The Further From Festival 2026 starts tomorrow, Thursday 26th February! Join us over the next four days for a festival of authors, books and ideas…
And ice cream, whisky, nature, art, time-travelling crime solvers, first-class Scottish writing, the finest historical writing and dragons!
Our festival home is St Peter’s Church - nestled in the heart of Linlithgow High Street. All events are taking place there and we’ll have tea, coffee and shortbread available, as well as lots of books for sale as well!
Robin Ince returns with his blend of humour and razor-sharp observation. In his latest book, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal, award-winning broadcaster Robin uses his own experiences to explore neurodivergence, and asks what it means to be normal. And he’ll be reading from his latest volume of poetry, Ice Cream for a Broken Tooth.
Join us for some Highland hospitality with author and hostess Ghillie Basan! Food Whisky Life is a reflection of Ghillie's adventures up until now, an amazing blend of stories and recipes - and the whiskies Ghillie would pair with each. This special evening event will include three whiskies to sample, as well as Ghillie's own canapes to pair with each: what better way to start the weekend!
It wouldn't be the Further From Festival without Jim Crumley - Leo du Feu has also very kindly appeared on several occasions. This year is a bit different however as for the first time they have collaborated on a very special book, Symphonic. Symphonic is beautifully written and and personal account of Jim Crumley’s lifelong quest to find harmony in nature as he celebrates our precious planet, drawing on more than six decades of immersion in wild landscapes to explore the profound harmony at the heart of the natural world—and why it matters now more than ever.
Olga Wojtas grew up in Edinburgh where she attended the school that inspired The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Her Miss Blaine's Prefect series is a perfect slice of cosy crime, and her work has been compared to PG Wodehouse and Jasper Fforde - as well as Blackadder! Whether you're already a fan of Shona McMonagle and her time travelling mysteries, or you're new to the series, this event will be the perfect antidote to any February blues!
Our afternoon session starts with Allan Radcliffe, a hugely talented writer, someone we've admired since his first novel The Old Haunts was published. It's probably fair to say we're super fans of Allan Radcliffe at the bookshop - his prose is simply stunning and both of his novels, The Old Haunts and Blurred Faces, are quiet masterpieces. Plus, Allan is a brilliant speaker and we can't wait to discuss his latest novel, Edinburgh set Blurred Faces!
To end our Saturday festival festivities we are delighted to welcome back the one and only Sue Lawrence! Sue Lawrence is a hugely talented writer of both fiction and non-fiction, whose novels highlighting forgotten women in Scottish history have gathered a wide readership in recent years. We're really looking forward to discussing Sue's latest novel, Whispers in the Glen which uncovers secrets and lies and the bonds of sisterhood in the small community of Clova during the Second World War.
Sunday is family day at the Further From Festival. David MacPhail - author of the Thorfinn series amongst many others - has a brand new book out! Where's Dragon in his Castle is a brilliant search and find book - perfect for dragon hunters and anyone interested in history! This will be a laugh out loud family event, suitable for all ages.
Shona (S.G.) Maclean is coming to Linlithgow! We're pleased to welcome the author of The Bookseller of Inverness, the Seeker novels and her latest historical novel, The Cromarty Library Circle. Shona Maclean has been one of Scotland's best-selling authors for nearly a decade with her blend of meticulous historical research and character driven plots, always choosing episodes from Scotland's past that are full of intrigue. The Cromarty Library Circle is the unforgettable story of a Scottish town on the cusp of change and the group of townspeople whose lives will be irrevocably altered over the course of one tumultuous year.
