Here are the details of the latest Writers’ Bloc reading. The Hallowe’en show. (Not on Hallowe’en.)

Having trouble sleeping with the world economy in meltdown? Concerned
for your job, pension and life savings? Are the nights drawing in a
little tighter than they should? Return to a more manageable fear
with the Writers’ Bloc Halloween show.

GHOULS ON FILM celebrates classic scares on a budget: shlocky titles,
cheap thrills, and overblown trailers which bear little resemblance to
the film* they advertise. Expect whispers in the night, bizarre bakery
murders and a new term at everybody’s favourite borstal.

Bloc is trying a NEW VENUE for this show — the all-singing,
all-dancing** Beehive Inn, 18-20 Grassmarket. The show is on Wednesday
29th October and the literary projector spins up at 8pm. Bring your
own preconceptions of what is truly horrible, and three of your
Scottish pounds*** (two for concessions). Dutch courage**** is
available at carefully chosen intervals.

Authors appearing include Stefan Pearson, Andrew J. Wilson, Morag
Edward, Andrew C Ferguson, and Gavin Inglis.

www.writers-bloc.org.uk

* text-only presentation
** show includes no actual singing or dancing
*** HBOS notes still accepted (correct at time of going to press)
**** this means beer

The reading gig is tonight, Wednesday 1 October, at the Owl & Lion, 15 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HS 8:00–10:00 p.m., £6.00 (£4.00 concessions.)

Authors appearing will include: Jack Deighton, Morag Edward, Andrew C. Ferguson, Gavin Inglis, Stefan Pearson, Hannu Rajaniemi and Andrew J. Wilson.

Full details at my post OWL & LION AND WRITERS’ BLOC present Print Factory

WHAT: Live readings of original fiction

WHO: Writers’ Bloc spoken-word performance group

WHERE: Owl & Lion, 15 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HS

WHEN: 8:00-€“10:00 p.m., Wednesday 1 October 2008

HOW MUCH: £6.00 (£4.00 concessions)

URL: http://www.writers-bloc.org.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/blocspace

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Are six-word stories worth illustrating? Find out at Print Factory, when you will hear tales inspired by postcards, and see pictures inspired by short stories and micro-fiction.

What does that little old lady have in her handbag beside all those stamps? Is there anything beyond the ends of the earth? Who would want to write “glad you’re not here” in blood on an unsigned postcard?

Writers’ Bloc, Edinburgh’s premier spoken-word performance group, performs at Owl & Lion in conjunction with the gallery’s new exhibition of cutting-edge postcard art. The price of the ticket includes a drink and a limited-edition print. Owl & Lion will also be launching their new handmade books at the event.

Authors appearing at Print Factory will include: Jack Deighton, Morag Edward, Andrew C. Ferguson, Gavin Inglis, Stefan Pearson, Hannu Rajaniemi and Andrew J. Wilson.

Notes for editors
Over the past seven years, Writers’ Bloc has established itself as a force to be reckoned with on the Edinburgh spoken-word performance scene. The group consists of published novelists and poets, whilst other members have placed stories in magazines and anthologies as diverse as Nova Scotia: New Scottish Speculative Fiction, Year’s Best Horror Stories, Scottish Book Collector, Interzone, Pinball Player, West Coast Magazine, Markings, Grunt And Groan: The New Anthology of Sex at Work, and of course, Postcards from Hell.

“This was genuinely daring stuff … irreverent, surprising and provocative.” — Stuart Kelly, Scotland on Sunday

For more information:

E-mail: embassy@writers-bloc.org.uk, or

press@owlandliongallery.com

The Writers’ Bloc event where I shall be reading my latest piece of short fiction has now been scheduled for Wednesday 1st October 2008 at the Owl And Lion Gallery, Grassmarket, Edinburgh, 6.00-8.00 pm.

I will post further details including the other readers and ticket prices soon.

Just in case anyone was wondering the reading event at the Owl and Lion is still awaiting a confirmed date.

As soon as I know when it will happen I’ll post about it.

Just in case anyone was thinking of attending (and of course you were, we put on a great show) the gig at the Owl and Lion I mentioned in my previous Writers’ Bloc post and where yours truly is scheduled to read has now been put back a week.
I will confirm this nearer the time.

I am a member of the Edinburgh-based spoken word performance group Writers’ Bloc. (Try saying that without your wallies* in.)
Normally we give the Edinburgh Festival a wide swerve but this year a few of us are giving performances at various places. So here’s the info:-

Monday 11th August: Story Shop — Gavin Inglis.
Gavin returns to the Edinburgh International Book Festival in
Charlotte Square for the first of a series of short readings
organised by the City of Literature. See him in the bookshop at 4pm.
http://www.cityofliterature.com/

Wednesday 13th August: Ferguson and Friends — Foreign Parts
Andrew C Ferguson kicks off the first of three solo shows as part
of the Free Festival. Expect faraway places, exotic special guests,
and a first glimpse of his musical side. Jekyll & Hyde bar, Hanover
Street, 5.40pm-6.40pm.
http://www.freefestival.co.uk/

Thursday 14th August: Story Shop — Andrew C Ferguson.
Andrew brings a touch of Fife attitude to the genteel gardens of
Charlotte Square. Catch him at 4pm in the Book Festival bookshop.
Don’t be late! Then have your tea in time to catch:

Thursday 14th August: Writers’ Bloc at West Port Book Festival.
A tasty sampler from Andrew C Ferguson, Jane McKie and Gavin Inglis
in this lively alternative to the “official” Book Festival. The Bloc
event runs 8pm-9pm in Pageant, a men’s boutique in Laurison Street.
Oh yes.
http://westportbookfestival.org/
http://www.pageant-store.com/

Saturday 16th August: Story Shop — Stefan Pearson.
Hot from the Prague Writers’ Festival comes Bloc’s very own
dealer in fish, filth, and figments of the imagination.
4pm in the EIBF bookshop, Charlotte Square.

Sunday 17th August: Ferguson and Friends — Edinburgh Tales.
Inside information and sinister local knowledge about a city
which experiences the cultural equivalent of a mass hallucination
every April. More special guests. More music. Better than lunch.
Espionage, Victoria Street, 1.40pm-2.20pm.

Wednesday 20th August: Ferguson and Friends — Fifestyle.
He saved the best for last, or so say three hundred and fifty
thousand people on the other side of the river. But what would you
expect from the the world expert in Scottish Common Good Law?
Jekyll & Hyde, Hanover Street, 5.40pm-6.40pm.

and finally featuring a reading or two from yours truly including a brand new story hot off the presses (okay a dodgy printer):

Wednesday 3rd September: watch out for news of an artful reading
at the Owl and Lion Gallery.

*wallies = false teeth.