Scots Whay Hae!

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! Show Ali spoke to writer Alan Parks to hear all about his latest novel Deception, which is the second Joseph Gunner thriller, and which is published with Baskerville.

First the two look back to the first time they spoke for the podcast in April 2021 and consider how the world has changed since then, before Alan gives a brief description of Jospeh Gunner, how he became involved with the British Secret Service, and how he came to be in ‘40s New York which is where we meet him in Deception.

The conversation turns to the joys of research, portraying real people in fiction, the importance of place, the appeal of New York, and the attitudes of pre-war America.

Alan also talks about where Gunner goes next, before bringing us up to date with his other series of novels which feature troubled policeman Harry McCoy, which includes six novels and a seventh on the way. He also talks about his life as a writer, promoting his work at home and abroad, why he would never set a book against the backdrop of the music industry (where he used to work) and what he is reading right now.

It’s always a pleasure talking to Alan about his work, and if you aren’t yet acquainted with either Joseph Gunner or Harry McCoy then we hope this conversation will convince you to check them both out.

For full details, and all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer and journalist Scott Rowley to talk about Stay Alive: The Life & Death of Stuart Adamson, his authorised biography of the late, great, Skids and Big Country musician.

Scott explains how he came to be the one to write this book, the ‘authorised’ aspect and what that lends to it, his own background in music journalism, and his initial writings about Adamson many years before.

The two then talk about the music and legacy of the Skids, all things Big Country, what they thought about both bands at the time, and how that has changed (if it has) over the years.

They go on to discuss the Stuart Adamson who emerges from the book, the key relationships of his life including family, friends, bandmates, and musical contemporaries, and his various struggles with fame, mental health, and addiction.

Scott then talks about how he thought the book might be received, the reality of how it has been, and how writing it has given him a taste to do more.

This was such an interesting interview about a Scottish musical legend whose life ended far too soon, and what emerges from the chat, as it does from Scott’s book, is the picture of a complex and troubled man who was respected, admired, and ultimately loved by those who knew him best.

If you are a fan of Stuart Adamson and the music he made (and the bands he was central to) then this is an essential listen, but you don’t have to be to get something from it as Adamson’s is a recognisably human story with everything that entails.

For further details, including all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest podcast Ali caught up with returning guest Olga Wojtas to talk about the latest in her Miss Blaine’s Prefect series of novels, Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Parcel of Rogues.

Olga explains the unusual premise of the series, and exactly who Miss Blaine’s Prefect, aka Shona McMonagle, is, and how she came to find herself (spoiler alert - not really) travelling time.

The two then discuss why Olga set this latest book in Enlightenment Edinburgh, writing about, and subverting, real historical characters including Robert Burns and Walter Scott, as well as other Enlightenment figures such as Adam Smith, Joseph Black, Henry Mackenzie, and Adam Ferguson, and why she wanted to investigate this time and place in particular.

They also talk about the changing face of Edinburgh as a city over the centuries, before Olga details the research behind the novel and what she learnt about her home city.

It’s always a pleasure to have a chat with Olga who is great company, and we hope this comes across in this episode. If you aren’t yet a fan of Miss Blaine’s Prefect then we hope this will convince you to get acquainted. And if you are already a regular reader then this will remind you why, and, as an enticement to listen to the end, we also get to learn a little more about Miss Blaine herself!

For full details, and all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is the fourth and final of our Edinburgh Fringe Festival Previews, where Ali talks to a few of the artists who will be appearing at the festival this year.

First of all, writer and performer Andy Dickinson spoke about his Fringe show The Tale of the Original Jekyll and Hyde (Told by a Mad Hatter from Stockport), to give it the full title. “Deacon Brodie isn’t that well known outside of Edinburgh. Yet he inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Jekyll and Hyde. By day, in the 18th century, he was a respectable cabinetmaker. By night, a masked burglar in Edinburgh’s Old Town”.

Then actor and writer Brian Dykstra tells us all about A Play On Words, which The New York Times described as ‘Who’s On First? meets Waiting for Godot’. “Rusty and Max have been friends for most of their lives and they’ve been arguing almost the entire time. Today, they’re scheming up something big.”

Finally, New York attorney Andrea Coleman details her Fringe show 3 Times I Killed. “Blending courtroom drama and humour, this show celebrates the joy and absurdity of being alive. At its heart, the play asks what happens when you push your fear to the side and let yourself be a “killer”.

These podcasts are always a joy to record and get just a taste of what’s happening in Edinburgh this August, and we hope they get you in the mood for this year’s Fringe.

Thanks to James Coutts from Opening Lines Media for arranging these interviews.

Full details, and all the ways to listen, are over at scotswhayhae.com

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is the third of our Edinburgh Fringe Festival Previews, where Ali talks to a few of the artists who will be appearing at the festival this year.

First of all, he spoke to writer and director Dante Passarelli about The Last Drop which is part of the São Paulo Showcase and which was nominated for Brazil’s 2024 Shell Award for Best Playwriting. In the play, “A couple awaits a real estate agent to visit their historic but decayed apartment. A mould stain appears on the ceiling, revealing an unstoppable leak. A man is then called in to fix the ceiling but abruptly disappears.”

Then performers, and directors, of One Fell Swoop Circus Jonathan Morgan and Charice Rust talk about their Fringe show By a Thread which “weaves virtuosic acrobatics through moments of confusion, hilarity, romance, playfulness, fear and friendship, uncovering the threads of connection present in all relationships.”

Finally, from the Ballet National Folklorique du Luxembourg, Simone Mousset and the great man himself, M. Chevalier, discuss The Great Chevalier which they bring to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. “Hailed as the Bad Boy of Folklore and renowned for his expertise, bold artistic vision, and magnetic stage presence, Mr Chevalier pays tribute to Summerhall as part of the 50th anniversary of the company’s iconic Pigeon Dance.”

Thanks to Ambrose, Agnes and Calum from Storytelling PR for arranging these interviews.

For full details, and all the ways to listen, head over the scotswhayhae.com

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is the second of our Edinburgh Fringe Festival Previews, where Ali talks to a few of the artists who will be appearing at the festival this year.

First of all, I spoke to writer and performer Kara Wilson about her one-woman show Helen Bradley: Painter and Storyteller. “This is the sixth painter play that Kara Wilson has written, where she portrays the artist at work and completes an oil painting in her style during the show. Privileged to work with Helen Bradley’s family, Kara has amassed a treasure trove of verbatim stories and first-hand knowledge.”

Then siblings Maitreyah and Kayah talk about their show Glass Child. “Expressed through dance, theatre and storytelling Glass Childhighlights their connection and how their lives have been affected by other people’s perceptions.”

Finally, award-winning writer Jacob Sparrow tells us about his debut play Sanctuary. “This beautiful, evocative play is about the AIDS epidemic in the 90s and is set in Suffolk. It is about loneliness and the legacy of shame, but also the contours of hope and the right to live.”

These podcasts are always a joy to record and get just a taste of what’s happening in Edinburgh this August, and we hope they get you in the mood for this year’s Fringe.

Thanks to Georgina from Chloé Nelkin Consulting for arranging these interviews.

For full details, and all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is the first of our Edinburgh Fringe Festival Previews, where Ali talks to a few of the artists who will be appearing at the festival this year.

First of all, Ed Gamester talks about Mythos Ragnarök, where you can “join Loki, Thor and the Norse Gods in this five-star groundbreaking blend of mythological storytelling and high-octane wrestling.”

Then Sadiq Ali takes us through his latest show, Tell Me, where “two timelines collide in this bold fusion of dance and circus, offering a fresh perspective on HIV. When Grace receives a diagnosis, she is transported back to the 80s alongside Michael, a gay man navigating a very different reality.”

Finally, Dan Bishop discusses Target Audience where “A TV production company gets word from Whitehall that they must adapt their programming to align with the government’s new policy to rapidly prepare the country for war.”

These podcasts are always a joy to record and get just a taste of what’s happening in Edinburgh this August, and we hope they get you in the mood for this year’s Fringe.

Thanks to Georgina from Chloé Nelkin Consulting for arranging these interviews.

For full details, and all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com

For the first of our Bloody Scotland podcasts - Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival - Ali spoke to the five shortlisted authors for this year’s Scottish Crime Debut of the Year. They include May Rinaldi - Liar Thief, Zoë Rankin - The Vanishing Place, Linda Duncan McLaughlin - Original Sins, Frances Crawford - A Bad, Bad Place, and Kirsty Lockwood - We Know What You Did.

They each give a brief summary of their shortlisted novels before the chat turns to the inspirations behind each book, different ways to approach writing a debut, the welcoming world of the crime fiction community, what it means to be shortlisted, the importance of festivals such as Bloody Scotland, and why being part of the first all-female shortlist for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize is so significant and exciting.

There is also a fascinating chat about the ups and downs on their roads to getting published and many more tips on, and tales about, becoming a published writer.

It’s a podcast which will be of interest to readers, writers, and book lovers of all kinds, but especially if crime is your thing.

Bloody Scotland is on between 18th - 20th September. Tickets are on sale now.

For full details, and all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to returning guest, music journalist and writer Graeme Thomson to talk about his new book In Another World: The Four Seasons Of Talk Talk which is out now, published with New Modern.

Graeme explains why he wanted to write about Talk Talk, the structure of the book, why he focuses on four featured albums, and what they mean to him, and the challenges in writing a book about a band who refuse to, or simply can’t, talk about it.

The two then discuss the band’s early years, the personal nature of the book and how that weaves the story together, why the music which comes to mean the most to us is often about timing, before they go through those albums one by one.

The conversation then turns to the enigma who was singer/songwriter Mark Hollis and the toll his working process was to take on all those involved, the myriad of influences, the importance of what was left out, Talk Talk’s legacy, and who could possibly compare.

Graeme Thomson is one of the finest music critics and writers around, and In Another World: The Four Seasons Of Talk Talk is not just the latest example, but one of his best. It works both as an introduction to, and, for those already familiar, a reimagining of, this mercurial band and their greatest works. It’s a special book that makes you listen anew, but Graeme Thomson has managed to do just that and it was such a pleasure to be able to talk about Talk Talk in such detail and depth.

For full details, including all the ways to listen, head to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast we spoke to John Crosbie, the son of one of Ali’s favourite writers, Agnes Owens whose centenary is being marked in a number of ways, including a handsome set of new editions of her work. Four are available now (see below) with another three coming later in the year - all published on the Polygon Books imprint of Birlinn.

John starts by talking about Agnes and who she was as a writer, how she came to first be published (appropriately, with Polygon for the debut Gentlemen of the West), being part of the short story collection Lean Tales alongside James Kelman and Alasdair Gray, being part of a notable Glasgow Group of writers, the importance of writing groups, her influences, and ponders why Agnes is not, to date, as well known as she should be.

The two then discuss the new editions, (which include Gentlemen of the West, Like Birds in the Wilderness, A Working Mother and For the Love of Willie), the introductions from writers Dani Garavelli, Kirsty Logan, Kirstin Innes, and Heather Parry, critical acclaim versus commercial success, the legacy which Agnes leaves behind, the Agnes Owens Archive and the important part it has played in celebrating that legacy and promoting the woman and her work, and the possibility of what would be an eagerly-awaited biography.

Agnes Owens is one of Scotland’s finest writers, and it was a true privilege to be able to talk in detail about her work, and life, with someone who knew her better than most. If you are aware of Agnes Owens then you’ll already be excited about the new editions, and I think you’ll enjoy this interview. But we also hope that this podcast will reach those for who Agnes’ writing has passed them by as now is the perfect time and opportunity to rectify this. There is no way you’ll regret it, and you may just discover your new favourite writer...

For full details, including all the ways to listen, head to scotswhayhae.com