Moray Council to host award winning authors at Elgin Library

The Last Hillwalker author, John D. Burns, will share his fascination for the romance and atmosphere of the remote bothy shelters he has visited across the hills of the Highlands over the last 40 years. John’s been touring his one man show, Bothy Tales, based on his best-selling book of the same name, around festivals and small venues in the UK, raising funds for Scottish Mountain Rescue, to which he has been closely-involved.

Saltire award-winning novelist, Eleanor Thom, will be talking about her second novel, Connective Tissue. Eleanor’s story is inspired by the life of her grandmother who settled in Elgin, marrying Duncan Wilson in 1942, after being exiled to the UK aged 22. She'd been forced to leave her one-year-old daughter behind in Germany. The child was killed in the gas chambers in Auschwitz with Jewish relatives.

Chair of Moray Council's Education, Children's Services and Leisure Committee, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, said: “It is really good to see Elgin Library welcoming popular authors to meet their local audience.

“Moray Libraries has hosted many acclaimed authors of both fiction and non-fiction writings in the past, including Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, and Kirsty Wark, Mairi Hedderwick, and Julia Donaldson. I hope we’ll see a big crowd of literary fans to welcome John and Eleanor to Elgin.”

John D. Burns’ book Bothy Tales frequently tops the selling rankings for online sales and the collection of short stories continues to be extremely popular several years after it was first published.

He said: “In performing Bothy Tales, I'm trying to bring these remote places alive and to say something about the pleasure I have in exploring them.

“My show is full of stories and tales from the hills. Some come directly from my own experience, like when I talk about what it was like to be caught in a life and death situation in an avalanche. Other scenes in the show are more light-hearted, such as when I act out an encounter with a strange creature during a night in a lonely bothy.”

Edinburgh-based Eleanor Thom also commented on her upcoming appearance: "I love doing local events, particularly in Elgin Library, because the old library is where my parents first met. I’m really looking forward to reading from Connective Tissue. The story is set in Berlin, England and Scotland, and I’ll be talking about the process of researching and writing a novel based on a real family history. This is a really special occasion for me because Elgin's been a place that’s been home to me all my life. I’ve always spent my holidays with my aunts, uncles and cousins in Elgin, and we’re a close family. I love the warmth of the people and the landscape, it’s definitely a kind of homeland for me and a place of comfort.”

Eleanor’s event starts at 6.30pm on Tuesday 14 November. Bothy Tales with John D. Burns is being held on Monday 13 November at 6:30pm. The events will include an audience Q&A and a chance to buy signed copies of books.

The Elgin author events are supported by The Scottish Book Trust to mark Book Week Scotland 2023 (13 – 19 November). Spaces are limited. Phone 01343 562600 or click here to book.

Moray Council libraries regularly hold events, which are free of charge, for people of all ages. Find out more about what’s on by visiting the dedicated library webpages here.