What are you doing here? By Cally Phillips.

In one of those co-incidences that cannot be pre-empted (ain't that the whole nature of a co-incidence) today sees the start of the 3rd Edinburgh ebook festival. Oh, and of course the 100th anniversary of Britain entering the inappropriately named 'War to End All Wars.' 

Bring those 'facts' together and what have you got. The fact that I've gone AWOL from AE and am inviting you all to join me from today, for a full 31 days, at the 3rd Edinburgh eBook Festival. 



Virtually. Before you protest that you can't possibly spare 31 days, that you live nowhere near Edinburgh and/or that you never started the war so what's any of it got to do with you... let me point out that the Edinburgh eBook Festival is THE FESTIVAL THAT COMES TO YOU. 

You do not need to be in Edinburgh. You don't need to BE there at all in person. None of those of us taking part are (well, I think Catherine Czerkawska is in Edinburgh at the 'real' book festival some time - actually probably at the same time as she's 'virtually' there with us.

So. Throw your excuses in the bin. I was just a soldier following orders. Nothing to do with me. I don't know what to do/can't understand it/ am washing my hair for the next 31 days.  

Why not just try something new (or old if you've been before) and get down to the virtual festival. 

You'll be in good company.  Quite a few of the AE 'crew' are there:. The roll call includes: Mari Biella, Catherine Czerkawksa, Dennis Hamley, Chris Longmuir, Julia Jones, Bill Kirton, Jan Needle, Sue Price and myself. 

(And here's where I make a belated apology to Sandra Horn. Your kerning competition was - and still is - a great idea, but I just couldn't find a way to shoehorn it in. Sorry. Maybe you should set it up on AE blog post? ) 

So. No Kerning Competition (or was it kennin') But that's no excuse not to go. (though all those double negatives and brackets and cliches and capitals might be!) What DO we have on offer? Okay. Well on weekdays we have slots at 11am, 3pm, 7pm and 10pm and on the weekends a bit more leisurely, with 11am and 7pm slots.  

Our Themes are History and Homecoming (and inevitably, war).There are writer residencies, personal remembrances (oh, yes, a couple of you reading this are now remembering you were going to submit!) critical commentary, short stories, serial fiction and a load of other ebook related things I can’t remember now that my brain has turned to mush in the pulling together of it all.

I’ve done my bit, both for ebooks and for ‘we will remember.’  Now it’s over to you.  Visit the festival AND more than that, tell other people about it.  We have no advertising budget and no way of people finding it other than through social media. So like us, follow us, tweet us and most of all SHARE us.  Last year we had 13,000 visitors – let’s see if we can beat that target. You'll be most welcome, each and every one. 

Why not make a first visit right now. Check out the programme and bookmark the site. You might learn something – and you might just enjoy yourself too. 10/10 ebooks that visited last year (in an indeterminate sample size) said they'd love to go back again this year. So listen to your Kindle/ipad/smartphone/kobo/pc/laptop and haste ye down to virtual Edinburgh. 



Comments

julia jones said…
well done Cally. You have my huge admiration - as ever. Have tweeted programme and will visit as often as possible. Lots to attract.
madwippitt said…
Brilliant! Looking forward to it.
JO said…
Thanks for all your hard work, Cally. It will be fab, again!
Bill Kirton said…
I don't know how you do it, Cally, but I'm glad you do. Thanks and congratulations.
Looking forward to it! But I'm not at the 'other' festival - oh no. I'm an eBook Festival exclusive. I only squeezed under the wire of the official book festival last year as a member of a Society of Authors in Scotland panel. Come to think of it I'm not starry enough (or Scottish enough?) for ANY Scottish festivals, not for lack of trying by my publisher, but they don't want me. Mind you I've been invited to speak at a 'Ladies' Champagne Day' at a beautiful hotel next weekend which (call me cheap and tacky) actually seems like a nicer option. Especially the champagne!
Chris Longmuir said…
I'm off to spend my free festival pass. Once again Cally, you have excelled yourself in setting this up and I'm full of admiration for you. Now, I'm off to mingle with the crowds.
Mari Biella said…
I'm looking forward to it, Cally, and will Tweet and share like mad to help spread the word!
Chris Longmuir said…
Cally, I was going to pin the programme onto various reading groups on Pinterest but couldn't do it because they said there were no pinnable images on the page. It might be worth putting a pic on this page because Pinterest is a great way of sharing things.

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