'Remember the Rowan' on Highland Book Prize longlist

'I am underneath those towering alders, their luminous pinecones twirling impishly through the windswept canopy like mischievous Highland sprites. Delicate fern fronds spring out in loose curls, feathered tips floating in the breeze and tickling my calves as I pass. The rush of blood in my ears fades in favour of the gushing waterfall beyond: the sweet scent of clover drifting by on the cool, moistened air. I hear the trickling percussion of breakaway streams, surging over smooth pebbles before settling in pools laced with ivory foam. I hurry on to where the torrent grows stronger. Mij might be just out of sight up ahead...'

I am delighted and deeply moved to share that Remember the Rowan is one of twelve books on the longlist for the Highland Book Prize 2024, announced yesterday by the Highland Society of London and Moniack Mhor, Scotland’s Creative Writing Centre.

This annual award celebrates literature that comes from the rich landscape and culture of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. It is open to books of any genre written by authors who live in the Highlands or were born there, as well as books whose content is Highland themed, like Rowan. The shortlist will be announced in May 2025, and the winning announcement is to follow in June 2025.

Each of the longlisted titles will be celebrated in a series of springtime events supported by the William Grant Foundation. The Longlist Event Series will include online and in-person readings and workshops in bookshops, community venues, and schools. Stay tuned for details coming soon and congratulations to my fellow longlisters!