Looking forward to speaking about Jacobite men as well as Jacobite women as part of a panel at the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen next Monday, 6th November, on the subject of ‘The Scottish Warrior in Commemorations, Museums and Politics.’ This is a free event but booking is required here. Doors open at 5.30,...
A Scottish Nurse in the White War: The Italian Alps, 1917-1918.
In the Sunday Herald of 22nd October 2017, Angus Robertson, SNP MP and journalist, wrote a moving article on the ‘forgotten front’ of the First World War, the struggle between Italian forces and those of the soon-to-crumble Austro-Hungarian Empire. Because so much of the fighting took place in the snows of the foothills of...
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...
Upcoming Events in 2017
20th May 2017 at Aviemore Highland Resort, Outlandish UK Gathering Delighted to be speaking to #Outlander fans at their 2017 gathering in the Highlands, organized by @Outlandish_UK. I’m doing two events on Saturday 20th May. In the morning, I’ll be speaking about some of the real people who played their parts in those interesting...
Daft Friday — The Start of Yule in Scotland
Today is Daft Friday, two Fridays before Christmas Day, and traditionally the start of Yuletide celebrations in Scotland, stretching through to Hogmanay and the all-important seeing-in of the New Year. Daft Friday 1743 has been a day that has stretched for me. In fact, I am worn out after living through Daft Friday 1743,...
Book Week Scotland 2016
I had a lovely time at Brechin Library in bonnie Angus during Book Week Scotland. I hadn’t been there before and was impressed by the lovely building and the warmth of the welcome inside. My thanks to Christine Sharp, Ann Morrice (both pictured below with myself) and the rest of the team. These events...
One Sweet Moment by Maggie Craig
This month, November, I’m showcasing my novel One Sweet Moment. It’s a love story, if not one for the faint-hearted. Life for a poor girl in 1820s Edinburgh could be difficult and dangerous and I wrote the book with the realities of life back then in mind. I call it romance noir. One Sweet...
Halloween in Scotland – The Whole Unhallowed Clanjampfrey of the Netherworld
We decided to go back to Scottish tradition this Halloween, where we’ve been celebrating this festival since time immemorial. Our lantern this year is carved from a turnip. OK, I admit that Andrew the Neep-Heid is somewhat roughly-hewn and has a face only a mother could love but he’ll do sterling service on the...
The Battle of Prestonpans and the Gallant Colonel Gardiner
Colonel James Gardiner was a Scotsman and a career soldier in the British Army. By a twist of fate, the man who travelled extensively during his military career was struck down at Prestonpans in a battle that exploded no distance from his own front door. Gardiner was quite a character. In his youth he...