LennoxLove Book Festival

What? Over 3,000 attendanced the first Lennoxlove Book Festivaland with eight sell-out shows over the two days. Visitors came from the west coast of Scotland, Fife and the north east of England, but a large proportion of attendees were from East Lothian residents, who turned out in force to support the festival.

Authors Simon King, Rory Bremner, Alexander McCall Smith, Kate Adie and Michael Morpurgo kept the audiences in the marquee rapt, discussing subjects as diverse as their favourite tickly animal, the sad lack of satirical material from the next wave politicians, staging an opera in Botswana, responding to a bomb alert in Northern Ireland, and writing about the Palestinian/Israeli divide for children. They all signed books in the House afterwards, which proved a popular adjunct to their performances.

Audiences also responded enthusiastically to a DNA mapping workshop with Dr Jim Wilson, a discussion between three writers about East Lothian, and storyteller Lari Don re-telling wolf legends and fables, which entranced children and adults alike inside the magnificent candle-lit Great Hall. Other popular performers included actress-turned-novelist Martine McCutcheon, who talked about the trials and tribulations of writing her first novel; author and raconteur Gervase Phinn; broadcaster and stand-up performer Hardeep Singh Kohli; and food writer and broadcaster Sue Lawrence.

Fine start. Bring on 2010

When? 13- 14 november, 2009 - 2010 TBA

Where? Lennoxlove House is easily accessible and is only a few minutes' drive from the ancient town of Haddington (20 miles east of Edinburgh).

The entrance gates to Lennoxlove House can be found on the B6368. Enter and follow the driveway to the visitor parking area.

Who? iN 2009 Simon King, Rory Bremner, Alexander McCall Smith, Kate Adie and Michael Morpurgo