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| Brown brings mystery to festival | |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has appeared as a surprise guest to help open the Edinburgh Book Festival. | |
| Organisers said 30% of its almost 800 events were sold out, with online transactions rising by a third. | |
| The 16-day festival features appearances from authors such as Salman Rushdie as well as famous figures including Sir Sean Connery. | |
| The Charlotte Square event was opening with Mr Brown appearing in conversation with crime writer Ian Rankin. | |
| The 2008 book festival programme is the biggest ever. | The 2008 book festival programme is the biggest ever. |
| Other highlights include appearances from Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond, Alan Sillitoe, Menzies Campbell and Louis de Bernieres. | |
| Our festival is predicated on intimate, close encounters, eyeballing authors, the frisson in the live exchange Catherine Lockerbie A celebration of words Book festival director Catherine Lockerbie said: "There are still many interesting events which were not yet sold out. | Our festival is predicated on intimate, close encounters, eyeballing authors, the frisson in the live exchange Catherine Lockerbie A celebration of words Book festival director Catherine Lockerbie said: "There are still many interesting events which were not yet sold out. |
| "Come along and be brave. You never know how big that person could be next year." | "Come along and be brave. You never know how big that person could be next year." |
| Speaking to the BBC Scotland news website, she said: "Creating our 25th anniversary programme has been a mind-bending, forehead-clutching joy." | Speaking to the BBC Scotland news website, she said: "Creating our 25th anniversary programme has been a mind-bending, forehead-clutching joy." |
| She added that there were 800 authors coming from more than 45 different countries | She added that there were 800 authors coming from more than 45 different countries |
| Ms Lockerbie said the festival "was predicated on intimate, close encounters, eyeballing authors, the frisson in the live exchange". | Ms Lockerbie said the festival "was predicated on intimate, close encounters, eyeballing authors, the frisson in the live exchange". |