A Long Overdue Update

It’s now the last day of 2025 and my updates here this year have been non existent. It’s been a heart heavy year on a personal front, but among the darkness there’s also been light.

Although it’s almost two years since Crow Moon was published, the book has continued to be read and discussed and I’ve been delighted to take part in many more book events than I thought I would. I’ve also been beavering away on extensive edits for Book Two, but more on that later.

February saw visits to lovely Moniack Mhor to write and a dash to Manchester to take part in Crime Central with my Orenda sister Eve Smith, that was quickly followed by an overnight to Bay Tales to read at Noir at the Bar and then a couple of sessions at the lovely Helensburgh Book Festival which is not too far from home.

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I made a quick dash to Harrogate in July to catch up with pals at Theakston’s Crime Fest which was fun and then in August took my dog Loki to Northumberland for a week of editing to try to get book two over the line after more big changes my editor suggested. The sea is so inspiring too.

Then autumn got busy again with the brand new local book event Balfron Book Festival, which was great and it was lovely to be interviewed by my friend Sandra and speak to readers who knew the area where Crow Moon was set.

Bloody Scotland and Bookmark Blair quickly followed. Good to catch up with pals and chat to the wonderful Lin Anderson at Blairgowrie - what a lovely event that was. The same week I was honoured to interview Ann Cleeves about the return of Jimmy Perez, this time to Orkney, thanks to my lovely pal Elaine Sinclair, owner of the fabulous Daydreams Bookshop.

Halloween brought the chance to tell dark tales at Milngavie’s first Noir at the Bar (again thanks to brilliant Elaine!). I spent a week with the most wonderful women writing folklore and folk horror inspired words at Arvon’s Totleigh Barton in November and am still waiting to see what emerges in my creative brain from that. It’s certainly a lovely new tribe to be part of though.

Then I rounded off the year hosting a panel inspired by spooky gothic fiction at Newcastle Noir and thanks to my wonderful friend Dr Jacky Collins for the opportunity to get in the interviewers chair where I spoke to Michael J Malone, Andrew Bergin and my goth sista Elisabeth Wolf (aka Alison Belsham). Catching up with the Orenda crew was an added bonus.

So all in all, considering I didn’t have a new book out it wasn’t a bad book year! Already have a few events lined up for 2026 and with book two - The Bone Mother - due out in May, I’m looking forward to seeing lots of readers, writing pals and getting some new words down next year. Onwards and here’s to the return of the words and the light 💫💫💫