Saturday 9 August 15:00 - 16:00
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Hear BookTok star, Andy Darcy Theo (author of the bestselling series The Light That Blinds Us) and YA Book Prize-shortlisted Josh Silver (mental health nurse and author of Trauma/and) discuss how fantasy writing can help us better understand our mental…
Saturday 9 August 16:00 - 18:00
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Returning for a third year, the highly anticipated Loud Poets Grand Slam Final promises to be a Festival highlight, combining music with fist-thumping, side-tickling poetry. Having qualified through a series of nationwide Slams, 12 poets compete for a £3……
Suitable for age 12 - 14
Monday 11 August 10:00 - 11:00
Learn three different bookbinding stitches and make your own sketchbook! Join Namhara Byron Low from Edinburgh Printmakers in a bookbinding and printing session on how to reuse old lithography plates to make your own bespoke name stamp. You’ll get the……
Monday 11 August 10:30 - 11:30
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Celebrating female narratives and the triumphs of women, be prepared to feel empowered and inspired by women's voices in this special panel event with the House of YA…
Monday 11 August 11:15 - 12:15
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Join author-illustrator Lize Meddings as she chats about her Sad Ghost Club journey and shows you how to draw your own sad ghost too…
Monday 11 August 12:00 - 12:45
A bookish (and platonic!) speed-dating game where you can matchmake a new pal every two minutes by asking them your most pressing questions…
Monday 11 August 13:00 - 13:45
Get your best poker face on, and don your Traitors-style cloak, to sniff out the liar amongst you in this uproarious game, led by thriller author Cynthia Murphy…
Monday 11 August 13:00 - 14:00
In this cosy zine-making workshop, Lize will help you draw original characters to express your feelings, including your very own Sad Ghost…
Monday 11 August 14:00 - 14:45
Put your literary knowledge to the test to win a host of exciting prizes. It’s going to be an epic day – check out the full event and activity line-up at edbookfest.co.uk/houseofya……
Monday 11 August 14:45 - 15:45
Hear Deborah today as she reflects on the ways poetry can inspire, comfort, and heal us – it’s a much-needed balm for our busy lives…
Monday 11 August 15:30 - 16:30
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Prepare to be enchanted with debut author Lauryn Hamilton Murray and the bestselling author of Where the Dark Stands Still, A B Poranek…
Monday 11 August 16:30 - 17:30
Recognised as one of the most distinctive Belgian illustrators, Jan will discuss his career to date, his passion for art and illustration, and how there is no one path to getting into books…
Thursday 14 August 18:15 - 19:15
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Power connects the new heart-pounding dark fantasy thrillers from Alwyn Hamilton and S F Williamson…
Friday 15 August 16:00 - 17:00
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Two kingdoms on the brink of battle. One prophesied empress to unite them…
Friday 15 August 20:30 - 21:30
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Join these talented authors as they reveal to Alwyn Hamilton how they create their remarkable fantasy worlds…
Saturday 16 August 18:15 - 19:15
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What do a sleepy hometown, a student party house, and a wedding have in common? They’re all the perfect setting for twisted murder mysteries!…
Sunday 17 August 12:00 - 13:00
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Bestselling author Caroline O’Donoghue’s Skipshock – her dazzlingly inventive new YA sci-fi romantasy – is set in a universe where time is a resource; coveted and exploited, it’s the key to power and privilege. Hear Caroline chatting today…
Sunday 17 August 13:30 - 14:30
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Did you know that years before Alice Oseman started writing, drawing, or even planning the smash-hit graphic novel series, Heartstopper, she released a novella about its two main characters: Nick and Charlie? Come along today to hear Alice chat about…
Monday 18 August 18:15 - 19:15
It’s an exciting time for Children’s and YA publishing in Scotland and, luckily, there’s a wealth of opportunities to help writers navigate the ever-changing industry landscape. Join authors from Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Awards as they share…
Tuesday 19 August 18:00 - 19:00
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Last year, Caitlin O’Ryan’s poem about walking home alone, ‘At What Point’, went viral – her poems have since been shared by the likes of Jameela Jamil, Natasha Bedingfield, and Sarah Cox. Now, her new collection of the same title arrives onto the poetry…
Wednesday 20 August 18:00 - 19:30
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Whether you’re ready to hit the mic or just keen to soak up the vibes, this event has you covered. Our friends at Push the Boat Out host a special edition of their vibrant monthly open mic to celebrate dynamic contemporary poetry and performance…
Wednesday 20 August 19:30 - 21:00
Saunter over to Elliott’s for a highly unserious wine-tasting with Guardian wine critic, broadcaster, and Edinburgh’s own Hannah Crosbie. One of the most exciting young voices in wine today, Corker is Crosbie’s guide to the often baffling world of wine…
Wednesday 20 August 20:30 - 22:00
Like the modern rap battle, ‘flytings’ flourished in 15th century Scotland as a form of entertainment, and as a means of garnering respect, attention, and speaking truth to power. Today, GUBSMACKED presents the dazzlingly rude and boisterous Flyte Nyte 20…
Thursday 21 August 17:30 - 19:00
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Exciting news! We’re collaborating with magazine The Bookseller again to host 2025’s YA Book Prize award ceremony. Come along to discover the best Young Adult fiction coming from the UK and Ireland right now. Hosted by Laura Bates…
Thursday 21 August 19:30 - 20:30
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How do we talk about the really tough stuff? Luckily for us, Munroe Bergdorf is an expert in communicating across divides. The writer, activist, model, and contributing editor of British Vogue returns with her new book Talk to Me. Covering everything…
Friday 22 August 14:00 - 15:00
Let loose your inner writer in this innovative workshop, led by Carnegie Medal for Writing-nominated performance poet and writer, Ashley Hickson-Lovence. Ashley draws on key themes from his YA verse-novel, Wild East, to help you write stories, poems, and…
Friday 22 August 17:30 - 18:30
Join Dean Atta (I Can’t Even Think Straight), Ashley Hickson-Lovence (Wild East), and Asli Jensen (Love on Sight) as they share how they each found their own fresh, authentic style to create narrative voices that resonate with their readers…
Saturday 23 August 13:30 - 14:30
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Since Butter appeared in print, bookshops have been scrambling to keep Asako Suzuki’s word-of-mouth sensation in stock. Yuzuki talks today about consumption, sexism, skewed beauty standards, and her mission to elevate the status of Japan’s women through…
Saturday 23 August 15:00 - 16:00
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Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for his first novel, Black Flamingo, Dean Atta is back at this year’s Festival with his new coming-of-age tale, I Can’t Even Think Straight. Join us today as we chat to Dean about navigating the world…
Saturday 23 August 18:15 - 19:15
The journey to getting published can feel daunting when you’re on the outside. So, we’re here to bring you an insider’s guide. Join literary agent Louise Lamont as she chats with Asli Jensen and Eilidh Akilade in an inspiring conversation that seeks to…
Full 2025 Book Festival programme is announced with key theme of Repair 
