A Review of ‘Sky Dance’ by John D. Burns

April 14, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

I discovered ‘Sky Dance’ while looking for non-fiction titles in the Scottish Interest section of my local Waterstones. In the past I have struggled to engage with a lot of rewilding books and often been intimidated by the political conflict. But after reading the blurb I realised that ‘Sky Dance’ was actually a novel. The […]

2019 Wrapped Up

December 24, 2019.Reading time 7 minutes.

Christmas is here again, which means it’s time to reflect on what I’ve achieved in 2019. I still have a long way to go before I can really call myself a freelance writer, but I’m so proud of the progress I’ve made this year. A particularly significant event was the Grant Arms Wildlife Book Festival […]

New Chapter

October 10, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

The past fortnight has been an absolute whirlwind. I have officially begun my MA in Travel and Nature Writing at Bath Spa University, which I’ve decided to do part time over two years. The course is low residency so I shall be staying in Hertfordshire and completing most of the masters online. However, last week […]

Who Am I?

September 9, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

I was so excited for last weekend’s A Focus On Nature’s “Now For Nature” conference at London’s Natural History Museum. Specifically aimed at 16-30 year olds, AFON is all about young people in conservation. Wildlife isn’t often popular among young people, so having the chance to meet like-minded individuals my age was a brilliant opportunity. From […]

Checking in

April 22, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

I arrived in Grantown-on-Spey at night, so couldn’t see much of the Cairngorms wilderness that pressed heavily on both sides of the winding road. I glimpsed darting rabbits and the elegant form of a pair of deer, but there must have been dozens of other creatures concealed by the dense evergreens. My accommodation, the Grant […]

Looking Forward

January 11, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

I am very enthusiastic about 2019, mostly because I’m not quite sure what it will bring. All I know for sure is that it will feature lots of writing. For quite a few years now, writing has been predominantly a side-project for me. I’ve always loved it, but unfortunately it hasn’t been my sole focus […]

Inspired by a Blowfish

November 21, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

Last weekend I stayed with my grandmother at her lovely house in Frome, Somerset. I love my mini holidays there; my bedroom window overlooks a meandering river, and on the other side is a bustling market and a glimpse of the library through the overhanging trees. I was particularly excited on Saturday morning to discover […]

Eleanor Oliphant Is What We Need

May 6, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

In 2017, 40-year-old author Gail Honeyman entered a story about a lonely and damaged young girl into a writing competition. Now winner of the Costa First Novel Award and scheduled to become Reese Witherspoon’s next film project, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine has become a triumph for modern literature. Our heroine, Eleanor, is evidently not […]

Is Giving Up On A Book Ever OK?

March 12, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

Here’s a question. When is it acceptable to give up on a book? Some may say it never is, but surely there are times when we are allowed to ditch a book halfway through. I’ve been struggling with this for some time now. I’ve meandered through the last four or five books with mild interest […]