Landscapes loom large in book

Aberfeldy-based author Linda Cracknell’s latest book is all about taking inspiration from your surroundings.

Linda - whose last work The Other Side of Stone was a novel based around a repurposed mill in Highland Perthshire - has a new book being published on April 6.

‘Writing Landscape: Taking Note, Making Notes’ has a launch event tomorrow, April 5 at the Aberfeldy Watermill at 7pm.

It is a collection of essays in which she pays attention to the world outside and shows how this immersion contributes to her writing.

In addition it provides some tips for people who want to use writing and the outdoors as a way of being ‘in the moment’.

Linda explained: “Writing Landscape: Taking Note, Making Notes is not a ‘how to’ book but offers reflections on my own practice as a writer who likes to get grit under my fingernails and sea salt in my hair as part of paying attention to the world around me.”

Largely focused on Scottish landscapes, as well as Devon and rural France, it features a ‘stranding’ on a tidal island, emulating archaeological methods on the Hebridean Isle of North Uist, and navigating the twists and turns of old town Edinburgh.

It is also being issued as an audio-book narrated by Linda and will be published in the US in August.

The launch event on Wednesday at the Aberfeldy

Watermill Bookshop is ticketed and costs £5 and includes a glass of wine and £2 from the cover price.

Then on Sunday, April 30 at 10am, Linda has a workshop at the Soutar Festival of Words in Perth. During this outdoor event, Linda will lead participants on a short journey on foot with readings from the book, observation, and writing activities.

See https://www. culturepk.org.uk/whatson/linda-cracknell-writinglandscape-workshop/