Edinburgh authors
Authors appearing at the Edinburgh international book festival tell us what they're here to talk about, and what they're excited about seeing
Alasdair Gray: 'I regard my work as deeply unfashionable' - video
The Glaswegian writer and artist talks to Charlotte Higgins about his latest project, a mural in his local subway station
Colm Toibin: 'The audience always want to know, what did you mean?' - video
Colm Toibin talks about reading his stories out loud and how to make a dull, everyday phrase into something special
Paul Muldoon: 'I read books on unlikely subjects' - video
The poet Paul Muldoon explains why he prefers reading non-fiction, and sees festivals as a cure for loneliness
Tahmima Anam: 'The books that are exciting me most are coming out of Pakistan' - video
Video: The Bangladeshi writer introduces her new novel, The Good Muslim, and talks about the writers she most admires
AL Kennedy: 'I find writing very unimpressive' - video
The Scottish writer AL Kennedy explains how she really wanted to be a clown, but wasn't 'physically capable' of anything other than typing
Jo Nesbø: 'We are all influenced by these terrorist acts' – video
The Norwegian writer Jo Nesbø talks about his double life as a crime novelist and children's author, and why the recent Utøya massacre won't change Oslo – but will affect his work
Edna O'Brien: 'I'm sorry books don't hold the same cachet as a pair of jeans' - video
Edna O'Brien on walking the line between honesty and poetry in memoir, and what the riots tell us about the importance of reading
Sapphire: 'I'm not here to kill the reader' - video
Liz Lochhead: 'Leaves have come to stand for poetry in Scotland' - video
Sebastian Barry: 'Being on the Booker longlist is like the proverbial magic carpet' - video
Sebastian Barry talks about his novel On Canaan's Side, the mysterious great-aunt who inspired it, and his childish delight at being on the Booker prize longlist
John Burnside: 'A black cat bone gives you all you need: invisibility, money, sexual power' - video
The poet explains the voodoo behind the title of his new collection and explores the influence of Czeslaw Milosz
Kristin Hersh: 'I've only written one book and I didn't know how to write that' - video
Kristin Hersh talks to us about her memoir Paradoxical Undressing and the difference between performing at a book festival compared to a music festival
Stephen Kelman: 'It's been quite a journey' - video
Stephen Kelman talks about his debut novel Pigeon English, a 'fish out of water' story that's been nominated for the Man Booker prize
Neil Gaiman at Edinburgh: 'I've wondered about the Tardis since I was three' - video
Neil Gaiman, author of the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book, talks about writing a Doctor Who episode
Audrey Niffenegger: 'Fantasy and magic are loaded words'
Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife, is guest programmer at this year's Edinburgh international books festival. She discusses the authors she's invited, and the book she's just finished reading
Alexander McCall Smith: an Edinburgh walking tour - video
Caitlin Moran: 'Happiness is someone mentioning the band Salad in an amusing context' - video
TC Boyle: 'I don't give talks. I perform' - video
The American writer explains how he woos his audiences
Tom McCarthy: 'Writing has nothing to do with self-expression' - video
In the first of our author interviews from this year's Edinburgh international book festival, Tom McCarthy tells us what he's here to talk about, and why he's sorry to be missing Robert Coover