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What an amazing weekend at Ayr’s Festival of Flight. I was there selling my books and met so many interesting people and new customers. You have to be fit as any trading author will tell you. I loaded my trolley with books, staging, bags, stands, pens, notebook, etc. etc. etc. then had to walk, lugging the trolley, about half a mile from the parking to the Traders’ Village. There I met up with fellow traders with whom I’d sold before. This community is so supportive and friendly. The organisation by South Ayrshire Council was most efficient and everything ran smoothly both days. I had a most successful selling experience and am so grateful for the opportunity to sell at this event. Somehow the return journey to the car park at the end of the event was less arduous! Well done SAC!👏

I am delighted to be taking part in this weekend’s Girvan Arts Festival. I shall enjoy reading Tartan Witch and How the Pirates Turned the Tide to children in Girvan Library then later I shall be reading some of my ‘Sea’ related poetry in the Community Garden. I have little experience of oral performances…to an adult audience, this should be interesting. With any luck the weather will be conducive to open-air performing.

I may not have been posting recently but I have been busy. There are so many considerations when self-publishing. I submitted a story, which I was quite happy with, to the Scottish Association of Writers competition for ‘Under 7s’ and awaited the outcome. Alas, there was no success and a crit which made me reassess. I had already submitted the story for the Ayr Writers’ Club competition so I was curious to see how it was received. The outcome was a complete reverse of the previous adjudication and the story was place 1st, much to my delight.
With confidence restored I am deciding to publish this story. After having met a contact, who was a college tutor in ‘Illustrating’, at a recent craft fair and who thought some of her students would appreciate the opportunity to illustrate, I visited the college today.

I was shown the students’ folios and I was amazed at the talent there. I read the story and some of the students expressed an interest in illustrating for me. They are very busy getting coursework ready for assessment just now so I shall see what response I get, having asked those interested to send me their idea of what the main character would look like.

Meanwhile, Tartan Witch is being enjoyed by new audiences. I was delighted to see 3 of my books on display at the local library.

After 2 whole weeks of beautiful sunshine, it’s been quite difficult to settle indoors and write. I have been sadly neglecting this of late. After attending the Scottish Association of Writers Conference and having no success whatever, it’s time to knuckle down and address this. I have to admit that I found some of the feedback helpful and I shall try to find a publication suitable for the memoir I wrote about my dad. Having had no success with my children’s story for under 7s I was anxiously waiting for the Ayr Writers’ Club’s results for its similar competition. I was delighted to be awarded 1st place with the same story so, I’m deliberating whether or not to publish the story. I have been busy reading stories to children in Ayr and selling books at fairs. I’m off to The Grain Exchange again tomorrow to meet shoppers and hopefully sell more books. One of my poems will appear in the August edition of the Writing Magazine where it will be analysed by Alison Chisholm. I shall look forward to this read. Now I need to get back to writing for the AWC Drabble competition….selecting the winning 100 words! Watch this space.

I, as a member of LiterEight, am delighted to have the opportunity to read my work on Arran Sound radio. As Christmas approaches, my first pieces relate to the season. I do hope my readers will find time to listen.

I have just recently returned from a visit to Krakow where I experienced the culture. The visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau was harrowing but just had to be done and the visit to the Salt Mines was truly unimaginable. We were transported to a world 130 metres below ground where the most amazing structures have been carved from rock salt, breathtaking!
As we roamed around the markets and mall it confirmed my suspicions that I will never grow up!
Hopefully this helps me ‘get down’ with the children and create stories that they’re drawn to.