You might recall today's guest's voice from our previous Nairn Book & Arts Festival preview, but today Sean Lusk is here talking to us about his wonderful debut novel The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley.

The book is an adventure through time and space - we travel between Britain and the Ottoman empire in the 18th century, explore the complex relationship between father and son, and very much this is an immersive story and emotional rollercoaster.

We spoke to Sean about the book, his research into awe-inspiring historical characters, automata and short stories.

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book, or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide⁠⁠⁠⁠

License: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://filmmusic.io/standard-license⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today we have a special talk with one of our wonderful local publishers here in the Highlands: Inverness-based Pauline Mackay is an author and the founder of Ablekids Press, an independent publisher specialised in bilingual books for children.

Her stories, drawing from Scottish folklore - but also from myths and legends around the world - are translated in an impressive variety of languages and are a great connection for children (and adults) visiting Scotland to the local heritage.

So if you like some polyglot talk with a sprinkle of creativity, do tune in!

Find out more about her work at ablekidspress.com.

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book, or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: ⁠⁠⁠https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide⁠⁠⁠

License: ⁠⁠⁠https://filmmusic.io/standard-license⁠⁠⁠

In this episode we connect with writer, teacher and journalist Iain Maloney, a Scotsman living his best life in Japan. His latest book The Japan Lights is very aptly, about a fellow Scotsman in Japan - but who lived there around 150 years ago, when it wasn't quite as easy to jump on a flight and you couldn't videocall your family.

The book tells of Iain's travel across the country following the tracks of Richard Henry Brunton, a Victorian civil engineer who is considered the father of Japanese lighthouses.

So if you like a travel memoir with a dip into history and a good dose of humor, this is the episode and book for you!

Find out more about Iain's work on iainmaloney.com

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠⁠⁠⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠⁠⁠⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book, or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: ⁠⁠https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide⁠⁠

License: ⁠⁠https://filmmusic.io/standard-license⁠⁠

We met with the wonderful Shona Maclean in Inverness to talk about her book The Bookseller of Inverness.

We talked about her book, the pressure of writing about a place close to home, her characters and who she would cast in case of a movie adaptation.

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠⁠⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠⁠⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book, or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter, ⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: ⁠https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide⁠

License: ⁠https://filmmusic.io/standard-license⁠

A seaside Highland village, a Celtic legend and two women yearning for a different life. These are some of the elements you will find in Fiona Gillan Kerr's first novel, The Bone on The Beach.

We spoke to Fiona about life in the Highlands, myths and legends, strong female characters and a portal to the underworld.

I hope you love this interview - and the book - as I did!

You can find out more about it at theboneonthebeach.com and on www.ringwoodpublishing.com/

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book, or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter, ⁠⁠or ⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

We are back with a shiny brand new season! And because there are some excellent events ahead of us, we didn't want you to arrive unprepared to the cracking St Duthac Book & Arts Festival, which will run from next week (Monday 11) to to Monday 18.

There is a vast array of events and we delve into this year's programme as well as the birth of the festival with the lovely Coral Allan and Helen Sedgwick. ⁠

Find our more at ⁠stduthacbookfest.com and on their social channels at @stduthac!

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠⁠ and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠, ⁠Twitter, ⁠or ⁠Instagram ⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: ⁠https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide⁠

License: ⁠https://filmmusic.io/standard-license⁠

We are back with a shiny brand new season! Today we kick off with a chat with the wonderful Anita Sethi, who is the first ever writer in residence at the Nairn Book & Arts Festival (which is running until Sunday! Check the programme).

Anita hails from Manchester and is a writer and journalist - at the festival, she brings her book I Belong Here: a Journey Along the Backbone of Britain, in which she tells of her journey of reclamation through nature and place after being victim of a racist hate crime.

You can find more on her work at anitasethi.com or on Twitter @anitasethi.

Find our more at nairnfestival.co.uk, on their social channels at @NairnFest for events over this weekend.

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠ and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠, ⁠Twitter, ⁠or ⁠Instagram ⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summer's here and the time is right to get excited about all the wonderful book fests on the horizon!

One of them is the Nairn Book & Arts Festival which will run from August 30 to September 3.

We were invited to the launch party for their programme and we got to seat down with the festival's chair Sean Lusk fora sneak peek on their 20th anniversary programme.

Find our more at nairnfestival.co.uk, on their social channels at @NairnFest OR go back to episode 24 for a long-form interview with festival coordinator Tanera Bryden.

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠, ⁠Twitter, ⁠or ⁠Instagram ⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Another day, another behind-the-scenes interview with some wonderful publishers from the North of Scotland!

Today we head to Caithness to talk to Dr Keith Whittles from Whittles publishing.

They specialize in academic and non-fiction books - the topics they cover range from geology to engineering, history and nature - and more!

Find out more about their work and books as whittlespublishing.com

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠, ⁠Twitter, ⁠or ⁠Instagram ⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

In our very first itinerant interview, we visited Dornoch and some of the key locations on which The Last Witch of Scotland by Philip Paris is based. 

The author takes us from the cemetery and Cathedral to the stone marking the place where Janet Horne - the last person to be condemned for witchcraft in the UK - was executed. 

A moving story told through the eyes of Janet’s daughter, the book is full of characters you’ll soon become fond of, and an engaging and entertaining way to learn more about this part of Scotland’s past.

Find out more about Philip Paris and his work at www.philip-paris.co.uk - after the launch on April 13, he will be travelling the North f Scotland to talk about the book:

If you have a book you love send us a voice message on ⁠speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere⁠  and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!

If you have an author, book, or literary project that you would like to hear from on our podcast, drop us an email at [email protected] or get in touch on Facebook at ⁠NorthernBibliospherepodcast⁠, ⁠Twitter, ⁠or ⁠Instagram ⁠(@NorthBibliopod).

Music:

Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3338-achaidh-cheide

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license