Edinburgh Fringe Festival

 Unfortunately, due to Covid, this year's live shows were cancelled. Here's the official announcement:

Following the announcement that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe will not be going ahead as planned in 2020, the Fringe Society has unveiled alternative digital plans taking place this summer, complementing a variety of activities planned by Fringe artists and venues.

If you are one of those who needs an annual comedy fix, try here: https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/a-fringe-reimagined-how-were-supporting-venues-and-artists-during-crisis

And here's the artwork - "The Heroes of the Fringe."

What has this world-renowned festival got to do with anything?

For me, I was blown away when my daughter, Jo and I first shared the long drive up there to be rewarded by the end of the Jazz festival with some awesome acts. We were just enchanted by the atmosphere of the place - proper full-on dancing in the streets all day long. And then I watched this Celtic drummer band, and that was me smitten. Tu Bardh and his awesome Clanadonia have appeared in one guise or another in a number of my stories.

A couple of years after that, my youngest, Steph, made her first appearance there. In 2018, Brian and I flew up to watch her in another show, Love over Gold. Just awesome.

And as for Rory - this was the place where she first met Geoff - although she didn't know it.

In Chrysalis, you can share some of my awesome experiences of the Edinburgh fringe through Rory's (and Archer's) eyes. Enjoy.

The other story - well actually a jukebox musical novella - is entirely set at the fringe. My tribute to Journey, it features a dozen of their songs and is called Don't Stop Believing.
It was released by my alter-ego Ro Green because it's neither YA nor historical.
Here's the blurb:

A failing marriage. A union separated by distance. An accidental encounter. Can the Edinburgh Fringe Festival work its magic?
Kathy's life is a mess. Sure, the job's great and her home is to-die-for, but she spends way too much time on the midnight train to catch a few fraught hours with her musician husband, Jimmy. While he's away, Dan-next-door looks dangerously attractive.

On paper, Jimmy has it all. A talented wife, a successful rock band and nights in smart hotels. The gig at Edinburgh's hottest arts festival is the culmination of years on the road, but the lack of harmony in his marriage makes him feel like a failure. As they interact with colourful characters drawn to the Fringe, he and Kathy fight to stay together, but events conspire to break them apart.
In this rock-music-inspired tale, three love stories intertwine as each player is forced to take stock of their lives and discover what is truly important. And big bonus - not one, but three Happy Ever Afters.

This romantic, uplifting story is based on a musical written many years ago, featuring twenty of Journey's best-loved hits. In true musical style (think Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, Rock of Ages), the characters are larger-than-life and the scenarios stretch credibility, but if you free your mind, visualise the sets and lights, and even make a playlist, it will all come to life.