Author’s book launch set to hit new heights

Writer plans to lead walking party to top of Perthshire Munro for special event

The top of a Perthshire mountain is the unusual – yet strangely fitting – site for the launch of new book.

The publishers of Walking with Ghosts: New Prose & Poetry from Perthshire & Beyond by Alan J Laing chose the summit of Ben Lawers as a location because all the contributions involve walking.

Many of them also invoke ghostly presences or memories and it was thought the atmospheric setting of the highest Munro in the southern part of the Highlands would be appropriate.

For what is believed to be Britain’s highest ever book launch – it beats a similar event on Scafell Pike by 236 metres (774ft) – on June 14 the author will lead a party of walkers up the mountain before launching the book with readings and a tipple.

Mr Laing is a former English teacher who lives near Perth. He has written short plays for young people which have been performed in a dozen countries.

In the last four years he has won three awards from Perth-based Mountaineering Scotland for his fictional stories involving walking, climbing and mountains, as well as one award for poetry. He also provides lyrics for Perth’s Jambouree Choir.

Climbing and walking has been a lifelong hobby of his, pursued with friends and with Duke of Edinburgh groups.

Having climbed most of the Munros he has recently branched out into longdistance trekking in the Italian Dolomites.

His enjoyment of writing and walking has now combined to produce this anthology, illustrated with maps, line drawings, and cartoons by Robert A Hands.

In his forward to the book Neil Reid of Mountaineering Scotland says: “Whether it’s high drama, flight of fantasy or chuckling comedy, most of Alan’s writing relates to mountains and mountaineers, a world where he is completely at home.”

The book will be available online, from bookshops or can be also ordered directly from the Tippermuir Books Ltd at www.tippermuirbooks.co.uk

“Whether it’s high drama, flight of fantasy of comedy, most of Alan’s writing relates to mountains. NEIL REID, MOUNTAINEERING SCOTLAND

Ben Lawers is set to be the location for the launch of a book by Alan Laing, which is themed on his love of the mountains.