Welcome to the opening day of Aye Write! 2008 - Glasgow's literary festival. This year promises to be better than ever.
My blog will keep you up-to-date with what's going on behind the scenes, let you know any gossip that develops and highlight what I think will be the hot tickets.
Everyone here has been pulling out all the stops, the Mitchell Library looks great dressed in the AyeWrite! livery and is already really buzzing. The first event is the final of the Glasgow school's poetry slam with 270 S1 and S2 pupils - and a rap band - transforming my quiet library(?) into a riot of noise and mayhem!
Tickets are selling really well and already 18 events have sold out in what promises to be a great festival.
Kicking off tonight we have the man often described as the 'John Peel' of the 60's', Radio DJ Johnnie Walker talking about the 60's and the bands he helped onto the road of fame. Get your flares out and come along.
Politics and current affairs are also in the spotlight this weekend with Norwegian journalist and writer Asne Seierstad, author of The Bookseller of Kabul, reporting on another conflict zone in her new book The Angel of Grozny: inside Chechnya.
I am really excited about tonight's session, Liberties, Crime and Punishment with Dame Helena Kennedy , Clive Stafford Smith and A.C. Grayling discussing civil liberties. Helena and I were both judges together in the Orange prize for Fiction, the year Andrea Levy won with Small Island and I have incredible respect for her opinions and commitment. She has spent her professional life giving voice to those who have least power within the system, but being Glaswegian, she also has a fabulous wit and great sense of humour. I am really looking forward to chairing this session - and a really hot topic!
Musician and Novelist Doug Johnstone and would-be musician Toby Litt will be in discussion with Idlewild's Roddy Woomble about music and being in a band on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday features a celebration of the works of Edwin Morgan. Thousands of people across Glasgow have been reading a special collection of Edwin's works as part of the Citywide Read which culminates with this special evening of poetry, discussions and music. Confirmed so far are Iain M. Banks, Richard Holloway, David Kinloch, Liz Lochhead, Jim McGonigal, Willy Maley, Robyn Marsack, Donny O'Rourke, James Robertson, Hamish Whyte, Roddy Woomble.and more.
I'm thrilled that once again, this year's programme offers something for everyone - hope to see you here!