Samhain, pronounced Sow-in or Sah-win, is the pagan or Celtic name for Halloween and translates as ‘end of summer’, celebrated on 31st...

When I was studying Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth century (and other periods) as part of my degree with the Open University, my...

Just had a wonderful couple of nights away at the Seamill Hydro on the beautiful west coast of Scotland, partly for husband’s big...

It can be very rewarding writing shorter fiction, especially if just starting out. Although the markets have decreased for selling a...

I am delighted to be one of the Scottish and international poets featured in the new anthology, Penned Poetry, which has been put...

At last, I've finally published the third Maryanne Mystery novella set in mid-Victorian London, DARK DELUSION. It's now available in...

I love the start of a new year with all its possibilities and the chance to clear out the old and begin anew. We had a lovely gentle walk...

I enjoyed a rare exploration in our capital city, Edinburgh, the other day all by myself. Work was being done at home so I escaped for...

On special offer at 99p/99c until Saturday, my full length Gothic suspense novel, Highcrag, is set completely in the east of Scotland,...

I’ve been neglecting the blog during summer but I’m hoping to continue again with posts that might be interesting and helpful to other...

We were delighted to have a short holiday in the north of Scotland this month after staying at home so long. First we drove to Fort...

It's been a while since I've written a blog post, partly because I've been too busy learning new things via online courses - such as...

Flowers often have different meanings and in Victorian times, when young ladies were seldom alone with a suitor, the language of flowers...

Monday 25th January is Burns Night, an event that is celebrated all over the world, although this year it will be virtual Burns Suppers....

Having long loved old types of music such as madrigals, I was honoured and delighted when one of my poems, Light in the Darkness, was...

November 30th is St Andrew’s Day up here, a celebration of the patron saint of Scotland. St Andrew is very well integrated into our...

Sunday 22nd November is this year's Stir-up Sunday, the traditional day for making the plum pudding for Christmas. It was especially...

The Punch and Judy show has been an integral part of the British seaside holiday for many years and was mentioned as early as the 17th...

Writers often struggle with which social media sites they should be on, how often and when to post, or even what to post. So I was...

A warm welcome to award-winning travel writer, Linda Decker, whose fascinating travel memoir, Bombs and Bougainvillea, has been published...