Event as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022, Edinburgh City of Literature & the Scottish Storytelling Centre present figures of speech. " ... Our hosts Amanda Thomson and Roseanne Watt take us on a tour through nature, landscape, community and the language of place, whilst also discussing their own experiences of writing and working in Scotland."

Figures of Speech: place. One of a series of events covering six universal themes (music, friendship, future, love, place, big ideas), each event explores literary blockbusters, hidden gems and modern classics.

Our expert guides will take us on a journey through Scotland’s iconic books and stories, navigating the dazzling array of new voices, and presenting newly commissioned work by artists responding to each theme.

'Let us take you on a journey across the curious contrasts and contradictions that define Scottish literature.

In our first season (May - July), we'll be covering Music, Friendship and Future. On May 20th writer and broadcaster Nicola Meighan and author Arusa Qureshi will be exploring Music, and presenting a newly commissioned dance piece from poet and performer Katie Ailes. Poet Michael Pedersen and author Val McDermid will be diving into Friendship on June 24th, with music from Kim Carnie. And on July 22nd, poet Russell Jones and writer T.L.Huchu will be looking to the Future, with new poetry from Jeda Pearl.

The second season of Figures of Speech (September - November) will take in Love, Place and Big Ideas. On September 23rd Gaelic poet Peter Mackay will talk love with romance writer Jenny Colgan. Visual artist and writer Amanda Thomson will drop a pin in the literary map with a discussion on Place with poet and film maker Roseanne Watt on October 21st (postponed to February '23). The season concludes on St. Andrew’s Day (November 30th) with some Big Ideas from Professor David Farrier with activist and author Jessica Gaitán Johannesson.

We want to welcome as wide an audience as possible and extend this conversation across Edinburgh, Scotland and the world. All the events will be recorded and made available online a week later, and both the live and recorded events will be supported by BSL interpretation.'