Proposed for 2020
September 11th – 13th Historical Novel Society Conference
May 9th – Scottish Federation of Christian Writers Conference
March 19th – Bowden Church Guild – Life with the Luthers
March 18th – Kelso Library -Author Talk
March 10th- 12th – London Book Fair
February 18th – Innerleithen Probus – Food Standards Regulation 16th Century style.
February 10th- 15th – Writing retreat at Abbotsford House on behalf of Society of Authors in Scotland
January 21st – Duns U3A – History in Historical Fiction: Icing on the Cake or Main Ingredient?
Creative Writing Fellow Tyne and Esk contract continues January – March.
2019
December 5th – Greenlaw Guild – Life with the Luthers –
November 22nd – Norham Christmas Fair.
November 4th – Berwick-Upon Tweed U3A – Transforming history into fiction.
Appointment as Creative Writing Fellow for Tyne and Esk – contract involving a mix of workshops / individual feedback and mentoring for 8 writing groups in the Lothians. One visit per group per month. Workshops planned for October – March: Word Choice, Dialogue, Character, Description, Memoir, POV.
June 27th / 28th – BGH – Book Sale
June 10th – Norham and Ladykirk History Society – Author talk.
May 11th – Boswell Book Festival – Chaired discussion – The influence of Ayrshire and its families on my Munro saga.
March 18th – Chirnside History Group – Finding Katharina – Research in Saxony.
March 12th-14th – London Book Fair
March 9th International Women’s Day – Writing about conflict – a woman’s perspective.
March 6th – Kelso Library – Author event By Sword and Storm – the trilogy finale? Or not?
February 5th – Author talk – Eccles Village Hall
2018
December 8th – Bookstall at Dundee Book Fair
December 6th – Bookstall at Heriot Watt Christmas Fair
November 29th – Noir at the Bar – Edinburgh
November 23rd – Norham Christmas Fair
November 22nd – Book Week Scotland presentation – In search of a rebel: 1000 miles in Saxony – 2.30pm Galashiels Library
November 19th – Author event at Eckford Book Group
October 26th – Bookstall at Heriot Watt Fayre, Galashiels.
October 18th – Borders Writers Forum – He said, She said – workshop on Dialogue
October 4th- By Sword and Storm Launch Blackwells, Edinburgh.
October 3rd – By Sword and Storm Launch Mainstreet Trading Bookshop, St Boswells.
September 29th – Irvine – Pitch and Punt event at Tidelines Festival.
September 18th – Bookstall at Paxton House Craft Fair.
September 8th – Grantown – Panellist in the ‘It’s Nae the Tudors’ Historical Fiction Festival
August 26th – Historical Novel Society International Conference – When fact and Fiction Meet: Getting it Right in Historical Fiction
August 11th – EIBF – Society of Authors in Scotland information event
June 26th – Mainstream Trading, St Boswells – Introduction to the Society of Authors
June 23rd St Boswells – Scottish Association of Writers / Borders Writers Forum Author Day – Reiving and Weaving – Stealing stories from Life
June 15th – Borders Book Festival – Borders Quartet – Author event.
June 5th Crowne Plaza, Newcastle-upon-Tyne – Panellist at Amazon Author Academy
May 27th Podcast with Madeleine D’Este (Australia)
March 28th Old Gala Club – The Great Tapestry of Scotland
March 25th Hawick Literary Tea – The Scottish Tower House and the Border Reivers – not just a home; a way of life.
March 12th The Self-Publishing Journey – Practical pointers for successful self-publishing – ‘Future Proof’ Author’s Day in conjunction with the Society of Authors and Creative Scotland.
January 26th Book Group Peebles – presentation on Katharina + Q+A
January 23rd Melrose Literary Society – Finding Katharina – researching an historical character.
January 18th Borders Writers Forum – He said, She said – workshop on Dialogue (cancelled due to snow – will be re-arranged)
January 9th Book Group Galashiels – presentation on Katharina + Q+A
2017
Confirmed:
December 5th Makerstoun Rural – To Write or not to Write, that is the question…
December 2nd, pm Auchterarder – Finding Katharina – The Story of Martin Luther’s wife
December 2nd, am Auchterarder – Publishing Panel with Luna Press, Noel Chidwick (magazine Editor) and Bill Duguid (Writers’ Group).
November 25th pm Previously Festival, Edinburgh – The 1000 mile search for Katharina, Martin Luther’s Wife
November 25th am Previously Festival, Edinburgh – 2 hour Workshop – Writing Historical Fiction
November 15th St Paul’s Guild, Galashiels – Finding Katharina – The Story of Martin Luther’s Wife
October 25th Mainstreet Trading, St Boswells – Book Launch – Katharina: Deiverance
October 18th Blackwells Bookshop, Edinburgh – Book Launch – Katharina: Deliverance
October 5th Greenlaw Women’s Guild – Finding Katharina – The Story of Martin Luther’s Wife
September 28th: Borders Heritage Festival, Galashiels Library, Workshop – Writing Authentic Historical Fiction
September 6th Borders Heritage Festival, Mary Queen of Scots House, Jedburgh – Finding Inspiration in Place
September 2nd Creative Peebles – Open Mic event
August 28th Creative Peebles – Writers workshop – Authenticity in Historical Fiction
August 26th Creative Peebles – Chairing Abridged – New Borders Anthology
June 15th Borders Book Festival Chairing Launch event for Abridged – New Borders Anthology
June 3rd Ayr History Festival, Troon – Author Stand
May 18th Borders Writers Forum – Shared presentation – Traditional v Self-publishing
May 15th Chirnside History Group – What’s in this Meat Pie – Food Standards Agency 16th c Style.
May 16th Southside Fringe Festival – Pollock House 2.00pm Writing Historical Fiction (with fellow HF author Louise Turner)
May 9th Open Evening Wilton Dean Rural – Being an Author – ‘The Slings and Arrows’
March 21st Edinburgh – Marie Stuart Society – 16th c Burgh Regulations
March 11th Skype tutorial to Creative Writing Class in Qatar – What Happens Next?
February 23rd Moffat – Writer’s Workshop – Crafting a Story
2016
November 22nd – Ayr Book Fair – Author Event
November 12th St Boswells Open Mic – Chairing / Author Reading – Dust Blowing
October 27th Arran – Author Event – A Writer’s Journey
October 22nd Berwick Literary Festival – Author Event – Writing the Short Story /Book Launch for Dust Blowing and Other Stories
October 6th Thursday Group, Kelso – The Dreaded Sequel
August 27th Peebles Arts Festival – Chairing / Author Reading – A House Divided
June 19th Borders Writers Forum Event @ Borders Book Festival – Chairing / Author Reading – A House Divided
June 19th Borders Book Festival – Chairing / In Conversation with author E.S Thomson
June 18th Open Mic Event Melrose – Author Reading – A House Divided
May 27th Ardrossan Castle Historical Society – Author Reading – A House Divided
April 25th Aberdeen Book Group – Feedback / Discussion of A House Divided
Mar 16th Berwick Probus – Food Standards Agency 16th c Style.
Feb 14th – March 12th on Hawthornden International Writers’ Fellowship.
Feb 9th Melrose Literary Society – Panel Discussion on Writing /Publishing Fiction.
Feb 2nd Holy Trinity Book Group, Melrose – Feedback / Discussion of A House Divided
2015
Nov 26th Berwick Church of Scotland Guild – Faith and Fiction.
Nov 25th Ayr Writers Club – Mercure Hotel 7.30pm ‘A Sense of Place’
Nov 23rd Kelso Book Group – Feedback / Discussion of A House Divided
Nov 7th Open Mic event – Jedburgh Bowling Club 2.00pm
Oct 29th Launch Party for A House Divided 6.00pm Mainstreet Trading,
St Boswells.
Oct 28th Dunse History Society – ‘What’s on the Menu Tonight? – Food in the 16th c.’
Oct 16th Berwick literary Festival – Author event – Parish Centre 12.00 noon
Oct 15th Launch of A House Divided at Blackwells Bookshop. Edinburgh.
Sept 29th Kelso Writers Group – Writing the Past
Sept 26th Open Mic event – Quaker Meeting House, 2.30pm
June 14th Chairing at Borders Book Festival (Historian David Crane / Waterloo)
June 1st Jedburgh Grammar Creative Writing Club – Short story adjudication.
May 21st Borders Writers Forum – The Dreaded Sequel.
March 30th Dunfermline Ladies Group – Faith and Fiction.
March 23rd Jedburgh Grammar School Creative Writing Club – Beginnings - Short Story.
March 18th Eckford WRI – Author Event.
February 9th U3A Kelso – Author event.
February 5th Kelso Thursday group- Author event.
January 28th St Peter’s Primary (P7) – The Auld Alliance, Culloden, Creative
Writing and Being an Author.
2014
November 29th Previously Festival (St Andrews) – ‘History in Historical Fiction. Main Ingredient or Icing on the Cake?’
November 21st Previously Festival (Edinburgh) – History in Historical Fiction.
October 23-24th School Visits (Northern Ireland)
24th Wallace High School Year 11 – Creating Setting
Student Librarians – The Joy of Reading (and Writing)
Prep Department – You can Write!
24th Friends School, Lisburn Year 11 – Openings
23rd: Sullivan Upper School Year 11 – The Historical Context for Macbeth
Creative Writing Club – Want to be a Writer?
October 18th Berwick Literary Festival – Author Event.
October 6th Edinburgh Writers Club – Writing Authentic Historical Fiction.
September 18th Kelso Probus – The Long Road to Publication.
