Writerly Roundup: interview, reviews, group

writerly places, a cobbled street with flowers
A rather distracting cobbled street in Aberdeen. It features here and here.

I get easily distracted by the places and things that I write about here and forget to mention other writerly bits and pieces of note in some posts. So here goes!

Interview

I recently did an interview with the lovely Tonya Ulynn Brown on her blog The Rose and the Thistle here. Tonya’s review of THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR came out while I was in hospital last year and it really cheered me up. I tweeted about it from my bed very early in the morning, having finally worked out how to use the WiFi. I remember the scene so clearly: the dimmed light in the ward, the wall clock with its strange night and day depiction, the quiet padding about of nurses, and the prick of the blood sugar checking device. At least I had performed some worthwhile task from my bed. I was almost working! A man instantly tweeted back to me that I was being too ‘self congratulatory’ in mentioning the review. And that only encouraged me…

In the interview I ask such questions as: Is it really good enough? Is it, in fact, bilge? Or nonsense? Or the worst thing that has ever been written in the whole history of the world? 

And dispense advice like: Don’t let other people tear you down and tell you you’re doing it wrong. People have strange agendas when it comes to the writing of others. Do your own thing. Go your own way.

See the whole interview here.

writerly times: sunlight by a mausoleum
Sunlight peers round the corner of the Duff House Mausoleum

The second writerly thing: reviews

There’s been quite a few. Two of the most recent for FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE are from Elisabeth on the writer’s tip jar site Kofi here. I found her mention of language very interesting.

And then over on Goodreads, this one from Alex came in yesterday. “I was moved and shocked by what I read but also took solace from the portrayal of genuine historic figures in the book such as the vile Alexander Young and the decent Benjamin Lay, Peter Williamson and Benjamin Franklin whose kindness and determination make a difference to those reduced to the status of chattels.”

cobbles or cassies
Ah, those cobbles, or cassies as they are up here. See yet more of them.

And the last writerly mention: the group

I’ve started a wee Facebook Group to promote Scottish books. Your own or those you’ve read, fiction or non-fiction, about or set in Scotland or written by a Scottish author. If you’re interested feel free to join here.

writery things: stone circles
Possibly the biggest distraction of all, stone circles. See this one here.

For more cobbled streets and old stones, sign up to the mailing list.

Read my books for free

All my novels are on Kindle Unlimited, Amazon’s lending service, and that has a 30 day free trial, though some people are being offered 3 months for free just now. See all the books here. Also in paperback.

kindle unlimited

Writer’s Tip Jar

13 Replies to “Writerly Roundup: interview, reviews, group”

  1. Are you familiar with the writings of American author and poet Jesse Stuart? He was of Scottish descent, was inspired by the poems of Robert Burns, and visited Scotland on a Guggenheim fellowship, his goal for which was “to study the likeness in literature and folklore” between the Scottish highlanders and their counterparts in the Kentucky mountains. During his stay in Scotland, he worked on five different book projects, including _Beyond_Dark_Hills_. He wrote of his own hill country of Kentucky much as you are doing of Scotland. Because I was a teacher, I enjoyed his two autobiographical works _The_Thread_That_Runs_So_True_ and _To_Teach,_to_Love_. He also wrote a lot of children’s books.

    Best wishes on your continued work!

  2. Opinions and rectums are something we all have and at times it may be difficult to tell the difference. Some people do not mind honest truth (if not immediately, perhaps after the initial sting has subsided), to others anything less than fulsome praise is not enough. I am not overly familiar with current Scottish authors and I do like the ones I am familiar with. To thine own self be true.

  3. It’s never too self-congratulatory to mention a simple fact that something happened and point us to it. Plus, in my opinion, you have a right to feel proud of being featured on a blog or a site for the hard and beautiful work you’ve done. I love hearing about your milestones and successes.
    Also, this is your blog and your place to talk about what interests you. Seems logical to tell how you’re doing, feeling and what’s new with you. I thought that’s what we readers are coming to the site to learn about. 🙂 I’ll enjoy checking out the interview and review when I have a moment. Thanks for linking us to them. Best wishes! -Sheri

  4. Not sure if I qualify for your Facebook Scottish page. I write about the movies. I’ve written books about the making of The Magnificent Seven, The Guns of Navarone and Lawrence of Arabia and about all the westerns of 1969 as well as kind of Hollywood history like a history of film reissues. But I’ve also written about my local town, Paisley – a book about the Glen Cinema Disaster of 1929 in which 71 children died and also about cinema going – Paisley at the Pictures 1950 and its sequel about 1951.

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