Lin Anderson: "I do like a Cathedral with a bar!"

Saturday, 10 October 2015

"I do like a Cathedral with a bar!"

It was a case yesterday of Murder in the Cathedral (with a bar, as Val McDermid tweeted) as Scottish crime-writing played a part in a very special evening at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Inverness in aid of Syrian refugees.

Val McDermid, Moira Forsyth & Lin Anderson
are piped into Inverness Cathedral
Lin: "I feel like a haggis!"

After a welcome to everyone by Bishop Mark, and a lovely introduction from event organiser Jane Wallman-Girdlestone, Lin was in the chair first ...

"This feels like either 'Jackanory', or the 'Reverend I M Jolly' ..."

After explaining the amusing circumstances in which Lin first encountered Jane at a Bloody Scotland event in September, she read the opening of her book Paths of The Dead, which takes place in a church, has a spiritual aspect, and always has an impact on audiences.

Moira Forsyth Open Mic

Lin's opening of the evening was followed by an 'Open Mic' session with local writers giving moving readings of their own and work by others on themes related to the refugee crisis.

Moira Forsyth, writer and Director of Sandstone Press then gave a wonderfully animated reading of one of her short stories (prompting a debate afterwards as to the precise meaning of 'puddock').

After a short interval, Val McDermid took the chair, and read a powerful piece from her book The Skeleton Road, taking the audience on a journey via the feelings and experiences of characters in the positions of many of those in Syria today.

Val McDermid

After a really excellent and honest Q&A session, where Jane Wallman-Girdlestone quizzed Val about her writing and her ways of going about the creation of her stories, it was time for the book signings ...

The event was supported by Waterstones Inverness. There is an opportunity for everyone of make a contribution to help with the Syria refugee crisis by buying books at their local Waterstones (the books with the 'Buy Books for Syria' stickers). 100% of the cover price goes to Oxfam's Syria Crisis Appeal. Please help if you can.