Following the success of the first Blether at last year's Inverness Book festival, the focus now shifts to the Isle of Skye and great new books and writing from women writers in the Highland and Islands.

If writing and publishing in Scotland are at present riding the crest of a wave, women writers in the north are surely at the helm proving that the Highlands and Islands of Scotland are a great place to live and work as a writer!

Publishers' lists are full of exciting, entertaining and challenging new writing by women from the Highlands and Islands, and so it's time to forget the stereotypes and lift the lid on contemporary women's writing from the north.

To do just that, Blether 2 brings to the stage three exceptional writers from the region - Emma Maree Urquhart, Linda Gillard and Erica Munro, along with the beautiful, moving Gaelic singing of Christine Primrose.

Reading on the night will be:

13-year-old Emma Maree Urquhart, who shot to national prominence when her first book, ‘Dragon Tamers’ (Aultbea Publishing) sold 50,000 copies!  Surely an inspirational chapter in recent publishing in the Highlands, Emma's success is inspiring a new generation of young writers to put pen to paper.

Skye-based writer Linda Gillard is author of the critically acclaimed new novel ‘Emotional Geology’ (Transita Press)
Erica Munro reads from her new book due for publication later this summer. Her novel ‘Guilty Feet’ was an instant bestseller in 2004.

To complete a thrilling evening of intrigue, daring romance and deep insight, Christine Primrose, one of the leading traditional Gaelic singers of the generation, will provide songs of love and loss in her truly inimitable style.

HI~Arts Writing Development Coordinator, Peter Urpeth said:

"This event is a chance not only to hear and meet some of the finest authors from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, but also rightly places emphasis on the strength of writing by women in the region. With new books being published that range from fantasy teen fiction to compelling literary titles and blockbuster chick lit, this summer really is the time to lift the lid on women's writing from the region and to discover the sheer quality of what's out there, being written in your town or village. We're proud to present these three authors in what promises to be a really fine event."

Blether 2 will be held on Saturday 23rd July 2005, 7pm at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (Talla Mhòr), Isle of Skye.
Tickets - £6 / £5 / £3.  Tickets are available from Feis an Eilein by email, post or telephone: 01471 844207 before the Fèis 01471 888595 during the Fèis. E-mail eis@cali.co.uk  Post: Fèis Office, Ostaig House, Teangue, Skye, IV44 8RQ Box office opens at 12 noon each day from 12 July, in Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. www.feisaneilein.com