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Scotsman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
John Niven at the Bookface Sip & Swap
Bestselling author John Niven will be the guest author at Bookface's next Sip & Swap event on Saturday, September 27 at Saints of Ingram in Glasgow from 3–6pm. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Niven, who previously visited Bookface with his bestselling memoir O Brother, returns to talk about his new novel The Fathers. The book is a sharp, darkly funny look at fatherhood, masculinity and class, told through the story of two men who meet outside a Glasgow maternity ward – one a successful screenwriter, the other a small-time criminal. It's a return to fiction for Niven, and a reminder of his talent for writing stories that are unpredictable, biting, and impossible to categorise. Originally from Irvine, Ayrshire, Niven studied English Literature at the University of Glasgow and graduated with first-class honours. He spent a decade working in the music industry before becoming a full-time writer. His breakout novel Kill Your Friends – a savage satire of his time in A&R – became a cult hit and bestseller in 2008. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad His other novels include The Amateurs, Cold Hands, Straight White Male and The Sunshine Cruise Company. He is also an accomplished screenwriter and prolific journalist, with a sharp, fearless voice that's earned him a loyal following across film, print and broadcast. John Niven Bookface's Sip & Swap events offer an afternoon of relaxed book chat, an author Q&A, and the opportunity to meet other readers. Guests are invited to bring up to four books to swap from a selection of over 300 titles. Taking part in the swap is optional – many attendees prefer Kindle or audiobooks. Bookface is a private online community of 5,000 book lovers. Previous guest authors at the monthly sell-out events include Lisa Jewell, Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre, Alan Parks, Davinia Taylor, Susannah Constantine, Fran Littlewood, Heather Morris and more. Bookface Sip & Swap with John Niven on Saturday, September 27, 3pm–6pm at Saints of Ingram, Glasgow.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Author John Niven celebrates 20 years writing with comic Scots parenthood novel
Having already been a guitarist trying to reach the charts and then working for a major record label, John Niven has never been one to make a living from the everyday nine-to-five. Having already been a guitarist trying to reach the charts and then working for a major record label, John Niven has never been one to make a living from the everyday nine-to-five. And when it came to writing his first book, he found himself struggling to balance his fear of failure with his fear of not trying. Twenty years on from having that go and producing his debut, Music From Big Pink, John is one of the UK's best-loved novelists and a successful screenwriter. His 12 books include Kill Your Friends – his big breakthrough title which he also adapted into a hit film starring Nicholas Hoult – as well as Scots golf comedy The Amateurs and his universally acclaimed memoir O Brother. Now the Irvine-born writer and former Sunday Mail columnist is celebrating his 20 years between the pages with new release The Fathers, a darkly comic look at Scottish parenthood. But the 57-year-old admitted the milestone has kind of crept up on him. John explained: 'I'd always wanted to be a writer right through my 20s. but it just seemed like failure was guaranteed. 'Especially as I'd worked in the music industry and seen how many aspiring bands there are, and the odds are the same in writing, film and TV – there's a lot more applicants than there are jobs. 'It seemed to me to be doomed but in the end it was the not trying that was making me more unhappy than failing would ever have made me, so I just had to give it a go. 'Twenty years – it took me by surprise. 'I still kind of think of myself as a sort of fairly new or young enfant terrible novelist, but then you look at the numbers and you're like, 'God, I'm like an old man in the twilight of my career.' 'Twenty years years is the same distance from the mid-80s to when I started publishing novels, or from when I was born to the mid 80s. 'You look at the numbers back and it starts to shock you.' After leaving the music industry, John began writing scripts before turning to books with Music From Big Pink, a fictionalised story set around the legendary American rock group The Band. At the end of 2004, he finally got the email that he was to become a published author. John said: 'I was so broke after a couple of skint years when I got the news that it had been accepted. I was like a drowning man grabbing a life ring. I think that's why I ran quite hard for the first few years of my career, writing eight novels in the first 12 years. 'I felt like I'd kicked the door open and there was no way I was going to let anyone shut it on me.' He followed that well received debut with smash hit Kill Your Friends about murder in the record business. It's an acerbic satire of the world he knew well but the reaction from within the music world perhaps wasn't what he expected. He said: 'The music industry is so ego-driven that people were angry if they weren't mentioned in the book and people who were in it were really pleased. 'But that's kind of why the book worked – it took lot of real-life executives and bands, and sprinkled them through the fictional ones to create this sort of stew where nobody quite knew what was real and what wasn't. 'I never expected that to be a hit – I thought it was too dark, too savage. I doubt very much that it would get published today.' John's work has been consistently well received over the past 20 years but it reached a new level of response two years ago for his heartbreaking memoir O Brother, which included the tragic story of his brother Gary's suicide. He said: 'The release, the publication, the promotion of it was harder than actually writing the book. 'It was received very well, thankfully, and I think I felt relief more than anything else.' And he has stuck with the family theme for his latest title, The Fathers. It's about a successful television writer, Dan, and a lowlife criminal, Jada, who meet when their sons are born at around the same time and soon become increasingly connected. Although the book is fictional, it's still a very personal tale for the father-of-four – he is dad to Robin, 29, Lila, 17, Alexander, seven, and Morty, four. John said: 'I think the character of Jada was my brother blown up, and the character of Dan was me blown up in a hyper-real way. 'But, to be honest, from where I came from, given my time and place, my school, I could have gone either way. I could have been Jada easy enough myself. But one of the fun things to do in fiction is to play with these things.' John is delighted to get his new book out into the world this week, and the chance to share it with readers on a live tour across the UK, including two dates in Scotland. He said: 'I think Kingsley Amis said that if someone has written more than a dozen novels, you have a pretty good idea of who they were. 'As you get older and look at that stack of books – 11 novels and a memoir – and hopefully, touch wood, God willing, more to come, if you leave a shelf of books behind you, for better or worse, it's a fair testament to who you were.' He added: 'Somehow or another, I've got to my late 50s and I've never had a real job. It's been quite the ride.'
The Irish Sun
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Award-winning Irish brewery open doors for first time this weekend with tour and pint tasting experience for just €12.50
AN award-winning Irish brewery is set to open its doors for the first time this weekend with a tour and pint tasting experience for just €12.50. O Brother Brewing has opened a new taproom and tour experience at Belmont Demesne in Advertisement 2 The O Brother taproom is set to open to the public Credit: Journalist Collect 2 And there's a tour along with a pint tasting experience for only €12.50 Credit: Journalist Collect Founded by three brothers in 2014, the award-winning brewery announced the launch on Visitors on opening day were able to try fresh pints and see the brewing setup for the first time. And this fantastic taproom will now open every weekend, with hours running from midday into the evening on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The brewery revealed the tours will offer an overview of how their Advertisement READ MORE IN MONEY They said: 'Thanks to everyone who came and joined us for our opening day on Saturday. It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces, and to welcome so many more new ones too! We're open this weekend.' Each tour includes access to the brewing area, where Tickets cost €12.50 per person and it even comes with a pint tasting. Advertisement Most read in Money Exclusive What's more, the taproom is designed so people can stay on after the tour if they want to have more drinks or buy their cans to take Tour slots are only available on Saturday afternoons, and advance booking through the brewery's website is required. New seafront playground with unreal view and incredible theme opens minutes from busy city Capacity for each tour group is small to allow time for questions and the brewery said they plan to assess feedback from early visitors to refine how the tours are delivered going forward. They added: 'We have a limited number of slots available for tours on Saturday afternoon, which are available to book on our website. Advertisement 'Looking forward to seeing you all at the taproom in Belmont Demesne!' To book a tour, check out their website at Meanwhile, Irish foodies are set for a frenzy as a major UK bakery chain has opened their new flagship shop in Belfast - and it's close to a tourist hotspot. NEW FLAGSHIP SHOP OPENS The iconic Advertisement The It recently opened its fifth food outlet at The Junction Retail & Leisure Park in Antrim last month, creating 14 new jobs. On May 31, the sixth location was launched at The ARC development, which was described as a "key milestone" by Greggs as part of their expansion in The new store has produced 16 new jobs, part of around 100 new roles it's creating here through new openings. Advertisement It will offer Greggs' full menu of freshly prepared It will also include the classic breakfast rolls, deli-made lunches, yummy pastries, and hot and cold drinks.
IOL News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
'Chucky' actor Ed Gale dies at 61
Ed Gale played the role of Chucky in the iconic horror movie 'Child's Play'. Image: Instagram. Hollywood actor Ed Gale, best known for his portrayal of the creepy doll Chucky in the horror film "Child's Play", has passed away while in hospice care in Los Angeles. Details surrounding his death have not been made public yet. Confirming the news, his niece Kayse Gale took to Facebook to share an emotional tribute to her "fun uncle". She recalled how he embarked on his journey to California at the age of 20 with nothing more than $41 and a dream that would ultimately manifest into a prolific Hollywood career. "Ed has taken his final bow and is now headlining in the afterlife ... Ed loved 7-Eleven hot dogs with disgusting amounts of ketchup. He enjoyed reminiscing about his glory days, DJing at the Plainwell roller rink. "He hated Bill Maher for no good reason. He delighted in the slow build-up of telling a good story, and cheating at cribbage. He had one hell of a laugh, and he will be missed," she posted. Gale's career spanned nearly three decades, from 1986 until his retirement in 2014, during which he appeared in more than 130 films, television shows and commercials. He was born with dwarfism, a condition that did not hinder his aspirations or achievements. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Gale first stole hearts in the title role of Howard in the 1986 film "Howard the Duck", but it was his terrifying portrayal of Chucky that secured his place in horror film history. Gale reprised this role in two subsequent sequels, cementing his status within the genre. Beyond the world of Chucky, Gale's diverse range of appearances included a memorable role as dinosaur Tasha in the 1991 television series "Land of the Lost" and featured in films such as "Unstrung Heroes," which also starred Andie MacDowell, George Clooney, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and the 2013 "Mikeyboy." Despite his Hollywood fame, his niece shared: "Ed's favourite role was that of the 'fun uncle'. His love language was sharing his love of the entertainment industry and the magic of Hollywood with his nieces." Netizens took to the comments to share fond memories of the actor. Connie Matlock Boss commented, "I remember him with my brother Richard running around at the roller rink. Coming to my parents' house. Raiding the refrigerator. Then the guys taking off to the Drive In or Roller Rink. He will be missed." Jessica Bocade said, "I am so very sorry for your loss. Please know that your uncle still continues to bring me joy and I will remember him always whenever I watch 'Dreamer of Oz'."
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ed Gale, Actor Who Played 'Chucky' In 3 Films, Dead At 61
Ed Gale, an actor and stuntman who was most famous for being the physical performer of Chucky, the evil doll that was the namesake of the Chucky horror franchise, died earlier this week at the age of 61. His niece, Kayse Gale, announced his death Tuesday on Facebook. The cause of death was not revealed. TMZ reported that the actor died while in hospice. Kayse Gale celebrated her uncle, who was born with dwarfism, by cheekily beginning her post, 'It is with a heavy heart and a surprisingly light coffin (see what I did there?) that we announce the sudden passing of our uncle.' Kayse Gale also noted that Ed Gale ventured out to Hollywood when he was 20 with only $41 in his pocket, but ended up lighting up the silver screen in cult classic films like 1986's 'Howard the Duck' and 1989's 'Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town.' She said appearing in cult films earned Ed Gale 'some serious street cred at every con he attended' and added, 'which he never stopped bragging about. Ever.' TMZ said that at the time of Gale's death, he was under investigation for allegedly attempting to solicit sex from minor boys. People noted that Gale admitted to soliciting minors for sex to a group called Creep Catchers Unit in April 2023. The LA County District Attorney's office told the publication that one case was referred to the LA City Attorney's Office in September 2023 for a possible misdemeanor filing. Ed Gale's first big role in Hollywood was wearing the suit for the title character in 'Howard the Duck,' while actor Chip Zien supplied the character's voice. He did a similar split role in 1988's 'Child's Play,' the film that first introduced the now-iconic Chucky character to film fans. He worked the costume while actor Brad Dourif supplied the voice. His role in the series helped define the character, 'Child's Play' director Tom Holland told People. 'Ed was a pleasure to work with on 'Child's Play' and played an important role in helping me sell the action of Chucky and thus a reason to fear Chucky,' Holland said. 'Ed was always ready to go when I called action.' Ed Gale went on to play Chucky in two other films in the franchise. and also appeared in films and TV shows like 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?,' 'Baywatch,' '3rd Rock From the Sun,' 'Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey' and 'Friday the 13th: The Series.' His last acting role was portraying an artist in the 2020 film 'Pandemonic,' and he also was interviewed for a 2022 science fiction documentary, 'In Search of Tomorrow.'
