Scots Whay Hae!

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Colin Burnett to talk about his new novel Family Man, which is also The Third Book of Aldo, and it’s published with Tippermuir Books.

Colin talks about all things Aldo, including the first two books A Working Class State of Mind and Who’s Aldo?, before telling us where the man finds himself at the beginning of this book, and gives an overview of the plot, carefully avoiding spoilers.

The two then discuss Aldo’s ‘family life’ and why he has more to lose then ever, his journey to this point, if having established characters is freeing, how Colin’s writing has changed across the series, the importance of a strong sense of place, and why he always returns to Leith.

They also talk about writing in Scots, influences, being published, and Colin has some advice for others looking to do likewise. As Colin suggests, Family Man is his most thrilling and fast-paced novel to date, a real page turner, but taken together these ‘books of Aldo’ have introduced a new and vital voice to Scottish writing, and it was a real pleasure to be able to talk in detail to Colin about them.

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 Martin MacIntyre to talk about his novel A Summer Like No Other which is published by Luath Press.

Martin begins with a reading before he gives an overview to the novel, which is a translation from the original Gaelic version, Samhradh ‘78.

The two then discuss the central characters, the key role the Gaelic language plays in terms of character and plot, (even in this translated adaptation), the use of footnotes, the importance of telling and sharing stories from all parts of Scotland, the tales of ‘Ossian’ and ‘Finn McCool’, island living, the move from adolescence into adulthood, and so much more. They also reminisce about the 1978 World Cup, which is the backdrop to the titular summer.

Martin then talks about his other work, including poetry, and the podcast concludes with him reading one of his poems in both Gaelic and English. We have been wanting to get Martin on the podcast for a while, so it was a great pleasure to finally get to talk to him about his life and work.

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

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with previous guest, writer Andrew Meehan to talk about his new novel Hey Man, which is published with Muswell Press.

Andrew gives the first of two readings before he gives an overview of the book, why he is drawn to the theme of friendship in all its forms, gives a brief outline of his central characters Ian and Tommy, and explains the novel’s three-part structure.

The two then talk about the ways friendships can change over the years, the nature of the ones which can come to change and define us, ageing and the perspective it (hopefully) brings, contemplating and better understanding the person we used to be, and the lives of fictional characters beyond the page.

This episode was recorded at the beginning of the recent run of good weather, when grass is there to be cut, and you may hear some evidence of this in the background but hopefully it won’t affect your enjoyment of what is an honest and insightful conversation about the fellowship of friendship and those bonds which bind.

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

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Zoe Alba Farrugia, who is the Head of Programme for this year’s Solas Festival, which is at Errol Park, 19th–21st June.

Zoe gives some background and history to the festival, stressing that it is so much more than a music festival. She then talks about the different strands, which include Wellbeing & Spirituality, Literature, Poetry & Spoken Word, Children & Families, and much more.

The two then discuss the music lineup, and offer just a few highlights which they are looking forward to, before Zoe talks about the joys of working at Solas and how you can get involved.

Solas Festival is one of the most warm and welcoming festivals of the year, in a stunningly beautiful setting, and genuinely with something for everyone (they will even be showing the Scotland v Morocco World Cup game on the Friday night) and this chat with Zoe gives you a great overview of what to expect, and the best way to experience everything the festival has to offer.

For all the details, including all the ways to listen (and to get festival tickets) head to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Professor Murray Pittock to talk about his latest book The Shortest History of Scotland, which is published with Old Street Publishing Ltd.

“From Columba to The Corries, the Picts to Paisley, Doggerland to Devolution – here is the unmissable story of Scotland.”

Murray tells us how he came to write this book, the challenges in deciding what to include and why (and fitting it into just over 200 pages), and how such restrictions shaped the structure and style. He also explains why he selected quotations from Václav Havel and Edwin Muir for the epigraph, where and why he chose to begin this story, and the challenges in dividing the eras and periods.

The two then discuss the relationships with England and the rest of Europe, the Declaration of Arbroath, the importance of the formation of the royal burghs and how they held the key to trade, the economy, and education. They also touch upon the Enlightenment, early Scottish literature, John Knox, the Darien scheme, and so much more.

There is also conversation about the present day and what the future may hold, and the complex yet important issue of selling Scotland around the world. It was such a pleasure to be able to talk to Murray, and the result is a fascinating dialogue about the nation’s history and more.

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

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with writer Chris Brookmyre to talk about Quite Ugly One Evening, the latest Jack Parlabane mystery which is published 30 years after his celebrated debut Quite Ugly One Morning, a novel which introduced us to both the writer and his notable creation.

Chris talks about his fondness for Parlabane, why he keeps returning to him, and how Jack has changed over the years. He also considers how he himself has changed as a writer, and that working as a part of Ambrose Parry with his wife Marisa Haetzman has been a big part of that progression.

The two then talk about the new novel, the cruise liner setting, the unusual ‘research’ behind it, the concept of the locked room mystery, writing as a form of personal investigation, contemplating the past through his characters, and the inspirations behind the invented children’s TV show The Imaginators which is central to the plot.

They also discuss the humour in his work, with Chris talking about his comedy heroes, the comparisons between crime writers and comedians, the art of storytelling, and trying to make sense of the world through the process of writing. He also makes it clear he won’t be writing a follow up to the acclaimed The Cracked Mirror any time soon!

It’s always a pleasure to talk to Chris about his work, and to be able to do so in detail about Jack Parlabane (a character who changed the nature of Scottish crime fiction) was a real privilege. Whether you are a Chris Brookmyre fan or not (or should that be, “not yet)” this is a warm and engaging conversation with one of Scotland’s finest writers.

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

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to musician and composer Kenny Inglis. Kenny was a recent artist of the week on the Scots Whay Hae! Show (which is on CamGlen Radio every Sunday between 7-9pm, and available to catch up with after that) but we thought he had so much more to say, and that this was the place to say it.

Kenny spoke about his unusual road into making music, working in record shops, setting up his own studio, playing in bands, life on the road, and how he ended up working on soundtracks for film and TV, before explaining the difference between making music for other people compared to for himself.

He then goes on to talk about his current projects, solo as Imperfect Stranger (whose Dancing Bear EP is out now) and as a member of indie-electronic duo Cinephile, who release their first music in many years later this month (band pic below).

The two then discuss the changes in making and releasing music which have occurred over the years Kenny has been involved, format changes and how that affects the process, and the importance of culture both to individuals and wider society, before Kenny offers advice to those looking to make their own musical mark. It’s an enthralling listen, one which will have an appeal way beyond fans of Kenny’s music. We hope you find it as interesting as we suspect you will.

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

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Ali spoke once again to Ann Campbell who is the Festival Director of the Dunoon Film Festival which this year runs between 8th - 10th May, and has the themes of ‘Film, Food & Fun’.

Ann talks about those themes and how the programme relates to them before the two go through just some of the highlights of this year’s festival, which include The Orkney Dive which celebrates the sustainability and value of scallop diving and low-impact seafood in Scotland, the 1915 adaptation of Alice In Wonderland which will have a live music score from Paul Harrison and band, the ‘Made In Argyll strand’, a variety of short films, and so much more. And Ali gets excited about the Saturday night showing of The Breakfast Club and the promise of an ‘80s indie disco!

Ann also explains how the programme is put together, the children’s programme, the venues, their relationships with schools and other institutions, the importance of local talent, and the partners who play a vital role in bringing the festival together. It’s a warm and informative conversation which we hope will inspire you to take a trip doon the watter to attend what is one of the most varied and welcoming film festivals around.

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

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Frances Crawford to talk all about her debut novel A Bad, Bad Place, which is published on the Bantam imprint of Penguin Books.

Frances gives a brief description of the book (avoiding spoilers), before talking about why this was the story for her first novel, and the long and winding road to publication.

The two then discuss the two central characters of 12-year-old schoolgirl Janey and her Nana Maggie and how the nature of their relationship drives events, how they have changed and developed through time, the challenge of populating the novel with secondary characters, the importance of place (in this case, Glasgow’s Possilpark in 1979), why representation is vital, and the terrible event which kick starts everything.

The conversation also turns to the enduring appeal of Punk, creative writing courses, the value of constructive criticism and feedback, favourite authors, and the unexpected elements of getting published.

Already considered one of the most exciting debuts of recent times, it was such a pleasure to be able to talk to Frances about A Bad, Bad Place, her journey to get to this point, and what’s coming next. It’s an inspirational conversation which will have an appeal way beyond those interested in crime fiction.

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

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke once again to Jess Orr, the Associate Programmer for the Paisley Book Festival, to learn all about this year's programme - and what a programme it is!

Jess explains this year's theme 'Everyday Heroes, Everlasting Icons' as well as breaking down the various strands of the festival which include Reclaiming History's Heroines and What Nature Does For Us before the two go into details about just some of the individual events across the three days with Ali offering up some of his personal highlights. They also touch on the Schools Programme, the Workshops, and the Family Day.

It's a thorough and enthusiastic conversation which really whets the appetite for what's to come. The Paisley Book Festival has quickly become a highlight of Scotland's cultural calendar, with events being held in the beautiful venues of Paisley Town Hall and Paisley Central Library. I hope to bump into you there...

All the details, including all the ways to listen, are over at scotswhayhae.com