My main work for 2020 is walking and writing Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd.
Outreach projects include:
20 Nov 2020 Care And Learning Alliance Virtual Pyjama Party for Book Week Scotland. Video still available.
19 Nov 2020 Aberdeen City Libraries virtual creative writing workshop on Telling Your Story for Book Week Scotland. Video still available.
October 2020 Two online writing workshops for Aberdeen Young Carers organised through Aberdeen City Libraries and Barnardos.
Sep 2020 Writing stories for interpretation of the Speyside Way for Cairngorms National Park Authority.
5 August 2020 Virtual workshop on nature writing for Angus Writers Circle
Feb – April 2020 School & community workshops in Newtonmore facilitating text for the upcoming art installation by sculptor Stuart Murdochthen developing and editing the final text for the panels.
18 Feb 2020 Poetry workshop at Highland Lit, Inverness.
In 2019 I was Writer in Residence for the Cairngorms National Park, facilitating the year-long project Shared Stories: A Year in the Cairngorms. It encouraged all kinds of people to write about their experiences of nature in this special place.
30 Nov 2019 Story writing workshop for staff at Glenmore Lodge.
23 Nov 2019 Leading story writing workshop for Book Week Scotland, Inverness.
21 Nov Anthology launch & Celebration event for Shared Stories: A Year in the Cairngorms project.
16 Nov 2019 Story writing workshop for CNP Volunteer Rangers, Nethy Bridge
09 Nov 2019 Keynote speaker for Scottish Fellowship of Christian Writers, Cornton.
07 Nov 2019 Story writing workshop for Cairngorms National Park Rangers, Balmoral Estate.
29 Oct 2019 Leading workshop: How to Run a Writers’ Group, CNPA Offices, Grantown
4 Oct 2019 ‘A Sense of Place’ Talk at Ness Book Fest about my writing in the Cairngorms
30 Sept 2019, 7th & 14th Oct Shared Stories workshops at John Muir Trust Wild Space in Pitlochry
28 Sept 2019 Workshop for OWLS at Earthtime, Duffus, for Shared Stories
18 Sept 2019 Shared Stories workshop for Land-based workers at Glenesk Museum
11 Sept 2019 Facilitating workshop for volunteer Health Walk leaders for Shared Stories
13-15 Aug 2019 Chairing three kids’ lit events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
10-11 Aug 2019 Writing workshops at Forest Fest, Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore
1 Jul 2019 Writing workshop for Land Based Workers at Blair Atholl – Part of Shared Stories
21-23 June Writing workshops at Solas Festival Perthshire
June 2019 Writing workshops in Ballater – Part of Shared Stories
29 May 2019 Writing workshop for Bethany Christian Trust Edinburgh
11-12 May 2019 Writing workshops at Cairngorms Nature Big Weekend
2 May 2019 Writing workshop for Moniack Mhor Young Writers Cafe
April -May 2019 Writing workshops in Tomintoul – Part of Shared Stories
14 March 2019 Talk at Grantown Museum “The Ingredients of a Novel”
March 2019 Writing workshops in Aviemore – Part of Shared Stories
26 Feb 2019 Co-leading a workshop at the Scottish Book Trade Conference
19 Feb 2019 Leading a workshop at Highland Lit in Inverness
At the end of 2018 I was sad to leave my two days a week as Library Assistant at Kingussie High School where I loved the books and the kids and bringing them together.