In this Northern Highlight, we interview Miranda Moore, an author based in the Scottish Borders. Miranda tells us a bit about her second novel that she has recently been working on. Miranda’s debut YA novel, A Beautiful, Terrible Thing, published earlier this month! Link in bio 📚

Miranda Moore's debut Young Adult novel A Beautiful, Terrible Thing packs an emotional punch. 📚📚📚 Review by @sarahbroadley.bsky.social @sparewriter.bsky.social #MichelleBrackenborough @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social #ya#yabooks#bookrecommendations#reading#fiction#yalit#yaliterature#yawriters

Applications for the Reading School Fund are now open! We're awarding grants of up to £500 to help your setting and learners achieve Reading School accreditation, with the purchase of: 📚Books 📚Reading materials 📚Furnishings for reading spaces www.readingschools.scot/funding

Happy World Literacy Day! 🎉Like any other, a great day to celebrate the magic of reading. 📚✨

Juicy plums! 🍑 Planted plum tree 10y ago 🌳 Years 1-7: zero plums Year 8: one plum Year 9: handful of plums Year 10: 180 or so ripe, juicy Victoria plums! 🍑🍑🍑

Rosehip tea 👌

Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out during the Autumn term 2025 and available to buy or preorder in August, September, October, November and December 2025. schoolreadinglist.co.uk/new-book-rel...

Good lord! My debut book launch at @edinburghbookshop.bsky.social seems to be sold out already! Thank you those who have booked – see you on 9 Oct – and apols to anyone who's missed the boat! You can still pre-order the book though 😏 www.edinburghbookshop.com/events-1/mir...

Just brilliant 🙌 *****

A gem of a book. 💎 Spare and lyrical at the same time. Humanity and wilderness sculpted into just 146 pages. Love an author with the skill and self-control to give the reader only what is essential. Ivar is tremendous. 💛 Sublime.

Unsolicited writing advice, no: 1276: The secret to writing success is *to make the reader feel something.* It doesn't matter how beautiful your prose is, or how clever your premise is if the reader feels nothing for your characters or your story.

Getting spoiled by the dolphins putting on a great show on the Clyde heading to Kilcreggan & Gourock 🐬 Filmed at 11.26am 🎥 #Dolphins #Scotland #StormHour

Weeds and wildflowers So purty!

Please do support your local bookshops. They are esential for independent publishers and have been the patron saints of my writing career through their word-of-mouth support.

The World Economic Forum argues that essential skills needed today are creative and critical thinking. I agree, and would add imagination, curiosity, empathy, compassion, care and collaboration (with the many more than human worlds ;) 💚

Excellent. A former palliative care consultant on living, dying and the immeasurable importance of talking openly about death and dying and treating every patient/person with respect and care. @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social *****

Thanks for the reminder @janemunday.bsky.social. Every summer, I repost this article DROWNING DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DROWNING. To date, I know of FOUR kids who were saved after someone who'd clicked on the link learnt how to spot actual drowning. Take time to read and pass on. slate.com/technology/2...

The Examiner ran a lovely piece on our Dublin Unesco City of Literature director! Thanks 😊 Read the full article here: www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ar...

Children don’t need aggressive gatekeeping by adults. They need positive enthusiasm, encouragement and discovery. What matters isn’t whether a book is old or new – it’s that it sparks joy, confidence and curiosity. That’s how lifelong readers are born. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

Hearty congratulations to the stellar @brunadeluca.bsky.social on the launch of #LiviainRome last night at @edinburghbookshop.bsky.social! Isn't it lush? Can't wait to read. 🤩😍🎉🍰📚

Published today the Edinburgh Art Festival Programme #EAF25 returns from 7-24 August 2025. The UK's largest visual art festival - with over 80 programmed events everyone can feast their eyes! www.edinburghartfestival.com/about/

When your first reader-reviewer is just The Lovliest person 🥹❤️

Miranda Moore (@sparewriter.bsky.social) winner of the first Search for a Storyteller prize with @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social & Arvon, shares how an Arvon at Home course helped shape her next novel and why breakthroughs often come in unexpected moments. www.arvon.org/a-storytelle...

Lovely bumble, buzzing away happily, visiting every flower. This is our wild (neglected) patch beside our house. So cheering to just sit there and watch #bees, bumblebees, butterflies and a dragonfly dawdling about, paying a visit. Sustenance for them and sustenance for me! 🌼🐝😊 #nature

I love an author who has the courage to tackle complex issues and the skill to pull it off with sensitivity and insight, while maintaining pace and tension. A masterclass in characterisation. Absolutely brilliant ***** @elenikwriter.bsky.social 🙌🏼

🌟 We’re so excited to be revealing the gorgeous cover for DFB and Arvon’s 2024 Search for a Storyteller winner! 🎉🤩 'A Beautiful, Terrible Thing', from the incredible debut novelist Miranda Moore is a compulsively readable story about how grief, love and the poignant beauty of life intertwine!

CBNN Reveals 📘✨ A Beautiful, Terrible Thing by our very own CBNN member Miranda Moore is coming this October from @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social.

How perfectly formed are these acorn caps? In awe. #nature

Loving all the #spring colours at the mo #nature

Disturbing and brilliant #YA verse novel about county lines, drug trafficking, friendship, family, grief and redemption from @tiafisher.bsky.social @hotkeybooks.bsky.social. A brutal gut-punch underlaid with tenderness and love.

Ahhhh 😊😌☀️

Daffies – they're just so cheery 😊

Such a peaceful spot 😌

Drive home over the hill after swimming. Ahhh. Phone camera can't do justice to the warm peachy glow 😌🍑

Best title for a graphic novel ever. Also a great graphic novel for teens, very funny but also tackles powerful issues around prejudice stereotypes and Islamophobia. #kidlituk

A red admiral grabbing a few rays on a pair of drawers. Marvellous! ☀️🦋

Ahhh nothing like a wee walk in the woods on a spring day 🌱☀️ Food for the soul 😌

Really strong non-fic. Hugely interesting and informative, but also philosophical, poignant, poetic. So many very human stories, of integrity, generosity and grace. One of those books that reminds you how incredible humans can be. @peteralanross.bsky.social

Love the gentle wisdom and the endearing cast of characters here from Ruth Ozeki. Such an enjoyable listen.

Today is #WorldBookDay2025 so we've all come to work dressed as library staff while knowing that in 2023/2024 there were 14.5 million physical visits to Scottish libraries - nearly 4 times the number of people who attended Scottish Premiership football matches. #LoveLibraries ❤️

My top tips for #NationalStorytellingWeek: 1) Write the story YOU want to read. 2) No writer can write a perfect story in one draft. You need to write, read, edit, rewrite. Rewriting IS writing! (see art below, by Charles M Schulz) 3) Whatever happens - NEVER GIVE UP! sfsaid.com/2017/01/thre...

After he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957, Albert Camus wrote a letter of thanks to his favorite childhood teacher, whom he'd never forgotten. It's beautiful.

Bonnie day ❄️

Just finished Octavia E Butler's novel set in a futuristic 2025. And here we are! Great writing.

Stunning winter weather - so much brighter than last year's endless grey 🌲❄️☀️

New year wishes to all, wherever you are and whatever your circumstances ❄️☃️

Just a rubbish phone pic but cool Highland coos scranning their tea as I jogged past on my twilight jog 🐂 #marcothon

Stunning light this fine day

Pink and frosty morning in the Scottish Borders