So, the Park Lane Market was fabulous. Great folk, great atmosphere, great sales.
Maggie got a bit cocky after that and took herself down to England this weekend to see how she'd fare, there. Firewords went, too. After all, it started its own journey at the Tynemouth Market over 10 years ago so knows a thing or two about the Tyneside crowd.
(Newcastle went on to win the Carabao Cup yesterday, so the atmosphere was electric!)
Having lived in Newcastle for a good few years, it was a trip down memory lane for the crew, showing our new editions how we used to roll, and it was another successful weekend for Maggie and the gang with a bit of banter thrown in for me. This market malarkey definitely has its perks so stay tuned for news of at least one more before the summer is over.
Join me on Sunday for my very own 'Black Friday' in Shawlands. As well as The Making of Maggie Munroe, I'll be selling undles - the perfect Christmas gift 🤪🎄🎅
Firewords is a short story magazine in its tenth year of production. Each piece is matched to its own bold illustration, so striking that it featured in STV's Maryland, starring Suranne Jones, earlier this year.
See you on the southside.
There was sad news at the start of September that Cafe d'Jaconelli had suffered fire damage and has shut its doors for the foreseeable. I was out of the country at the time and felt so impotent, just like many people in the community; an unwillingly casual observer to something that meant so much. It's more than just 'Trainspotting' or 'The Big Yin' to us.
This iconic Maryhill cafe featured a lot in Maggie, of course, but that's only because it has played an equally important role in the lives of my family since its opening in 1924. In these booths there have been arguments and breakups, laughs and celebrations, if only the walls could talk!
I am hopeful and optimistic that, one day soon, I will be able to enjoy a Knickerbocker glory there with my daughter. In the meantime, a GoFundMe page has been set up by a regular customer (not known to me) for the community to donate, with all proceeds going to Cafe d'Jaconelli. I wish them all the luck in the world for plans to reopen and remain the institution that it's been for my whole life, let alone the last 100 years.
It’s a year since the launch of Maggie and all the fun and games that came afterwards, from book festivals to quizzes. On its first birthday, I’m having this cake while taking a moment to enjoy the wonderful reviews that have been pouring in from around the world as the novel takes off. I’ve tried to compile some of the comments here but there are far too many to collate in one image. And writing that down makes me grin.
To honour the occasion, now is as good a time as any to announce details of my upcoming novel, The Drift. Scheduled to be released later this year, it’s a thriller, it’s dark and it’s contemporary; as far from Maggie as you can get.
Head on over to the new ‘Coming Up’ section of this website. Isla will be happy to meet you.
I have thoroughly enjoyed Mother’s Day this year - my first on the receiving end! 2023 certainly was a busy year with the launch of Maggie and the birth of my daughter, the second of those events being by far the most important - I know my Gran would agree. It’s bittersweet to think that the two of them will never meet but I’m thankful that my wee princess has an absolutely fantastic Gran of her own, who some of you will have met at the very end of the novel and who’s as natural at Granning as she was at Mammying. (No surprises there when she learned from the best.)
Thinking of Maisie, my mammy and my daughter on Mother’s Day, I’m one lucky girl; and if you don’t know why then you should really read the book!
From June's newsletter -
My Ones to Watch segment at Glasgow's Aye Write festival was fantastic, thank you very much. There was nothing quite like reading my favourite excerpt from Maggie to a room full of strangers to gauge their reaction. The laughter was palpable - and at the right bits, too!
I chose to read the scene where Maggie first meets Tommy Gunn and, amongst all his charm and his cheek, she gives as good as she gets - the trait I love most
about her. However, it was the character of Mrs McNulty who made the biggest splash, so she did. Many people approached me at the book signing afterwards to discuss people they knew, from as far away as Coatbridge, who were just the same, so they were. Right, I'll stop that now. I got a bit carried away with the McNulty speech at the festival and I've quite worn myself out with it, so I have.
Most of the event was spent answering host and audience questions, which is always one of my favourite things so, if you ever have any questions of your own, use the contact form on this site to get in touch!
I'm delighted to announce that, at Aye Write's Ones to Watch event (Mitchell Library, 27th May, 11am), I'll be right there talking about all things Maggie!
The other novelists taking part are Wiz Wharton, Ghost Girl, Banana and Sarah Thomas, Queen K. It's going to be a good one...
Find out more at the Aye Write 2023 website
There was no rest for the wicked at the launch of The Making of Maggie Munroe. We had readings, we had questions, we had lots of history (both about family and the Maryhill area), and we had a fun literary quiz that managed to put Maggie up there with some of the greats. Most importantly though, we had many laughs - and the bar helped.
It was satisfying to hold the event in the local community, and people came from all over to help me celebrate. The furthest travelled was Serbia!
The Making of Maggie Munroe is available to pre-order now
Many guests were familiar faces while others were new inductees to the Maggie story, and absolutely everyone was up for letting their hair down. The night was spent welcoming stories of Glasgow through the ages and the real woman who inspired a novel. I'm affy proud of her.
The exciting launch of The Making of Maggie Munroe, hosted by Calum Neilsen, will take place on the 30th March 2023 and everyone is welcome!
We will explore Maryhill during the 1930s and 1940s and hold a Q & A to answer all of your burning questions. The novel is based around colourful family stories and the life of my gran, so things could get interesting…
Come along to The BrewHaus Glasgow (previously Crosslands*), 182 Queen Margaret Drive for a 7.30pm start.
The Making of Maggie Munroe is available to pre-order now
*Yes, the location is the same balcony that Begbie loses his cool and his pint glass in Trainspotting but, more than a nod to another great Scottish novel, it is situated within the stomping ground of our protagonist, Maggie Munroe, and the real woman who inspired her. How’s that, you ask? I will be happy to answer on the night.
After a short (2 years, thank you Covid) break, the podcast returns to the airwaves.
In this light-hearted fireside discussion, my husband and I put the world to rights. What’s hot right now, what’s most certainly not something that anyone out there should want to emulate, and what’s a contentious issue that all depends on your perspective? And will Dan and I ever be able to agree?
The previously-aired season 1 will launch on 18th January 2023, alongside 3 brand-new episodes that we have dug out of our digital cabinet of curiosities which will air monthly, from the 1st February onwards.
After that, it will be straight on to Season 2, with regular episodes each month. Listeners (if there are any) will be happy to hear more punctual content - although it will still involve the two of us havering for 25 minutes. This is where I take a break from writing, and I hope we can count on some friends to pop along to help us out. Expect S2ep01 on 1st June 2023.
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