If you’ve read Fireside Fairy Tales or excerpts of my writing on Instagram, you might have spotted some Gaelic words. And lots of Scots.
Read More
My country is steeped in fairy faith. Many of our traditions and rituals in Scotland come from our ancestor’s desire to appease the ‘guid folk’ who could be fickle in their affections and downright dangerous if provoked. As children, on the 31st of October we’d go “guising”, which is the practise of dressing up in scary costumes and visiting neighbours to sing songs or tell jokes in exchange for sweeties.
Read More
‘Tis the season for scary stories!
The nights are drawing in. On evening walks bats whirl under the streetlamps like wind-whipped leaves and I scurry past “haunted” spots like the Hodler’s Bush. Carved pumpkins line the window sill and I find myself reaching for dark folktales and gothic playlists. Sometimes I wish spooky season would last just a wee bit longer…
Read More
On Instagram last weekend I asked for your favourite books inspired by folklore and fairy tales. There were so many wonderful suggestions that I decided to compile them into a blog post that we can refer to whenever our reading pile needs a dose of magic!
Read More
As the year-end approaches, I like to reflect on the books that left an impression. It’s a constant source of surprise and excitement knowing a life-changing read could be just around the corner, magical and unexpected as snow in July.
Read More
Welcome to another edition of Simple Magic. Lockdown restrictions are lifting, the sun’s shining, and I’m making progress with the first draft of my novel. This is a strange chapter in history, and I think it’s the small, everyday details that shed light on the whole. Time to pause the writing posts for a moment and share a quick tour of my camera roll before the moment slips away forever.
Read More
The last time I spoke about books here I mentioned falling into a reading rut. I’m happy to say that cloud has passed and I’ve spent most of lockdown devouring books and finding a new all time favourite to cherish.
Read More
It’s Wednesday afternoon. I’m sat at my kitchen table with a coffee, having returned from my usual river walk and a wee daunder around town.
Read More
January: empty pockets, the sparkle of Christmas faded and old routines resumed under sunless skies. It’s the time of year we’re most in need of magic but hope and motivation prove elusive. I’ve not succumbed to January blues yet, but there’s still time for those “always winter, never Christmas” feelings to strike, so here’s a list of writerly things you can do for free to illuminate grey January days.
Read More
Hibernation season is here 🌙 For my last blog post before Christmas I thought I’d share a wee ‘playlist’ for those cosy days between Christmas and New Year.
Read More
As the year-end approaches, I like to reflect on the books that left an impression. It’s a constant source of surprise and excitement knowing a life-changing read could be just around the corner, magical and unexpected as snow in July.
Read More
Here’s a quick summer Simple Magic before I transfigure into full-on autumn mode! The following photos are from my phone camera roll. They don’t quite fit the theme of my blog or Instagram, but capture enchanting, everyday moments I want to remember.
Read More
All writers struggle with lack of motivation at some point. For me, it’s always caused by self-doubt, which prompts an attack of imposter syndrome or comparison-itis – suddenly everyone’s writing is better than my own.
Read More
Welcome to a new blog feature – Simple Magic.
Recently, I noticed I only take photos that fit my blog or Instagram theme. While we’ve all levelled up from daily snaps of our breakfast - and sometimes it’s nice to experience things in the moment without the pressure to record - there’s still a part of me that misses capturing daily details.
Read More