I’m honoured to have been invited to adjudicate this year’s Scottish Association of Writers competition for writing for the Under 7s. Working through the entries has been a joy and I’m looking forward to announcing the winners at this year’s conference at the end of March.   I’ve also been invited to give a workshop at this years Scottish Association of Writers annual conference. My session, Writing & Publishing Children’s Picture Books to Traditionally Published Standards, is on the Saturday morning.  

I don’t usually enter competitions, but I decided it wouldn’t hurt to submit one book from both of my genres. I decided on Abigail Returns and The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical, and then I pretty much forgot about it. So, you can imagine how blown away I was when I got the email telling me I’d been named as a finalist! It was such a surprise, and this is the feedback I received that encompasses both genres… 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗱: – 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲. – 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵, 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. – 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁…

Hello from a cold and frosty Perthshire! As the year comes to a close, I hope 2024 has been a good one for you. I’m delighted to be ending the year on a high. This year has seen my author business grow and expand in ways I could never have imagined, bringing with it exciting opportunities and connections. It’s also partly why it’s been a while since I’ve sent out a newsletter—2024 turned out to be an unbelievably busy year (in the best possible way!). This year, the spotlight has been on my novels, which was simply how my writing calendar unfolded. But 2025 is shaping up to be quite…

Professional Mentoring For Children’s Authors From Award Winner Pauline Tait, On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, Pauline Tait, acclaimed children’s author and romantic suspense novelist, expands her author business to include professional mentoring for children’s authors.   When I was younger, I would walk past my local Waterstones store and imagine how wonderful it must be for the authors whose titles graced their shelves. Now, having embarked on my own writing journey, I look back on what I have achieved and where life as an award-winning and bestselling author has taken me as I expand my author business to include mentoring children’s authors. Those who…

Woohoo!   I’m absolutely thrilled to have been named as a finalist in The Page Turner Book Awards 2024.   This is a super big deal for my (already award-winning) picture book.   Winners will be announced for the varying genres at the online awards ceremony in November. But, whatever happens, I’m over the moon to have been named as a finalist.

After two and a half months of jam packed events, I’ve plumbed for one blog post that covers them all. From the hugely successful launch event of Anna’s Promise in Waterstones in Perth, to the equally successful Waterstones, indie bookshops and libraries tour that came to an end just as the Waterstones tour with my children’s books was about to begin, it was summer that saw me travel the country, meet the loveliest of readers, and draw some of my biggest audiences to date. Perth, Dundee, Kirkcaldy, Glasgow (several times), Oban, Stirling, Blairgowrie, Edinburgh (several times), I wracked up both miles and book sales before it all came to an…

Thank you to the The Quair Magazines – Covering Highland Perthshire & Strathearn for their feature in both the Atholl & Breadalbane, and Crieff & Comrie editions. Anna’s Promise is out! And you can grab your copy in all good book shops or online.  

Having received an email from Waterstones in Braehead, Glasgow, asking if I would pop in to sign copies of Anna’s Promise, we had a trip down over the weekend. Popping into the Perth store on our way home. I’m thrilled that copies are now arriving into Waterstones stores and I will be releasing dates of my upcoming events next week.  

Six months ago, I announced that I had been helping fellow authors with their writing and the publishing process for some time. The amount of authors being sent my way was increasing and, as a way of managing my time, I had decided to officially add mentoring children’s author to my author business. This allowed me structure my week better. Meaning my writing time wasn’t affected and I could continue to mentor authors who came my way. It’s a side of my business I enjoy. After years working in school, helping people seems to be at the heart of who I am. I was thrilled (though slightly shocked) that in…

The thing about the publishing world is that our audiences, fellow author friends, valued members of our team, and network connections are not only spread around the country, they’re spread around the world. So when the lovely Isabelle Knight messaged to say she would be passing through Edinburgh, the opportunity to catch-up was not to be missed. I’ve been working with Isabelle, of Build Your Author Brand, long enough for this to be a catch up between two friends. Which was a reminder of how much the world has opened up for me since I took that first tentative step into the publishing world. If you are relatively new to…

Thank you to The Courier for running a feature on the release of Anna’s Promise. Copyright laws mean I am unable to share the article in full. But they did also mention the upcoming launch in Waterstones on the 31st of May, which I’m very grateful for.

I was thrilled to feature in the Scottish Field Magazine for a second time. This time it was all about books that have influenced my writing career and books I enjoy as a reader.   Author Pauline Tait on the influence of American writer Nora Roberts in helping her believe she could write in two very different genres.   The first book I remember reading: As a young child, I remember reading The Princess and the Frog. It was often my bedtime read, and I still have my slightly tattered but much-loved copy. As I got older and was introduced to chapter books, I was given a copy of the first…

I was thrilled to be featured, yet again, by Portobello Book Blog. #ThreeTwoOne quick-fire questions…   Tell me THREE things about your latest book Following on from the success of Abigail Returns, Anna’s Promise is the second in The Maren Bay series. Once again, readers will be transported to some of my favourite locations on the Isle of Skye. Staffin, a picturesque village north of Portree. Brother’s Point, a favourite walk of ours, which, incidentally, isn’t too far from Staffin. And the town of Portree itself. Anna’s Promise falls under Romantic Suspense but I would also describe it as a suspenseful mystery.   Tell me about TWO of the characters in your book…

The Fairy in the Kettle Trilogy became the festive competition for both publications this year, with each having three signed sets to give away. All were wrapped in festive ribbon and all included and wooden Christmas decoration. Congratulations to the winning entries, I hope your young readers enjoy their trip to Bramble Glen… and an grateful thank you to both publications for their continued support.  

The Fairy in the Kettle Trilogy is a sentimental achievement that harks back to my childhood. I don’t often think of these books without thinking of my grandad and his garden. His pride and joy, it was overflowing with vegetables, fruit trees, and his greenhouse transported me to another world, wild and exotic. Yes, there was the expected resident, tomatoes. But there was also an established grape vine that had taken hold and flourished year on year as its ageing vines enveloped the greenhouse, producing an abundance of red grapes that we feasted on for weeks. Remember, this was back in the late seventies. No one else I knew had their own…

I’m still in the depths of editing, but after months of living in what has felt like a building site, I’m not going to fret about it. We will soon be out the other side and all our hard work will have been worth it. Hopefully the house will be finished (all but one room) by mid to end November and life will return to normal. The final room and the garden are now next year’s problem! My manuscript will go to the editor in 12 days (gulp) but that will then be me back on track. We have scheduled the current series so that two novels will be released…

The Perthshire Magazine is an online magazine that falls into my inbox each month. Full of spectacular photography and articles covering all that Perthshire has to offer, it’s one I enjoy reading with a cuppy. However, when July’s issue dropped in, I was thrilled to see Abigail Returns sitting mysteriously across a lovely double page spread… and with a cracking review…  

As the article appeared in the August edition of Writers’ Narrative, an online magazine for writers…        With a background in Primary Literacy Support, Pauline Tait is passionate about encouraging children in their reading and writing.  Pauline shares why it is a privilege for her to write for children.   To say writing for children is a privilege, is not an overstatement. It is indeed a fact that we, as authors, should cherish. We have within our grasp a chance to empower, feed creative minds and provide an escape for children who perhaps struggle with day-to-day life. That, however, is above and beyond the initial benefits our words can…

I’m thrilled that Scottish Field Magazine has chosen to review of Abigail Returns in the September 2023 issue… “This Skye-based mystery has stunning descriptions of scenery and as many twists and turns as the winding road of the Quiraing itself. Pauline Tait has a talent for making the fictional seem real as everything from Abigail’s emotional journey and the way she weaved the mystery into the setting was visceral. An engaging and hugely satisfying read.” https://lnkd.in/gTe5eCDj    

This month, I have invited Scottish Author Greta Yorke along to Kids Carousel to tell us about her books and writing career. Thank you for joining us Greta, please tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey. My first adventure into was with poetry which was published in church magazine, then I became a member of Ayr Writers’ Club. I was teaching 5 year olds at the time and I won a little knitted witch in a school raffle. It was so lovely I asked the lady who knitted it if she would knot me 10 little witches which I would use as a number resource in the…

Abigail Returns (book one in the Maren Bay Series)   It has been an eventful week, to say the least, with the arrival of paperback copies of Abigail Returns, all while it enjoyed being #1 in Amazon’s Hot New Releases for financial thrillers. It has also been enjoying being in the top #10 in several other rankings lists.     And if you have have not yet discovered Abigail Returns, let me tease you with the blurb and a little more info… With just over a decade missing to Dissociative Amnesia, and a newly broken heart, Abigail finds herself with no choice but to return to Lochside. The supposedly idyllic home…

Stepping Into Spring by Pauline Tait (Novelist & Children’s Author)   In Scotland, we are about to step, rather eagerly, into spring. It is a time of rejuvenation, internal growth, and positive energy as our surroundings are brought back to life after the winter months. The dreary browns slowly dissipate, replaced with fresh greens and pastel colours, as spring lifts our spirits and propels us towards summer. And, speaking of being brought to life. As a children’s author, I am vehemently aware that no matter what I write, the front cover will initially draw attention to my books. The blurb will then battle with the internal illustrations for the second…

I was interviewed recently by Subkit from Brooklyn, New York on running an author business as part of their Go Solo programme. I haven’t worked with them, but was delighted to be interviewed.   It’s not too long a read. You can either read it in full here or follow the link to read it on the Subkit website. Hope you enjoy…         Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in writing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Pauline Tait, a Novelist and Children’s Author based in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. What’s your business, and who are your customers? I am a novelist and…

I was interviewed recently by Kate of Portable Magic and thought I would share it with you via my blog. You can either click here or read the full interview below. It was definitely the most varied interview I have done, we covered everything from writing to my favourite biscuit… Q&A with Pauline Tait Have you always wanted to write? Hi, yes, I’ve been scribbling away quietly for decades. In fact, I had the idea for my first children’s picture book when I was in my early twenties but didn’t do anything with it for another twenty years.   What were your previous jobs? I was a pharmaceutical technician for over…

A look back at June and July I’m a bit late in getting round to this, but in my defence… it’s been a busy couple of months! I think it’s safe to say that the world is opening up again. June and July were reminiscent of pre-Covid times as I held book events around the country, and I’ve more events flying into the diary.   The Caputh Fair On 11th June I was at the Caputh Fair. I had a stall alongside an array of local artists, crafters and authors. And as well as catching up with those I hadn’t seen since before Covid struck, it was great to meet…

An Unexpected and Exciting Announcement As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, my novel, A Life of Their Own, is being reissued as a second edition with a brand new cover pack shot, on 9th September. As an author, this is fantastic news and something I am thrilled about. But it is the recent surge in cases of domestic violence during lockdowns that has meant this novel has never been more relevant. I have a series of events, interviews and media coverage lined up and I do hope that if you are local to an event, you will come along as it would be lovely to see you. In…

When the universe takes charge!   Writing is such a curious occupation. We don’t always rock up to our desk and rattle through our word count or create the perfect settings or characters. Our brains need to be in the right gear for a start! Something the brilliant Becky Walsh, personal development comedian, can tell us all about. For me, today is one of these days. I’ve had just over two hours of sleep and although my fingers are rattling off the keyboard, I’m churning out a blog post rather than my current WIP… and why… because I’ve spent most of the night beating myself up about a decision I…

Women’s History Month   And then it was March, the month where we remember and celebrate the heroines who came before us and paved the way for a better world. Pioneers in medicine, engineering, technology, education, women’s rights, and so much more. All are deserving of a mention, but I am choosing to focus on just one. Erin Pizzey, founder of the first women’s refuge for those experiencing domestic abuse in the UK.  Erin Pizzey – Photo credit BBC   “You couldn’t leave your husband. It just wasn’t done.” “In the Fifties and Sixties there was nothing to help women experiencing violence at home, then the women’s movement burst on to the scene…

What A Month A feeling of normality crept in as both Publication Day and Book Week Scotland filled November with events and bookish outings. The publication of the second edition of The Fairy in the Kettle on the 16th was a celebration. This little picture book has become a firm favourite around the world. The story inspiring kindness, thoughtfulness, and being true to yourself was first published at the end of 2016 and has gained excellent (official) reviews from all over the world. And, there was, of course, no better way to celebrate than with a school visit! The P 1, 2, & 2/3 pupils and staff of Townhill Primary…

I’m delighted to say that my little piece on why libraries are essential has made it into the Perthshire  Advertiser. This is great news as any publicity on this subject of Domestic Abuse, from anyone, is very much welcome. Copyright law means that I am unable to share the article but you can read it in full here or via the Daily Record here.  

It’s now been four months since we left our little patch of rural Perthshire to move into town and, foolishly, we were almost convinced that we’d melted into town living like ducks to water. Until that is, we had our first snow of winter! Thirty-one years after leaving my hometown, I returned convinced that town living was for us. We had overcome the initial strangeness of never having visitors or the inability to be making new memories with our family in our new home, thanks to another lockdown, and had begun making more permanent plans for our future. Then came the snow! Suddenly, the feeling of being closed in was…

I’m a little late in posting this but between moving house and an abscess on my tooth, the last couple of months haven’t quite gone to plan. I was thrilled to be asked to take part in this year’s Brechin and Angus Book Festival which took place in November. Sarah Archibald has made an absolutely fantastic job of putting this event together in a virtual world that confuses me at the best of times. I’m ever impressed by those who can find their way in this ever-expanding technological world! My recording was submitted at the eleventh hour as the swelling in my face finally receded between courses of antibiotics. Really,…

As if moving from the quiet of the Perthshire countryside into town wasn’t daunting enough, we chose to do it during a pandemic.     We moved in just as lockdown restrictions meant no one was allowed in our home. Family couldn’t visit and workmen, who were still working to a backlog after months of lockdown, struggled to fit us in.     The result is my husband and I have had to become a jack of all trades, where our abilities have allowed.      Initially, it felt as though this home move was an enormous life changing event. A decision that would change the course of our lives…

What do you do when you are in the depths of moving to a new house, and you find yourself with two and a half hours to spare? You write a blog! Inner, creative me has won over organised, there’s too much to do, must stay on track me as I park myself in a corner of our new empty living room while I await the arrival of a workman. The echo of each tap of the keyboard resounds as I avoid the inevitable to-do list for a little longer.           For us, this house move is exciting. It’s the beginning of a new chapter where…

As part of a Random Things Blog Tour, Handwritten Girl has reviewed A Life of Their Own. “I loved this story, Kate’s a lovely character, a kind and warm person. It’s lovely to see her blossom and grow in confidence as the story progresses and she grows to find happiness. Her scenes with Matthew make for tender reading as the pair begin to get to know each other all over again.” Read the full review here.  

I was delighted to be interviewed as part of a RandomThingsTours Blog Tour for my novel, A Life of Their Own. It was published via Twitter (link here) but for those who don’t use Twitter, the full interview can be found below. Blog tour: A Life Of Their Own By Silvia_reads June 17, 2020 Welcome to the blog tour for A Life of Their Own by Pauline Tait, which published by Silverwood Books in September 2019. I am so excited about having the author on the blog that, without further ado, here is our Q&A: Hi Pauline! First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the publication of A Life of Their Own! Can you…

When Coronavirus first struck and our schools closed, I decided to create a new page on my website full of Fun Stuff to Download. I hoped it would play a small part in helping parents and children through the weeks and months that were to follow. Although all activities relate to my books, you won’t have to have read them to join in. My books, and therefore, the activities are aimed at 4 to 8 year old’s…hopefully I have provided a varying mix to cover the varying ages. So far, I have added a series of colouring sheets with images from within my books and fairy finger puppet making for…

In the blink of an eye, we have gone from my book launch in September to the start of December. I am a little behind with my writing and admin to say the VERY least but, sometimes, our elderly relatives need our time far more. And, although it has meant that my writing has had to go on the back burner (as they say) for a few months I am forever grateful that I have been in a position to dedicate my time to a loved one who has really needed it.  Going forward I’m hoping to get back into a writing routine in January. I have the fourth book…

A Life of Their Own came out on the 16th of this month and it has been all go since then. As we prepare for the official launch tomorrow I thought I would bring you up to date with all that has been going on.   Firstly, it made it onto a Waterstones’ table…a complete and utter thrill for an author!         Secondly, there was this lovely article in the Perthshire Advertiser, which you can read in full here.   A few days later it was Book Of The Week in the Courier’s Weekend Magazine. Reviewed along with others, it was lovely to see it get such as wonderful…

This is a page I’m delighted to be adding to my website as it means I have announced my latest publication. In contrast to my previous writing, I have been secretly typing away and have my first adult fiction novel out on 16th September. A Life of Their Own is a story I have been wanting to write for a few years. It couldn’t be further away from my picture book writing and for that reason I wanted my first novel to tackle a serious subject. Maybe even to give hope and inspiration to anyone finding themselves in the same situation as Kate.   When Kate and her children step…

A LIFE OF THEIR OWN   I’m so excited to share this news with you!   In addition to my children’s books I have been quietly scribbling away at something quite different and, finally, I am able to share this with you. My novel, A Life of Their Own, will be released on September 16th, and, as a little teaser, here is the blurb…   “When Kate and her children step onto a bus early one Tuesday morning, she knows this is their only chance: their only chance at freedom and at a life of their own. But can she ensure their safety? Can she ensure they will never be…

I headed west to Fort William for my latest event and after reading The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical it was all about the arts and crafts as little fairing finger puppets came to life and wands were made.  A huge thank you for having me and to everyone who came along. Note to self, must take more pics!  

Saturday 29th June I am always happy to have a trip to Aviemore and the beautiful Cairngorms but it was especially nice to visit with an event.  I was in the store reading my latest picture book, The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical. As always, my reading was followed by fun arts and crafts. Fairy puppet and wand making were on the list along with colouring sheets with images from within my latest book. As you can see they went down a treat! A huge thank you to Kelly for taking so many wonderful photos…  

Saturday 8th June – I had been looking forward to this event very much, as it was in my local Waterstones store! It was lovely to see so many returning Leona fans and read my latest book, The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical. Lots of fun was had by all and plenty of beautiful wands and fairies were made! Thank you to everyone who came along.  There are some signed copies available in store too.  

The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical! The fun continued this week with more Waterstones events! It’s been a busy few weeks with book events, and this last week was no different. Always fun, and great to meet new Leona fans as I returned to Waterstones’ stores. Thank you for having me and to everyone who came along. I can only share a few pics as I forgot to get parental consent for the others…   Waterstones, Stirling – Saturday 1st June I was delighted to be back in Stirling, this time reading The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical. Fairy finger puppets and wand making followed the readings, as…

It has been an extremely busy weekend with four book events in three days, juggled surprisingly well with hectic family life and celebrations.  However, I have to get better at taking photos during events…I always get pics of the setup but forget once the events get going. I become so engrossed in the fun, something I will have to fix! Saturday 18th May I started with a morning event in Waterstones, Dunfermline before heading across to Waterstones, Kirkcaldy in the afternoon. It’s always a pleasure to return and this time it was to read my latest picture book, The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical. As always there were fairy arts…

Almost there! With PUBLICATION DAY less than two weeks away it’s all go! The Fairy in The Kettle Gets Magical is out on 7th May and I am busily getting as much writing done as I can before my first event on the 8th. May and June are going to be extremely busy with Waterstones, school, and library events but I am looking forward to them and to introducing the third book in this series. All bookshop events are listed on my events page and the book is currently available to pre-order from all good books shops worldwide, links to Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Kindle versions are available…

As another World Book Day passes us by it’s been great to see so many children, parents, and schools embracing the world of books. I would like to give a huge thank you to the parents who contacted me through my website and social media pages with pictures and stories of their children dressing up as Leona from The Fairy in the Kettle series…lovely to see some kettles finishing off the costumes nicely too!  It’s been a busy week for authors with many carrying out school visits and bringing the world of their books to children across the country. I also had some exciting news to share on the day…

Cover reveal coming soon! Watch this space – Things are about to get magical!

Waterstones Aberdeen – 9th February 2019 Pictures can’t do this event justice! We had a great time on Saturday as Waterstones in Aberdeen celebrated mid-term with a Creatures of the Forest Party. I was invited along to read my book, The Fairy in the Kettle, and join in the crafty fun.  We made our own fairies, a huge hit with the children, and finger puppets as well as the usual fairy colouring and wing decorating. Little fairy fans had their faces painted and some even put on an impromptu fairy puppet show.  This was a lovely morning enjoyed by all.  Unfortunately, we sold out of books so there were some disappointed…

Happy New Year and welcome to my first blog post of 2019.   It was a busy end to 2018 with book shop events, festivals, and school visits promoting my latest picture book, The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish.  As always it is great to be able to go into schools to read to and chat with pupils about reading and writing and to listen as they share their own writing experiences and questions. I was also extremely lucky to share my books with fairy fans at various Waterstones events and their support is something I am extremely grateful for.  Unfortunately, the snow put a stop to the planned Oban…

The Perthshire Advertiser has a lovely article today about my visit to Pitlochry Primary School as part of their World of Work Week. Thank you so much for inviting me along, it’s always inspiring to meet such enthusiastic children.  

I love this stage! Debbie Bellaby has completed the internal illustrations for my next book and is just about to add the colour! She has, yet again, managed to bring my story to life just as I had imagined during the writing process. After I signed off on her rough illustrations, she set to work on the final drawings. Earlier this week I signed off on those too, and now I look forward to seeing them fully brought to life with colour. Debbie has already completed the front and rear covers and they are safely in the hands of my publisher. In the past, I have known how I wanted…

5th December 2018. It was a pleasure to return to Stanley Primary School, this time to read The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish. After reading to nursery and lower primary pupils and chatting with them about writing and the characters in my stories, I read to pupils from the upper primary classes and answered their brilliant questions about writing. It was great to hear their enthusiasm as they spoke about their own writing. A lovely afternoon!

3rd December 2018. I was thrilled to return to Blair Atholl Primary School to read my latest picture book to Nursery & P1-3 pupils before chatting and answering questions from P4-7 pupils about being an author.  The pupils were given 30 seconds to discuss with a shoulder partner what questions they would like to ask. Their questions were inspiring and we discussed everything from writing/planning, finding an illustrator/publisher, typesetting and page layout, marketing, and events. A lovely way to spend the morning!

1st December 2018 – I was delighted to return to Waterstones in Princes Street to read my latest picture book.  Events here are always fun and it was lovely to read my Christmas story in front of the Christmas tree. Very festive for the fairy fans who came along to enjoy the story. We managed to take photos before we started but once everyone arrived we were lost in the festive fun.  

1st December 2018. It was lovely to return to the Central Library to read my latest book, The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish.  The children’s section of the library is brilliant for these events and the children enjoyed decorating their own sets of wings. I especially enjoyed returning to the reading room, where the children told me about their wings and the fairies they had designed them for, magical!  

27th November 2018. The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical The front and rear covers have now been completed and are with the publishers.  Next steps, front cover font, and rear cover blurb.  Once again Debbie Bellaby’s illustrations are amazing and are bringing the next installment of Leona’s adventures to life. I can’t wait to share these with you in the coming weeks.

25th November – A perfect end to Book Week Scotland!  I read my latest book, The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish, to the delicious smells of home baking and freshly brewed coffee. There were the usual fairy crafts afterwards and Karen, the owner of this lovely cafe, had fairy cakes and juice for every little fairy fan attending. 

24th November 2018. I was delighted to return again this year for the Children’s Christmas Bonanza.  I read The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish which was, as always, followed by fairy colouring and crafts. I loved their Christmas display too…can you spot my two little fairies?

24th November 2018 – I was delighted to be part of the brand new Birnam Book Festival! In Potter’s Junction at Birnam Arts. I read The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish to little fairy fans who also enjoyed fairy colouring and crafts afterwards.  A great event in lovely surroundings.    

13th November 2018 – I was asked along to Pitlochry Primary school to speak to primaries 5 – 7 about their World of Work Week.  It was a pleasure to answer their many fabulous questions on writing/structuring a story, finding a publisher/illustrator, and life as an author. There were definitely some budding authors and illustrators of the future there, and one little artist drew me at the event and then asked if I would mind signing myself…which was a first!

21st November 2018 – I was at The Eastgate Theatre in Peebles for the Read-A-Licious Festival which ran in conjunction with Book Week Scotland. This was a really lovely event held in their theatre. Primary 2-4 pupils from surrounding schools came along to hear The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish and ask lots of great questions on writing/structuring a story, working with and finding an illustrator/publisher, how books eventually end up on bookshelves, and the working life of an author. A huge thank you to Alex and her team.  

17th November 2018 – It was an early start to Book Week Scotland, with an event in Waterstones Stirling in the morning and another event in Waterstones Braehead in the afternoon. It was great to return to both stores and see so many old and new fairy fans, who had come along to hear The Fairy in the Kettle Christmas Wish and join in the fun.  As always the wing decorating went down a treat!  

14th November 2018 – It was lovely to be back amongst old friends at RSD, and reading my latest picture book to Nursery and Primary 1 was a pleasure.  This was a school visit with a difference, as I also officially opened their new Early Years Library! It was great to see such young children so excited about their new space and the vast array of books they had to choose from.  The hot air balloons decorated with the children’s favourite book covers fitted in perfectly…I even spotted a couple with The Fairy in the Kettle covers.    

It’s been a strange couple of weeks, to say the least, with not much writing done.  I have, however, been busy with other fun book stuff. Debbie sent through her latest sketches for The Fairy in The Kettle Gets Magical (out 2019) and it has been great revisiting the manuscript.  I loved writing this book and the illustrations for this are, as usual, going to be vibrant and fun. Lovely reviews have also come through for The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish via Netgalley and Goodreads. These reviews can be viewed either on their sites or on my review page for this book. I have also been putting my…

Thank you to everyone who came along to make this a brilliant event.  A little early for Christmas but, The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish was also available today and I am delighted that it is a new read for so many fairy fans. Thank you for having me, it was great to return to my local store.

It was lovely to be back in Waterstones, Braehead reading The Fairy in the Kettle. Thank you to everyone who came along to join in the fun and to Jasmine, who kindly gave me her beautifully decorated wings to look after.

Thank you so much to Waterstones, Stirling for having me back to read The Fairy in The Kettle. We had great fun with fairy colouring and wing decorating after the reading.  It was lovely to see so many fairy fans, thank you to all who came along to join in the fun.    

I was delighted to return to Waterstones, Oban as part of their Fairies and Unicorns Day. How gorgeous are these fairy wings, designed by one of the little fairy fans who came along. Also a huge happy 5th birthday to Charlotte who came to spend the morning of her birthday with us.

I was delighted to return to Waterstones, Princes Street in Edinburgh to read The Fairy in the Kettle. And it was great to see familiar faces among the fairy fans who came along to hear my story…and, of course, enjoy the fairy colouring and wing decorating.  Thank you so much for having me back!   

It can’t get any more magical than reading The Fairy in the Kettle in a Magical Forest, and that’s exactly what we did in Braehead! Lots of fairy fans came to enjoy the reading, fairy colouring, and wing decorating.  

I’m thrilled to reveal the cover for the latest picture book in The Fairy in the Kettle series.  Lots of events coming up, so keep an eye on here and my social media pages. Available WORLDWIDE to pre-order from Waterstones, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all good bookshops.  Publication date August 24th, 2018. Click here for more information 🥰🤩

COVER REVEAL!!! The Fairy In The Kettle’s Christmas Wish – coming July 1st, 2018. Publication date August 24th, 2018.

I am absolutely delighted to have signed the paperwork for the third book in The Fairy In The Kettle series today! Out in 2019…  

I was asked to speak to a local Brownie group as part of their “Oh no, Brown Owl is Four-0” badge today. The brownies had to speak to an author and ask questions as part of their badge, and they did so brilliantly, asking me a variety of questions on writing, finding an illustrator, and getting published. As always, the fairy colouring and wing decorating at the end of the session went down a treat!

Once again, this was a great event in stunning surroundings. And reading The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical in Puck’s Hut only added to the atmosphere. It was great to see familiar faces from last year and meet new Leona fans who were delighted to get stuck into the arts and crafts after the readings.

I spent today with the Primary 1, 2 and 3 pupils of Juniper Green Primary School. It was inspiring to hear the pupils talk so enthusiastically about their writing and answer their many amazing questions. They told me about their stories, and their strategies for writing and I’m sure I met future authors. Thank you for asking me to spend the day with you!

There was such a great turnout for the event at Edinburgh Central Library!  After reading The Fairy In The Kettle, there were plenty of arts and crafts to choose from and children enjoyed making and naming their own fairies. There was of course the usual fairy colouring and a pair of wings to take away and decorate at home. Thank you all so much for coming along.

It was a pleasure to visit P1 pupils at St Leonard’s Primary school in Dunfermline and to meet children who are so enthusiastic about their reading and writing.  Thank you so much for asking me along.

Just to let you know we are working away in the background and I will be able to share news on the publication of the second book in The Fairy In The Kettle series in the coming weeks.  I am also working on something quite different, early stages at the moment, but as always I will share with you when I can!

I was thrilled to be invited back as part of Book Week Scotland. It was lovely to see everyone again and read my story to new fairy fans. Being the start of the December the store was far too busy for pictures…but great fun!  

The topic this term for the P3 pupils of RDM in Scone was Enterprise. As it coincided with Book Week Scotland, I was invited to talk about life as an author and the business side of writing. A great session finished off with brilliant questions and great ideas from the pupils.

As part of Book Week Scotland, I spent the day with the pupils from the Royal School of Dunkeld. Great fun reading my story and chatting to pupils from nursery up to P2 before moving on to discuss writing structure, working with illustrators and publishers, and the process of getting the book onto shelves with P3 to P7. A great day, and wonderful to be back in school meeting up with ex-colleagues.    

We had a lovely warm welcome today with lots of home baking and a log burner to keep us warm.  After reading my book, there was the ever-popular fairy colouring and wing decorating, followed by juice and fairy cakes provided by Karen, the owner of the cafe. Thank you, Karen, for the welcome, the fairy cakes, and for taking so many photographs (something I never seem to have time to do)!

18th Nov 2017 – Great fun was had by all today as we took part in the Children’s Book Festival. After reading my book we enjoyed fairy colouring, fairy wing decorating and writing letters to Santa. We even had salt dough Christmas decorations, made by the Waterstones staff themselves, to decorate. Lots of glittery fun!

4th Oct 2017 – This morning’s visit took me to Tollcross Primary School where I read The Fairy In The Kettle to the P1, P1/2, and P2 classes.Thank you all for such a warm welcome and for asking so many of your brilliant questions. After I left, the pupils of P1 set to work making their own fairies and kettles, and what a brilliant job they did too. I love how you can see both inside and outside the kettles…and such beautiful fairies ….amazing!     

25th Sep 2017 – I have penciled in some quiet time over the next few months to work on the production of the second book and finish writing the third in The Fairy In The Kettle series. I have a few school visits planned over the next few weeks and am very much looking forward to Book Week Scotland at the end of November, more details on all of this to follow. I’m also looking forward to sharing illustrations and the front cover for the second book in this series, The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish, with you in the coming weeks.

1st Aug 2017 – We took over Comrie Library this morning and enjoyed Fairy colouring and wing decorating after reading The Fairy In The Kettle. Thank you to everyone who came to join in the fun and to Comrie Library for asking me to be part of the festival.  

25th July 2017 – Great fun at Waterstones, Stirling today reading my book to lots of Fairy fans. The fairy colouring and tiara making that followed went down a treat! As always, thank you so much to everyone who came along.  

22nd July 2017 – Another great event at Waterstones, Braehead today. Thank you to all the Fairy fans who came along to hear my story and join in the colouring fun. It was lovely to hear some of your fairy stories too!  

5th July 2017 – An absolutely fantastic event in Inverness today! An amazing turnout and I can’t thank the staff enough for all their on-the-spot organising after we ran out of colouring sheets! Many thanks to all those who came along to join in the fun!  

1st July 2017 – There was a brilliant turnout in Oban for the reading of The Fairy in the Kettle. Thank you to everyone who came along and to the Waterstones staff for their warm welcome and enthusiasm. Loved your Fairy village!    

30th May 2017 – I was delighted to spend the morning with P1 to P3 pupils and staff of Aviemore Primary School. After reading The Fairy in the Kettle, it was a pleasure to answer the many varied and brilliant questions. Thank you all for such a warm welcome and a big thank you too to Kelly from Waterstones in Aviemore for all her organising, it was very much appreciated.  

28th May 2017 – I read my book throughout the afternoon in the enchanting Puck’s Hut at Benmore Botanical Garden.  After hearing my story the children had great fun fairy colouring and making their very own set of fairy wings. An absolutely brilliant afternoon in stunning surroundings, thank you for inviting me to be part of your day!

20th May 2017 – A huge thank you to the staff in Waterstones, Aberdeen for a brilliant event and to everyone who came along. We had great fun with the activities including the very popular fairy wings which could be seen fluttering around the store!

6th May 2017 – There was a sprinkling of fairy dust in Waterstones, Dunfermline on Saturday! Storytime was followed by fairy colouring, fairy decorating, and a fairy Treasure Hunt. We even had fairy cakes! It was lovely to see so many fairy dresses too!  

29th Apr 2017 – Wigtown Spring Book Festival! I had a great time in Curly Tale Books during the Wigtown Spring Book Weekend! Fairy craft followed readings of The Fairy in the Kettle and there was a sneak peek at some of the early illustrations from book two!                    

26th Apr 2017 – Massive thank you to the staff and pupils of Errol Primary School. It was great to visit the Nursery, P1, P2, and P3 classes, who were using their lovely new library space for the first time! Lots of brilliant questions asked and definitely some aspiring young writers in the audience.

4th to 8th April – Easter Library Visits I’ve had a very busy week visiting Strathearn Library in Crieff, Scone Library, Loch Leven & Kinross Library, and AK Bell Library in Perth. There were some lovely Fairy costumes on show and after reading The Fairy in the Kettle, the children enjoyed fairy hunts, fairy colouring, and activities.

21st Mar 2017 – Oxgangs Library, Edinburgh   Oxgangs Library and the P2 pupils, who braved the cold wind and snow, from Oxgangs Primary School were great hosts today. It is amazing how children as young as P2 can ask you such brilliant questions about writing a book and how that book appears in the shops. Thank you for a lovely visit.  

18th Mar 2017 – Waterstones West End, Princes St, Edinburgh Our Fairy Activity day was extremely busy and a great success with book readings, wand making, and fairy bingo. Fairy colouring was enjoyed by some of the adults just as much as the children! Many thanks to the brilliant staff who went all out for an amazing Fairy day and thank you to everyone who came along and joined in the fun. A lovely picture of a finished wand…

14th Mar 2017 – Moredun Library Thank you to the staff of Moredun Library, and pupils from Craigour Primary School in Edinburgh today for making this such an enjoyable visit. Great to see such enthusiastic little readers.  

10th Mar 2017 – I had a lovely morning with the P1 pupils at Glenearn Community Campus in Perth today who asked me lots of brilliant questions about being an author. They even had a lovely spot all set up in the library for me with a gorgeous fairy display with their own fairy in a kettle!  

8th Mar 2017 – Glendelvine Primary School It has been a long time since I was last in Glendelvine Primary School but it was lovely to return today to read The Fairy in the Kettle. We had two great sessions, P1-3 asked all about writing a book and finding an illustrator.  While P4-7 asked all about deciding on openers, writing structure, the business side, and life as an author.   We had a great chat about getting a book published and onto the shelves. I’m looking forward to visiting them in a few weeks to read their finished stories.

6th Mar 2017 – I was really lucky and had the chance to read my book to some of the pupils at Fairview School in Perth today.  It was lovely to see you all and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I even got to bring a wee memento home!

4th Mar 2017 – Waterstone’s Perth event.  I had a great morning reading The Fairy in the Kettle in Waterstones, Perth today followed by some fairy colouring.  Thank you so much to the staff for being so welcoming and enthusiastic and to everyone for braving our typical Scottish weather this morning!  

2nd Mar 2017 –  WORLD BOOK DAY. I was lucky enough to spend today with the pupils of Burrelton Primary School in the morning and Craigie Primary School in Perth, in the afternoon.  It was great to see so many pupils and staff dressed up as their favourite characters from their favourite books.  Thank you for letting me spend World Book Day with you all.   And here is a beautiful little fan who dressed up as her favourite character, Leona Rose from The Fairy in the Kettle, for World Book Day at nursery. Absolutely gorgeous, I love your outfit, and thank you so much for sending me the picture…

1st Mar 2017 – I was invited back to Auchtergaven Primary School in Bankfoot by their P6/7 pupils, as part of their WORLD BOOK WEEK activities. Thank you for having me back, it was great to see what you had done since my last visit.

2nd Feb 2017 – Another great school visit yesterday! This time I was at Auchtergaven Primary School in Bankfoot. Great questions, we covered everything from writing a story to it arriving in a book shop, and life as an author.  Thank you all so much for a lovely morning.

26th Jan 2017 – I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at Stanley Primary School. After reading The Fairy in the Kettle, I answered the pupil’s many varied and brilliant questions and we chatted about their writing. Thank you for asking me along. I later received this feedback from the school: “The kids and staff really enjoyed your visit! We had a parent council meeting tonight and a P7 boy spoke about how much he had enjoyed your visit! He had thought it would be babyish as the book is about fairies! He had learned loads! Thank you for taking the time to visit us today.”  

29th Nov 2016 – I spent this morning with some very creative, young aspiring writers.  Blair Atholl Primary School and Logierait Primary School, thank you all very much for making me feel so welcome.  I loved hearing all your story and writing ideas.

25th Nov 2016 – I have had such a busy Book Week Scotland.  Thank you to the staff and pupils at Pitlochry Primary School, Eastern Primary School in Broughty Ferry, Newhill Primary School in Blairgowrie, and Murthly Primary School. I was made so welcome by you all and a special thank you to all the pupils for all of your brilliant questions.

18th Nov 2016 – Many people who have purchased my book, either from me directly or at an event, have told me “just to keep” the 1p change. I have always said that I would donate it to charity at the end of the year. Today I have put all those pennies towards a donation to Quarriers to give a young person a gift this Christmas. They will receive a box filled with gifts that they really need.

26th Oct 2016 – I had a brilliant day reading my book to both nursery children and pupils at Royal School of Dunkeld.  It was great to see everyone again and answer all of your amazing questions.  Hope to see you all again soon.