The sun has been shining all over the UK, daffodils are blooming, lambs are leaping, and we’ve been told that covid is officially ‘over’ with all restrictions lifted. I for one won’t miss seeing the new form of litter; discarded face masks everywhere. (Though I might miss using my cute collection of reusables).
Dare we think about travel? I blogged earlier this year about the top ten UK destinations for writers, and this month’s blog is about the top ten bookshops you might visit while you’re there. I’ve also discovered there are several maps of the UK, just devoted to literary spots. (You can buy them here and here, or here is a more succinct online version.)
And if you’re out and about visiting those destinations or exploring the bookshops, you might also time your visit to coincide with a book festival. In 2020 I blogged about the best book festivals in Scotland. I’m SOOOO looking forward to Ullapool in a few weeks’ time, and then Edinburgh in August. (More news about that later…)
If you’re still not feeling like travelling, even within the UK, then why not try and meet up with people locally? My son just moved to London and the first thing he did was join a board game group on meet-up. (My daughter did the same for DND when she moved back to Edinburgh). Find out more about meet-up here. Why not start a book group, a writing group, or some sort of combo – walk and write? yoga and write? The possibilities are endless.
Drop me an email and tell me about anything new you’ve started.
In the meantime I’ve been busy organising new events for SCBWI Scotland. Why not join us? Have a look here at what we’ve got planned.
(Picture below is the marvellous Barter Books in Alnwick)

How to write

This month’s recommended book is not so much about how to write, but I thought you might enjoy it if you’re taking my advice and touring around the bookshops and book festivals. This was written by the owner of The Bookshop in Wigtown, who seemed a fairly grumpy sort of person when I visited that establishment, and the book bears out this impression. If you like stereotyping and moaning in your humour, you’ll like this book. (And if not, you’ll certainly know someone who would appreciate it as a gift.)