Warning! We are about to indulge in some serious blowing-of-our-own trumpet in this blog post. We hope you’ll excuse us . . .
A time-consuming and sometimes frustrating, but nevertheless essential, part of running a small book festival is trying to secure sufficient funding. Without it, the Hoolie would be unable to continue, and we are grateful to everyone who supports us financially.
We leave no stone unturned in our efforts to secure donations. And we’re not above a spot of name-dropping! Endorsements from internationally acclaimed authors and musicians help the cause enormously.
To that end, we recently asked some favourite Hoolie authors and musicians to each write a testimonial for us to use in funding applications. They duly obliged, and we were blown away by their kind words! They were too good not to share . . .
"A Write Highland Hoolie is one of the most vibrant and enjoyable festivals I've attended. The calibre of guests was exceptional and every event was packed to the rafters by tremendously engaged audiences. The weekend format also provides numerous opportunities for authors to meet and chat to attendees beyond the signing table. The organisation of the events was flawless and I can't praise Polly Pullar and her team highly enough. Polly works tirelessly to make this event happen and is a charming and welcoming host. All in all, The Hoolie is a model of how a boutique literary festival should be run. Five stars!” Graeme Macrae Burnett, author.
“If we could make a map of Scotland’s cultural gems with notes on it of the fusion of our cultures through music, stories, poetry and song, the exchange of laughter and wisdom, the lifeblood of our seasons, our landscapes and our shared horizons, we couldn’t help but notice the glowing light over Mallaig where the unbreakable spirit of A Write Highland Hoolie unites all those who have gathered there to be amongst friends, and sometimes friends you never knew you had but will never know how much you have missed them. May that light never be dimmed.” Jim Mackintosh, poet.
“Having spoken at book festivals the length and breadth of Britain, I can report that A Write Highland Hoolie in Mallaig is magical, unique and precious. Nowhere else do writers meet and celebrate so gladly with readers all of the glories of the written word. Stories are how we understand the world, and in the midst and the warmth of a Highland ceilidh, unforgettable stories are told, links made and remade, and at the end of a memorable weekend, the world seems somehow better.” Alistair Moffat, author.
“So many festivals, even very good ones, can blend into one another in the memory, but A Write Highland Hoolie is a truly unique undertaking in a striking location. It creates a compelling sense of shared creative endeavour as writers, musicians, artists and readers gather not merely to discuss books, but to throw their lot in with one another in a common space for 72 hours. I can’t think of any other festival that offers a comparable experience, and with it drawing consistently large crowds and commensurate book sales, it remains one of the highlights of the Scottish festival calendar.” Chris Brookmyre, author.
“I have been honoured and lucky enough to have been involved as a guest musician at A Write Highland Hoolie on two occasions now. My first appearance at the festival involved a concert and a chat where I went through my inspiration and the process behind my writing with author Paul Murton. My second visit to A Write Highland Hoolie was with a multi-media performance of “Beyond the Swelkie” which was a tribute to the life and works of the great Orcadian poet George Mackay Brown. On both weekends I also had the privilege of explaining my compositional techniques to pupils of Mallaig High School during a special event for the Hoolie School of Music Sessions. Together with multi-instrumentalist Hamish Napier, we wrote tunes with these talented young people. My experience of sharing my music and inspiration at this wonderful event with audiences and fellow creatives alike has been both enriching and inspirational to me. A Write Highland Hoolie is a friendly, community driven event which entices some of Scotland’s finest writers to the west coast of the Highlands. It is a jewel in the calendar for everyone who supports it.” Duncan Chisholm, musician.
A belated happy New Year to all friends of A Write Highland Hoolie!
Though the next Mallaig book festival is months away yet, we’ve been making the most of the cold, dark days of January. It’s the perfect time for planning ahead, and when it comes to this year’s Hoolie, we’ve started already.
Organising the Hoolie is pretty much a year-round labour of love. Though we take a brief break immediately after each festival, by January our thoughts have turned to all things book-related once more.
The first decision to be made is the date. For 2025, the Hoolie will once again take place over Remembrance weekend, which this year is Friday November 7 to Sunday November 9. It’s become a tradition to include a Remembrance Day tribute and tune on the pipes on the final day of our festival, and this year will be no exception.
Once the date is inked in, the fun part can begin! We have already spent hours trawling through book catalogues and press releases, scouring social media and pestering our contacts, searching for the best authors and most entertaining events to bring you this November.
There’s so much to consider. Who has a new book out, and are they good at speaking in public? Will they be willing to make the long journey to Mallaig in November? How do we ensure a broad range of genres and subject matter? Some authors are very prolific, but as a rule we try to avoid repeat appearances at the Hoolie to give our audiences something new and exciting every time.
Eventually, we draw up a wishlist, with options and alternatives to bring into play should Plan A fall through at any point. And then the hard work starts, with letters and emails going out to authors, agents and publicists, requesting appearances and setting out terms.
That’s where we are now – initial approaches to a handful of authors have been made and we’re awaiting responses. Each time an author is confirmed, we move on to the next name on the list, until we have a full line-up.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be sharing more details about this year’s Hoolie. For now, though, don’t forget to Save the Date! We’re looking forward to seeing you in November.
Book-lovers from all over Britain gathered in the West Highland Hotel over the weekend of November 8-10 for A Write Highland Hoolie, Mallaig’s very own book festival.
The sun had just set late on Friday afternoon as the award-winning poet, writer and musician Don Paterson took to the stage for the festival’s opening event. His stories from his early life in Dundee and readings from his often-hilarious memoir Toy Fights set the tone for an unforgettable weekend of books, blethers and brilliant banter.
Saturday began with author Linda Cracknell, whose moving reflections on the bonds between people, places and memory resonated with many in the audience. She was followed by marine biologist Natalie Sanders, an expert on the West Coast community of orca – and no sooner had Natalie finished her event than the cry went up that humpback whales had been spotted from the hotel’s terrace. Full marks to the cetaceans for perfect timing!
After a delicious lunch, Booker Prize shortlisted Graeme Macrae Burnet held the audience spellbound as he talked about the minute observational details that characterise his writing, while everyone was secretly glad they’d already eaten before Suzie Edge’s outrageously funny and frank romp through some of history’s most famous body parts. Not one for the faint of heart!
There was a full house for acclaimed author, broadcaster and historian Alistair Moffat, who enthralled the audience with the depth and breadth of his knowledge of the Highlands and Islands, and the final event of the afternoon continued the themes of place, people and belonging that had been developing throughout the day when Dougie Strang, accompanied by musicians Iain MacFarlane and Ingrid Henderson, took an atmospheric journey through Scotland’s folklore and myths.
Music is at the heart of the Hoolie experience, and some of the finest traditional musicians in the Highlands entertained ticket holders and hotel residents each night, with Ross Martin and Eilidh Shaw on the Friday, and Iain MacFarlane and Ingrid Henderson on the Saturday.
There were more than a few bleary eyes on Sunday morning after a late night when the drams flowed freely, but David Greig’s session on his debut novel Columba’s Bones, set on Iona in AD 825, soon blew away any lingering cobwebs.
After a moving commemoration of Remembrance Day, complete with piper, it was time for endurance cyclist Jenny Graham to share the highs and lows of her record-breaking round-the-world adventure. Her energy, humour and self-deprecating honesty made this a standout event in a weekend already full of memorable moments, and she richly deserved the standing ovation she received at the end from an awestruck audience. No-one who was there will ever forget her vivid description of how to manage a toilet break without getting off your bike in order to avoid being eaten by bears!
Morar-based author Tom O. Keenan gave a fascinating insight into the dark and gritty world of his tartan noir novels featuring the psycho-sleuth Sean Rooney before the final event of the festival, the children’s prize-giving and tea party. Children’s author Alan Windram, helped by illustrator Kate Leiper, led an all-singing, all-dancing performance based on his latest book, Kevin the Orange, complete with flying fluffy oranges, before the talented youngsters were rewarded for their winning stories and artwork.
It was the perfect end to another successful Highland Hoolie, and as guests prepared to set off for home, the question they were all asking was, “When can I book up for next year?” Details will be available soon, once the members of Team Hoolie have caught their breath! Follow A Write Highland Hoolie on Facebook to be the first to hear about 2025’s festival.
