International Women’s Day – Women in Crime Fiction: A conversation with Louise Welsh and Alex Gray
Dumbarton Library, Friday 8th March, 7.00pm
To celebrate International Women’s Day we are delighted to bring together two of the leading exponents of this much loved genre, Alex Gray and Louise Welsh, to have a discussion about Women and Crime Fiction. Crime fiction is a genre that is possibly the most popular with the general public. A significant number of the leading writers are women and women make up the largest consumers of crime fiction. The conversation between the authors will look at many topics such as: what is the particular appeal of this genre both to female writers and readers?; Do crime books provide the opportunity to provide strong female role models or is there a danger that they can play into negative or even dangerous stereotypes?; Is it harder to make an impact in the literary world if you are a woman? Does crime fiction empower women? There will also be the opportunity to ask questions and chat with the authors.
Alex Gray is best known for the bestselling DCI Lorimer series of novels. She was born and brought up in Glasgow. She has worked for the Department of Health and as an English teacher. She began writing professionally in 1993 and very quickly had success with her short stories, articles and commissions for BBC radio programmes. She has won awards for her writing including the Scottish Association of Writers Constable and Pitlochry trophies. Alex is keen on visiting prisons to encourage rehabilitation through reading and creative writing. She is the co-founder of Bloody Scotland the highly regarded and very popular international crime writing festival which takes place in Stirling annually.
Louise Welsh is an award winning novelist and short story writer. Her debut novel The Cutting Room won the Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award and the Saltire First Book of the Year Award. Her novels include The Bullet Trick and Tamburlaine Must Die. In 2022 the sequel to the much loved The Cutting Room, was published. Featuring the auctioneer, Rilke, The Second Cut, won The Times Crime Book of the Year. Louise is Professor of Creative Writing at Glasgow University and lives in Glasgow with her partner the writer Zoe Strachan.
We are honoured to have two such talented authors for this special event for International Women’s Day and we anticipate a fascinating and insightful conversation. Get your free tickets at: https://wdlwomenincrimefiction.eventbrite.co.uk
To celebrate International Women’s Day we are delighted to bring together two of the leading exponents of this much loved genre, Alex Gray and Louise Welsh, to have a discussion about Women and Crime Fiction. Crime fiction is a genre that is possibly the most popular with the general public. A significant number of the leading writers are women and women make up the largest consumers of crime fiction. The conversation between the authors will look at many topics such as: what is the particular appeal of this genre both to female writers and readers?; Do crime books provide the opportunity to provide strong female role models or is there a danger that they can play into negative or even dangerous stereotypes?; Is it harder to make an impact in the literary world if you are a woman? Does crime fiction empower women? There will also be the opportunity to ask questions and chat with the authors.We hope to see you there!
Best wishes
West Dunbartonshire Libraries