging and enervated quest’ – The scoTsman


STEPHEN WHITE & FIN CRAMBJune 2015: J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan: The Graphic Novel

Who is Stephen White?Stephen White (Stref ) is an illustrator based in Edinburgh. He previously worked on The Beano and The Dandy, drawing some of Scotland’s favourite comic characters – Dennis the Menace, the Bash Street Kids, Minnie the Minx, Winker Watson and Desperate Dan. He now works freelance, and has published a number of graphic novels.

He’s appeared in a BAFTA nominated film, and runs Reekie Roundup, an Edinburgh community of writers, illustrators, film makers, actors, directors, producers, graphic novelists and comic makers.

About J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan: The Graphic Novel:Peter Pan is a familiar tale to many who have been enchanted by the adventures of the boy who wouldn’t grow up. In this graphic novel Stephen White & Fin Cramb go back to the very heart of Barrie’s original tale to create a story that is dark, magical, charming and authentic. The complexity of Barrie’s original is drawn out in vibrant illustrations and engaging text to create a new vision of the tale for those familiar with it and to enchant a new generation of readers.

The stunning illustrations draw on original, authentic features from the locations that inspired Barrie to write his tale including Moat Brae House in Dumfries and the garden where he played as a boy. In choosing the format of a graphic novel for this retelling, the artists have created a new and exciting version of Peter Pan that is like nothing that has been done before.With text adapted by Stephen White from Barrie’s original, it is published with the full backing of Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, which control the rights of Barrie’s novel and play.

Praise for J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan: The Graphic Novel:

‘This is a fabulous adaptation, the exquisite artwork only serving to add to Barrie’s timeless classic. I sincerely hope it gets the praise and plaudits it deserves’ – Books WiTh Bunny

‘Exquisite… impossible to put down’ – scoTTish Field

Authors based:Edinburgh



festivals large and smallRecent events:

School events, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Great

Ormond Street Hospital, Lakes International Comic Arts Festival

Live Literature Funded: No


Author based: Fife

Willing to travel: Anywhere in the UK and beyond


festivals large and small, schools and libraries

Recent events:Edinburgh International Book Festival,

Learning Across the Arts Festival, numerous school and library events


JOAN LENNON June 2015: Silver Skin Who is Joan Lennon?Joan Lennon was born in Canada but has lived in Scotland since 1978. She has written a large number of children’s books, including a number of successful series – The Wickit Chronicles, Tales from the Keep and the Slightly Jones series. Her books have been translated into numerous languages.

About Silver Skin :Skara Brae, Orkney, during the Neolithic period. The sun is dying, crops are failing and the local inhabitants fear that the end of the world is near. When a strange boy appears from nowhere, dressed in an odd silver suit – his ‘silver skin’ – the community is thrown into confusion. Who is he, where is he from, and why has he come? Is he a selkie or seal person, a mythical being believed to have magical powers? For Cait, herself an outsider in the community, the boy, Rab, arouses a strange fascination as she finds herself strangely drawn towards him. For Voy, the Old Woman, Rab represents the only hope for the sun’s regeneration, but only if his silver skin is burnt in a huge sacrificial blaze. As the pyre is built, Rab must fight for his life if he is ever to be able to return to his own time. And if he succeeds, what will be the fate of the islanders he will leave behind?

Praise for Joan Lennon:

‘Joan Lennon spins a damn good yarn.’ – elecTric eclecTic

Praise for Silver Skin:

‘Refreshingly original’ […] ‘Fascinating, absorbing and exciting to read’ […] ‘This story mixes sci-fi and historical fiction to spectacular effect’ […] ‘It’s original. It’s interesting. It’s imaginative. It’s beautifully written.’ – The BookBag

‘This isn’t just a GOOD book – it’s a VERY GOOD book. I’m quite certain of this, because I’ve read it twice.’ […] ‘This really is a book which satisfies on a great many levels.’ – sue Purkiss


JOE FRIEDMAN June 2015: The Secret Dog Who is Joe Friedman?Joe Friedman was born in Chicago but has lived in London for many years, where he divides his time between writing and practising psychotherapy. He is author of the children’s series Boobela’s World, and is actively involved in running creative workshops for children in the 7–11 age range.

About The Secret Dog:After the death of his mother, eleven-year-old Josh goes to live with his uncle, Calum, who has a farm on a remote island. Uprooted and lonely, Josh finds solace in his love of animals. So one day, when he finds a tiny Border collie pup left to drown in the river, he decides to rescue it and keep it as his own. But money is scarce and a dog that can’t earn her keep would not be welcomed by Calum, and Josh must raise his new friend, Reggae, in secret.

As the pup grows and demands more attention, Josh’s schoolwork suffers, despite the help of the local vet’s daughter, Yvonne. Josh must also decide what to do with Reggae – he cannot keep her hidden forever – and decides that he will train her for the local sheepdog trials. But the training is tough and time-consuming. Can Josh and Reggae bring it off in time? All is going well until someone discovers Josh’s secret and will stop at nothing to ruin their chances . . .

Praise for The Secret Dog:

‘‘How I wish I was an 8 year old child discovering The Secret Dog for the first time, this is a delightful book for younger children’ […] ‘Thought-provoking and stimulating’ […] ‘*****’ – neWBooks magazine summer reading sPecial

‘The characters are beautifully written... Told with great empathy, this is a moving and sensitive story.’ – ParenTs in Touch

Author based:London

Willing to travel: Anywhere in the UK and beyond

Happy to do: Bespoke events, bookstore and external events, festivals large and small, schools

Recent events:Jewish Book Week, Edinburgh

International Book FestivalLive Literature Funded: No

bc books author availability 2016

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