This past week, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the From Glen to Page panel at Thrills at the Mills, part of the newly established Dundee Book Festival. The panel brought together a rich tapestry of voices from across the literary landscape, all united by a shared love for storytelling and the folklore of Scotland’s glens and rugged terrains.

My fellow authors were Lyndsey Croal, whose new collection of reimagined folktales Dark Crescent (Luna Press) is out now and Erin Farley, local historian, folklorist and storyteller, whose book Angus Folk Tales (Scottish Storytelling Centre) is a must-read for anyone keen to immerse themselves in the county’s rich oral tradition. We were beautifully shepherded in our discussion by the lovely Morag Hannah, part of writing duo MK Hardy. Look out for their new novel The Needfire (Solaris). I heard a little preview during the Cymera Festival and I promise you, it’s spellbinding!

Thrills in the Mills encapsulated the festival’s ethos perfectly—an inventive exploration of genre fiction and literature that engages audiences in a lively dialogue. Our own discussion revolved around how nature, history, and traditional tales have influenced our decisions as writers and how elements of our oldest stories still have relevance today. It was fascinating to hear diverse perspectives, and the audience was so engaged, the atmosphere beneath the dome of Mills Observatory was positively electric!

I have to say I felt a little rusty- it has been so long since I’ve been included in a panel of this sort. The book world is full of peaks and troughs and since the pandemic all has not been plain sailing for many authors. Lockdown did however allow me to focus on my off-writing career as a facilitator of various courses and workshops and it is always a huge pleasure to meet in person writers I’ve encountered during that time, including Lyndsey, and to see them embarking on their own publishing journey. I also briefly met author Rebecca Brown before her own event and her super novel The Song of the Stag (Ringwood Publishing)  will be next on my reading list!

Thank you so much if you managed to get along to any of the events. Let’s hope the Dundee Book Festival will become a regular fixture and introduce lots more talented local writers to a wider audience!

P.S. We spoke about Fenella – Erin told her story so beautifully. If you’ve never met this amazing Pictish warrior woman, do read my book The Unmaking of Ellie Rook which was inspired by her actions. My current book The House on Devil’s Lane is also available and looking for some love!