Festival Fever: Edinburgh Book Fest

20/08/2012 by David Maybury · No Comments

Every August, all eyes fall north to Scotland where authors of all shapes and sizes descend on the city for the Edinburgh Book Festival - one of the must see events on the calendar. (Don't believe me? Just check out their line up!) 

So what have you missed so far? UK Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson kicked things off while Olympic Opening Ceremony scipt-writer, and one of our favourite authors Frank Cotrell Boyce, talked about writing someone else's story (in this case, Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) - catch up with Frank on the Guardian Podcast. 

Sorry you missed Chris Riddell showing off his skills in an illustration masterclass? Check out Chris' piece on the future of illustration and where things could be headed. And if you're losing sleep over missing Philip Reeve, fear not, he's coming to Dublin for the Mountains to Sea Festival! 

In the midst of gore, limbless bodies and severed heads, Darren Shan launched Zom-B, his new horror series. Elsewhere other horrors were being unleashed onto the world, by way of Philip Ardagh and Axel Scheffler's new series The Grunts. Be afraid, very afraid. 

Book Festival stalwart Vivian French talked dyslexia and is running a series of events over the Festival with inventive, creative and surprising ways to bring books to kids - don't miss Vivian talking about it here - while Andy Stanton got serious (kind of) and talked The Dandy (more about that later this week).

And what's next? Don't miss Patrick Ness later today talking censorship (you can see it live here) and if you happen to be passing through today - Liz Pichon will be tickling funny bones while Melvin Burgess and Margo Lanagan will be on hand to keep you enthralled.