I’m awfae excited to start my third children’s book, ‘The Puddock Wioot A Pond’, this week! I’m heading to a Portuguese farm filled with puddocks (frogs) to get it started on Sunday.

I had a braw first author event of the year at a Scottish college! It definitely showcased why Scots and real-world, gritty books, in particular, matter. Language and stories are all about connecting with the world around you, past and present. 📖 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I went into Waterstones to check if my books were in stock and I couldn’t find them. A bookseller asked if he could help and told me that they weren’t there because they’ve been ‘flying out’. They only had one left. I could have cried with happiness! 🥹

Some recent articles about Scots – and my beautiful wee moggie is included!

Ah hud tae jump oan this wee trend! ‘The Moggie Thit Meowed Too Much’ is a Scots buik fur bairns aw aboot bravery – wi a sprinkle o magic and the ither wurld added in fur guid measure. #ScotsLanguage @luathpress.bsky.social

In a case of art imitating life, wee Puffin managed to get a paper bag stuck around her head again today. 🤦‍♀️🐈‍⬛ Mercifully this has only happened twice. She’s just too curious for her own good – and fast!

Ah love this braw illustration by Bob Dewar in ‘The Moggie Thit Meowed Too Much’. If ye know a wean wi a big imagination, or jist like poetic wee buiks in the Scots leid yersel, this is the story fur ye! Available fae @luathpress.bsky.social and aw guid buikshoaps. #ScotsLanguage

It’s rainin the day we move tae Granny’s auld hoose. A rainbow jumps fae wan moontain tae anither ootside the windae. Mammy says thit means we’ve gat hur blessin. ‘Skye, that’s yer lucky wee moggie,’ Mammy says, gesturin tae ma new pal. – The Moggie Thit Meowed Too Much

Every time I think about the world and people, I just get really sad, but look at my wee baby in her hamper! And my books are just as good.

I was talking to a friend about witches yesterday and realised I’ve not quite marketed ‘The Moggie Thit Meowed Too Much’ for its magic! If ye’d like tae read aboot a witch and hur familiars in Scots, this is the buik fur ye (or the bairn in yer life): luath.co.uk/products/the...

My wee legacy. At least I did something guid with my time oan this pale blue dot. And this is ainlie part o it.

‘Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.’ – David Bowie

Technology has completely ruined human connection. It’s in the process of ruining our ability to think too. As for depravity? The Epstein files are proof that it enables people to sink to new levels of evil.

The amount of times I inwardly cringed when people called it a ‘butty’ to me in England – or referred to diluting juice as ‘squash’! #ScotsLanguage #ScottishEnglish #English

It’s almost half one in the morning, and I just decided on the life lesson that I want to share in my third children’s book! It’s funny how writing ideas can seemingly come from nowhere – or in this case, memories almost forgotten. ‘The Puddock Wioot A Pond’ 🥹🐸

I really hope that I’m wrong, but I’ve a horrible feeling that Donald Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell.

Ah gat some braw scrievin news the day! Tryin tae trust that ah’ve done the richt hing pittin ma buiks first, as much as it kin be awfae haird at times. Here’s a wee throwback tae when ah realised ah could scrieve fur bairns an aw.

Turn aff the minders Hide the photies, the letters Pit thit love away.

I think the universe knows I risked it for a biscuit with the books, so I have been rewarded with a BRAW view of Edinburgh Castle. 😍

Ma wee buiks fur bairns. Up next, ‘The Puddock Wioot A Pond’. 🐸 🦉 🐈‍⬛

Scots is often wrapped up in classism and labelled as 'weird' or 'uneducated', but by every standard it is its own language with its own grammar, syntax and words, and should be respected as such, writes Emma Grae ✍️ Read more: www.thenational.scot/commen...

My thoughts in @scotnational.bsky.social today about online reactions to the Scots leid: www.thenational.scot/comment/2580...

A much-appreciated review of 'The Tongue She Speaks' on Amazon! Available directly from @luathpress.bsky.social and aw guid buikshoaps.

A wee poyum by ma great-granda fur Burns Nicht. It imagines whit Rabbie would hink if he came tae haunt a Burns Supper in 1967… Originally appearin in The Herald, it wis republished by @luathpress.bsky.social in 2022 as pairt o wee Cathy O’Kelly’s story in ‘The Tongue She Speaks’.

Scran.

It’s no jist Rabbie Burns’s birthday, wee Tammie Norrie is four the day! It’s hur first birthday as the star o a Scots buik fur bairns, ‘The Moggie Thit Meowed Too Much’. Available fae @luathpress.bsky.social and aw guid buikshoaps! #ScotsLanguage #BurnsNicht

A wee extract fae buik five. The ainlie way tae describe this cauld, dairk month.

Burns Night is tomorrow, so it's an important time to talk about agitated haggis care. 1. Provide a soft cushion for them to sit on 2. Ensure they have food; muesli is a good choice 3. Provide a generous saucer of whisky 4. Haggises love scented candles Above all, keep them company and show love 💜

This is yer sign tae grab a copy o ‘The Moggie Thit Meowed Too Much’ fae @luathpress.bsky.social! The story o a feart moggie who teaches a wee lassie hoo tae be brave.

I’m returning to Scotland today with four published books, one award, two nominations and the most wonderful readers. I could not have done this on my own, so I’m raising a wee toast to life’s characters. Stories are the best way of making them live forever.

Me best days are gane Lang ahind me, thit’s the fear Whit’s the wurld come tae?

My third novel, ‘Cathy, get yer Dancin Shoes Oan’, and my third children’s book, ‘The Puddock Wioot A Pond’, will BOTH be in the bag this year.

It’s always a delight to see my books in Europe’s biggest bookshop after first entering it assuming that I was unlikely to ever get published.

I got told today that three of my books were at a recent event and my latest sold out! I think that’s a wee sign from the universe that I’m doing the right thing by giving the books everything I’ve got. I’m not confident *at all*, but I’m brave in my own way.

Reflecting on my greatest hits as a journalist and the beef I have had with some people over the years will never fail to make me laugh. 😂😭