Shona MacLean
@shonamaclean.bsky.social
Scottish writer. Not sure about this at all.
Pinned
This is my new book (26/026). It's the 1st time in years that I'll be published as 'Shona' rather than 'S.G.'and I am very happy to be reclaiming my name. It's about a reading society formed in a northern Scottish town in the 1830s. Drama ensues. (My mother-in-law crocheted the shawl 🧶)
Reposted by Shona MacLean
Book post! Can't wait to read the latest by the fabulous @shonamaclean.bsky.social. Published by @quercusbooks.bsky.social, in bookshops in Feb.
November 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Book post! Can't wait to read the latest by the fabulous @shonamaclean.bsky.social. Published by @quercusbooks.bsky.social, in bookshops in Feb.
Went to soak some broth mix for tomorrow and there is no broth mix in the house, and now I can't sleep for the visions of tight-lipped head-shaking of the ancestors.
November 23, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Went to soak some broth mix for tomorrow and there is no broth mix in the house, and now I can't sleep for the visions of tight-lipped head-shaking of the ancestors.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... I'm utterly speechless.
Ardvrek Castle wall 'ripped down' for use as stepping stones
Ardvrek Castle in Assynt is a 500-year-old former clan seat, and reputed to be haunted.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 8:23 PM
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... I'm utterly speechless.
On a bitterly cold day, arriving at my desk with a favourite mug and snacks on the perfectly-sized, leftover pottery 'splodge' made by potter and novelist Elizabeth Macneal just brightens the start to my working day. Bonus painted paperweight of Horgabost, Harris, a gift from a talented friend.
November 21, 2025 at 10:16 AM
On a bitterly cold day, arriving at my desk with a favourite mug and snacks on the perfectly-sized, leftover pottery 'splodge' made by potter and novelist Elizabeth Macneal just brightens the start to my working day. Bonus painted paperweight of Horgabost, Harris, a gift from a talented friend.
Reposted by Shona MacLean
Please share this as widely as you can, tag your local indies too, and help us get the word about about this news.
We know and appreciate how much help we have had for you over the years and we’re sorry to have to ask you for more.
We’re here and we aren’t going anywhere.
(2/2)
We know and appreciate how much help we have had for you over the years and we’re sorry to have to ask you for more.
We’re here and we aren’t going anywhere.
(2/2)
November 18, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Please share this as widely as you can, tag your local indies too, and help us get the word about about this news.
We know and appreciate how much help we have had for you over the years and we’re sorry to have to ask you for more.
We’re here and we aren’t going anywhere.
(2/2)
We know and appreciate how much help we have had for you over the years and we’re sorry to have to ask you for more.
We’re here and we aren’t going anywhere.
(2/2)
Reposted by Shona MacLean
For anyone wondering, some possible dog names have survived from cuneiform sources.
On tiny dog figurines found buried under a palace in Nineveh, Iraq are inscriptions that seem to be names.
dan rigiššu “loud is his bark”
munaššiku gārîšu “biter of his foe”
mušēṣi lemnūti “expeller of evil”
On tiny dog figurines found buried under a palace in Nineveh, Iraq are inscriptions that seem to be names.
dan rigiššu “loud is his bark”
munaššiku gārîšu “biter of his foe”
mušēṣi lemnūti “expeller of evil”
January 30, 2025 at 10:13 AM
For anyone wondering, some possible dog names have survived from cuneiform sources.
On tiny dog figurines found buried under a palace in Nineveh, Iraq are inscriptions that seem to be names.
dan rigiššu “loud is his bark”
munaššiku gārîšu “biter of his foe”
mušēṣi lemnūti “expeller of evil”
On tiny dog figurines found buried under a palace in Nineveh, Iraq are inscriptions that seem to be names.
dan rigiššu “loud is his bark”
munaššiku gārîšu “biter of his foe”
mušēṣi lemnūti “expeller of evil”
A freezing cold day, and in my lunchtime read, 2 little boys on a freezing day dream of making a slide at school. The slides we would make at my old primary were huge whole school, joint enterprise endeavours, only brought to an end by the jannie and his bucket of salt when fatalities threatened.
November 19, 2025 at 1:11 PM
A freezing cold day, and in my lunchtime read, 2 little boys on a freezing day dream of making a slide at school. The slides we would make at my old primary were huge whole school, joint enterprise endeavours, only brought to an end by the jannie and his bucket of salt when fatalities threatened.
Can anyone recommend a good UK-based online stationery provider for basics like index cards? Not Amazon.
November 19, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Can anyone recommend a good UK-based online stationery provider for basics like index cards? Not Amazon.
The annual war of attrition has begun: me and the birds on one side, outraged Labrador on the other, and the bird table in the middle. George loses any shred of dignity when he finally gets out to scrabble for any tiny crumbs the birds have left, but with a beak like this, my money's on this fellow.
November 19, 2025 at 9:34 AM
The annual war of attrition has begun: me and the birds on one side, outraged Labrador on the other, and the bird table in the middle. George loses any shred of dignity when he finally gets out to scrabble for any tiny crumbs the birds have left, but with a beak like this, my money's on this fellow.
I need to get up and get on with my working day. Or I could just stay in bed all morningwatching this ...
“Shoot! He’s done him, he’s done him, he’s done him!” 🏴
The commentary team when Kenny McLean hit it from inside his own half in the 97th minute 🤣🤣🤣
The commentary team when Kenny McLean hit it from inside his own half in the 97th minute 🤣🤣🤣
November 19, 2025 at 6:55 AM
I need to get up and get on with my working day. Or I could just stay in bed all morningwatching this ...
Reposted by Shona MacLean
"We can expect snow in the highest parts of Scotland tonight, like the Cairngorms, Glen Coe, and Scott McTominay's right foot..."
#SCODEN
#SCODEN
If only Ferenc Puskás was alive today to win the McTominay Award
November 18, 2025 at 8:08 PM
"We can expect snow in the highest parts of Scotland tonight, like the Cairngorms, Glen Coe, and Scott McTominay's right foot..."
#SCODEN
#SCODEN
Never seen anything like that in my life!! 4-2.
November 18, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Never seen anything like that in my life!! 4-2.
Steve Clark smiled.
November 18, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Steve Clark smiled.
I'm looking for recommendations of Scandinavian literature, translated into English, (not Scandi-noir, I've got plenty of that), please ...
November 17, 2025 at 8:20 AM
I'm looking for recommendations of Scandinavian literature, translated into English, (not Scandi-noir, I've got plenty of that), please ...
Reposted by Shona MacLean
Without asylum:
Marks and Spencer wouldn't exist
Queen would have been without a front man
The other queen wouldn't have had a husband
Judith Kerr would never have written The Tiger Who Came to Tea
And thousands of less famous people wouldn't have been teachers, politicians, neighbours, etc
Marks and Spencer wouldn't exist
Queen would have been without a front man
The other queen wouldn't have had a husband
Judith Kerr would never have written The Tiger Who Came to Tea
And thousands of less famous people wouldn't have been teachers, politicians, neighbours, etc
November 15, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Without asylum:
Marks and Spencer wouldn't exist
Queen would have been without a front man
The other queen wouldn't have had a husband
Judith Kerr would never have written The Tiger Who Came to Tea
And thousands of less famous people wouldn't have been teachers, politicians, neighbours, etc
Marks and Spencer wouldn't exist
Queen would have been without a front man
The other queen wouldn't have had a husband
Judith Kerr would never have written The Tiger Who Came to Tea
And thousands of less famous people wouldn't have been teachers, politicians, neighbours, etc
The joy of finding that 'slightly roomier' winter skirt you thought was lost. Oh yes, I will have a scone, thank you.
November 15, 2025 at 10:49 AM
The joy of finding that 'slightly roomier' winter skirt you thought was lost. Oh yes, I will have a scone, thank you.
About to do the dinner dishes with my daughter and as she reaches for her earphones & says, 'Why don't you put on a podcast, Mum? You like podcasts.' (I am 59, not 97.) So I tell her about the @backlisted.bsky.social I am 1/2 way through.
November 14, 2025 at 7:42 PM
About to do the dinner dishes with my daughter and as she reaches for her earphones & says, 'Why don't you put on a podcast, Mum? You like podcasts.' (I am 59, not 97.) So I tell her about the @backlisted.bsky.social I am 1/2 way through.
libro.fm/audiobooks/9... Absolutely cannot recommend this book, Hawthorn, A Scottish Ghost Story, by Elaine Thomson, highly enough. A perfectly weighted classic in the style of Robert Louis Stevenson, and a delight to listen to, narrated here by Lorne MacNaughton. @elainethomson123.bsky.social
Hawthorn Audiobook on Libro.fm
For fans of Michelle Paver and Sarah Waters, the first in a haunting quartet of ghost stories set in the wilds of Scotland. 'I was so impressed by Hawthorn' MICHELLE PAVER, author of Dark Matter'Delig...
libro.fm
November 14, 2025 at 9:55 AM
libro.fm/audiobooks/9... Absolutely cannot recommend this book, Hawthorn, A Scottish Ghost Story, by Elaine Thomson, highly enough. A perfectly weighted classic in the style of Robert Louis Stevenson, and a delight to listen to, narrated here by Lorne MacNaughton. @elainethomson123.bsky.social
Frost on the ground and all the car windows. Time to bring out the big guns. Knitted years ago by my mother-in-law to a pattern for Sara Lund's jumper from The Killing. And no, I'm not ironing it first.
November 14, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Frost on the ground and all the car windows. Time to bring out the big guns. Knitted years ago by my mother-in-law to a pattern for Sara Lund's jumper from The Killing. And no, I'm not ironing it first.
My daughter has just claimed that trying to understand my rules for what I have with my toast in the morning, depending on whether it's brown or white bread and whether I'm having it with tea or coffee is like trying to negotiate one of Sherlock's mind palaces, level 2.
November 14, 2025 at 6:28 AM
My daughter has just claimed that trying to understand my rules for what I have with my toast in the morning, depending on whether it's brown or white bread and whether I'm having it with tea or coffee is like trying to negotiate one of Sherlock's mind palaces, level 2.
Today alone I have had 3 ludicrous AI-infused book "collaboration" opportunities. The prize surely goes to 'Sophia' though, with her review of my (not yet published) novel which, "moves ... with the precision of bagpipes at midnight." Only because the piper's been guttered a good 3 hours, Sophia.
November 13, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Today alone I have had 3 ludicrous AI-infused book "collaboration" opportunities. The prize surely goes to 'Sophia' though, with her review of my (not yet published) novel which, "moves ... with the precision of bagpipes at midnight." Only because the piper's been guttered a good 3 hours, Sophia.
Reposted by Shona MacLean
“Man is not truly one but truly two.”
Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish writer, born #OTD 1850, author of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde 1886. Dr Jekyll’s house probably based on dual-entrance London house of surgeon & anatomist Dr John Hunter: corpses delivered at back for dissection.
Sargent 1887 Taft Museum
Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish writer, born #OTD 1850, author of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde 1886. Dr Jekyll’s house probably based on dual-entrance London house of surgeon & anatomist Dr John Hunter: corpses delivered at back for dissection.
Sargent 1887 Taft Museum
November 13, 2025 at 5:59 AM
“Man is not truly one but truly two.”
Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish writer, born #OTD 1850, author of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde 1886. Dr Jekyll’s house probably based on dual-entrance London house of surgeon & anatomist Dr John Hunter: corpses delivered at back for dissection.
Sargent 1887 Taft Museum
Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish writer, born #OTD 1850, author of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde 1886. Dr Jekyll’s house probably based on dual-entrance London house of surgeon & anatomist Dr John Hunter: corpses delivered at back for dissection.
Sargent 1887 Taft Museum
Flicking through my journal for something, the words 'Blowhard buffoon' jumped out at me, and without checking the date or anything in the context, I knew instantly who I'd been talking about, even though I'd only met him once.
November 12, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Flicking through my journal for something, the words 'Blowhard buffoon' jumped out at me, and without checking the date or anything in the context, I knew instantly who I'd been talking about, even though I'd only met him once.
I went to see someone today, to return some documents they had lent to me for a research project. We talked of many things and then I came away with a string of onions that they gifted to me, that they had grown and strung themselves, and something in the skill of it all astonishes me.
November 11, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I went to see someone today, to return some documents they had lent to me for a research project. We talked of many things and then I came away with a string of onions that they gifted to me, that they had grown and strung themselves, and something in the skill of it all astonishes me.
Reposted by Shona MacLean
Moore rather gave the game away on Today just now when he mentioned climate change as one of the things on which the BBC should be impartial. Treating the truth and lies as though they are equal isn't impartiality, it's an abdication of the most basic journalistic responsibility
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Moore rather gave the game away on Today just now when he mentioned climate change as one of the things on which the BBC should be impartial. Treating the truth and lies as though they are equal isn't impartiality, it's an abdication of the most basic journalistic responsibility