Up very far north and more snow!

Mid-April I was back in the very north of Scotland for two Girls’ Nights: one in Inverness and one in Culloden. Brilliant to meet so many enthusiastic readers. There is nothing like Highland hospitality, I tell you.

When in the Highlands, I stayed for a few days at a cottage on the Cawdor estate. It was in the middle of the most fantastic kind of nowhere. Miles and miles down a single track road, then a gorgeous cottage in a luscious valley. The children were ecstatic and demanded to know why we couldn’t move here straightaway and have ponies… and go fishing… and get air rifles!!

Just as I packed away my duvet coat, the snow returned for one (final? Please!) flutter. I did find the missing purple gloves though, so very happy!

And final picture, despite the snow and gloom and general freezing chill, I’ve managed to grow a lemon. I know, a lemon in Glasgow. Obviously it’s green and may stay green for lack of sunshine -  but for my brown fingers, this is a miracle.

I got the lemon tree as a birthday present two years ago and haven’t killed it yet. I do feel a bit sorry for it though, sitting at the window looking out and wondering what it can do to get back to Italy where it belongs!

I am touring about the country this month (Click on the ‘Girls Night In Tour’ category for details… maybe you can come!) visiting libraries for fun-packed Girls Night In events.

The first was at Cardonald Library in the South Side of Glasgow. What can I say? These people know how to party! We had food, we had drinkies, goodie bags and there was a whole wonderful pink and black theme going on with ribbons on the chairs, flowers and matching plates and napkins. I turned up in pink and black by co-incidence! It was a fantastic evening. I enjoyed the Q and A bit hugely, especially the spontaneous telling of our worst changing room disasters. It was great fun to read extracts from How Not To Shop and Jealous Girl to such a fabulous audience. Thank you all so much for a brilliant night!

Carlisle was also fantastic! We talked about books, writing, favourite authors, but also shoe shopping! We had chocolate and fudge tasting, lovely ladies from Lush and Clinique on hand and the fabulous Marie from Hoopers, a real live personal shopper, talking us through key looks. Marie is a total Annie fan, so it was brilliant to watch her bring little Valentine touches to her talk. According to Marie, every girl must have a red handbag and a pair of Armani Jeans this season. If you live anywhere near Carlisle, book yourself a session with her, it is probably as close as you will come to an Annie makeover!

Portlethen, Perth, Fort William and Blackpool are next.

As a former English Lit student, how proud was I to get this email?!

Dear Carmen,

I chose English literature as my subject, and my topic is a bit complicated: How has the portrayal of London changed in English Literature from the 19th till the 21st century, especially in the eye of Charles Dickens: Oliver Twist, Virginia Woolf: Mrs Dalloway and Carmen Reid: The Personal Shopper?

I am honoured!

Many of you lovely people have been dropping me a line to say how much you’re enjoying catching up with Annie again in How Not To Shop. Here are just a couple of messages.

Carmen…….just finished reading “Did the Earth Move?”, I have read all your others as well…..I must say, they are brilliant. The characters seem to weave their way into my psyche all day long until I can pick up the book again and see what is actually happening. I hate for them to end, like losing a friend. Write faster! I will be going through withdrawal! Mary R.S.

I have just come back from a week’s holiday in Scotland and although the weather was wet and windy I loved it. mainly because i spent the week reading first “the personal shopper” and then I rushed to Aberdeen to buy “late night shopping” i finished them both and am now a HUGE fan and can’t wait to read more. Thank you for making my holiday so fantastic i literally couldn’t put the books down. Thank you Heather x

(Heather, trust me, I felt your rain pain. I always tell people to holiday in Scotland in May, June or September. That’s when we get our good weather. July/ August is monsoon season on the west coast!)