Top Ten Bookshops in Edinburgh
It's August, it's Edinburgh, so it's festival time! If you need a bit of time off from the mad dashing around, here are my top ten bookshops to visit while you're here. 1. Portobello Bookshop - 6 Portobello High St, Portobello, Edinburgh EH15 1DA One of my favourite...
Writing in sunshine? Extracts from July newsletter
July: summertime is... writing time? I remember a blog I wrote in 2013 about whether it was easier to write in summer or winter. Personally I find it impossible to sit in the sunshine and write, but I was at Moniack Mhor for their midsummer retreat in June, the...
Top Ten Beach Reads
Yeah, the world is opening up again! Time to pack the bikini and go! Are you going to brave the airports, trains, and other covid-y methods of public transport to get somewhere different this summer? Maybe you've decided to go by car so you can sit in an endless...
It’s nearly festival time! Extracts from June newsletter
Getting ready for the Edinburgh International Book Festival (wherever you are). It's so exciting to think that after two years, the Edinburgh International Book Festival is back. And it's even bigger. There are over 600 events happening over the fortnight (last two...
An eclectic guide to the Edinburgh International Book Festival – August 2022
This year, join in the Edinburgh International Book Festival wherever you live without the hassle of travelling. The festival organisers have embraced live streaming and so quite a few events will be available for you to watch without leaving your sitting room. Here...
Too many books? Extracts from May newsletter
Is there such a thing as 'too many books'? .. I've been out and about, visiting Wales, Northumberland, and Ullapool. I didn't see any bookshops in Pembrokeshire (though there was a lovely little town called Narberth which has banned chain stores from its high street,...
Top Thirty Books of all time – or Marie Kondo’s bookshelf
Apparently Marie Kondo has said that you don't need to keep more than thirty books. To which some people replied, "on the bedside table?" which sort of sums up my attitude. I mean, by the end of March this year I had already read more than thirty books. Her point...
Better days ahead? Extracts from April’s newsletter
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...
My Top Ten Bookshops in the UK
Earlier this year, I was on holiday in Yorkshire and my hubby had gone off to the bike shop leaving me to wander around the shops. Some time later I was browsing at the back of a book shop, picking up delights, when I heard his familiar voice. "Caroline in a bookshop....
Spring into Action. Extracts from March Newsletter.
March: Spring into action. Despite the gloomy state of the world - or maybe because of it? - it's time to put on a brave face and march forward to a new and exciting writing future. This is much the same message as I made this time last year when I suggested you...