While waiting for delivery of my new book (Rory & the Balloon Bicycles) we heard a rumour that a strange-looking giant egg (perhaps even a DRAGON EGG) had washed up on the beach.
Of course we set out to investigate...

And look at what hatched out when we did!

#roryandtheballoonbicycles #outnow

Most of my posts are about #kidlit, but I'm also in a lovely grown-up book club that meets at our local @wilibraries.bsky.social library. This month we're reading #secretsofthebees by Jane Johnson. Its character-driven Cornish fiction & my favourite book club pick so far.

So excited to share the cover for the new Rory the dragon book: Rory and the Balloon Bicycles.

A tale of airborne adventure, firm friendship & giant veg...plus recycled bicycles & bad balloons. Fangtastic illustrations are by Giulia Cregut.

You can pre-order now! uk.bookshop.org/p/books/rory...

The Ugly Puffling
#scotwriterpitch2025
When an egg rolls into the puffins' burrow, they treat it as their own. But the fluffy chick with the sharp beak is not like the others & must learn to survive in her own way.
#PB celebrating Scottish Seabirds

Pic by Joceline Hildrey (with permission)

Wolf the Badger & Badger the Wolf

A wolf with stripes like a badger meets a badger who howls like a wolf as their homes are threatened by erosion.
Can these smart outcasts convince their families to flee? #pb #scotwriterpitch2025

Illustration @sarahlovellart.bsky.social (with permission)

We loved meeting the Beck and the beavers in Catherine Ward's By the Beaver Pool.
This beautiful book (ill Phoebe Roze) shows readers the incredible ways beavers transform the landscape, wrapped in a heart-warming story about new beginnings. @florisbooks.bsky.social
louisamacdougall.co.uk/reviews/

March is the month for new children's books celebrating Scotland's incredible landscape.
Our hearts were in our mouths through Barbara Henderson's exciting eco-adventure I Don't Do Mountains! Ideal for kids who love the great outdoors @scattyscribbler.bsky.social
louisamacdougall.co.uk/reviews/

Our visit to Inverness Eastgate Centre was part of a Book Drive supporting Highland Action for Children (halohighlands.co.uk), a lovely local charity that aims to build brighter futures for kids & families.

Please do donate a book to them (via the drop box in the shopping centre) if you can!

What a World Book Day (week) we have had, with lots of school visits, a dragon hunt in the library and story-telling and paper-dragon-making at Waterstones in Inverness

Rory the Snack Dragon's mini dragon friends have escaped!
The naughty reptiles vanished when we were visiting Tarbert Library (Harris) to get ready for World Book Day.
We think they are still there, hiding between shelves. Can you help us find them? @wilibraries.bsky.social

Spent the last day of our Feb holiday at Dragon Egg Beach, collecting mini dragon eggs ready for some Rory and the Snack Dragons events next month.
And look! We found one that had just hatched..

Making the most of blue skies and sunshine on the Isle of Harris...and a wee hint about the theme of my (hopefully) next writing project.

#hebrides
#harristweed
#notjustrags
#lovingthecolours

We can't wait to join Grinchmas Storytime at Stornoway library on Wednesday night. Testing out the green hot chocolate to warm up. @wilibraries.bsky.social

It not too late to book for our Dragons after Dark #BookWeekScotland event at Tarbert (Harris) library tonight (Tue).

We promise candle-lit story-telling, sparky hot choc & Rory and the Snack Dragons shadow theatre (see taster below!) @wilibraries.bsky.social

www.eventbrite.com/e/1077304048...

We're so lucky to live somewhere where an otter encounter isn't that unusual - but getting a half-decent photo of one is (for us anyway!)
After months trying, our 12-year-old took this family pic last week. Aren't they gorgeous!

Next week is my first Book Week Scotland as an author & it's going to be a busy one, with lots of school visits and an after-dark library event complete with dragons (and sparky hot chocolate). Can't wait!