Is it possible to live in China today, and to raise an eyebrow about the country’s political ambitions? Chan Koonchung, resident in Beijing for a decade, has done precisely that in his political fable The Fat Years, which was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2011. A portrait of China in 2013, when capitalism in the West has self-destructed, this novel paints a vivid picture of a country whose citizens appear to be wholly satisfied. But why have they forgotten an entire month’s history?

What should you call your vagina? And why does everyone ask you when you’re going to have a baby? Caitlin Moran is on a mission to reclaim feminism and make it relevant to women today. Always refreshingly straightforward, the award-winning journalist and Times columnist describes her book, How to be a Woman, as ‘The Female Eunuch, but with knob gags’. She shares some punch lines with the deputy editor of the Guardian, Katharine Viner.

Painter and set designer, playwright and novelist, John Byrne is one of Scotland’s great polymaths. Best known for his plays The Slab Boys Trilogy and Tutti Frutti, Byrne has also designed record sleeves for Donovan and The Beatles. In our 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival event he discusses his written work in an unforgettable hour of entertainment. Chaired by Jackie McGlone.

It’s ten years since the publication of the landmark American Gods, a book that brought Gaiman to international fame. One reviewer even lauded him thus: ‘Saying Neil Gaiman is a writer is like saying Da Vinci dabbled in the arts.’ Since then he’s won countless awards for his work in the fantasy, sci-fi and horror genres as well as the Carnegie Medal for children’s literature. In this event, selected and chaired by Audrey Niffenegger, Neil Gaiman discussed the epic blend of Americana, myth and fantasy in his work. Filmed live at the 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival.

James Robertson's epic novel, And the Land Lay Still, was launched at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2010 and then later in the year it won the Saltire Book of the Year award. Talking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme presenter, James Naughtie, Robertson chats about his work, reads from his novel and offers some insights into his writing. And there's a special song from Jimmy Hutchison too. All filmed live in Edinburgh.

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In an exclusive sold out UK appearance, celebrated Australian writer Tohby Riddle talks to masterful teen novelist Keith Gray for a sizzling conversation. The authors explore how the rites of passage leading to manhood are different for everyone and that shared experiences like a road trip or physical challenge can cement friendships, helping men to deal with emotions. Gray’s short story Brooks Crooks, specially commissioned by the Book Festival, is up on our website.

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Chair Jamie Jauncey introduces the 2010 Elsewhere and Booker Prize author Roddy Doyle. Doyle’s writing has been described as urgent, funny and often deeply moving, he has won the hearts of millions of readers over the years. In this video we see him reading from his new novel The Dead Republic before responding to audience questions. His short story Los San Patricios, specially commissioned by the Book Festival can be read exclusively on the website.

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In this sell-out event the much-loved author of The Cutting Room and The Bullet Trick Louise Welsh discusses and reads from her new novel, Naming the Bones and talks about the challenges of taking part in our Elsewhere project. You can read Vanishing Point, Welsh’s story specially commissioned by the Book Festival on the theme of 'Elsewhere' exclusively here on the website .

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We opened the RBS Children’s Programme with an exclusive visit from one our Antipodean friends, the engaging Australian fantasy writer Garth Nix. This is an edited live recording of his event, where he talks about his gripping The Keys to the Kingdom series, and about the last book in the run. Suitable for 9-12 year olds.

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Three leading authors, who are all part of the writing project Elsewhere commissioned by the Book Festival, discuss what it felt like to be asked to take part and the impact of the Glasgow creative writing course, that they all attended, has had on their writing in this Book Festival event. Their writings After Drink You Can Turn Earth Up Side Down, From My Vow and Sassuolo can all be read exclusively on our website.

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From the word 'Elsewhere' four writers have created very different tales, Not Scotland, Horror Story, Chicago and Puerto Galera . Join Jenny Brown and the authors as they discuss their Book Festival commissions, inspirations, thoughts on the project and future plans in this edited clip. Donald reveals that the commission turned him into a ‘writing Dr. Frankenstein’ as he salvaged a zombie story to create Puerto Galera.

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In a sold out event Debi Gliori takes us on an enchanting journey, wandering through the forests and meeting the animal characters in her acclaimed books.  Gliori explains how her stories often begin as small seeds that grow over the years. The main characters in her latest picture book Stormy Weather, first appeared in No Matter What, eleven years earlier. And no matter what people may think the main characters are foxes not kangaroos.

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Highly energetic, funny-man Andy Stanton reveals how he began writing the news as a small child and his creative development to ‘the truth is lemon meringue’. Reading from jotters that he wrote when he was eight Stanton discovers with the audience where he saw ‘ugly things in a cage’ and why his original staple ending of ‘and then I went home’ isn’t used in his books at this sold out event. As part of our Elsewhere project we commissioned him to write Welcome to Flaxland, which can be read exclusively on our website.

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Michel Faber once stated that ‘the more the writer tries to force the reader to regard something as amazing and special, the more suspicious and bored the reader will become.’ Perhaps that explains the deadpan manner in which, in a story commissioned by the Book Festival, a woman walks into a police station and says: ‘I was abducted by aliens. Abduction is a crime.’  The acclaimed author of The Crimson Petal and the White describes how ‘elsewhere’ can be hilariously ordinary in his 2010 sold-out Book Festival event. Michel Faber's new story on the theme can be read exclusively here on the website: A Flash of Blue Light.

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Karen Campbell used to be a police officer herself. No wonder her characterisation of Anna Cameron, her policewoman heroine, is so perceptive. Meanwhile, Simon Lelic’s novel Rupture opens with a school massacre by a lonely psychopath teacher – a case that turns out to be far from straightforward. Hear two of Britain's leading young writers talk about their latest novels in this live recording of their 2010 event. Karen Campbell's new writing on the theme of 'Elsewhere' - specially commissioned by the Book Festival in 2010 can be read exclusively here on the website: Apparently.

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The chance to see two of America's most captivating voices in fiction. Award-winning author David Vann and Willy Vlautin, author and frontman of band Richmond Fontaine, talk about landscapes and how they are used in their riveting novels. Vlautin remarks on his family’s love of the American West, especially the high desert, and how it has influenced his writing. For Vann, Alaska, with its islands, rainforest and fjords so full of mystery and myths are what inspires and shapes his writing. David Vann’s new story on the theme of 'Elsewhere' Bain de Soleil can be read here - specially commissioned by the Book Festival.

With the help of three professional actors, Lanark author Alasdair Gray presents the short prologue and the first act of his irreverent adaptation of Goethe's Faust into a comedy called Fleck. Not satisfied with Goethe’s own ending, Gray says he ‘wanted to wrench the story into my own vision of the 20th and 21st century’. He does so by inviting the Devil to lead the hero into a 21st century that Goethe never imagined.

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Denise Mina and Alan Warner ponder what is ‘elsewhere’ and how it feels in this event produced for our 2010 commissioned writing project. Warner found the brief exciting and flexible, letting him roam in the unknown fields of his childhood. Mina recalls skipping in Schipol airport and the international elsewhere feeling that being in airports creates. Their new stories on the theme of Elsewhere can be read exclusively here on the website: Sullivan's Ashes by Alan Warner; We Are All Waiting by Denise Mina.

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Relaxed, chatting and getting to know one another, these two writers of international significance discuss their new novels - each based on the lives of fictional literary giants - of South America and the Philippines respectively. At this sold-out event, Alberto Manguel explains that he does not believe that writers are very nice people (in his book, All Men Are Liars, his character refers to the author as 'an asshole'). Manguel questions why people attend literary festivals and Miguel Syjuco concludes that perhaps audiences attend to make themselves feel better. You can read their specially commissioned stories on the theme of 'Elsewhere' exclusively here on our website: Be Here Now by Miguel Syjuco; Elsewhere, Far From here by Alberto Maguel

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At the 2010 Book Festival award-winning author A L Kennedy read exclusive extracts from her forthcoming 2011 novel before opening the floor to the audience, which turned out to be an amusing Q & A. Her funny, wry sense of humour is very much in evidence in this live recording as she chats to the audience and tells all about her imaginary childhood 'hand' friend. You can see A L Kennedy's new short story on the theme of 'Elsewhere' (commissioned by the Book Festival) exclusively here: Because it’s a Wednesday.

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