Recognising that no book stands alone, that a notion of where it comes from and where it is going is of great interest to the reader, we present behind each book a context of experience and culture, a Hinterland.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

MEDIA MEGAPHONE - 20/11/2008

This week we have an exciting new development that we believe is a ‘first’.  Moira Forsyth’s interview with Chris McIvor, author of A BEND IN THE NILE, was recorded by Jim McAuslan of Hi-Arts and is about to appear as a podcast.  You can access it through iTunes, My Yahoo, or Google Reader, by clicking on the link, here, just as soon as it is up.

We have two new reviews in their respective Hinterlands.  The SHETLAND NEWS http://www.shetland-news.co.uk reviewer James Mackenzie has delivered probably the most perceptive reading yet of Ron McMillan’s BETWEEN WEATHERS.  At the same time Annie Brown of the DAILY RECORD http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk has provided a thoughtful study of both Chris McIvor and A BEND IN THE NILE.

Just go to the books’ description pages and click on the word Hinterland at the bottom.  That will take you to a new page of interest for each book.  You’ll know Annie first time.  She’s the one sitting on a tank.

Anna Craig of SAVE THE CHILDREN http://www.savethechildren.org.uk is in process of putting some interesting material about A BEND IN THE NILE on the charity’s web site.  We’ll give you the connection just as soon as it’s made.

LAUNCHED AND SAILING - 14/11/2008

A BEND IN THE NILE enjoyed two great launches at Eden Court, Inverness, and DR Simpson’s Bookshop in Wick.  Many thanks to Paul in Inverness, and to Lorraine and Neil up north, for all their help and cooperation.  Neil is doing a great job of creating an independent book shop and will be stocking Sandstone books from now on, don’t miss the chance to visit if you possibly can.  We need many more small, idiosyncratic book shops throughout these islands, to complement the big chains and the internet.  Aren’t they good at stocking out of the mainstream and isn’t that a benefit to us all.

Among the new work they now have on their shelves is Ron McMillan’s BETWEEN WEATHERS.  The Shetland News has just published what we believe is the best appreciation of this book yet, by their deep thinking reviewer, James Mackenzie.  We are waiting for a portrait of James but you can read the review in the BETWEEN WEATHERS Hinterland and on the SHETLAND NEWS web site at http://www.shetland-news.co.uk

Still ahead is Dr Gerard Carruthers talk on ‘Robert Burns and Politics’ at the National Library of Scotland on Wednesday 26th November.  Gerard is co-editor of FICKLE MAN: Robert Burns in the 21st Century, on course for January publication it can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

Our collaborative publication with the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND, SCOTTISH PRINTED BOOKS, is still available and selling steadily.  It will make a great Christmas gift.

- 07/11/2008

Chris McIvor has returned from Mozambique for the Highland launch events of A BEND IN THE NILE.  They are as follows:-

Wednesday 12th November, 6.00pm, at Bishop’s Palace, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness.
Thursday 13th November, 2.00pm, D.R. Simpson’s Bookshop, High Street, Wick.
There will be a press call at 4.00pm on Wednesday 12th in the Eden Court Chapel, just off the Bishop’s Palace.
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Ron McMillan’s wonderful travelogue of Shetland, BETWEEN WEATHERS, has caught us out with a sudden flush of sales that left our Distributor’s shelves empty.  Naturally we are going to immediate reprint and the book will be available again just as soon as we can manage.  It should be with us in comfortable time for your Christmas shopping.
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Dr Gerard Carruthers, co-editor of FICKLE MAN: Robert Burns in the 21st Century, will be speaking on ‘Robert Burns and Politics’ at the National Library of Scotland on Wednesday 26th November.  FICKLE MAN can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

LAUNCH DETAILS AND MORE. - 31/10/2008

We can now confirm the launch details for A BEND IN THE NILE and hope you can manage along.

Wednesday 12th November, 6.00-7.30pm, Bishop’s Palace, Eden Court Theatre.  Author CHRIS MCIVOR will be interviewed by Sandstone Director MOIRA FORSYTH.  The interview will be recorded by JIM McAUSLAN of Hi-Arts and posted by him on the NORTHINGS web site and on iTunes.  This is another innovation from Sandstone Press, this time in partnership with Hi-Arts and will serve to widen both our outreach and Hi-Arts’ throughout the world.  There will be an informal bar and we hope to have some special guests along to discuss particular aspects of the book.  More to follow on this.

There will be a PRESS CALL call at the EDEN COURT THEATRE CHAPEL at 4.00pm.  All members of the press are welcome.  The good news about what is happening in the Arts in Highland, with Sandstone Press, the wonderful new Eden Court Theatre, Northwords Now, and much more, isn’t nearly widely enough known.

Thursday 13th November, 2.00-3.30pm, D. R. SIMPSON’S Bookshop, High Street, WICK.  Chris McIvor will read from A BEND IN THE NILE, take questions from what we expect will be a lively audience and be glad to meet with them afterwards.  He will be avaialble to sign copies of A BEND IN THE NILE at both events.
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Our co-publication with The Drouth Magazine, FICKLE MAN: Robert Burns in the 21st Century, is now in the final phases of preparation.  It will be our first hardback, promising not only to shed a contemporary light on ROBERT BURNS but to be a profoundly beautiful production that all Burnsians will want to possess.  It will be available in JANUARY.

EXCITING TIMES - 23/10/2008

Chris McIvor’s book A BEND IN THE NILE has been three years in the making.  Already the author of a huge list of books (as the ‘Also By’ page will show) Chris was an accomplished author when he turned his hand to this first volume of memoirs.  Work has been continually interupted by more pressing matters such as Mozambique’s annual floods, not to mention his many other duties for the charity SAVE THE CHILDREN.  The effort has been worth it though, it is a brilliant book that will be enjoyed by all travellers, armchair or itinerant.  The first print run is now with our distributor in Glasgow, with early copies already trickling out to wholesalers for official publication date on November 1st.

Chris will be boarding a plane for home soon, looking forward to launches at the BISHOP’S PALACE, EDEN COURT THEATRE, INVERNESS, on Wednesday 12th November and D R SIMPSON’S BOOKSHOP in WICK on the 13th.  We are going to make these pretty special events so be there if you can.  More information wll follow on this space.  Exciting times, indeed.

We were delighted to find a review of Antony Kamm’s SCOTTISH PRINTED BOOKS in AM BRATACH, Sutherland’s monthly magazine.  It is posted in the book’s hinterland now so please go there to find what KEVIN CROWE of LOCH CROISPOL BOOKSHOP, Scotland’s most remote bookshop, makes of it.  AM BRATACH, incidentally, means ‘The Banner’.

LOOKING FORWARD TO NOVEMBER - 16/10/2008

It seems our ANNOUNCEMENT PDF for Chris McIvor’s coming book A BEND IN THE NILE is creating quite some interest with visitor numbers to the web site increased already.  Please take the time to explore.  At the bottom of the book pages you will find the word HINTERLAND.  Take a look in there to find all kinds of contextualising articles, reviews and picture strips.  For those who wish to purchase online you can go directly to the relevant pages at Amazon, Books from Scotland, Borders and Waterstones.

A BEND IN THE NILE is scheduled to appear on November 1st and we plan exciting launch events at the BISHOP’S PALACE, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, on Wednesday 12th November and at SIMPSON’S BOOK SHOP in Wick, Caithness, on Thursday 13th.  Chris will be back from Mozambique for both of these events and happy to meet you.

Also in November the SALTIRE SOCIETY will be announcing the SHORT LISTS for their annual book awards.  We have our fingers crossed for Ron McMillan and BETWEEN WEATHERS: Travels in 21st Century Shetland.

New Developments - 10/10/2008

To those who are visiting for the first time - welcome!  Welcome also to our regular visitors.  The latest news at Sandstone Press is that we are waiting for the first batch of Chris McIvor’s book A BEND IN THE NILE to arrive at the distributor.  We are planning two launch events, in Inverness and Wick and more information on these will appear here very soon.  The new supply of THE KERRACHER MAN has now arrived and is going out steadily, an unprecedented fourth print run.  Typesetting work is near completion on FICKLE MAN and it will be a very special production indeed for the Bard’s 250th birthday.  Please do keep visiting this space where we will keep you up to speed on all that is going on.

KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH OUR READERS - 02/10/2008

The Sandstone Press FACEBOOK is gathering more FRIENDS every day.  If you have your own facebook, or are a reading group, or another publisher, or a record company or theatre group, why not pay a visit and befriend us?  Along with this web site and the occasional e-bulletin we will be using it to keep people informed of new and coming publications and other events.

Speaking of which the fourth print run of THE KERRACHER MAN will be with our distributor on Monday, and A BEND IN THE NILE is on schedule for November 1st.  We expect to be announcing an exciting new book in the following couple of weeks.

Going into a new month - October - 28/09/2008

After successful appearances at both the BLACK ISLE WORDS FESTIVAL and BOAT OF GARTEN BOOK FESTIVAL, where authors Jamie Whittle and Eric MacLeod were extremely well received by large audiences, Sandstone Press now looks forward to the Inverness Book Festival.  The NEIL GUNN LECTURE, organised by the NEIL GUNN TRUST, this year features the broadcaster and author LESLEY RIDDOCH who will be talking about wilderness and development.

Sandstone Press is proud to be the commercial sponsor of this event.  Sandstone’s Managing Director Robert Davidson says, ‘Following our sponsorship of the NAIRN BOOK AND ARTS FESTIVAL and the BOAT OF GARTEN FESTIVAL this is further evidence of the company’s committment to literacy and cultural development, particlarly on our home ground, the Scottish Highlands.  It is a perfect complement to our international approach which will be further evidenced on November 1st with the publication of A BEND IN THE NILE by Chris McIvor’.

Sandstone has a couple of Book Festivals coming up. - 18/09/2008

Submissions Editor Moira Forsyth will be appearing at the Black Isle Words Festival on Sunday 21st September to discuss our Non-Fiction programme and the sort of editing input the company regularly puts into new books and authors.  This will be an eye opener to many aspiring authors, giving an insight into what happens before and after date of publication and the importance of the author in really getting the book before its readership.

Jamie Whittle and Eric MacLeod will be appearing at Boat of Garten Book Festival the following Saturday, 27th September.  Now in its second year Boat of Garten is rapidly increasing its footprint on the literary map.  On Friday night Sir Chris Bonnington will be speaking and, all in all, these are three days of events that should really not be missed.  In the coming months Sandstone Press will have an important announcement to make concerning the wider Strathspey area and the Cairngorms and Sir Chris will have a hand in it.  Keep visiting the web site to find out more.

All but one of our Non-Fiction list now has a Search Inside! facility on Amazon.  Scottish Printed Books is just too magnificently illustrated for them.  You can get there directly from the book pages.

A warm welcome to new visitors. - 06/09/2008

This week some people will be visiting for the first time after a SCOTTISH PRINTED BOOKS advert placed in the Independent by our friends at the National Library of Scotland.  Antony Kamm’s survey of 500 years of printing has been highly praised wherever it has travelled, most recently in a superb colour spread in the Dundee Courier.  Please take time to visit the book’s web page and, while you are there, click on to its Hinterland.  In fact, do that with any book that takes your eye.  We are very proud that Ron McMillan’s travelogue of Shetland, BETWEEN WEATHERS, has been nominated for the Saltire Awards and Eric MacLeod’s THE KERRACHER MAN has moved into its fourth print run.

On November 1st Chris McIvor’s book on his travels in North Africa, A BEND IN THE NILE, will become available.  It promises to be a great success and you can take a look at the cover, and the developing Hinterland by clicking onto our new FORTHCOMING section.  We are especially delighted by interest and friendship from SAVE THE CHILDREN whose excellent web site you can visit through our Links page.

The SANDSTONE web site has been substantially reconstructed and more developments are on the way.  We will be adding and altering much more regularly from now on so why not bookmark us and make regular visits.

Another Edinburgh gone by, roll on Boat of Garten - 25/08/2008

Congratulations to Catherine Lockerbie and her team after another successful Edinburgh International Book Festival.  These Festivals are becoming more popular with new events springing up all across the Highlands.  The Kerracher Man (Eric MacLeod) has already appeared at Nairn and The Big Tent, and on Saturday 27th September will appear at Boat of Garten.  Jamie Whittle will be gigging on ‘White River’ on the same day so BofG is a Festival not to miss.  On Friday 3rd October Sandstone Press, in association with the Neil Gunn Trust, will host the Neil Gunn Lecture as part of the Inverness Book Fsetival in the new Eden Court Theatre.  This year’s lecture will be given by super-journalist Leslie Riddoch.  Tickets for all three events are going fast so if you are in the area on holiday, or a book loving resident, you had best move quickly.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL - 21/08/2008

The Sandstone Press shelves at the Book Tent have been attracting quite a bit of attention with all of the titles going well.  On Saturday 1st September (Saturday coming!) Jamie Whittle and Eric MacLeod will be appearing at the Boat of Garten Book Festival.  This will be a rare opportunity to hear both authors on one day.  Jamie brings his ecological and traveller’s awareness to environmental and land use issues, and Eric brings that of the working crofter and businessman.

July Updates! - 01/07/2008

SCOTTISH PRINTED BOOKS by Antony Kamm is available now!

The first Sandstone Press books to appear in translation are now out.
THE HIGHWAY MEN by Ken MacLeod has now been published in Roumania.
WICKED! by Janet Paisley has been published in Ukraine.

WINNING THROUGH by Brian Irvine, LOSING IT by Lesley Glaister, THE SIN EATER by Deborah J Miller, and HEGARTY AND THE DOLEFUL DANCER by Leon Murphy are all now out in audio versions in WF Howes Clipper Series.

BETWEEN WEATHERS by Ron McMillan has been nominated for the Saltire Society Book Awards.

THE KERRACHER MAN by Eric MacLeod has just gone into its second reprint within three months of publication. Eric will appear at THE BIG TENT FESTIVAL on Saturday 26th July.

A BEND IN THE NILE by Chris McIvor and FICKLE MAN: Robert Burns in the 21st Century are both coming. Keep visiting the web site for more news.

August 2007 - 26/08/2007

Sandstone Press is delighted to announce that Remzije Sherifi’s SHADOW BEHIND THE SUN has been nominated for the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year prize.

THE RADICAL FIELD will be launched in the National Library of Scotland, at George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW, on Wednesday 10th October at 7:00pm.  Among the speakers will be Norman Bissell of the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics, Raymond Ross, former editor of Cencrastus, and Lindsay Paterson.  The reader will be Catherine Murray.  Refreshments will be available.

A second launch will take place at Hillhead Library, Byres Road, Glasgow on Wednesday 24th October, 6:15pm for 6:30 – 8:00pm.  This event will be jointly hosted by Sandstone Press and the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics.  Norman Bissell, the Centre’s Chair will speak and their will be readings by friends of the late author.  Refreshments will be available.

Three more Sandstone Vistas are on the way!  More news to follow in due course.

LITERACY AT THE CROSSROADS, a talk given to CILIP in LONDON in September 2007, is now available in the Vista Hinterland, reached through any of the Vista book pages. 

June 2007 - 29/06/2007

Speaking at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and to MSPs at a Refugee Reception at the Scottish Parliament, Sally Daghlian, Chief Executive of the Scottish Refugee Council has praised Remzije Sherifi’s SHADOW BEHIND THE SUN highly, describing it as ‘compulsory reading for all politicians’.

The book has inspired important articles from Annie Brown in the Daily Record and Tom Shields in the Sunday Herald as well as reviews in Scottish Review of Books and Northwords Now.  Along with a sequence of photographs from some of the launch events these can be found through the book’s Hinterland.