Gail Anthea Brown

2022 Writing Plans and a FREE Short Story

Leo Tolstoy once wrote that ‘spring is the time of plans and projects,’ but actually, so is January. I’ve spent the first weeks of the new year easing myself back into writing, and making plans for the year ahead. After a low spell at the end of 2021, I’m entering the new year feeling creative…

Pink and orange sunrise with birds flying over the sea, Caithness

New Year, New Plans, New Name

By: Gail Anthea Brown January 5, 2022January 6, 2022

Author, Author Business, Caithness, Reflections, Social Media, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing and BloggingAuthor, Books set in Scotland, Castles of Steel and Thunder, Pieces of Sky and Stone, Scottish Author, Scottish Blogs, Scottish Writers, Self-Publishing1 Comment

As someone who is generally not a fan of ‘new year, new me’ narratives, I’ve entered into January with an odd sense of gusto for newness. The Christmas holidays saw me taking stock of thoughts and ideas, and I’ve spent the early days of January easing myself back into desk-mode with a few updates that…

Gail standing next to river on a golden winter dawn

Goodbye 2021 – The Highs and Lows of Another Year Behind the Blog

At the end of each December, I’ve fallen into the habit of writing a reflective post on the year that’s about to leave us. The format has varied slightly during my time in the blogosphere, but sharing the highs and lows of another twelve months has become a ritual I enjoy. It also eases me…

My Ten Favourite Books of 2021

By: Gail Anthea Brown December 16, 2021December 16, 2021

Books, Caithness, Reading Lately, UncategorizedBest Books of the Year, Book Reviews, Books set in Caithness, Books set in Scotland, Books to Read, Scottish Blogs, Scottish Highlands, Scottish Writers, Young Adult FictionLeave a Comment

At around this point in winter, I like to round up my ten favourite books of the year, in no particular order (and with the caveat that the list refers to the year of reading – I often read books many years after publication). This year I read thirty-nine books in total, fewer than normal…

The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn Cover Image

Autumn and Early Winter Reading – The Wild Silence, Feral, The Way Home and The Giver of Stars

By: Gail Anthea Brown December 8, 2021December 8, 2021

Books, Reading, Reading Lately, UncategorizedBook Reviews, Books Change Lives, Books set in Caithness, Books to Read, Curl up with a Book, Scottish Author, Scottish Book Blogs2 Comments

It’s been several months since I shared a reading post on here – mainly due to being occupied with my own book. I’ve written less on my blog this year than any other – a shifting of my attention away from the blogosphere and onto the other writing I want to send into the world.…

Cover of Pieces of Sky and Stone by Gail Anthea Brown

Pieces of Sky and Stone eBook Launch

I’m delighted to announce that after a year of writing, editing, design-approving and proof reading my second novel, Pieces of Sky and Stone launches officially today as an eBook. The book is the sequel to my first novel Castles of Steel and Thunder, and concludes the story of Sysa Steel, who left Caithness for a…

Coming Soon…

By: Gail Anthea Brown November 12, 2021November 29, 2021

Books, Caithness, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, Uncategorized, WritingAuthor, Books set in Caithness, Books set in Scotland, Books to Read, Folkore, Scottish Author, Scottish Folklore, Scottish Writers, Self-Publishing, Young Adult Fiction4 Comments

In 2020, I published my first novel, Castles of Steel and Thunder, a tale of faeries and folklore inspired by the legends of Caithness. The book went on to become a bestseller across several Amazon categories, and following a successful paperback release, proved popular with readers from Caithness and further afield. But the story didn’t…

Spring and Early Summer Reading – I Am An Island, Where The Crawdads Sing, Wintering & True North

By: Gail Anthea Brown July 13, 2021July 13, 2021

Books, Reading, Reading Lately, UncategorizedBook Reviews, Books Change Lives, Books set in Scotland, Books to Read, Caithness, Classic Books, Scottish Book Blogs, Social Media8 Comments

It’s been some time since I shared a reading post on the blog, the result of a slowing-down of my motivation for putting finger to keyboard and sending words out into the blogosphere. In the background, I’ve been absorbing the words of other authors, and it’s rare for a day to pass without me picking…

On Mental Health Awareness Week, Caithness and Caring

By: Gail Anthea Brown May 13, 2021May 13, 2021

Caithness, Health & Lifestyle, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, UncategorizedAnxiety, Covid-19, Depression, Home, Mental Health, Nature4 Comments

Here in the UK, it’s Mental Health Awareness Week, an initiative hosted by the Mental Health Foundation to focus attention on mental health issues across the nation. This year the theme for the event is nature, with a focus on the supportive role the natural world can play in boosting mental health. The theme appears…

Picture of sign on beach saying ‘leave nothing but footprints.’

Tread Lightly, Travel Politely

By: Gail Anthea Brown April 22, 2021January 3, 2022

Caithness, North Coast 500, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, Travel, UncategorizedCampervan Travel, Home, NC500, Responsible Tourism, Scottish Travel, Slow Travel, Sustainable Tourism, Wild Camping, Wild Camping Scotland4 Comments

As travel restrictions ease across Scotland, many people in the North Highlands are feeling nervous about the resumption of tourism. 2020 was a challenging year here in the far north, and memories of irresponsible camping, inconsiderate motorhome parking, and the litter and human waste left by a minority of visitors will be difficult to erase.…

Gail Anthea Brown

Poo, Potholes and Park-Ups – Why Highlanders Are Tired of Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route

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Where Stories Come From: Caithness Lore and Legend

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The North Coast 500 and the Summer of Discontent

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Caithness and Coorie – Embracing the Seasons in The UK’s Most Northerly Mainland County

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Lighting Candles and Other Notes on Happiness

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My Ten Favourite Books of 2021

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Autumn and Early Winter Reading – The Wild Silence, Feral, The Way Home and The Giver of Stars

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Pieces of Sky and Stone eBook Launch

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Coming Soon…

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On Mental Health Awareness Week, Caithness and Caring

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Tread Lightly, Travel Politely

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