Scots Whay Hae!

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 Fringe this year.First of all writer/director Aoife Parr and composer and sound designer Tom Baines talked about their show Anatomy of Pain which is "An unflinching look at the NHS through the eyes of a young person’s struggle with a lifelong medical condition". That condition is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Aoife talks about the personal story which inspired this show before Tom and Aoife talk all about how they work together.Actor and writer Ruaraidh Murray then tells us about Colours Run, which "is a gritty dark comedy two-hander about a troubled Hibs casual Pongo and his brother Pete", written by Mikey Burnett. It's theatre company 4PLAY’s first Edinburgh Fringe Festival production and Ruaraidh details not only the play, but the work of 4PLAY as well.Connor McKenna is the writer/performer behind one-man show Seltzer Boy and he details the inspiration behind it, and the themes he wanted to explore. He also discusses some of the differences he has found between eating and drinking in his native America and his now home of Scotland.These podcasts are always a joy to record and get just a taste of what's happening in Edinburgh this August, and we hope these discussions about three very different shows get you in the mood for this year's Fringe.Full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Ali spoke to music journalist, critic (and tour guide) Fiona Shepherd to talk about Glasgow's Greatest Hits: Tales From The City Of Music which is published by Polygon Books. Fiona co-authored the book with Alison Stroak and Jonathan Trew with whom she also founded Glasgow Music City Tours.Fiona talks about Glasgow's reputation and status as a City of Music (a title granted by UNESCO, no less) before the two talk about the structure of the book and breakdown the chapters, having a discussion on each one, with Fiona picking a few of her favourite stories and anecdotes along the way.Talk turns to subjects such as musical founding fathers and mothers, venues past and present, artists with a global reach, the independent scene, cult heroes, infamous gigs, club culture, and so much more, including what the future holds.There is so much to talk about in relation to Glasgow's Greatest Hits and in this podcast we only really manage to scratch the surface, but it works as the perfect introduction to the subject and the book itself, and we're sure you'll have plenty of your own stories and memories which are stirred by this conversation.For full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at 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 David Goodman - A Reluctant Spy, Natalie Jayne Clark - The Malt Whisky Murders, Foday Mannah - The Search for Othella Savage, Claire Wilson - Five By Five, and Richard Strachan - The Unrecovered.They each give a brief summary of their shortlisted novels before the chat turns to what inspired these stories, approaching a debut, the importance of agents, the welcoming world of the crime fiction community, what being shortlisted brings, and the importance of festivals such as Bloody Scotland.There is also a fascinating chat about the ups and downs on the road to getting published, learning from rejections, 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 12th - 14th September. Tickets are on sale now.Full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with writer and academic Liam McIlvanney to talk about his superb new novel The Good Father, which is published with Zaffre (and which is rightly longlisted for this year's Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize).It's a novel which is difficult to discuss without offering spoilers, but they just about manage it. After giving a brief description, Liam explained why this was right time for him to tell this story, and that while it felt easier than previous novels in terms of speed of writing, the subject matter was as challenging as anything he has undertaken to date.Liam then explained the epigraph from Robin Robertson, why he prefers to read poetry when writing fiction, the challenges in creating his characters (particularly the central figure of Gordon Rutherford), and why this is his most personal novel yet.The two then talk through the themes and ideas, the pacing and structure, and the very nature of writing about crime, before an in depth discussion about the importance of the Scottish Ballad tradition to Scottish literature, from Hogg and Stevenson, through to Muriel Spark and beyond. And there's so much more!The Good Father is arguably Liam's best novel to date and it was such a pleasure to be able to talk to the writer in person about it, and we consider this episode a must listen, not only for fans of Liam McIlvanney's writing, or even crime fiction, but anyone with an interest in the world of books.Full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at https://www.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. The three shows discussed this time around are all part of the Made In Scotland Showcase, which has come to be a reliable mark of quality. First of all, Christine Thynne and Robbie Synge talk about These Mechanisms, "[...] a show treading the lines between dance, physical theatre, object manipulation and contemporary circus."Then Scottish dancer, choreographer, and multi-disciplinary artist Mark Bleakley discusses Stepping in… Spilling out which "[...] roots itself in Bleakley’s personal history of dance practice in Bboying (Breakdancing) and House to traverse the interlinking people, spaces, and memories that make up stepping as a culturally, historically, and emotionally layered motion."Finally, Indra Wilson talks about FLOAT, "a new autobiographical solo show about the lonely turbulence of experiencing pregnancy loss as a young queer person."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.For full details, including all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest podcast Ali spoke to writer Andrew Meehan to hear all about his latest novel Best Friends, which is published by Muswell Press.Andrew gave a brief synopsis before talking about where the initial idea came from, creating relatable and believable central characters in June Wylie and Ray Draper, the importance of coming to care for them and their relationship, why he wanted to avoid looking too far into the past, and capturing the pros and cons of relationships in later life.Andrew also read a passage from the book which will really give you an idea as to the tone and style of the writing, and the conversation also touches upon the importance of place, authentic language, and why this is ultimately a novel of hope.The two also discuss living alone, loneliness, growing up and growing old, hopefully with the same humour and warmth that is a mark of Andrew's novelBest Friends is a joyous and life-affirming read, destined to be one of the year's best, and it was such a pleasure to be able to talk to Andrew in-depth and learn all about it. If you enjoy this podcast you will love the novel, and we hope you do both.For full details head over to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman who write together as Ambrose Parry to hear all about The Death of Shame - the fifth novel in the Raven and Fisher series - and much more.They talk about how they initially came to collaborate, something which brought together two distinct parts of their life; namely Chris's crime writing and Marisa's research for her master's degree in the History of Medicine.They then discuss the two central characters of Will Raven and Sarah Fisher and where they find themselves in The Death of Shame, the challenges of writing historical fiction, what makes Edinburgh the perfect location, the importance of using real people and events (but treating both with respect) and the parallels in the novel to the present day.The three then talk about the proliferation of crime festivals, including this year's Bloody Scotland, and why they are a joy to attend whether as writers, or readers. This is a warm and insightful conversation which touches on a numbers of fascinating subjects, and it was such a pleasure to be able to learn more about Ambrose Parry and their brilliant books.For full details, including all the ways to listen, head to scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Natalie Jayne Clark to hear all about her debut novel, The Malt Whisky Murders which is published on the Polygon imprint of Birlinn.Natalie gives a reading from the book, before talking about the initial idea behind the novel, pitching that idea at Bloody Scotland, getting published, developing the central characters, creating a supporting cast, influences, the importance of place, and a lot more.A large part of the interview is about the two's shared love of whisky, and the central role the drink and the industry play, not only in the novel, but in Natalie's life more generally.Add to that a celebration of, and praise for, the work of Iain Banks and you have a personal and personable chat about more than a few of their favourite things, and it was a pleasure to head through to Perth to record it.Full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to poet Gordon Meade to hear all about this new collection of selected poems Beyond The Ninth Wave, which is published with the Into Poetry imprint of Into Books.Gordon gives a career overview, going back to his early interactions with poetry, his first experience of being published, and the extraordinary story which lead to his writing seriously and subsequent career.The two also discuss poetry more widely, the inspirations on - and the themes explored in - his work, the challenges in selecting the poems for this collection, and the joys of collaboration.All of this, and Gordon gives three fantastic readings. It's a warm and winning conversation with a writer taking time to reflect on his life and work, and it was a pleasure and privilege to be part of that conversation.Full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at scotswhayhae.com

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to comic book artist and writer Emily Brooks Millar to hear all about her new illustrated book Birddad. which is being funded through a Kickstarter campaign.The first comic book artist to appear on the SWH! podcast (we think!), Emily talks about how she came to work in the medium, the importance of the support and encouragement from those around her, the challenges faced, and her experiences in the genre.The two also discuss comics and graphic novels, and art more widely, getting published, influences, inspirations, collaborations, and much more.Also a fantastic painter (you can find examples of Emily's work on her website) this is a fascinating and far-reaching conversation about an area of the arts we have overlooked in the past, and as a result we believe it will be of interest to all.Full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at scotswhayhae.com