2022 Festival Images

Angela Hartnett, OBE, is one of the UK’s most loved chefs and restaurateurs, known for her sophisticated yet simple, Italy-inspired cooking. Born in Britain, her passion for good, honest food and the best ingredients was instilled in her by her Italian grandmother and mother. In 2007 Angela was awarded an MBE for services to the hospitality industry, and the following year she opened her own restaurant, Murano in Mayfair, where she is Chef Proprietor, and holds a Michelin star. Serving modern, seasonal food with an Italian accent, Murano is one of the few restaurants to hold 4 AA rosettes.

The Weekend Cook: Good Food for Real Life Released 26th May 2022, Bloomsbury

Jeremy Lee joined the Hart brothers at Quo Vadis in Soho in early 2012, becoming Chef Proprietor of this venerable restaurant. Jeremy had previously manned the stoves of Blueprint Café on the first floor of the Design Museum, which Sir Terence Conran created on the south bank of the River Thames near Tower Bridge.

Cooking: Simply and Well, for One or Many Released 1st Sept 2022, HarperCollins Publishers

Scottish crime writer best known for his Inspector Rebus novels. Ian Rankin is the multi-million copy worldwide bestseller of over thirty novels and creator of John Rebus. Rankin is the recipient of four Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Awards, including the Diamond Dagger, the UK’s most prestigious award for crime fiction.

A Heart Full of Headstones 13th October 2022, Hachette UK

Dave Broom, Glasgow-born, is a journeyman writer about booze, a job he’s been doing for the past 33 years. In his time, he’s been contributing editor at Whisky Magazine, Whisky Magazin Japan, Whisky Advocate, and scotchwhisky.com. He’s written 14 books, including ‘The Way of Whisky: A Journey into Japanese Whisky’, and ‘World Atlas of Whisky’. His newest, ‘A Sense of Place’, examining the role of community, culture, location and sustainability in Scotch is out in September. He’s written and presented two films, ‘Cuba In A Bottle’, and the award-winning, ‘The Amber Light’. He also consulted on the creation of Bertie’s Bar in The Fife Arms. The Irish Times described him as ‘an agreeable man with a pepper-and-salt beard’

A Sense of Place: A journey around Scotland’s whisky Released 29th September 2022, Octopus

Dr Frank Tallis is a writer and clinical psychologist. He has held lecturing posts at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and King’s College in London, practised as a psychotherapist for over 20 years and played an instrumental role in creating the mental health charity OCD Action.

Genevieve Gaunt, co-curator of the 2022 Braemar Literary Festival, is an actor and broadcaster. Graduating from Newnham College, Cambridge with a Double First in English she has pursued a love of the written word alongside a career in stage, television, film and audio. Genevieve has written for The Spectator magazine and interviewed award-winning authors such as Esther Freud and Claire Fuller.

Jackie Kay was born and brought up in Scotland. She is the author of—among other books—The Adoption Papers, which won the Forward Prize, Red Dust Road, winner of the Scottish Book of the Year Award, Trumpet, and the Costa-shortlisted Fiere. She is a former Chancellor of the University of Salford and Professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University.

Jackie was appointed as Scotland’s Makar from 2016 to 2021.

Author of six books, including her critically acclaimed memoir, If the Spirit Moves You: Life and Love After Death, and the international bestseller, Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life. She is a contributing editor to Harper’s Bazaar, having previously been its editor-in-chief. She was formerly an investigative journalist for the Sunday Times, a columnist for the Telegraph, editor of the Observer Magazine and features director of Vogue.

Miss Dior: A Wartime Story of Courage and Couture Released Sept 2021, Faber & Faber

Sebastian Faulks is a bestselling British novelist. Before becoming a full-time writer in 1991, he worked as a journalist on the Telegraph and Independent newspapers. His books include A Possible Life, Human Traces, On Green Dolphin Street, Engleby, A Week in December, Birdsong, Where My Heart Used to Beat, and, most recently, Snow Country.

He is chair of the Charlotte Aitken Trust, one of the largest literary charities in the UK, endowed by the estate of the late Gillon Aitken, publisher and literary agent.

Snow Country Released 2nd June 2022, Penguin Books

Sam Leith is the literary editor of The Spectator, and the author of several books including You Talkin' To Me: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Trump and Beyond and Write To The Point: How To Be Clear, Correct and Persuasive on the Page. He's currently working on a history of children's literature.

After a brush with rock ‘n’ roll, Stephen Page began his career in bookselling before moving into publishing to work in marketing and sales. In 2019, Stephen was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, is currently the Visiting Professor for Publishing and Creative Writing at City, University of London, and in 2021, he was awarded an OBE for his services to publishing.

Tom is a British food writer and critic. He won the Guild of Food Writers 2010 award for his writings on British food. He is known for his appearances as a judge and critic in numerous television food series including MasterChef and for his reviews of restaurant meals around the UK and overseas for GQ, Esquire and The Mail on Sunday. Tom is also a successful author of 8 books.

Director of HM The Queen Consort’s ‘Reading Room’, is a content producer, festival programmer and all-round bookworm. With a background in literary festivals, TV and Radio, including directing the BBC’s 500 Words competition, she’s passionate about making great stories accessible to everyone.

Kate Mosse is the author of nine novels & short story collections, including the No 1 bestselling The Joubert Family Chronicles – The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears. A champion of women’s creativity, Kate is the Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction – the largest annual celebration of women’s writing in the world – and sits on the Executive Committee of Women of the World. She is the Founder of the global campaign – #WomanInHistory – launched in January 2021 to honour, celebrate women’s achievements throughout history. She was awarded an OBE in 2013 for services to literature and was named Woman of the Year for her service to the arts in the Everywoman Awards and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World Released 13th October 2022, Pan McMillan

Mae is a poet and spoken word artist from Aberdeen. She has been commissioned by The National Library of Scotland, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Fringe of Colour Films. Her work has been featured on BBC Big Scottish Book Club and BBC Radio Four's Tongue and Talk. Mae writes in both English and Doric.

Hannah is an award-winning poet and playwright. Her pamphlet, Finding Seaglass was published by Stewed Rhubarb and her poem, Scotland You’re No Mine was selected as one Scotland’s Best Poems for 2019. The Drift, her highly acclaimed autobiographical lyric play, toured Scotland as part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s Season 2019 and in 2020, she was selected by Owen Sheers’ as one of his Ten Writers Asking Questions That Will Shape Our Future for the International Literature Showcase, a project from the National Writing Centre and the British Council. Her second lyric play Lament for Sheku Bayoh premiered at Edinburgh International Festival in 2021. She was appointed Edinburgh Makar in November 2021 for a three year term. She is also an associate artist with the National Theatre of Scotland and one of the winners of the Peggy Ramsay/Film4 Award 2022.

Blood, Salt, Spring Released Feb 2022, Birlinn Ltd.

Chef is an emerging MC cooking up a storm with an eclectic sound showcasing an exceptional talent for skilled lyricism, in depth storytelling and impactful punchlines in both his up-tempo and slowed down beats. Backed by Radio 1 as one of their Top Tips for 2022, Chef has found himself as one of the most prominent artists in the Scottish scene. This is highlighted by 2 Scottish Alternative Music Award nominations in 2021 and the numerous features from platforms, including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Scotland’s TUNE, Link Up TV, Up2Stndrd, STV and CLASH Magazine. The track “Find A Way” from his debut EP; ‘The World Is Mine’ earned Chef “Track of the Week on BBC 1Xtra.

Gillian Shearer is a writer and poet based in Aberdeenshire. She was awarded a New Writers Award through the Scottish Book Trust in 2021. Her work has appeared in Northwords Now, Southlight, Causeway/Cabhsair, and numerous other publications.

Her poem, Thank You was commended in the Hippocrates Prize 2021 and appeared in their anthology.

Shane Strachan is a writer and performer based in Aberdeen. His fiction has been published widely, including Nevertheless (amaBooks), and his theatre work has been staged with the National Theatre of Scotland (The Shelter; Granite) and Paines Plough.

He holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Aberdeen and he was awarded a Scottish Book Trust Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship for his creative work responding to the legacy of North-East fashion designer Bill Gibb which led to The Bill Gibb Line, a spoken word film, exhibition (Look Again Festival; Aberdeen Art Gallery) and podcast. Shane has recently been appointed as the National Library of Scotland’s Scots Scriever 2022-2023.

Rachel has been teaching literature and writing in England, Scotland and the US for twenty years and is currently working as an Associate Lecturer in Creative Writing with the Open University. Rachel is also finishing her tenure as Writer-in-Residence for the Braemar Creative Arts Festival, where she facilitated the Braemarnia project – a novel written by an entire village.

She is writing a middle-grade novel, The Adventures of Jack and Ling, which has been commissioned by a publisher in Hong Kong. She also has published as an academic and a journalist. Having completed her Doctorate in satire at the University of Surrey, Rachel now lives in Dundee, where she spends a lot of time wandering about the Tay and digging in the community garden.

Marilyn Baker moved to Braemar in 2004, along with husband Richard to run Dalmore House, Bed and Breakfast. This followed a 25-year career as a teacher and headteacher in International Schools in the middle east, the far east and north Africa. Marilyn has also taught Scottish Country dancing both overseas and at home. She initiated the Castleton Dancers of Braemar who raised more than £70,000 for charity and danced for the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral.

Marilyn’s other hobby is writing, mainly for children. She has written several plays, short stories and co-wrote one full length novel, Sky Lights, with a fellow teacher. In October 2012 she established the now annual Braemar Creative Arts Festival, which brings expert tutors to the village to run workshops in fine arts, crafts, music, dance, literature, and drama.

Colin Wight is an experienced radio and television broadcaster who spent 30 years with the BBC and 8 years at STV.

Colin’s a trustee at St Margaret’s Braemar and films many of the performances there. He’s also a volunteer at Braemar Castle.

Colin retired last year and devotes some of his time now to documenting life in Braemar on the Braemar TV Facebook page.