Wordplay 2008, Shetland’s seventh annual book festival will feature two important launches. The first, at 11am on Saturday will be the launch of a new book of poetry by local poet, Jim Moncrieff; the second at 12.45pm on Saturday will be the launch of the Shetland Forwirds Dialect Resource Pack for Early Primary School.

Jim’s book, Beaten Gold, is a collaboration with artist Andrew Morrison and features some of his best work in years, accompanied by drawings by Andrew. The book is published by New Dead Language. The launch is also a tribute to Jim’s poetry and will feature readings by some of Shetland’s, finest writers, including Laureen Johnson, James Sinclair and Alex Cluness. Tickets for the event, which is free are available from Islesburgh Box Office (01595 6921114)

The Dialect Resource Pack for Early Primary is the second educational resource to have been produced in partnership between the SIC and Shetland Forwirds. The pack will be launched at 12.45pm in Room 16 in Islesburgh, and anyone who is interested is welcome to come. Shetland Forwirds is a registered charity which was founded in order to promote the Shetland Dialect.

Shetland Arts Literature Development Officer, Donald Anderson said, “it is fundamental to the aims of Shetland Arts that we offer a platform for local writers and community groups to launch new work, and Wordplay is an ideal platform.”
The festival which takes place this weekend will also feature events by local writers such as Valerie Watt, Robert Alan Jamieson and Christine de Luca alongside Ruth Padel, John Hegley, Adrian Mitchell and of course Will Self.

Tickets for all Wordplay events are available from Islesburgh Box Office 01595 692114.