1 and 2 November 2025
Venue: The Robertson Room at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum Alloway.
Tickets: £10 full price and £8 for concessions are now available on Eventbrite
The second edition of A Blether O Books Book Festival is being held on the 1st and 2nd of this November at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. The blethers or talks will be held in the Robertson Room at the Museum. Tickets, £10 full price and £8 for concessions, are now available to purchase on the Eventbrite Booking platform. Full details of the speakers and topics for discussion can also be found on Eventbrite. There will be book sales and signings at this event.
Saturday, November 1 · 10:30 – 11:30am GMT. Doors open at 10.15am
Dr Anna Groundwater contextualises the Scottish past in Connecting Two Millenia of Scotland’s History, kicking off A Blether O’ Books 2025.
Dr Anna Groundwater is a cultural and social historian of early modern Scotland and is the author of Connecting Scotland’s History: a Scottish history timeline within 2,000 years of world history.
Saturday, November 1 · 12:30 – 1:30pm GMT. Doors open at 12.15pm.
In That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz, award-winning author and songwriter Malachy Tallack discusses his novel of the same name. He will also perform songs from the book’s accompanying album.
Saturday, November 1 · 2:30 – 3:30pm GMT. Doors open at 2.15pm
Join Kirsty Wark, renowned Scottish author and broadcaster for In Conversation with Kirsty Wark in which she discusses her own novels, and what fiction impacted on her and her audience.
Kirsty Wark has built up a reputation as one of the UK’s most formidable and versatile television journalists. Kirsty has written two novels – The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle and The House by the Loch –and is currently writing her third novel.
Sunday, November 2 · 10:30 – 11:30am GMT. Doors open at 10.15am
Lesley Riddoch, award winning broadcaster and journalist, considers “Are Scots the most indoor folk in Europe?”
Lesley Riddoch has written five books – Huts: A Place Beyond, McSmorgasbord, Riddoch On The Outer Hebrides, Blossom: What Scotland Needs To Flourish, Thrive: The Freedom To Flourish and co-produced/presented six films (the latest about Denmark was being screened in early 2024). The latest film, plus others about Norway, Faroes, Iceland, Estonia and the Declaration of Arbroath, are available online.
Sunday, November 2 · 12:30 – 1:30pm GMT. Doors open at 12.15pm
Forensic Fact Meets Fiction in this session with Lin Anderson, best selling author of the Dr Rhona MacLeod series of forensic thrillers.
Lin regularly chairs events at literary and science festivals and conferences, and gives talks on Forensic Fact Meets Forensic Fiction entertaining audiences with amazing true crime anecdotes, and giving insights into her world of story telling.
Sunday, November 2 · 2:30 – 3:30pm GMT. Doors open at 2.15pm
Gerda Stevenson, award winning writer/actor/Director/singer-songwriter, presents her wide ranging work in Consider The Quines, including her celebrated book QUINES: Poems in Tribute to Women of Scotland, as well as songs associated with these remarkable quines.
Melvyn Gibson
Melvyn Gibson is a Volunteer at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum and Coordinator of the Highlight Talks. he is also one of the main organisers of this event.
Friends of Robert Burns Birthplace Museum 