📸 - credit Chris Leslie For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Alison Irvine to talk about her fascinating and insightful new book about Glasgow's famous Barrowland Ballroom . To give its full title, the book is called Barrowland: The Inside Story of Glasgow’s Beloved Ballroom and it's published by Luath Press . Alison explains that the book's origins are in a previous publication, and the importance of her regular collaborators Chris Leslie and Mitch M

📸 - credit Veronica Stewart For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to screenwriter, playwright, actor, and now novelist, Linda Duncan McLaughlin to talk about her debut novel Original Sins , which is published by Into Books . There was so much to talk to Linda about, but the conversation begins with her describing Original Sins , a novel not easily categorised, and the two then manage to discuss the novel without giving spoilers (also a tricky task). Linda then ta

📸 - credit Christopher Bowen For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Lesley Davidson, who is the co-director of the Beacon Arts Centre , to talk about the inaugural Beacon Book Festival which runs from Friday 20th - Sunday 22nd February. Lesley tells us why now is the right time for the Beacon Arts Centre to host a book festival, and what the challenges were in programming, before talking about that programme - who is on, and when, and taking us through the vari

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer, and regular guest over the years, Louise Welsh to talk about her latest Rilke novel The Cut Up , which is published with Canongate Books . Louise begins with a brief introduction to the central character of Rilke, before talking about the first novel in which he featured, Louise's celebrated 2002 debut The Cutting Room, a book which has had a notable influence on a new generation of writers. The two then discuss The

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Professor of History and Theory of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh (and former magician) Peter Lamont to talk about his latest book Radical Thinking: How To See The Bigger Picture , which is published by Swift Press . It's a continuation of a conversation the two had at last year's Aye Write Book Festival when an hour was nowhere hear enough time to discuss this fascinating and thought-provoking book, and the ide

For the first Scots Whay Hae! podcast of 2026, Ali spoke to writer and musician Peter May to talk about his new album Towards The Light , but so much more. Peter admits that despite his fame as a writer of crime fiction (31 novels to date), music was always his first love and he goes on to talk about his early years playing in bands, running away to London to make their fame and fortune, and just what the musical landscape was like at the time. He then talks about the new al

There were some fascinating non-fiction books published over the last 12 months, and it was a tricky job to whittle a list down to a handy top ten, but we just about managed it. The list below features, music and song, memoir, travel, film, sport, philosophy, sociopolitics, religion, faith, food, and so much more. I was lucky enough to talk to some of the writers whose books feature, and you'll find links to those interviews below, along with links to the books themselves and

This year was another corker in terms of crime fiction, which continues to provide readers with some of the most exciting reads around. We have picked ten of the best published in 2025 to give you just a taste of what's happening in Scottish crime fiction right now. They touch on the historical, the supernatural, whisky, werewolves, Weekenders, familial relations, the corrupting nature of religion, politics, and class, with settings at home and abroad, and so much more. I was

For this, the inaugural Scots Whay Hae! Best Crime Fiction podcast Ali was joined by writer Callum McSorley to talk about some of the best books published this year, and to take a look at what's coming in 2026. Each picking six of their favourites, the chat turns to great debuts, superb sequels, welcome returns, award winners, new voices, whisky, weekenders, even werewolves, and so much more! Callum is always great to talk to ( check out his appearance on the SWH! podcast fro

There are plenty of ‘Books Of The Year’ lists around this time competing for your time and attention, but we like to think that Scots Whay Hae!’s  selections are for the more discerning book lover, with something for everyone. This year we once again offer you three separate lists. O ur Crime a nd Non-fiction selections will be with you soon, but below are our pick of the Ten Best Fiction Books for 2025. Every year tells a different story and it’s always interesting to refle

As is traditional, the first of our Best of 2025 podcasts is all about books, when once again Ali is joined by Publishing Scotland 's Vikki Reilly (right) to talk about just a few of the standouts of the year, and to give a heads up as to what's coming in 2026. The two talk fantastic fiction, non-fiction, plenty of prose, and even a little poetry. There are debuts to Last Words , complicated families, celebrations of friendships, love, loss, what it means to be alive, examina

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to returning guest, writer Tom Brogan to talk all about his latest book Dalglish: The Fifty Matches That Made the Player which is published by Pitch Publishing . This was a real treat for Ali as Kenny Dalglish is his first, and arguably greatest, hero, and the two talked about what the player, and the man, means to them both (and they are remarkably similar stories). Tom then sets out the structure of the book, the inspiratio

📸 - credit Stephen McGuigan For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer, broadcaster and campaigner Darren McGarvey (also known as rapper Loki ) to talk about his book and live show, Trauma Industrial Complex , and the album Not Funded By Creative Scotland , which are three central strands of the same multi-media project, and the two discuss how they work together, but also stand alone. Darren talks about the challenges of taking the show to the Fringe, but w

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast we welcome back writer Peter Ross to talk to Ali about his latest book Upon A White Horse: Journeys in Ancient Britain and Ireland - published by Headline - and which is the last in the 'fox trilogy' (and to find out what that refers to, you'll have to listen in). Peter gives an overview of the book, and how it fits alongside previous publications A Tomb With A View and Steeple Chasing , before discussing the structure, the quotes in

Moving from Spring to Autumn - running from 6th to 16th November - Glasgow’s Book Festival Aye Write offers something for everyone. Lovers of fact, fiction, poetry, prose, autobiography, biography, crime (real and fictional), memoir, music, food, and any other form of writing that takes your fancy, are all well catered for. The festival is mostly split between the Mitchell Library and Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall with plenty of guests from home and abroad, perfectly suiting

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to crime writer Marion Todd to learn all about Dead Man's Shoes (published by Canelo ), the latest in the DI Clare Mackay series of thrillers. Marion talks about the challenges in, and advantages to, writing a long-running series ( Dead Man's Shoes is the ninth entry) before giving a spoiler-free breakdown of the novel, explains what comes first - plot or people - and the difficulties in hitting that balance between cosy an

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Foday Mannah to hear all about his award-winning debut novel The Search for Othella Savage , which is published by Quercus Books , and which was shortlisted for this year's Bloody Scotland Debut Prize. Foday gives a brief synopsis of the novel, spoke about the real-life incident which inspired him to write it, and why it was important to set events in both Scotland and Sierra Leone. He also explains the quote from Mo

📷 - credit Euan Anderson For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to returning guest Graeme Macrae Burnet about his new book...

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is our latest collaboration with Bloody Scotland - Scotland's International Crime Writing Festival  -...

As we move towards Autumn (and the nights fair draw in), thoughts turn to chestnuts, cardigans, and crime with the Bloody Scotland...