HOT OFF THE PRESS FROM BLOODY SCOTLAND!
(OK…so the news is already out there, but you may have missed it!)
If you know me, you know Bloody Scotland is basically my version of Christmas and one of my favourite festivals to attend. This year, they’ve dropped some pretty epic news!
First up, the legendary Denise Mina has officially been announced as the Guest Programmer for the 2026 Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival, taking place in the ever-atmospheric Stirling from 18–20 September 2026. Following in the footsteps of Sir Ian Rankin (no pressure, right?), Denise is already working with Festival Director Bob McDevitt and the stellar programming team, Abir Mukherjee, Lin Anderson, Craig Robertson and Gordon Brown to put together a world-class line-up.
The programme officially lands in June 2026 and I’m pretty sure we’re in for something special with Denise Mina at the helm. Bloody Scotland truly couldn’t have chosen a more iconic advocate for crime writing.
⭐ But now for MY own little slice of exciting news…
In case you missed me posting all over my socials, I’m absolutely thrilled to share that I am once again part of this year’s Bloody Scotland readers, and I’ll be getting stuck into the longlist submissions for the prestigious McIlvanney Prize. Reading the early entries is an honour to be a part of and I’m not going to lie, if someone I have suggested gets short-listed or even goes on to win… you bet your ass I am shouting about it!
Aaand… there’s more.
I’m also one of this year’s judges for the Glencairn Glass Crime Short Story Competition!
Yes! The iconic official whisky glass has returned with its annual international short story competition, created in partnership with Bloody Scotland. Writers from around the world are invited to submit a crime story under 2,000 words, with one key twist for 2026:
Your protagonist must be from Scotland.
Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting, this competition is a brilliant opportunity. And trust me, the judging line-up this year? Absolutely top-tier. I’m honoured to be among such incredible crime fiction champions:
Kevin Woolard: Book blogger and owner of The First Eleven Minutes, an award-winning Bookstagram account.
Mary Picken: Book blogger and crime fiction critic at Live and Deadly.
Sharon Bairden: Scottish author and book blogger at Chapter In My Life with a focus on Scottish crime fiction.
Lynsey Adams: Crime noir fiction blogger at There’s Been a Murder, as well as Reading Between the Lines Book PR.
Suze Clarke-Morris: Book blogger at Suze Reviews with a focus on crime fiction.
Prizes include:
🏆 £1,000 for the winner + publication on the Bloody Scotland website + a guest appearance at the 2026 festival
🥈 £500 for the runner-up + publication on the Glencairn Glass website
Past winners have gone on to sign agents, score multi-book deals, and publish award-winning debuts so really, this competition is no small thing.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Between Denise Mina taking the programming reins, the festival gearing up for another phenomenal year, the McIlvanney Prize longlist reading underway, and the return of the Glencairn Short Story Competition… it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable season in Scottish crime fiction and I can’t wait to be right in the middle of it.
More updates soon, but let me know if I am going to see you in September or maybe even read your entry for the competition in the comments!
