Agnes Owens © Colin McPherson For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast we spoke to John Crosbie, the son of one of Ali's favourite writers, Agnes Owens whose centenary is being marked in a number of ways, including a handsome set of new editions of her work. Four are available now (see below) with another three coming later in the year - all published on the Polygon Books imprint of Birlinn. John Crosbie John starts by talking about Agnes and who she was as a writer, how she c

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Colin Burnett to talk about his new novel Family Man, which is also The Third Book of Aldo, and it's published with Tippermuir Books. Colin talks about all things Aldo, including the first two books A Working Class State of Mind and Who's Aldo?, before telling us where the man finds himself at the beginning of this book, and gives an overview of the plot, carefully avoiding spoilers. The two then discuss Aldo's 'famil

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Frances Crawford to talk all about her debut novel A Bad, Bad Place, which is published on the Bantam imprint of Penguin Books. Frances gives a brief description of the book (avoiding spoilers), before talking about why this was the story for her first novel, and the long and winding road to publication. The two then discuss the two central characters of 12-year-old schoolgirl Janey and her Nana Maggie and how the nat

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Luca Serra to talk all about his new novel This Is Home , which is published with Leamington Books . This Is Home is Luca's debut novel in English, and he talked about the experiences, people and places which inspired it before the two discuss the four central characters and their roles - and that of a sauce-encrusted, sink-bound, pot! Much of the novel is set in restaurants where some of the individuals are employe

📸 - 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

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

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

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

This year's Edinburgh International Book Festival returns to Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) for the second year, and once again it...

For the first of our Bloody Scotland podcasts - Scotland's International Crime Writing Festival - Ali spoke to the five shortlisted...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to poet Gordon Meade to hear all about his new collection of selected poems Beyond The...

Jess Orr For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke once again to Jess Orr, the Associate Programmer for the Paisley Book Festival...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with writer Chris McQueer who was last a guest back in 2018. Since then Chris has...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Ali caught up with previous guest, Saltire Prize shortlisted author David F. Ross to hear all...

📸: credit Ren Rox For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to singer-songwriter and author James Yorkston to talk about his...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Ali spoke to Jenna Gordon, who is the editorial director for Verve Books , to talk about all...

This year sees the Edinburgh International Book Festival (10–25th August) move to its new home, the Edinburgh Futures Institute at the...

Scots Whay Hae! has once again joined forces with our good friends at Into Creative to present the latest Scots Whay Hae! & Into Creative...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Martin Stewart about his new novel Double Proof, a Glasgow-set crime thriller...

Scots Whay Hae! has joined forces with our good friends at Into Creative to present Scots Whay Hae! & Into Creative x Conversations, a...