Book Festivals and Research

Like many authors, I find it hard to write in summer.  There’s so much to do ... gardening, fruit picking, days out and holidays to take. 

But now winter is around the corner, time for me to knuckle down and work on the manuscript that has been lurking in the depths of my subconscious and computer for quite some time.  But, there was just time to squeeze in one more holiday before I dig out all the winter woollies from the bottom of the wardrobe and hibernate until spring.

If you’ve followed my blog you will know that I lived on a croft in rural Aberdeenshire for many years and have long considered Scotland my second home. So, it probably comes as no surprise that my destination of choice was Dumfries and Galloway.  I love the Highlands, the rugged beauty of the mountains, but the Scottish border country, and in particular, the Mull of Galloway also has a special place in my heart.

Mull of Galloway Lighthouse

Wigtown, a small town, once commercially important until the river Cree changed its course, has a fascinating history, due in part to the Wigtown Martyrs who were put to death in 1685 for their refusal to accept Episcopalian Church Services.

Martyrs Stone

Today, Wigtown is well known for another reason.  It is Scotland’s National Book Town with several bookshops, and each year holds a book festival. 

With 200 hundred events and workshops, for adults and children, with such speakers as Ian Rankin, Professor Iain Sinclair, Mairi Hedderwick and Gavin Esler, I decided to take some time out of our holiday to attend a few of the events.

I have long held the desire to write crime.  When I read in the Festival Brochure that Denise Mina, winner of the McIlvanney Prize 2017 for Scottish crime book of the year was attending, I knew that was one event I could not miss. Ms Mina is a Scottish novelist and playwright, and her latest book, The Long Drop is the true crime account of Peter Manuel, a serial killer who operated in Glasgow in the 1950s. 

Now, I have a confession to make, although I seen Ms Mina’s books in the local bookshop, I had never read one, until this week.  More than just a crime story, The Last Breath, kept me up all night wondering what would happen next.  As soon as I finish this post, I shall be scouring Amazon for more of her novels.

Not only am I determined to finish the romantic suspense novel I’m working on, but also to try my hand at writing a crime novel.  Watch this space!

My Guest today... is Roger Barton

Please give a warm welcome to my guest Roger Barton.  Roger is taking part in the first UKIndie Book Festival being held in Bradford on the 23rd July.

"Waiting for the Rains, A memoir of Africa" is Roger's memoir of his life as an expatriate in  Malawi and Zambia in the 1970s, while working with the Government Printing Office.  Published by Dovetail Press, it is available from Amazon.

It is a story of being close to local life without the insulation of tour buses or taxis.
A confrontation with the heat, jostling, noise, smells and colour of the country. The lives of expatriates and missionaries; bars and markets; travelling by bus and train; corruption and border crossings; villages and townships are all part of the story. 

You can find out more about Roger by visiting his page on Facebook or come along to the UKIndie Book Festival and meet Roger in person. Tickets are available from Eventbrite and are free!

  

Penistone Literary Festival 19th-20th July 2014

The full programme of events for the first inaugural Penistone Literary Festival has been announced.  Headlined by Simon Armitage, one of the best poets of his generation,  best selling author Milly Johnson, supported by Andrew Macmillan, crime writer M J Fowler, and local poets and authors, it promises to be a fun-filled two days for young and old alike.  (Click on the image for a larger version).

There are poetry walks and readings, the chance to have afternoon tea with Simon and Milly; exhibitions, a book stall, a vintage tea room, and the chance to purchase a Penny the Sheep mug as a memento.

So, pop along to the Penistone Literary Website, and book your tickets now.  

Readers Groups

Gone are the days when most authors could sit back and let their publisher sell their book. Nowadays, new and established authors often get little marketing help, and the prospect of doing it yourself can be daunting. But with a little perseverance and a little practice it can be fun, especially if you enjoy talking to people, as I do.

I’ve been fortunate; every Borders Books store I have approached has agreed to host a book signing event for me. So far, I’ve met readers in Batley, Leeds, Cheshire Oaks, York, Inverness, Liverpool, Warrington, and Stockport.

And while the shoppers might have co-operated, sadly the same can’t be said of the weather. I’ve roasted in York, and been rained on in Inverness. The British weather has an odd affect on shoppers. When it rains, they seem to flock to the stores in droves, and conversely, when the sun is shining and there’s no need for raincoats and umbrellas, they stay away!

Everyone I’ve met has been charming, which makes my job of engaging them in conversation and telling them about my book and the writing process, a pleasure.

Surprisingly, everyone who purchased a copy of The House on the Shore during the signing in York lived in Scotland, and what’s more, within fifty miles of where I used to live in Keith. Even more surprising, was the encounter in Inverness with a gentleman who at one time taught at Queen Mary Grammar School in Liverpool – my first grammar school. And while in a restaurant that same evening, I bumped into the guy who cut my hair during my twenty years of living in Scotland! It just goes to prove what a small world it really is.

But occasionally, you do meet strange people, for example, the child who just stood in front of the signing table and stared at me for what seemed like hours in Barnes and Noble in Dayton, Ohio, and the pleasant gentleman in York who wanted to tell me what was wrong with our current government here in the UK (as if I didn’t know!).

What if someone asks seemingly endless questions about writing a novel and the publishing industry, or just wants to stop and talk about the weather, before walking away without purchasing a book? I smile and remind myself that an author event, be it a book signing session or an author talk, is a means of a creating a presence – getting your name out there and interesting people in your work. Any sales they generate are a bonus. And if you're very lucky the local media might take an interest.

So, if you happen to be in Glossop on the 1st May, come along to the Labour Club, Chapel Street, at 2.30pm, where I shall be giving a talk as part of the Glossop Literary Festival, and see if I can’t tempt you into buying a book!