What a busy and exciting year 2025 was. It began when we received the first edition publication of Smugglers’ Midnight Escape. My granddaughters Jessica and Sophie were on hand to help out with unpacking the box and placing the books in our treasure chest.
February
In February a video was made of me doing a live reading from a smugglers’ bay on Millport. It was wild and windy, perfect smuggling weather and someone had left a mysterious tricorne hat and a mystery set of keys….
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Next stop was Edinburgh to see Andrew O’Hagan talk about his book Caledonian Road. I gifted him a copy of Smugglers’ Midnight Escape and I received a wonderful reply: «Thank you for your beautiful book. it’s great to see Ayrshire feature in the map of imagination. »
March
World Book Day in March was celebrated with a zoom call to Craighead Primary in Milton of Campsie and some yoga outside our little chalet in Aberfeldy.
The Scottish Association of Writers held its annual conference at the Westerwood Hotel and I celebrated with Palo, Linda and Anjana.
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It was time to launch the book, and it received the best send off in the Garrison in Millport, and at Gavin’s Mill in Milngavie. A film was made to celebrate its launch and the treasure chest, tricorne hats and dungeon keys came in handy.
I also visited the National Library of Scotland with Izzy Rimmer granddaughter of the wonderful writer Kathleen Fidler. It was fabulous to see her original manuscripts and the detailed records of her archive. After our research, a lovely dinner at Maison Bleu was the perfect ending to a great day. The article I did on this featured in the Herald. Click for link to The Herald Magazine.
May
This time I met with a living children’s author, the writer, Theresa Breslin. Theresa is a founding member of Strathkelvin Writers, and is a Carnegie prize winning author. She attended the Strathkelvin Writers’ summer celebration at the Eagle Lodge and spoke of the heady days of publishing in the 1980s when she was chauffeured around London in a limousine to attend book signings! Those were the days my friend.
June
In June I was in France, where word of the Smugglers’ book had spread. I was asked to sign copies of Les Contrabandiers as they call them in France.
July
Back in Scotland, at Gavin’s Mill in Milngavie, we held an outdoor Drama Workshop for children and families. It was a great success with uninhibited role play based on the main characters: Jamie Stuart, Sandy Stuart (smugglers) Lord Dalrymple (Head of Customs) and Captain Christie of the Royal George Revenue Cutter.
Belladrum Festival in Inverness was another Drama Workshop for children and families. It was an early start for my two assistants Jessica and Sophie who were in role for the event.
August
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My first novel Howth, for adults, is an Irish love story set in Dublin in the early 20th century and subsequently Scotland. I was asked to talk at Govanhill Library to celebrate Glasgow 850 and its Irish Roots.
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September
Smugglers and Vikings selling out on Cumbrae
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October
Preparation for Book Week Scotland with a visit planned for Dalry Library and Bishopbriggs Library
November
The children at St Paladius Primary were a fantastic audience for two drama workshops on Vikings and Smugglers. As were the children at Bishopbriggs Library who dressed up and got in role for characters that were featured from Paula Andrew’s novel, Oranges and Lemons and from Vikings and Skylarks on Cumbrae and Smugglers’ Midnight Escape. The Treasure Chest and set of dungeon keys came in handy again!
December
What an end to the year! 2 fabulous 4 star reviews in the Scottish Field January 2026 edition, and the launch of Malcolm Hill’s Bearsden book, Sharks, Romans, Coffee Shops that I edited and published. We had an excellent launch at the Fraser Centre in Milngavie. Thanks to East Dunbartonshire Arts Council and Bearsden and Milngavie Heritage and Historical Societies for funding this book. The first about Bearsden since 1949.
