Is Wally coming to my reading?

Added on 05 May 2018

There hasn't been a walrus seen in these waters for more than 64 years, but since my new novel, The Walrus Mutterer, came out, a walrus has been splashing about and cruising our coastline, behaving increasingly as if he has read the book and is giving it his seal (sorry!) of approval! They say f...

The harbour

Added on 09 April 2018

Lochinver harbour’s pontoons are exposed to northerly gales, so most of us take our boats out of the water for the winter. They lie on cradles on the hard standing behind the fish market, as if in hibernation. Now, as the geese fly over, they are awakening. Ladders are up, paint brushes are ou...

Spring!

Added on 02 April 2018

We declare it officially spring here when the first primroses open on the croft. Here they are, nestled in a crack in a south-facing rock face, down close to the shore of Loch Roe. It looks like they've been out for a few days, although there are hardly any others open, so these are the vanguard...

Walrus Muttering

Added on 27 March 2018

Yesterday was one of those glorious blue days that you can’t quite believe at this time of year, rewarding all of those people who came huge distances to join me in the launching of The Walrus Mutterer. Thanks to everyone who came! We had a day of genial conversation on which we sailed back i...

Acknowledgements

Added on 19 March 2018

My new novel is now published! (You can buy your copy here). This is a big thrill, after years of research and writing, and it could not have come about without the help of dozens of people. I'd like to acknowledge them all here, in public. It all began with Clachtoll broch, so my first thanks m...

Winter

Added on 11 March 2018

I’m teaching three courses (creative writing, poetry and nature writing) at the University of Highlands and Islands this semester, in Inverness, so I spend two days a week there, which means I’m having some amazing landscape experiences. Driving home this Friday night was particularly sp...