lowercase October
lower case highlights cultural events, new releases, publish short reviews and recommendations for works across all genres. Our focus is on small and micro press, radical publishers, and events from independent bookshops. Readers & bookshop events suggestions welcome.
EXTRA TEETH
This from Extra Teeth is worth a read Who Gets to be a Scottish Writer? it raises interesting questions about critical thinking, openness and identity.
If only we knew what this was in response to?
Plus, they are offering a winter workshop with editor Katie Goh, all about turning your nonfiction idea into a sellable book proposal. Details here: Winter Workshop: How to Write a NonFiction Proposal with Katie Goh — Extra Teeth
Codebase are hosting an event on The Future of Scottish Arts Journalism, asking:
What does the future look like for traditional print magazines? Are platforms like Substack and self-publishing creating space for more independent, diverse perspectives, or replacing legacy outlets altogether? This event brings together writers, editors, and cultural commentators to reflect on the challenges and opportunities facing arts journalism today.
Attendees will gain insights into:
How arts journalism influences cultural perception and public discourse in Scotland
The current challenges facing traditional media outlets, including print magazines
The rise of digital platforms like Substack and their impact on arts coverage
The role of self-publishing and independent voices in diversifying the media landscape
Strategies for sustaining meaningful, critical arts journalism in a changing media environment
Emerging opportunities for writers, editors, and cultural commentators in both mainstream and alternative spaces.
Whether you’re a journalist, freelance artist, reader, or cultural worker, come and be part of the conversation about where Scottish arts journalism goes next.
Details and tickets here.
Concrete Scottish Connections: Finlay, Jandl, Gomringer, and Satie
Wednesday 22 October, 6–8 p.m., Playfair Library Hall, Edinburgh. Free, ticketed.
Step into the poetic cosmos of concrete poetry, magically rooted in the year 1925 – when Ian Hamilton Finlay, Ernst Jandl, and Eugen Gomringer were born under “peculiar stars” as Finlay put it. Fast-forward 30 years and those three are at the forefront of shaping the avant-garde movement of concrete poetry, this bold literary movement, which broke linguistic barriers and reimagined the power of words.
Experience their legacy through an immersive evening of storytelling and (sound) poetry, intertwined with the enchanting piano music by Erik Satie.
Featuring German performer Florian Kaplick, known for fusing music, art and spoken word, this premiere unfolds in Edinburgh’s iconic Playfair Library, with support from the consulates and cultural institutions from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
Book your tickets here.
Homesick
From the author of the Orwell Prize-winner Show me the Bodies: How we let Grenfell happen, comes a gripping story of how housing defines a city’s past, present and future.
Lighthouse Books welcomes Peter Apps to the bookshop for a launch of hist latest deep dive into the UK’s housing crisis: Homesick.
Event details here: Lighthouse | Homesick: Peter Apps on how Housing Broke London and How to Fix It
Buy the book here: Homesick : How Housing Broke London and How to Fix It
‘O’er a’ my labours sey your skill’: Poetic Responses to Robert Fergusson Event with Peter Mackay and friends – Wednesday 15th October 2025
6.30pm on Wednesday 15th October at Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, EH3 5AQ.
Buy a copy of ‘O’er a’ my labours sey your skill’ and receive free entry to the event, or choose our Ticket-Only option for £6 (which can be used towards a purchase of the book at the event).
Peter Mackay will be joined by some of the book’s other contributors:
Ellen Galford
Andrew Redmond Barr
Chris Tait
Ash Caton
Alan Riach
Matt Brady
Details here: ‘O’er a’ my labours sey your skill’: Poetic Responses to Robert Fergus – Golden Hare Books