Along with many of my fellow wordsmiths, I was criss-crossing Scotland last week (19th to 25th November) to celebrate Book Week Scotland 2018, run by the Scottish Book Trust. The theme this year was ‘Rebel’. My first event was at the Brander Library in Huntly in Aberdeenshire, a lovely wood-panelled Victorian building, where the librarians had...
The New Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women
I’m very proud to be one of many contributors to The New Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women, just published by Edinburgh University Press. It’s a book every Scottish library should hold and make available. Over 1,000 women find their place in this book and, as the cover copy says, the Dictionary “provides a striking...
Ness Bookfest
Had a great time in lovely Inverness last Friday speaking at the Ness Book Fest about my historical novels at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. Great audience, great organisation, thanks to the volunteers who worked so hard to make everything run so smoothly. I also got confirmation from a knowledgeable lady in...
Scottish Historical Fiction Festival, Grantown on Spey, Saturday 8th September 2018.
“It’s nae the Tudors!” So says The Bookmark in Grantown on Spey of their day-long historical fiction festival which will be held at the Pagoda, Grantown on Spey. Maggie will be speaking about her books in the afternoon session, starting from 2.15, alongside a line-up of fellow Scottish writers of historical fiction. Tickets...
Dance to the Storm Update
Robert Catto always strides into my kitchen as though he owns the place. As usual, I try to divert his attention, offering him claret or brandy in the evening, black coffee during the day. My tactics never work. Nothing gets past this man. ‘Coffee,’ he growls. ‘And, if you please, your word count for...
Edinburgh International Book Festival 2018
Looking forward to speaking about When the Clyde Ran Red: A Social History of Red Clydeside at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in Charlotte Square next month. I’ll be on with cartographer John Moore who is talking about his beautiful and lavishly-illustrated book: The Clyde: Mapping the River. Details of how to buy tickets here....
When the Clyde Ran Red: A Social History of Red Clydeside
Always exciting when the author copies arrive, as they did this afternoon. Thanks to @BirlinnBooks and @BookSource1, with special thanks to Book Source for getting the books to me in this weather. Stay safe. This new paperback edition of When the Clyde Ran Red will be released next week, 8th March....
Revisiting the Jacobites – The History Behind the History
On Thursday 12th October, from 18.30 – 20.00 (doors open 18.15), I’ll be one of a panel addressing different aspects of the 1745 Jacobite Rising at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. I’ll be talking about the women I wrote about in Damn’ Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45, Arran Johnston will...
Damn Rebel Bitches: Research Then & Now
When I did my research for Damn’ Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 twenty years ago, that had to be done the hard, albeit very enjoyable way. I’ve just written an article on the subject for Historia, the online magazine of the Historical Writers’ Association, which you can read below. Damn’ Rebel Bitches:...
Damn’ Rebel Bitches 20th Anniversary
This year I’m celebrating the 20th anniversary of the publication of Damn’ Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45. Writing this book was a labour of love for me. With no Internet to speak of back in 1997, I did the research in the old-fashioned way, travelling to libraries, archives, museums and locations up...