Pink Camouflage is a hard-hitting, eye-opening account of one woman’s experience of the abuse and misogyny she suffered while serving in the British Army. In this introduction, author Gemma Morgan details the trauma she dealt with following her exit and how she came to accept help.   Pink Camouflage By Gemma Morgan Published by Luath Press   He found me by the roadside, delirious and choking. I was 33, happily married with two beautiful young children, a poster girl for female achievement with a stellar Army service record and a glittering international sports career.   But ..read more

Shona Sandison is back in a second outing from author Philip Miller. The intrepid reporter, newly redundant, is unsure of her next steps when she attends a friend’s wedding. In this extract, she comes across something far worse than the drunken banter at the reception.   The Hollow Tree By Philip Miller Published by Polygon   It was time for her to sleep. She draped the mislaid jacket on an empty chair, then headed up the two flights of stairs to her room. Her legs ached. There must be a lift, she thought. She paused on the worn red carpet of the first landing. The little pebble had ..read more

In this review of All Before Me, David Robinson explores the ways in which Esther Rutter weaves the history of the Wordsworths and the landscape around Dove Cottage into her own personal battles with depression and need for belonging.   All Before Me By Esther Rutter Published by Granta   If you’re ever looking for a good walk across the north of England, try the one William Wordsworth did with his sister Dorothy in 1799. Start about eight miles south-west of Richmond in North Yorkshire and walk across the Pennines to Kendal. The Wordsworths took just three overnight stops – inns at ..read more

Ever since her Saltire-winning debut Hand Over Mouth Music was published in 2019, we’ve been eagerly looking forward to another full-length collection from Janette Ayachi. Well, now the wait is over, and QuickFire, Slow Burning is more than worth the wait. We’re delighted to share three poems from this vital new collection here at BooksfromScotland.   Extract taken from QuickFire, Slow Burning By Janette Ayachi Published by Pavilion Poetry   Quantum Leap  New Year 2021 still reeling from the last full moon damp fire pits reignite & champagne pops Mars-like drones s ..read more

Juano Diaz has made a name for himself as a photographer and visual artist, and his debut Slum Boy is an unforgettable memoir about the struggle for self-love and self-acceptance in late-20th century Scotland – guaranteed to break your heart and piece it back together again. In this extract, we meet young John – the name Juano’s mother used for him – as a brief encounter awakens his artistic spirit.   Extract taken from Slum Boy By Juano Diaz Published by Brazen   Barefoot and in tears I stand in the back garden, gripping the chain-link fence and peering through at the street ah ..read more

James Oswald’s Inspector Maclean has been solving crimes in Edinburgh for a good few novels now. As the thirteenth book in the Inspector Maclean series hits the shelves, we ask the author how he keeps his writing exciting.   For Our Sins By James Oswald Published by Wildfire   How to keep things fresh after your series hits the terrible teens. For Our Sins is the thirteenth book in my Edinburgh-based Inspector McLean series. As I write this, I am nearing the end of the first draft of an as yet untitled book fourteen. A fifteenth book is in the very earliest stages of gestation deep w ..read more

David Robinson is impressed by the ideas, language and storytelling in Ajay Close’s latest novel.   What Doesn’t Kill Us By Ajay Close Published by Saraband   The most shocking moment in The Long Shadow, ITV’s recent drama series  about the five-year hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, comes (spoiler alert) right at the end. Peter Sutcliffe has been caught, tried and sentenced and the police inquiry into what went wrong is just beginning.   Two officers are shown into the major incident room. Pinned to the wall in front of them are over 30 photofits, dating back to 1972, based on des ..read more

Len Pennie is an up-and-coming poet worthy of your attention. Her focus on feminism and celebration of the Scots language give her poems both a wonderful playfulness and a frank, honest look at the world around us. She is also a brilliant performer of her work with a growing online following, and we hope you enjoy this taster from her first collection, Poyums.   Poyums By Len Pennie Published by Canongate   I’M NO HAVIN CHILDREN I’m no havin children, A’m gonnae hae weans; an ye’ll can ask whit A cry them, no what are their names; an they’ll be gettin a piece, no a wee packed lunch ..read more

In 2023, The Kavya Prize was awarded to unpublished writers of colour who are Scottish by birth, residence or inclination. BfS are thrilled to share some of the writing that was recognised by the judges. Here we publish extracts from the joint winners’ pieces.   Q Mannivan An Extract from The Physics of It You’ve been thinking of old homes lately:                             You’ve been thinking of old homes lately: an insatiable loneliness, Delhi in an &n ..read more

Earlier in the issue, we published the joint winning pieces of the 2023 Kavya Prize. Here, we present extracts from two highly commended pieces.   Theresa Munoz Extract taken from Hummingbird I’m in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, northwest of the Canadian Rockies. We’re in the desert, with lime green cactai and signs of rattlesnake warnings. There’s six of us: my partner, his sister, her husband, my sister and her husband. We’re at a winery in a picturesque town called Oliver. We line up for a selfie with the desert in the background; the sands are dark red and mud brown, like roadsi ..read more