With the summer holidays now over in Scotland, and the other UK schools going back next week you would think we’d have time to draw breath. But here in Wigtown we have only a short time to take stock before the annual Book Festival. As it always runs from the last weekend in September to the first weekend in October this year it falls a little earlier than normal with the fun starting on the 22nd of September. As well as making sure we’re fully stocked not only with books but also with our popular Toon range of products featuring Wigtown, we also have two other reasons to be well prepared.
This year’s festival features two events involving books published by Foggie Toddle Books and our Second Sands imprint. Catherine Stables will be travelling from her home in the north east of Scotland to talk about her book Shona The Vet: A Coast to Coast Adventure as part of the children’s programme. We launched this book back in May and copies have been flying all over Scotland ever since. We’ll be meeting up with Catherine to discuss ideas for a possible book two! Follow this link to book tickets for Catherine’s fun event which will include readings and activities – book here.
Front cover of Shona the Vet
Author and illustrator Catherine Stable
In the main programme we are delighted to announce that author Donna Brewster will be talking about her book The House that Sugar Built. It’s very apt that Donna will be discussing this book as the Festival is celebrating it’s 25th year and it’s also a quarter of a century since Donna’s book was first published in an edition produced by GC Books, then owned by John Carter. He was the owner of The Bookshop in Wigtown, and its existence helped to inspire the application for the town to become Scotland’s National Book Town.
We’ve been busy taking the book back to its original manuscript and providing a new cover and format. Due to a number of different circumstances it’s been quite a tight turnaround for the book, but as it goes to the printer this week, we should (fingers crossed) have copies ready for Donna’s event on Sunday 24th September in the County Buildings. Tickets are selling out so if you’re interested book now by following this link: book here.
Donna’s novel is based on extensive research into the life of Margaret McGuffie who was the mixed race daughter of Wigtown provost John McGuffie. He had made his fortune in Barbados before returning home and building a house that he named after the island. The house, renamed Dunure, was Donna’s home for many years and she was intrigued to find out more about its history. In telling Margaret’s story Donna explores the role of slavery in the prosperity of many people in Scotland and what life was like for a young woman of mixed race in 19th century rural Wigtownshire. The book is available now to pre order on this website with an introductory price of £9.99.
Front cover of the new edition from Second Sands Publishing.