WagTongues Alchemy @TheStove

From JoAnne McKay

Pop-up bookshop WagTongues had a blast during Scotland's Book Week, borrowing The Stove for two days of book selling that transmuted into a mini-festival of writing.

 

Yes, we met our primary purpose: a wonderful bookshop, stocking a huge range of books by the region's writers and publishers, sales of £540 over the two days, all proceeds going straight to the creators.

 

Hugh McMillan contemplating the Great Galloway Tale Hunt

But in addition? Children spellbound by the Pointy-toed Pyjama Thief, lively round table discussions about the value of writing groups, poetry readings complete with heckling, and – as we took advantage of Thursday’s late-night opening and had an ‘open mic without the mic’ session – something approaching performance art. Two of our authors gave their first ever public readings, while some of our more practised old hands were luring the passing public inside to listen to things they never even knew they were interested in. Mainly with the promise of wine, admittedly but come they did, stay they did and buy they did.

 

poet Stuart Patterson and novelist Sally Hinchcliffe

No more WagTongues plans for 2013, but we'll be popping-up where you, and probably we, least expect it in 2014.

 

You can stay in touch here: http://wagtongues.wordpress.com/, where you'll also find a fuller report about the goings-on at The Stove.

 

£45.45 raised for Arthritis Care in Scotland too!