I am delighted that The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd was one of two runners up and commended in The Great Outdoors …
Category: Author Life
Posted on 24th November, 2023
Scotsman Newspaper Best Books of 2023
Wow. So chuffed that The Hidden Fires has been chosen as one of The Scotsman newspaper’s Best Scottish Books of 2023. What fine company, too! I’m …
Posted on 18th November, 2023
Boardman Tasker Award Ceremony
I had such a ball at the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature ceremony at Kendal Mountain Festival on the 17th of November. I was …
Posted on 24th April, 2023
Hidden Fires on Tour
Last week was a whirlwind mini book tour for The Hidden Fires around central Scotland and I’m only just catching my breath and catching up …
Posted on 10th April, 2023
On Nature Writing for The Creative Penn Podcast
I first met Joanna Penn ten years ago at a course in Inverness set up by Peter Urpeth of what was HiArts and then …
Posted on 12th March, 2023
The Courage to Follow Nan Shepherd
“I set out on my journey in pure love.” So said Aberdeenshire author, Nan Shepherd, in The Living Mountain, her now-celebrated account of exploring the …
Posted on 18th May, 2021
Learning the Land
How nature has colonised my notebooks as I’ve learnt more about the landscape and wildlife of the Cairngorms. A journey into observation.
Posted on 14th December, 2020
Broken Bread – The Story of a Story
The regulars were arriving for their slap-up Christmas dinner. Some faces glowing, others uncertain and sad. Damp coats steaming on the hooks above the radiator. …
Posted on 27th July, 2020
Coincidence in A House Called Askival
I have a bright red hand-written postcard on my desk. It reads: “Dear Merryn, How lovely to write, write, write! Everything is online at the …