New year, no reset. A short essay on continuation, constraint, and why ‘fresh starts’ don’t work for everyone. kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/on-not-beg... #Scotland #Writing #WritingCommunity #Reading #Books #UK

This is a must read! Thank you Kristie for this much better way to gently go into a new year. ❤️‍🩹

I happen to think @kristiedegaris.bsky.social is one of the most vital and relevant writers whose thoughts are challenging and refreshing in equal measure. Her book Drystone was one of my most important reads of 2025 and she continues to write brilliant essays. Worth a read👇

New year, no reset. A short essay on continuation, constraint, and why ‘fresh starts’ don’t work for everyone. kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/on-not-beg... #Scotland #Writing #WritingCommunity #Reading #Books #UK

A colour photograph of a misty hillside covered in winter trees, their branches dusted with frost and lit by low golden sunlight. A river runs along the bottom edge of the frame. #Scotland #Landscape #Perthshire #Photography #LandscapePhotography

After the response to my posts about nature cure, & the conversation they opened about the myths surrounding it, I wanted to reshare this deeply personal piece. This essay is adapted from my book Drystone - A Life Rebuilt kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/what-i-bui... #Writing #Scotland #UK #Reading

This is an extraordinary essay. 'About what it means to spend so long being shaped by the world. And what it means instead to shape the world around you.' Exploitation to agency. Powerfully. Carefully, captured. 👇👏

Definitely worth a read:

After the response to my posts about nature cure, & the conversation they opened about the myths surrounding it, I wanted to reshare this deeply personal piece. This essay is adapted from my book Drystone - A Life Rebuilt kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/what-i-bui... #Writing #Scotland #UK #Reading

I’ve spent a lot of time in 2025 promoting my own book, so I’m very happy to be talking about other people’s. In no particular order, here are my favourite books of 2025, some I didn’t get along with, and what's on my reading list, so far, for 2026. kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/books-2025 #Books

I’ve spent a lot of time in 2025 promoting my own book, so I’m very happy to be talking about other people’s. In no particular order, here are my favourite books of 2025, some I didn’t get along with, and what's on my reading list, so far, for 2026. kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/books-2025 #Books

THREAD 1/ As the year wraps up, I want to take a moment to thank you all for the support you’ve given my book Drystone - A Life Rebuilt. Publishers publish books, but it’s readers who make them live. And thanks to you, Drystone is out there quietly living. #Reading #Writing #Scotland #Books

THREAD 1/ As the year wraps up, I want to take a moment to thank you all for the support you’ve given my book Drystone - A Life Rebuilt. Publishers publish books, but it’s readers who make them live. And thanks to you, Drystone is out there quietly living. #Reading #Writing #Scotland #Books

THREAD 1/ In the spirit of my last post and 'what do you write about when your life is so carefully curated and what you're willing to share is too?' I've been thinking a lot about ‘value’. #Writing #WritingCommunity #Reading #Books #Scotland

THREAD 1/ In the spirit of my last post and 'what do you write about when your life is so carefully curated and what you're willing to share is too?' I've been thinking a lot about ‘value’. #Writing #WritingCommunity #Reading #Books #Scotland

THREAD 1/ I’ve spent the last decade extracting myself from a life that didn’t work. That has meant therapy, medication, sobriety. It has meant hard decisions about relationships, time, and energy. #Writing #WritingCommunity #SocialMedia #News #Women #Books #Reading #Scotland

I've finally added an events section to my website as I have quite a few coming up in 2026. www.kristiedegaris.com/writer First of the year is 8th March at Alnwick Story Fest. Tickets are already available and it's likely to be my only event in England. More to be announced soon!

I've finally added an events section to my website as I have quite a few coming up in 2026. www.kristiedegaris.com/writer First of the year is 8th March at Alnwick Story Fest. Tickets are already available and it's likely to be my only event in England. More to be announced soon!

THREAD 1/ I’ve spent the last decade extracting myself from a life that didn’t work. That has meant therapy, medication, sobriety. It has meant hard decisions about relationships, time, and energy. #Writing #WritingCommunity #SocialMedia #News #Women #Books #Reading #Scotland

I know this is, sadly, the same for many of my fellow authors - great thread here from @kristiedegaris.bsky.social on how this all works for anyone who might not know why not all traditionally published authors are gazillionaire. Like Kristie, I hope my book "accumulates". bsky.app/profile/kris...

Got round to getting my website updated with recent images placed or exhibited or whatever - and a few more besides. Let me know what you like best! www.carolinecollettwriter.com/images

I can't wait to listen to this, and I can't wait to read this book!

As some of you will know, I've been working on book about punk - part teenage diary, part serious reflections on the times, from the NF to Peter Sutcliffe. Here's a podcast interview about it, which you may like to listen to / like / share / whatever... CC x open.spotify.com/episode/3LpY...

I have a lot of children’s books and clothes (used but in excellent condition) that I was planning to donate to charity. Before I do, I wondered if there’s anywhere locally (I'm in Perthshire) that would pass items directly to families who might need them for free?

THREAD 1/ I don’t read the news, but today I did, and it really got me thinking. Internet culture has reshaped how we relate to knowledge. Alignment now seems to matter more than accuracy, and online, there is always some place, or some person, willing to offer alignment. #News #Culture

As I have been fully focused on the book, I’ve let photography fade a little into the background, but it was my first great love and I can’t wait to get back to it. Here’s is a 35mm film image that captures some of the magic in the Tomnah’a polytunnels. #FilmPhotography #Photography #Scotland

As I have been fully focused on the book, I’ve let photography fade a little into the background, but it was my first great love and I can’t wait to get back to it. Here’s is a 35mm film image that captures some of the magic in the Tomnah’a polytunnels. #FilmPhotography #Photography #Scotland

A PSA Getting sick doesn’t do what you think it does. Very few viruses give lifelong immunity. Most immunity to respiratory viruses fades, and with high levels of transmission, new variants appear often. That’s why we keep getting sick. Getting sick doesn’t fix the problem. It drives it.

A PSA Getting sick doesn’t do what you think it does. Very few viruses give lifelong immunity. Most immunity to respiratory viruses fades, and with high levels of transmission, new variants appear often. That’s why we keep getting sick. Getting sick doesn’t fix the problem. It drives it.

I don't love giving parenting advice, after all I'm raising my kids not yours, but I thought I would share the things that have made the biggest difference in my relationship with my children. Read on here... tinyurl.com/5ehvjbyr #Parenting #Scotland #Family #Children #Parents #Writing #Books

This is great: ‘Most ‘discipline problems’ are actually design problems.’

I don't love giving parenting advice, after all I'm raising my kids not yours, but I thought I would share the things that have made the biggest difference in my relationship with my children. Read on here... tinyurl.com/5ehvjbyr #Parenting #Scotland #Family #Children #Parents #Writing #Books

Good news here from Kristie but also an entirely accurate picture of the reality of the industry for the vast majority of authors. Authors (esp. those with small presses) are the lifeblood of the industry. Sales, reviews online, word of mouth, library loans are their lifeblood. Every little helps.

Interesting thread on what it’s like to publish a non-flashy non-blockbuster book. And finally people are coming around to the idea that talking about your earnings shouldn’t be taboo. For decades at least the lie that writing = riches & fame has led to the industry being riddled with grifters and

THREAD 1/ I’d like to share a small publishing milestone. My book ‘Drystone - A Life Rebuilt’ has gone into a second print run. And as there are so many wildly unrealistic ideas out there about how it all works, here are the numbers in plain terms #Writing #WritingCommunity #Publishing #Books

I have successfully facilitated my first from scratch gf df gingerbread house. And my youngest daughter has successfully designed and built her first from scratch gf df gingerbread house. Hands were shaking, reinforcements called in, maybe some snippy tones of voice. BUT WE DID IT!

THREAD 1/ I want to pick up another part of the ‘nature cure’ problem When a woman writes about the outdoors, people often reach for the same narrative template. #Scotland #Writing #WritingCommunity #Reading #Books #NatureWriting #Nature

This thread. Yes. Time in nature is absolutely vital to my well-being. It cannot fix the damage I've already experienced or dismantle the systems that caused that damage.

Well said. Round here, the land bears centuries-long wounds of exploitation and extraction. There is no magic garden to go walking in, and we - us and the land - both need healing.

THREAD 1/ I want to pick up another part of the ‘nature cure’ problem When a woman writes about the outdoors, people often reach for the same narrative template. #Scotland #Writing #WritingCommunity #Reading #Books #NatureWriting #Nature

Thread 1/ Recently at a Q&A, the chair asked me an excellent question: Why do you push so hard against the idea of a ‘nature cure’ when moments in your book Drystone - A Life Rebuilt might look like exactly that? The answer is simple. #Reading #Writing #NatureWriting #Nature #Scotland #Books

Kristie writes eloquently and convincingly about why the idea of a 'nature cure' in nature writing is so reductive...

This is great to read. Lots of us crave simple, uplifting narratives where a single change lifts someone from despair to joy. Authors get a lot of pressure & incentives to flatten their story, especially when pitching to the press. Editors & podcast bookers mostly don't want nuance.

Thread 1/ Recently at a Q&A, the chair asked me an excellent question: Why do you push so hard against the idea of a ‘nature cure’ when moments in your book Drystone - A Life Rebuilt might look like exactly that? The answer is simple. #Reading #Writing #NatureWriting #Nature #Scotland #Books

High Renaissance vibes. 'The Last Pupper' (My ex-husband saw this on his way to work today and I am so jealous) #Scotland #Dogs

Had a fantastic time at University of Glasgow yesterday talking to @kovesi.bsky.social about my book 'Drystone - A Life Rebuilt'. Thanks to all who attended in person and online. This was my last event of the year but I have quite a few coming up in 2026 and I'm really looking forward to every one

If you can't attend my event tomorrow at University of Glasgow, it s available to live stream at the link below uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/8484798525... It's going to be an interesting and lively conversation. 1pm start. #Scotland #Glasgow #Reading #WritingCommunity #Books #Events #Accessibility

If you can't attend my event tomorrow at University of Glasgow, it s available to live stream at the link below uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/8484798525... It's going to be an interesting and lively conversation. 1pm start. #Scotland #Glasgow #Reading #WritingCommunity #Books #Events #Accessibility

An honour to be part of any Books of the Year list, but being chosen by a bookseller hits differently. Thank you to Nairn Bookshop for supporting 'Drystone' so generously. They’ve also chosen 2 other excellent Scottish books, worth a look if you’re choosing gifts or planning your winter reading.