HEARTSTOPPER Creator Alice Oseman to Join Edinburgh International Book Festival

On Tuesday 13 August the Edinburgh International Book Festival will welcome award-winning author and HEARTSTOPPER creator Alice Oseman to the Festival with a whole day of FREE events and activities for audiences of all ages.

Alice Oseman says: ‘I always love visiting the Edinburgh International Book Festival and I couldn't be happier to be teaming up with them and BKMRK for a whole bunch of extra special Heartstopper activity on site this year. There's loads for fans and festival goers to get involved with, whether that's coming along to the event itself or getting creative with the free zine making sessions, hugging a Therapets puppy, or joining in on the Heartstopper treasure hunt – I can't wait to see you all there!'

Alice, who enjoys global success thanks to their graphic novel HEARTSTOPPER series (and subsequent Netflix show of the same name) will be in conversation with young adult author Lauren James at an event at McEwan Hall as part of the Festival's Front List. The pair will discuss the success of the series which tells the story of the ups and downs of first loves, friendships, coming out and mental health.

Aspiring illustrators, comic creators and all round creatives can relax in the dedicated Chill Out Zone on site at the Edinburgh Futures Institute throughout the day.  Inside there will be drop-in zine making sessions courtesy of the Glasgow Zine Library.  For those needing a more mellow moment, Therapets will also be joining us for the day in this brand new outdoor area. In keeping with the relaxed vibe of this space, the Therapets are dogs with calm and gentle dispositions, who love being petted, and bring canine cuddles to site.

Throughout the day of Alice's event, LGBT Youth Scotland will be onsite at EFI delivering self led activities in Venue C, and there will be Heartstopper leaves for visitors of all ages to write messages to their past selves.  If you would like to share your experience pre-or-post event you can catch a sound recorder roaming around site, and there will also be a podcast episode with Alice to listen back to after the day is over.(TBC) You will have the option to add your stories and letters to their (Un)seen, (Un)heard archive.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is also delighted to be partnering with Young Scot, with the Young Scot Reward scheme offering 15 members an opportunity to win the chance to attend Alice Oseman in conversation with Lauren James with a friend, as well as an exclusive meet and greet with the author.

Fans of Alice's will also have the opportunity to share their very own letters with Alice via an onsite postbox and will be able to record dedicated vox pops via a special sound recorder.

Before all of this, from Mon 29 July you can also snap a selfie with a series of illustrated posters at three city centre sites, to be in with a chance to win a signed complete HEARTSTOPPER Vol 1-5 set, and tickets to Alice's event on 13 August.

Young Scot Chief Executive, Kirsten Urquhart, said: “We continuously aspire to provide unique opportunities for young people, it is therefore extremely exciting to have partnered with the Edinburgh International Book Festival to offer a chance for Young Scot Members to win tickets to see Alice Oseman, author of the global phenomenon Heartstopper, in conversation with Lauren James. If you're not already a member you can sign up for free here. We hope the lucky winners have an incredible day!”

At a time when the cost of living crisis continues to impact families, the Book Festival is committed to providing free events and entertainment through its two week run to ensure that all young people in the capital, and indeed from further afield, can enjoy engaging with books and the power of words.

These events make up Future Tense, the first Edinburgh International Book Festival programme from Director Jenny Niven, and it will unfold for the first time at the Festival's new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute. The full programme can be found here: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on

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