From Trainspotting to The Blade Artist - Irvine Welsh talks books

He will be here to promote new book The Blade Artist and also celebrate 20 years since the Trainspotting film adaptation. Waterstones will be hosting a book signing after the performance and already have a big instore display. It will be the first time Irvine Welsh has been to Hastings and there is much excitement surrounding his visit. Irvine will be supported on the evening by Hastings based writer Giro Playboy, while local DJ’s spin a set of specially selected tunes. The event will also find legendary Hastings based music video director Richard Heslop showing films by artists he has worked with such as New Order, The Shamen and Happy Mondays. Host for the evening will be writer, performer and local resident David Quantick who will interview Irvine followed by a Q&A with the audience. Irvine is “really looking forward” to the event at St Mary In The Castle. He has heard much about the recent renaissance of this seaside town, the Aleister Crowley connection, the ‘DFL’s’ and so forth and is looking forward to seeing for himself. The Blade Artist is an elegant, electrifying novel – ultra violent but curiously redemptive – and it marks the return of one of modern fiction’s most infamous, terrifying characters, the incendiary Francis Begbie from Trainspotting. Irvine Welsh was born in Edinburgh, and first came to public attention with his debut novel Trainspotting in 1993, which was quickly adapted for stage and screen, with great success. He is the author of ten novels including Filth, Marabou Stork Nightmare, Ecstasy, Glue, Porno and Skagboys and four books of shorter fiction. The film adaptation of Filth starring James McAvoy and Jamie Bell was released in 2013. The adaptation of Porno, the sequel to Trainspotting, directed by Danny Boyle and starring the original cast including Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle is due for release at the end of this year. Irvine currently lives in Chicago. Doors: 7pm / Tickets £16 www.musicglue.com, or Hastings Tourist Information Centre 01424 451111, or Waterstones 01424 722253. Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage at www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at Text to display 3) Follow us on Twitter @Eastbournenews 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Eastbourne Herald - always the first with your local news. Be part of it.