BORDERERS will have the chance to experience the buzz of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, when it comes to the region next month.

The two-day event, called Booked! will take place at the MacArts Centre in Galashiels and begin on Tuesday, August 23, as part of its tour around Scotland.

The festival brings together authors and artists with the public to inspire people of all ages, and will include contributions from local poets and musicians.

And youngsters in particular are being encouraged to get involved, with the event open to schools and community groups.

Janet Smyth, Children and Education Programme Director at the Edinburgh International Book Festival said: "The thinking behind the programme is to showcase the wealth of fantastic contemporary writing for young people as a way to engage with school students and engage new and future audiences, as well as demonstrate how the Scottish Borders is a constant source of inspiration for many writers.

“The Scottish Borders has a rich literary heritage from James Hogg to Walter Scott and we wanted to bring an international focus to explore this link between landscape and the imagination.

"Borders author Dorothy Alexander will be discussing her new book The Mauricewood Devils, a semi fictionalised account, partially set in the Borders, of a mine disaster in 1889 that left 62 men dead. It’s a fascinating look at life at that time and, in particular, the lives of women," she added.

Bruce Gilkison, the great-great-grandson of James Hogg, will also share what he has learnt about his ancestor as well as discussing his new work.

Ms Smyth added: "Mountaineer Bruce Gilkison is a direct descendent of James Hogg and in his book he walks in Hogg’s footsteps, describing his encounters with the people and the landscape of the Scottish Borders.

"Meanwhile, contemporary life and the challenges and opportunities available to today’s young people will be explored by young adult novelists Patrice Lawrence, Brian Conaghan, Cara Ellison and Alan Gibbons amongst others. 

"Everything from gang culture, to enlisting to fight with ISIS, to being an international gamer will be discussed and debated with Borders school students."

The programme of public events will include:

BRUCE GILKISON – IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JAMES HOGG - Tuesday, August 23 at 5.30pm, £5 entry (£3.50 concession) 
Bruce Gilkison, great-great-grandson of James Hogg, shares what he has learnt of his eccentric ancestor while retracing the Ettrick Shepherd’s walking journeys from the Borders to the Highlands for new book Walking with James Hogg. 

BORDERS BOOKED! UNBOUND - Tuesday, August 23 at 7pm-9pm, Free and unticketed.
Unbound, the nightly cabaret caper at Edinburgh International Book Festival, arrives for a one-off spectacular. Authors including Dorothy Alexander, Brian Conaghan and Thomas Clark take to the stage alongside local musicians, capping the first night of Borders Booked! Festival with words and revelry.

READING WORKSHOP – LINDA MCLEAN ON THE VIEW FROM CASTLE ROCK - Wednesday, August 24 at 5.30pm, £5 entry (£3.50 concession)
Ahead of the theatre production arriving in the Borders region on Wednesday, August 31, award-winning playwright Linda McLean leads an exploration of Nobel laureate Alice Munro’s The View From Castle Rock, a moving collection of stories about the author’s ancestors’ emigration from the Ettrick Valley to Canada. McLean has adapted the text for the collaborative theatre production by Stellar Quines and Edinburgh International Book Festival which will be part of the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2016.

The festival is also working with the following community groups: Additional Support Need Unit of Langlee Primary School: 'Spyentists and Spynosaurs' on Wednesday, August 24 at 11am; Young children from local nurseries and toddler groups: 'Meet Mole and the Lumpy-Bumpy Thing' on Tuesday, August 23 at 11am and Community Writers Groups: 'Dorothy Alexander' on Tuesday, August 23 at 3.30pm – 5pm.

Many schools have already signed up to special events put on for pupils:

Three classes from S2, Galashiels Academy and S3 pupils from Hawick High School will attend the 'Patrice Lawrence and Anthony McGowan: Urban Grit' event on Tuesday, August 23 at 10.30am.

Three classes from S2, Galashiels Academy and S2 pupils from Earlston High School will attend the 'Ann M Martin. Looking for a Lost Dog' event Tuesday, August 23 at 1pm.

Higher English pupils from S5 and S6, Galashiels Academy and Higher English pupils from S5 and S6, Hawick High School will attend the festival on Tuesday, August 23 at 1.30pm to see the 'Cara Ellison: Travelling the World and Making Games' show.

And the 'Brian Conaghan & Alan Gibbons: The Bombs That Brought Us Together & The Trap' exhibition, taking place on Wednesday, August 24 at 10.30am, has also been put on especially for S1-S3 pupils.

Tickets are currently on sale to the public. To book online visit www.macarts.scot, email info@macarts.scot or call 01896 756852.

The event will be run in partnership with Scottish Borders Council, Live Borders, the People's Postcode Lottery and the Borders Book Festival.