Janet Smyth is the Children’s Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and as such is responsible for selecting which authors and events make up the Children’s programme at the book festival. Janet took time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions.
Andy Jamieson: This is your second year as Children’s Director at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. What was the biggest challenge for you with this year’s festival, in contrast to last year?
Janet Smyth: The biggest challenge was having the courage of my convictions and seeing all the changes that I had made in theory play out in practice. Also, as with the previous year, having the stamina to work from dawn till (after) dusk for 18 days solid is always a challenge – whilst not completely neglecting husband and child!
AJ: What were the highlights for you at the book festival this year? Were there any events / authors in particular that made it special for you this year?
JS: Every day has its own definite momentum and vibe. There were so many highlights. I really do love the events in our Imagination Lab space that are for very young children involving stories and craft activities. Authors like Tracey Corderoy, Alison Edgson, Clare Beaton and Alex T Smith create incredibly thoughtful and imaginative activities for young readers and everybody always leaves having created some story related mask or tiara or decorated ladybird. At the other end, some of the Young Adult panel events worked really well. Theresa Breslin and Liz Laird discussing historical fiction saw them just having an absolute blast together and Melvin Burgess and Margo Lanagan led a thoughtful and challenging discussion on how far you can go with the content of teen novels.
Author & illustrator Alex T Smith
AJ: Aside from the line-up of authors, what were the biggest differences at this year’s book festival?
JS: This year, I extended the programme into the evening with a number of the young adult events happening at 7pm and later to try to catch that audience group. Our Night Owl bedtime story events worked really well as did giving the activity corner – originally at the back of the children’s bookshop – it’s own designated space. The Schools programme was also extended by about a further 12 events including those in Gaelic, Scots, French and Polish. There were 3 events designed specifically for youngsters with specific reading difficulties and ‘writers on writers’ workshop sessions for pupils studying Higher and Advanced Higher English.
AJ: What was your background prior to working for the Edinburgh International Book Festival?
JS: I worked for 5 years with Scottish Book Trust on a brilliant project that toured UK writers to the far flung reaches of the Scotland on board a big yellow 7.5tonnes book bus. That was when I met many of the writers I’m still privileged to know and work with such as Julia Donaldson, Vivian French, Theresa Breslin, Keith Gray, Debi Gliori to name just a few. I had 4 years when my daughter was little, as Director of the Pushkin Prizes in Scotland, a creative writing project that operates in secondary schools in Scotland and St Petersburg. During this time, along with my mum I set up Blast-Off Books, which was a specialist children and young adult bookshop and school supply business. That lasted for 9 years before I joined the Edinburgh Book Festival.
AJ: What is it about Edinburgh that makes it such a suitable place for an international book festival?
JS: Edinburgh is such a great sized city. Big cities such as London or New York have areas and often there’s not much population movement to different events but Edinburgh can draw people from all areas as well as outside. Having the Book Festival at the time of all the others also means we benefit from the huge number of visitors in the city. For the kids programme we receive incredible support from the schools and libraries – a vital part of the success of the school programme.
AJ: What book(s) are you reading at the moment? And what was the last truly great book that you read?
JS: I tend to read about 3 or 4 books at a time. I have Toby’s Room by Pat Barker which I’m really enjoying. I’m also reading Sophie McKenzie’s Missing Me which is the 3rd part in her Sister Missing series and is utterly compelling. Also catching up with about 4 copies of TESS that arrived during Festival time and I didn’t have the chance to even glance at.
AJ: Aside from the usual array of big name and celebrity authors, were there any unusual hidden gems amongst the book festival programme that made an impact?
Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines, first in the Hungry City Chronicles
JS: The hidden gem was our Lost for Words event featuring publisher Barry Cunningham (the man who discovered JK Rowling) alongwith Lydia Monks and Philip Reeve. They were discussing what happens when you’re hit with writers block. It sold so quickly and could have been in a bigger venue. Next year I will have the courage of my convictions on that one!
AJ: What have you learned from this year’s festival?
JS: That the conversations you might think are just throw away ‘here’s an idea for next year’ are actually worth holding on to and following through. And also – although this I did know – the world of children’s books is populated with incredibly hardworking, committed, kind and supportive people and that’s from the authors and illustrators to publishers, librarians, and all those who help by chairing and facilitating each event.
Many thanks to Janet. The book festival will return in 2013…
Interview conducted by Andy Jamieson, geekzine editor-in-chief.
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