I've always kinda wanted to have a side project; the problem is I struggle to juggle multiple stories at once. But it's nice once-in-a-while to be able to escape into a different work-in-progress.
Finally, yesterday, inspiration struck . . . Why don't I try non-fiction instead? And so my little idea of writing a (slightly tongue-in-cheek) guide to Scotland was born.
In the two and a half years or so that I've been part of the Wattpad world, I haven't actually met many fellow Scots on here, or even people who live in Scotland. And, if you've read any of my books, you'll know they're mainly set here - with the exception of the one that's mostly set in Kefalonia, of course! I always try and incorporate a lot of my own experiences growing up in Scotland into my stories whenever I can, and I think some readers do find this interesting (please do not correct me if I'm wrong!). So I'm thinking this could be a bit of fun for me, and hopefully anyone who decides to read it too.
So let's start with some frequently asked questions . . . although no one has yet asked any of them, and I've just made them up myself on the spot.
What the heck does "Fàilte gu Alba" mean? I'm already confused about what is happening here!
It's Gaelic for "Welcome to Scotland!" 🏴
And, yes, I did have to Google the spelling because my Gaelic knowledge is limited. And by limited, I actually mean nonexistent.
What is with the unicorn wrapped in a Scotland flag on the cover? Are you feeling okay?
Great question! And well done for recognising the Scotland flag. (I'm terrible with remembering flags, so kudos!)
The unicorn is actually Scotland's national animal. Yes. You didn't misread that. Our national animal is a friggin' mythical creature, and that has to be one of my very favourite things about Scotland!
What topics will this guide touch upon?
Another good question, anonymous question poser! 😉 The answer is . . . I'm not entirely sure yet (apparently I'm a pantser when it comes to non-fiction, too!), but I imagine there will definitely be a bit of food and drink chat. Some travel recommendations might pop up now and then. I might also cover some subjects that have already popped up in some of my books, but in a wee bit more detail . . . and possibly throw in some personal anecdotes. We'll see.
Maybe we'll even talk about the Scottish lingo a bit - sometimes we really do have our own special language . . . And this time, I don't even mean Gaelic!
This is where a bit of audience participation could come in useful though. Is there anything you'd like to know about Scotland? If you pop it in the comments I can do my best to try and answer.
What qualifications do you even have to write any sort of guide to Scotland?
Well, I've got more than 40 years experience of living in Scotland, dating right back (probably) to my conception, so I do feel I'm more than qualified. Also, I take approximately 5000 roadtrips around the country each year (figure only slightly exaggerated) so I know the area and people pretty well by this point!
So anyway, sit back, relax, pour yourself a wee dram of whisky and . . . Consider adding this book to your reading list?
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
