Mark Baillie
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mbaillie.bsky.social
Mark Baillie
@mbaillie.bsky.social
Scottish writer. Debut novel Salvage. Scottish Traveller history, music, books.
Reposted by Mark Baillie
We so enjoyed our time with you! Excited to share this episode with everyone! ✨
November 12, 2025 at 7:18 PM
It was a pleasure to chat today with Jez and Paulina from @romanistanpodcast.bsky.social - talking about Romany Traveller representations in publishing, sensitivity around the term Gypsy and, er, my Traveller 'crush' - keep your 👀 peeled for it...
November 12, 2025 at 6:20 PM
👇👇👍
November 12, 2025 at 2:51 PM
👉 I'll be at the Scottish Christmas Book Fair on 21 Nov in Edinburgh with many fine authors and publishers. Come say hello, get a book signed 📚🎅👇
Announcing the Scottish Christmas Book Fair!

* The perfect occasion for Christmas gift shopping

* All your favourite genres for adults & children

* Chat with Scotland’s indie publishers & meet their authors

See below for who'll be there!

www.publishingscotland.org/event/scotti...
November 10, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Not only is it obscene for anyone to earn this much money, it's also dangerous - as Musk is demonstrating.
Elon Musk's $1tn pay deal approved by Tesla shareholders
The richest man in the world will get hundreds of millions of new shares if he hits his targets.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Why the Brunton Hall, an outstanding example of modern architecture designed by Sir William Kininmonth, friend and colleague of Sir Basil Spence, with a theatre designed by Ian Appleton, must be saved. By AHSS’s Jocelyn Cunliffe

www.ahss.org.uk/news-events/...
Brunton Halls: A Modern Scottish Masterpiece Under Threat - Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland
In a recent Scotland on Sunday article, AHSS National Conservation Committee Chair Jocelyn Cunliffe calls for the Brunton’s protection and urges East Lothian Council to reconsider.
www.ahss.org.uk
October 27, 2025 at 8:01 AM
GREAT to see Traveller Storytelling in Scotland on the shortlist for the Folklore Society Katherine Briggs award
October 25, 2025 at 10:35 AM
When a new member comes to writers’ group, sits through a reading of an allegorical story on how religion is being twisted for authoritarian purposes, then says, ‘I think I might be in the wrong meeting. I'm looking for the horticultural society.’ Absolutely Priceless.
October 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Thoroughly enjoyed @portybookfest.bsky.social yesterday. The Unheard Voices panel showed writing's power to build community, especially during tough times. Brilliant contributions from fellow writers @stephenchristopher.bsky.social & Jim Aitken & chair Debbie Menezes. Thanks to all who came.
October 5, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Apart from the fact David Tennant and Toby Jones' wigs shouldn't have been sharing the screen together, The Hack is great. Don't see what the bad reviews are about.
September 26, 2025 at 7:29 PM
My friend Bob Fell will be talking about a curious episode at Balquhidder at the @scotstorycentre.bsky.social on 28 Oct, with special guest Shamus McPhee. Free tickets so come along. #scotshistory #folklore

sisf.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:62...
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
sisf.online.red61.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 4:56 PM
A great prog at this year’s @portybookfest.bsky.social I’ll be in the Unheard Voices panel, talking about unheard voices in Salvage. First & foremost the Traveller kids taken from their families but also the unheard voices of old generations of my Traveller family, which inspire me to write
September 18, 2025 at 11:44 AM
That felt good.
September 14, 2025 at 9:07 AM
An unusual chapter in the history of Jedburgh. Film producers will be tripping over themselves to get the rights for this.

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Court orders 'tribe' to be evicted from Scottish woodland
A sheriff orders the three members of a self-styled "African tribe" to be removed from privately-owned land in the Scottish Borders.
www.bbc.com
September 13, 2025 at 7:33 AM
My awesome publisher @tippermuirbooks.bsky.social has a couple of titles shortlisted in this year's Scots Language Awards. The Lass and The Quine and Complete Works of William Soutar. Vote here!👇👍 projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotslanguag...
Scots Language Awards 2025 shortlist unveiled
Hands Up for Trad are gled tae annoonce that amang the braw nominees includit on the shortleet for a Scots Leid Award 2025, are weel worthy fowk fae Scottish literature, theatre, eddication an busi…
projects.handsupfortrad.scot
August 19, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Edinburgh Festival goers, if you're partial to a dusty bookshelf and the crackle of delicate pages, come along to the Dear Library story session at the @natlibscot.bsky.social Tuesday, noon, where I'll be reading from History of The Gipsies and from Salvage
www.edfringe.com/tickets/what...
August 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM
I'm looking forward to taking part in the Dear Library event, part of Edinburgh Fringe at @natlibscot.bsky.social
my slot is Tues 12 Aug at noon. Tickets 👇
www.edfringe.com/tickets/what...
August 6, 2025 at 5:08 PM
It's such a pleasure to see reviews like this. I tried to write Salvage with the urgency & pace of a thriller - it seems to have worked! 👍
August 4, 2025 at 11:43 AM
If you think press treatment of Travellers has become less racist over time, read this from @lsesocialpolicy.bsky.social in the British Journal of Criminology
academic.oup.com/bjc/advance-...
An Arc of Time Through Crime: Representations of Gypsies and Travellers in Police Killings
Abstract. This paper examines newspaper stories reporting on the killings by Gypsy and Traveller offenders of PC Leslie Meehan in 1960 and PC Andrew Harper
academic.oup.com
July 30, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A true conundrum. Not surprised it drew a crowd. Must be that time of year again.
www.thenational.scot/news/2534447...
Almost 1000 people gather to watch man fold fitted sheet in Scottish city
ALMOST 1000 people gathered in Edinburgh to watch a man fold a fitted sheet, as videos of the event have gone viral on social media ...
www.thenational.scot
July 29, 2025 at 8:04 AM
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I can’t recommend Mark’s book Salvage highly enough, if you enjoy a missing person mystery story then this shouldn’t disappoint you, it’s truly an amazing read, it gives a great insight into life as a Traveller here in Scotland and the sick and evil removal of Traveller children from their families.
July 23, 2025 at 4:37 PM
A year since Salvage was published. Thanks to every reader & the amazing @tippermuirbooks.bsky.social @rickhendry.bsky.social @romanistanpodcast.bsky.social @chelsmacdonn.bsky.social -
to think one bit of advice I got while writing it was: it wasn't a story anyone would want to read!
July 22, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Can't help thinking this debacle is what happens when nomadism gets romanticised. Somebody's going to package it up and sell it.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
Inside the Salt Path controversy: ‘Scandal has stalked memoir since the genre was invented’
Raynor Winn’s bestselling book is far from the first time a true story has been called into question after publication. But how does it happen? And should readers really feel betrayed?
www.theguardian.com
July 11, 2025 at 6:13 PM
They fairly jumped the shark at the end of 28 Years Later with the Jimmy Savile-styled zombie killing ninjas. Oh to have been in the writers' room when that post-it got stuck to the wall. "Listen guys, I've got the ideal way to wrap this up..."
July 9, 2025 at 4:28 PM
When you submit a short story to a high brow lit magazine and the rejection says your poetry wasn't right for our pages, well...
June 27, 2025 at 6:34 PM