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SIMON ARMITAGE

Pop poet turns wordy rock star

Simon Armitage is a very modern poet. as happy to ruminate over Arctic Monkeys' lyrics as he is to translate 14th centuryromantic poetry. During the 1:3 yea s since he handed in his notice as a prohation officer to concentrate fully on his writing. he's produced a plethora of poetry. several novels and plays. as well as making freguent appearances on radio and teleVision. With his self—dei)recating. realist style. peppered With accessihle humour and his native Yorkshire wit. he's guietly hecome the recognisable face of UK poetry and is rumoured to he next in line for poet laureate.

His latest hook Gig: The Life and Times of a Rock Star Fantasist chronicles his life long love affair With hands. records and gig going and reflects on his failure at never hecoming a rock star or musician. It's a hugely eiyoyahle and poignant collection and one that happily comes full circle. Last year Armitage's hand The Scaremongers finally released their dehut single and played then‘ first concerts 2() years after forming.

Their poppy. unsurprisineg wordy style has drawn fa\./ourat)le comparisons With Belle and Sehastian. Armitage appeared With B&S's Stuart Murdoch hack in January. at the Aye Write festival in Glasgow. talking hout his hook. literature and music. This time around, l'm going to he chatting to Simon. ahout why he wrote the hook. song lyrics aren't poetry. and exactly what is so great ahout The \J‘i/edding Present. (Roddy Woomhlm I 23 Aug. Spin. 5‘9 (577/.

SADIE JONES Orange nominee who won’t stick to the script

‘Not a had start.' comes I ondoner Sadie Jones' modest response when she's reminded of the remarkahle success of her dehut novel The Outcast a nominee for the Orange Pri/e for Fiction and one of 2008's hest sellers to date. ‘l'm jtlSt in a constant state of surprise and pleasure ahout it all to he honestf she heams.

An emotive. ominous tale ahout the crziel ostracism of middle- class teenager Levxis from polite society in Leafy 1950s London suhurhia and his

Festival Books

gradual descent into alcoholism. criminality and self-harm. The Outcast was originally developed as a script. It evolved into a hook as Jones who had worked in screenwriting for 18 years became frustrated at the lack of elhow room such a format afforded her to develop what she gradually came to understand was a powerful. affecting story. with an intriguing character at its core. ‘It Just didn't feel told or fully realised' she says. 'so I had to find another way of dOing it.‘

Reworked as her first novel. the prose is spare hut sparklineg detailed. With a strikingly filmic quality in its measured pace and precise use of imagery. Jones has already been courted to produce a screen adaptation. although she's proceeding with caution and remains tight-tipped ahout the details. ‘We're working on that.‘ she says. ‘hut I don't want to compromise the story just to sell it on. It's done now the stoiy's told. and that's a lovely feeling. to finally have something told. So I'm not rushing into anything' (Malcolm Jacki I Sadie Jones and Clare i't/torra/l. 22 Aug. 4.30pm. 1‘6 (M).

BRYAN TALBOT

Graphic detail in the finest strips

Bryan Talhot is a hit of a legend in the UK comics industry. He's proVided art for the likes of ZOOOAD. Sandman and Batman hut you can still see the influence of underground comix artists such as Rohert Crumh and Gilhert Shelton even in his most commercial work. There's a cartoon-like guality to his distinctive penmanship. coupled With extraordinary multi-layered detail. ‘Underground comix reclaimed comics as an adult medium,‘ says Talhot. ‘especially the likes of Art Spiegelman [Mai/s] who were doing non-genre hooks. Suddenly comics were cool. There's more graphic novels. good graphic novels. heing produced now than you could possihly read. The golden age of graphic novels is only Just starting because we've got this wealth of literature to draw on.’

It is With his own work that Talhot's talent has really shone. He is credited with the first ever British graphic novel With The Adventures of Luther Arkwright in 1978. his groundhreaking and much revered The Tale of One Bad Hat and his most recent work A/ice i'n Sunder/and. ‘l've always mentally divided my work up into commercial and professional' he says. ‘1'” do my hest for commercial work. hut if it's personal work where I own the characters. I've created them, I write it. I draw it. | colour it. Usually when I'm doing commercial comics l'll he part of a team. When I'm doing my own hooks I put everything I can into them.’ (Henry Northmore)

I 22 Aug, 1 lam, 5‘12 (£79).

THE SU. ‘11-“ TIMES SCOTLAND

en UHIEI'S

RunsUntil 25 August Charlotte Square Gardens Edinburgh

Tickets from the Box Office in Charlotte Square Gardens

0845 3'73 5888 www.edhookfest.co.uk

Drop by - we'd love to see you!

1’1 Aug .1 Sep 2008 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 69