2018
Oct 16 reading, Dove Tales, event for the people of Palestine, Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh
Aug 18 creative writing workshop inspired by Edwin G Lucas retrospective, City Art Centre, Edinburgh
June 16 critical reading group, Reading Spark with Regi Claire, Writers’ Museum, Edinburgh
May 31 reading, Kantonsschule Romanshorn, Switzerland (McSwiss)
May 12 reading, Christian Aid Book Festival, City of Edinburgh Methodist Church (McSwiss)
Apr 17 / Apr 24 / May 1 / May 8 creative writing workshop, From the Horse’s Mouth, Royal Dick, Summerhall, Edinburgh
Mar 11 reading, Imprisoned Writers event, Amnesty International Scottish Student Conference 2018, Chaplaincy, Edinburgh University
Jan 23 / Feb 6 / Feb 20 / Mar 6 / Mar 20 / Apr 10 / Apr 24 / May 8 / Oct 23 / Nov 6 / Nov 20 / Dec 6 / Dec 13 critical reading group, Edinburgh
Jan 13 / Feb 10 / Apr 28 / Jun 9 / Oct 13 / Nov 10 / Dec 8 creative writing workshop, Rebel Writers, City Art Centre, Edinburgh
2017
Dec 3 creative writing workshop, Youdunnit – Crime Writing Workshop with Regi, Writers’ Museum, Edinburgh (Book Week Scotland event)
Dec 2 creative writing workshop, Write @ The Writers’, Writers’ Museum, Edinburgh (Book Week Scotland event)
Nov 29 reading, Kirkliston Library, Kirkliston (Book Week Scotland event)
Nov 15 reading, Scottish PEN/Amnesty International: Day of the Imprisoned Writer, Burns Committee Room, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
Aug 19 chairing Scottish PEN/Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Jul 12 reading, Spoken Word Edinburgh (From the Horse’s Mouth), The Royal Dick, Summerhall, Edinburgh
May 9 reading (with Kirsty Logan and David Gray), re-launch party of Word Power Books as Lighthouse Bookshop, Edinburgh
Apr 25 / May 9 / May 23 / Jun 6 / 19 Sep / Oct 3 / Oct 17 / Nov 14 / Nov 28 / Dec 7 critical reading group, Edinburgh
Mar 18 editing workshop and speech, 48th Conference of Scottish Association of Writers, Westerwood Hotel, Glasgow
Mar 17-19 judge (general short story competition), 48th Conference of Scottish Association of Writers, Westerwood Hotel, Glasgow
Jan 14 / Feb 11 / Mar 11 / Apr 22 / May 13 / Jun 10 / Jul 8 / Sep 16 / Oct 14 / Nov 11 / Dec 16 creative writing workshop, Rebel Writers, City Art Centre, Edinburgh
Jan 10 / Feb 7 / Mar 14 / Apr 4 / May 2 / May 30 creative writing workshop, Write at the Museum, Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh
2016
Nov 15 reading, Scottish PEN: Day of the Imprisoned Writer (focus on Turkey), Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh
Oct 25 / Nov 22 creative writing workshop, Write at the Museum, Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh
Aug 20 day-long tutoring, Jotters’ retreat, Ratho near Edinburgh
Jun 30 reading, Scottish PEN: Scotland Stands with Raif Badawi, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
May 20 reading, ‘Edinburgh – an Imaginative Introduction’, AGM Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK (FOSSUK), Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh (McSwiss)
Apr awarded a second year as a Royal Literary Fund Lector for Reading Round Scotland, 2016-2017
Mar 21 creative writing workshop, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Mar 17 reading/discussion, WEB (Women Enjoying Books), Edinburgh
Mar 11 reading/participation, International Women’s Day Symposium: Dangerous Women, Scottish PEN/Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, Edinburgh University, Scottish Storytelling Centre
Jan 16 / Feb 13 / Mar 5 / 16 Apr / 14 May / 11 Jun / 16 Jul / Sep 24 / Oct 22 / Nov 12 / Dec 10 creative writing workshop, Rebel Writers, City Art Centre, Edinburgh
2015
Nov 12 reading, Scottish PEN: Day of the Imprisoned Writer, Edinburgh University
Aug 25 reading, Edinburgh Book Fringe, Word Power Books
Aug 23 chairing Scottish PEN/Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Apr 25 / May 23 / Jun 27 / Jul 18 / Sep 26 / Oct 24 / Nov 21 / Dec 12 creative writing workshop, Rebel Writers, City Art Centre, Edinburgh
Apr Lit Long: Edinburgh app – exploring Edinburgh’s literary past – includes The Waiting
Mar 30 reading, Lit Long: Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh (read about it in The Guardian)
Jan 21 (one-day course: The Sea) / Sep 21 creative writing workshop, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Jan 17 reading, Corstorphine Youth and Community Centre
Jan 16 interview, CH–Creative Heads series on Facebook, Embassy of Switzerland in the United Kingdom
Jan awarded Royal Literary Fund Lectorship for Reading Round Scotland (together with Anne Donovan, Tracey Herd, Alexander Hutchison and John Keay), 2015-2016
2014
Nov 28 reading, Previously History Festival, Writers’ Museum, Edinburgh
Nov 14 reading, The Lark and the Owl, WordPlay, Shetland (Mc Swiss)
Oct 15 guest reading for Highlands Schools course, Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre (Arvon Foundation), Scottish Highlands
Aug 16 chairing Scottish PEN/Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 12 reader in Pete Ayrton’s Making Sense of the First World War event (Serpent’s Tail), Edinburgh International Book Festival
Jun 16 creative writing workshop, Creative Reframing, Universities Scotland, Edinburgh
May 26 reading, Gymnasium Unterstrass, Zürich, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Apr 29 reading, launch of Edinburgh Review 139 Word Power Books, Edinburgh
Apr 16 creative writing workshop, (affiliated with Royal Edinburgh Hospital), Ballenden House, Edinburgh
Apr 12 creative writing workshop, Modern Two (Dean Gallery), Edinburgh
Apr 9 guest reading for University of Manchester Writing School, Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre (Arvon Foundation), Scottish Highlands
Apr 7 reading, Women of Letters (smash-hit Australian literary salon), Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
Mar 8 reading, In Memoriam, Dundee University/Royal Society of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
Mar awarded Royal Literary Fund Fellowship 2014-15, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Jan 18 / Feb 15 / Mar 8 / May 17 / Jun 14 / Dec 10 (one-day course: Eat, Drink and Be Merry) creative writing workshop, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
2013
Nov 28 ebook edition of The Beauty Room (Birlinn/Polygon)
Oct 23 reading, Scottish PEN/Writers in Prison Group, I am Malala, Edinburgh World Justice Festival, Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh
Oct 5 reading, Portobello Book Festival, Edinburgh (McSwiss)
Autumn interview, Small Print Magazine (USA)
Autumn interview, Grange Newsletter
Sep 17 reading, Edinburgh Reads, Newington Library, Edinburgh
Sep 12 reading (with Lesley Glaister and Anneliese Mackintosh), launch of The Best British Short Stories 2013 (Salt), Looking Glass Books, Edinburgh
Sep 5 reading, Nairn Book and Arts Festival (McSwiss)
Aug 21 reading (with Ruth Thomas), Edinburgh Book Fringe, Word Power Books
Aug 18 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 17 chairing Scottish PEN/Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 16 panel discussion (with Kirsty Gunn, Jackie Kay, James Roberson and Gerda Stevenson), Gavin Wallace: Rewriting Scotland’s Literature, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 13 reading, Irish Pages 10th Anniversary Celebrations, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 13 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 1 reading, Blackwell’s Writers at the Fringe, Edinburgh
Jun 10 reading, Gerichtssherrenstube, Hotel Trauben, Weinfelden, Switzerland (McSwiss)
May 24 reading, Kantonsschule Wil, Switzerland (McSwiss)
May 23 talk and creative writing workshop, Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich, Switzerland (McSwiss)
May 21 reading, Kantonsschule Rämibühl, Zürich, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Apr 20 (one-day course: Samuel John Peploe) / Oct 12 (Witches and Wicked Bodies) creative writing workshop, Dean Gallery, Edinburgh
Apr awarded Royal Literary Fund Fellowship 2013-14, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Mar 21 reading (with Louise Welsh), Edinburgh Reads, Central Library, Edinburgh
Feb 18 / Jun 17 creative writing workshop Words on Canvas, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Feb 16 (Portrait Gallery Highlights) / Mar 16 (Tickling Jock) / Apr 13 (Edith Tudor Hart) / May 18 (Portrait Gallery Highlights) / Jul 13 (Man Ray) / Sep 14 (Ken Currie) / Nov 16 (unthemed) creative writing workshop, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
Jan 12 (John Bellany) / Jun 15 (Frederic Church) / Dec 14 (unthemed) creative writing workshop, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
2012
Dec 12 reading, Christmas evening at Blackwell’s, Edinburgh
Dec 9 reading, Neu! at Noir!, Summerhall, Edinburgh
Dec 6 reading, 40 Years Edinburgh Women’s Aid, Summerhall, Edinburgh
Nov 27 reading, Book Week Scotland, A Night in the Gutter with David Vann, Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), Glasgow
Nov 1 launch of The Waiting, Central Library, Edinburgh
Oct publication of new novel, The Waiting
Aug 28 reading, launch of New Writing Scotland 30, Blackwell’s Bookshop, Edinburgh
Aug 24 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Jul 28 reading of a poem by Valeria Melchioretto, BBC Radio Scotland, ‘Poetry 2012: The Written World, Switzerland’
May 19 / Jun 16 / Dec 15 creative writing workshop, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
Apr awarded Royal Literary Fund Fellowship 2012-13, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Mar 20 taking part in Worldwide Reading Day for Liu Xiaobo, Word Power Books, Edinburgh
Feb 26 reading, Alasdair Gray’s Fleck, Margins Book and Music Festival, Oran Mor, Glasgow
Jan 14 / Feb 18 / Mar 17 / Apr 21 / Jul 14 / Sep 22 / Oct 20 / Nov 17 creative writing workshop, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
2011
Nov 15 reading for Scottish PEN, International Day of the Imprisoned Writer, outside Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
Oct 26 reading and interview/discussion with Lizzie Siddal (Lizzie’s Literary Life), Words 2011: North Lanarkshire Festival of Books and Writing, Wishaw Library (McSwiss)
Aug 29 reading, Alasdair Gray’s Fleck, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 23 / Aug 27 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Jul 17 reading, Château de Lavigny, Switzerland
Jul 1-25 resident at Château de Lavigny International Writers’ Residence (Ledig-Rowohlt Foundation), Switzerland
Jun 5 reading, Solothurner Literaturtage, Landhaus, Solothurn, Switzerland
Jun 4 reading, Solothurner Literaturtage, Klosterplatz, Solothurn, Switzerland
May 21 creative writing workshop, Dean Gallery, Edinburgh
May 15 reading, WORD Festival, Aberdeen
May 14 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, WORD Festival, Aberdeen
May podcast and text, The Story Behind Fighting It, www.maggiescentres.org
Apr 18 judge, short story competition, Edinburgh Writers’ Club
Jan 15 / Feb 19 / Mar 19 / Apr 16 / Jun 25 / Sep 17 / Oct 15 / Nov 12 / Dec 10 creative writing workshop, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
2010
Nov 27 reading, 50th Anniversary of Swiss Club Edinburgh, Caledonian Hilton Hotel (McSwiss)
Nov 15 interview, ‘Die Magier von Edinburg’, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland)
Sep 18 (Danish Masters of Light) / Oct 16 (Impressionist Gardens) / Dec 11 (Aspects of Love), creative writing workshop, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Aug 24 introduction Alex Capus, Word Book Fringe, Word Power Books, Edinburgh
Aug 16 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 15 reading, Edinburgh International Book Festival (McSwiss)
Aug 14 reading, Word Book Fringe, Word Power Books, Edinburgh
Aug 14-30 exhibition, head drawing by Joyce Gunn Cairns, Edinburgh World Heritage Trust
Jun 14 reading, Strangers in a Strange Land: Outsiders of the Landlocked Island, Leith Festival, Rocksalt Café, Edinburgh
May 8 reading, Ullapool Book Festival (McSwiss)
Apr longlisted for Edge Hill Short Story Prize (for Fighting It)
Mar 30 reading, Kantonsschule Romanshorn, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Mar 26 reading, Kantonsschule Wiedikon, Zürich, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Mar 24 reading, Kantonsbibliothek Frauenfeld, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Mar 23 reading, Pädagogische Hochschule St.Gallen, Gossau Campus, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Mar 11 reading and creative writing workshop, Dunbar Writers
Mar 4 / Apr 15 creative writing workshop Words on Canvas II, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Jan 25 / Apr 26 / 21 Jun / Sep 20 creative writing workshop Words on Canvas I, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
2009
Nov 4 guest reading, Edinburgh University
Nov shortlisted for Saltire Book of the Year Award (for Fighting It), alongside A L Kennedy, Janice Galloway, Robert Crawford, James Buchan and John McLeod – read article in Scotland on Sunday
Oct profile, Swiss Review (Switzerland in the UK)
Sep 17 reading, Kantonale Maturitätsschule für Erwachsene, Zürich (McSwiss)
Sep 15 reading, Hotel Trauben (wine cellar!), Weinfelden, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Sep awarded Scottish Arts Council Bursary for next two novels
Aug 30 interview, Lizzy’s Literary Life
Aug 19 reading, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 16 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Jul 3 interview, booksfromscotland.com
Jun 22 interview, Book Café, BBC Radio Scotland
Jun 19 interview, Scotsman
Jun 18 launch of Fighting It, Word Power Books, Edinburgh, supported by Consulate General of Switzerland
May 11 / Oct 19 / Dec 14 creative writing workshop Words on Canvas I, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Feb 28 reading, Fundraising Event for Gaza, Argyle Bar, Edinburgh
Jan profile, Die Kantonsschule Frauenfeld und ihre Dichterinnen und Dichter – exhibition and catalogue, Switzerland
2008
Nov 25 launch of Stolen Stories (Forest Publications), Word Power Books, Edinburgh
Aug 15 reading, Story Shop, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 5 reading, National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh (McSwiss)
Aug 4 reading, Opening of Word Book Fringe, Word Power Books, Edinburgh (McSwiss)
Jun 12 reading, launch of Cleave (Two Ravens Press), Borders Bookshop, Glasgow
Mar 17 / Jun 9 creative writing workshop Words On Canvas I, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Mar 9 judge, Inspired? Get Writing! Creative Writing Competition 2007-08, run by National Galleries of Scotland/Scottish Poetry Library/English-Speaking Union, Edinburgh
2007
Oct 28 reading, Edinburgh Independent Radical Book Fair, Out of the Blue Drill Hall
Sept 18 chairing Peter Stamm event, Goethe-Institut, Glasgow
Aug 23 reading, Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 14 reading, Story Shop, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Aug 13 reading, Word Power Books, supported by Consulate General of Switzerland, Edinburgh (McSwiss)
May 22 reading, West Dunbartonshire Literature Festival, Thornton’s Café, Lomond Shores (McSwiss)
Jan 3 broadcast, ‘Cool Room 3’, BBC Radio 4 (Scottish Shorts)
2006
June 6 reading, launch of Textualities, The Jazz Bar, Edinburgh
May 18 reading, Opening of Consulate General of Switzerland, Signet Library, Edinburgh (McSwiss)
2005
Dec 11 interview, Neue Zürcher Zeitung am Sonntag
June 3 reading, West Dunbartonshire Literature Festival, Loch Lomond Books, Lomond Shores (McSwiss)
Apr 22 teacher training workshop for Fachschaft Englisch, Kantonsschule Rämibühl MNG (Zürich), Edinburgh (McSwiss)
Feb 7 reading and talk, Pädagogische Hochschule St.Gallen, Switzerland (McSwiss)
2004
Mar 11 reading, International Women’s Day, AK Bell Library, Perth
Spring winner of a UBS Cultural Foundation Award (for opening section of The Waiting)
2003
Sep 1-20 writing retreat, Casa Pantrova, Carona, Switzerland (Pro Helvetia/Swiss Arts Council)
Aug profile, The Swiss Review (Switzerland in the UK)
Jul 12 interview, The Herald, Best Friends series
Jun 6 reading, West Dunbartonshire Literature Festival, Balloch Library (McSwiss)
Spring awarded Pro Helvetia (Swiss Arts Council) Bursary
Feb 22 interview, Thurgauer Zeitung, Ausgewandert, aber nicht vergessen series
Feb 19 teacher training workshop and reading, Kantonsschule am Burggraben, St Gallen, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Feb 13 reading, Hotel Trauben (Gerichtsherrenstube), Weinfelden, Switzerland
2002
Autumn 2nd prize, Cadenza short story competition
Aug 26 reading, Edinburgh International Book Festival (Edinburgh Review Anniversary Celebration)
Aug 20 reading, (GaelForce 2002), Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh
Aug 12 reading, Edinburgh International Book Festival
May 30 launch of The Beauty Room, Raeburn Room, Old College, Edinburgh
Mar creative writing workshops in Bahrain for British Council (McSwiss)
Feb awarded Thurgau Lottery Foundation Bursary
2001
Mar 20 reading, From Burns to Bern: A Celebration of Swiss-Scottish Poetic Dialogues, Scottish PEN, National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
2000
Sept 23 reading, Scottish Book Town Festival, Wigtown House Hotel (McSwiss)
1999
Oct shortlisted for Saltire First Book of the Year Award (for Inside~Outside)
Sept 13 reading, Gemeindebibliothek Weinfelden, Switzerland (McSwiss)
Spring filmed for Scottish Female Authors series, BBC Scotland
1998
Nov readings and talks, Budapest and Pécs University, Hungary, for British Council (McSwiss)
Nov 18 launch of Inside~Outside, Waterstone’s, Edinburgh
1997
awarded Scottish Arts Council Bursary
1995
1st Prize Edinburgh Review Tenth Anniversary Short Story Competition (previously unpublished author)
