500 Subscribers When I logged onto WordPress this morning, a popup appeared alerting me to the fact five hundred people have now subscribed to this blog. I didn’t imagine making that milestone and I’m so grateful to everyone who has taken the time to have these random posts delivered to their in-box. Thank you. This … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 129
Writing Update October 2024 Ove the last couple of months I’ve been catching up on my blogging. There was a bit of a backlog, and given the number of places I visit, it’s been a challenge keeping my blog up to date. This push to document what I’ve been up to has meant that little … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 128
Cold War Scotland The National Museum of Scotland is running a free exhibition until the end of January next year called Cold War Scotland. This provides a fascinating insight to a recent aspect of Scottish history and it’s important that it’s documented and understood. The term Cold War describes the political situation after the end … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 127
Alloa Tower Revisited I blogged about Alloa Tower in Part 90 of this series. The tower wasn’t open that day, but I managed to go back and take advantage of the Open Doors Day. It’s been awhile since I was last inside the tower, and I was pleased to see how well the restoration work … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 126
Clackmannan Tower I managed to book a slot during the Doors Open Days for Clackmannan Tower. Part of European Heritage Days, the Doors Open is a national programme, encouraging folk to visit places of cultural and historical interest and to promote the excellent and vital ongoing work to preserve these sites. Places tend to go … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 125
Game On I’ve been waiting a good few years for the Games exhibition to come back to the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The wait has been worth it. A playable exhibition – yes, you can play these machines – from over fifty years of gaming history. You can experience for yourself, the games … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 124
Piano I decided to treat myself during the summer to a new digital grand piano. I don’t have room for an acoustic one so this is the next best thing. It has eighty-eight full-size weighted keys, hammer action and has the feel of a real piano. It has a small range of piano types, including … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 123
Sherlock Holmes I took time out to go and see the statue of Sherlock Holmes in Picardy Place, Edinburgh. This is in tribute to the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was born close to this spot on the 22nd May 1859. I think it’s a fitting tribute, as a writer, not to have a … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 122
The Georgian House The National Trust for Scotland maintain the property at number 7 Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, providing visitors the opportunity to see what a property looked like during the eighteenth century. It was built in 1796 for John Lamont, designed by architect Robert Adam. The square was part of the first phase of … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 121
Gladstone’s Land With my National Trust membership expiring soon, I wanted to make time to take in Gladstone’s Land at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. This property has been in in operation as a commercial and social hub for more than 500 years. There is a real sense of stepping back in … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 120
The Fiction Factory 