Chris Nickson’s October instalment for the Big Bookend blog takes us to Kirkstall Abbey. Read on to learn the history of one of Leeds’ most fascinating and picturesque sites. Live in Leeds and you know Kirkstall […]
Frances Brody shares the history of the Barnbow workers behind her novel Somewhere Behind the Morning, published under the name Frances McNeil. On a bitterly cold morning a year or so ago, a small crowd gathered in Manston
Co-ordinator of the children’s programme for this year’s Leeds Big Bookend, Vicky Pointing, shares her experience and advice from the festival. Perhaps you’re an aspiring children’s writer, or maybe you have kids of your own and think
That lad at the back of the class, slumped on one elbow and looking out of the window, bored to distraction during a three-hour lesson, that’s me. Last thing on a Friday, an entire afternoon
In the first of an occasional series, we talk to some of the authors involved in the Big Bookend over the last 3 years. By Paul Whittle I first came across Wes Brown and his
With a new year nearly upon us, like the Roman god Janus, we look back at 2013 and forward to the Big Bookend 2014. For the Big Bookend team, 2013 has flown by in a
Last weekend, I was at The Leeds Indie Book Fair, a month after our own Big Bookend festival in the centre of Leeds. The first thing that struck me was how brilliant for Leeds that
Well, the second ever Big Bookend festival was just fantastic – if you were there, I know you’ll agree! It was the variety of events that made it really fun, with everything from storytelling to
With the success of 2013’s ‘Rock Festival for Words’ behind us, we plan to keep on rocking with our brand new blog which aims to comment on our past and future festivals, initiate discussions relevant
