Scotland’s Rebel Women

Publishing Scotland are hosting a Scottish Christmas Book Fair alongside Waterstones booksellers on Fri 20 and Sat 21 November 2026 between 10am – 4pm. Scotland’s publishers will be there to help you browse and buy from a massive selection of wonderful books. It's free entry to the Scottish Christmas Book Fair, but as part of the fair, we are programming a series of paid, ticketed author events on Saturday 21 November.

Scotland’s Rebel Women
With Rosemary Goring, Jean Findlay, Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi
Saturday 21 November, 1pm – 2pm

Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the most famous queens in history. Her grand-daughter, Elizabeth Stuart, found herself at the centre of court intrigue across Europe in the 17th century. Both knew the consequences of conflict, betrayal and exile. Away from royal courts, many ordinary women across Scotland were tried, tortured and executed for witchcraft.

Authors Rosemary Goring, Jean Findlay, Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi chat with novelist Sara Sheridan about these women, their lives and turbulent times, and the legacies left behind that shaped Scotland, Britain, Europe and the wider world.

Ticket Price
£5

More about Rosemary Goring

Rosemary Goring was born in Dunbar and studied at the University of St Andrews. She worked at W&R Chambers as a reference editor before becoming literary editor of Scotland on Sunday. She was also the literary editor for The Herald and Sunday Herald, and is the author of two historical novels, After Flodden and Dacre's War. Her books Homecoming: The Scottish Years of Mary, Queen of Scots and Exile: The Captive Years of Mary, Queen of Scots explore the monarch’s life in Scotland as queen, and in England, as prisoner.

More about Jean Findlay

Jean Findlay has a lifetime’s experience in literature as a playwright, journalist, author and – for the last twelve years – as an independent publisher at Scotland Street Press in Edinburgh. Her first book was published by Chatto and Windus and Vintage in London and Farrar, Straus and Giroux in New York. The book was shortlisted for a Lamda Award in New York in 2016. She has written two historical novels set at the turn of the 16th/17th century in Edinburgh, London and Europe. The Queen’s Lender was published 2022 and The Bohemian Queen was published in 2026.

She has spoken at the Edinburgh Book Festival, the Jaipur Book Festival in India, The Centre for Fiction in New York, the Boston Atheneum, The Savile Club in London, Bregenz in Austria, Wigton Book Festival, New York University Graduate Centre, The Saltire Society and more.

More about Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi

Claire Mitchell KC is a Scottish advocate specialising in appellate law, with a particular focus on constitutional issues, human rights, and sentencing. She has been involved in significant cases before the Privy Council and Supreme Court, shaping key aspects of Scottish law. She regularly provides legal training and has received recognition for her contributions to legal thought, including a Special Recognition Award at the 2013 Law Awards of Scotland.

Zoe Venditozzi is a writer and educator. Born in Lancashire and raised in North East Fife, she studied at the University of Glasgow. Her debut novel, Anywhere’s Better Than Here, was shortlisted for The Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize in 2013. Zoe also teaches creative writing workshops and works as a Support for Learning teacher. She is passionate about uncovering and sharing the stories of those wrongfully accused during Scotland’s witch trials.

More about Sara Sheridan

Sara Sheridan has a fascination for uncovering forgotten stories. In 2018 she remapped Scotland according to women’s history in her David Hume Award-winning imagined atlas Where are the Women? She has written 27 books including a 9-part murder mystery series set in 1950s Britain and several 19th century historical novels including Waterstones Book of the Year, The Fair Botanists. She’s written 3 BBC Radio 4 series including I Love You, Mr DeMille set in early 20th century Hollywood. She’s also written non-fiction books about the early days of Queen Victoria’s marriage and the historical background to Jane Austen’s novel, Sanditon. Sheridan has been named one of the Saltire Society’s most influential Scottish women, past and present. 

You can buy tickets for our other Scottish Christmas Book Fair author events by clicking on their respective links:

• Getting Close to Nature: In Life and on the Page, with Linda Cracknell and Beth McDonough
• Scotland's Poetry Showcase, with Alan Spence, Andres N. Ordorica, Ceitidh Chaimbeul, Nadine Aisha Jassat and Sarah Stewart

You can also purchase tickets to these events through the current page.

Have questions about the event? Contact enquiries@publishingscotland.org