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Is Hilary Mantel flattening young talent like a steamroller?

Hilary Mantel has won the Costa Book Prize with her book Bring Up The Bodies. Here’s what she said in her acceptance speech: *”There was an article in the press a couple of days ago which suggested Thomas Cromwell and … Continue reading

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Found objects in books – keep them or bin them?

I am reading Maigret at The Crossroads by Georges Simenon. I bought the book in one of Edinburgh’s finest charity shops a while ago and only just got round to reading it. The story dates to 1932 but this edition … Continue reading

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can reciting Rabbie Burns with some chums help you live longer?

photo by Paul Garland Rabbie Burns, Scotland’s favourite son, was born on this day in 1759 and people (including me) all over Scotland and the world will gather to celebrate the Bard’s life. There will be fiddle music, haggis eating, poetry recitals, singing … Continue reading

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Free pole dancing lessons in the library … good idea or bad idea?

February the 2nd is Love Your Library day in Midlothian here in Scotland. I am delighted to have been asked to support this special day by running a creative writing workshop in Danderhall Library for under 16s. Yeh hey! Click … Continue reading

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Food shopping on Tarawa in 1995

If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll know that I used to live on Tarawa, a remote coral atoll in the middle of the Pacific and the  capital of the Republic of Kiribati – and where my debut crime thriller, Food of … Continue reading

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If you got the chance to live on a South Sea Island of Romance, would you take it?

Ever since I was small and read R L Stevenson’s Treasure Island I wanted to travel and get as far away from freezing cold, wet and windy, dull and dreich Edinburgh as possible. So, when I got the chance to … Continue reading

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My first Very Inspiring Blog Award!

A big thanks to Wendy and Anne for nominating me for my first ever  “Very Inspiring Blog Award.’ I am very honoured and double thrilled to be nominated twice. It’s a lovely way to continue  2013 after having started it with the … Continue reading

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