Today we talk about A Crofter’s Year, a book by MIRIAM HAMILTON published with our Publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author, MIRIAM HAMILTON, to get to know her better, what prompted her to the writing of her book A Crofter’s Year, as well as how she chose the title of her book.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What prompted to the writing of your book?
My book came about naturally through my process of recording my daily life through photographs posted to social media. I love taking pictures of the spectacular landscapes in which we live, and sharing our daily activities as crofters. Through this sharing process I can connect with people from around the world and educate them about our unique way of life. This increases interest in the islands and our work plus is a wonderful way to explore different cultures. I felt by collating my favourite pictures into a book, it would provide a different format to reach new people and be a more permanent way to enjoy my work. The addition of the rhythmical prose helps guide the reader through the pages, creating a storyline to follow in accompaniment to the images. I have written poetry since I was around ten years old so it felt natural to include in my book. My lines are inspired by the seasons, the landscape and the traditional activities we participate in as crofters.
- What life experiences do you write about in your book?
A Crofter’s Year follows the seasons through the year, from the eyes of a crofter. Starting with the beginning of the shepherd’s year with the tupping of the sheep – this is when the rams are put in with the ewes to create new life for the following spring. It always feels like the beginning, as it is when the next cycle of birth starts. We then follow the year through the autumn, the community bonfires creating a comradery and fellowship to keep us warm through the cold months. Christmas and the first snows, brief, fun for the kids, beautiful to look at but creating extra work for the crofters and sheep. Spring comes around and the excitement and exhaustion of lambing time. My favourite time of year, watching the new life come into the world, helping where needed. There is nothing more satisfying than bringing a stuck lamb out safely and watching it bond with its mother. Summer is the busy time for tourists and the islands bustle with people. Hay and feed must be stored ready for winter but the sheep have plenty of grass to graze and grow. Then its tupping time again already and the cycle begins anew.
- What would you like to hear from your readers?
I hope my readers will find this book relaxing, meditative, inspiring and informative. The landscapes here are so powerful, maybe it will encourage folks to visit and see them for themselves. Or it can be an escape for people who cannot travel, for whatever reason, giving them a virtual experience of our wild islands. It would be interesting to hear if this book sparks conversation. Taking the concept forward and thinking about it in terms of our own daily lives. Why do most people start the year at ‘new year’, in the middle of the dark times when there is no growth, nothing to stimulate the soul. Maybe we should be choosing a different time to begin afresh, the start of new life, or the first day of spring. A time when the world feels alive and stimulating. I would also love to hear what people are curious about, would they want to find out more about our little corner of the world. What questions would they ask if they were here. Another interesting aspect would be how our life differs from the readers, is this difference so alien you cannot imagine living as we do or are their resonations that connect all of us.
- How did you choose the title of your book?
I actually decided on the title for my book before I had written a single line. I knew exactly what I wanted to create and knew how the book would play out. The title was a natural decision, simple and effective, describing the story that plays through the text. I came up with the title while walking on the beach, the dogs barking at the waves and the wind blowing my hair in my face. I was photographing, as I always do when I am out and about, and I thought about my pictures. I post them on social media but within a day or so they are buried in the shear volume of data constantly being added. I wanted to create something more tangible and I thought about how I would make it work. I came up with the concept of following the seasons and decided to start with what always feels like the beginning of our year. Therefore, as a crofter, naturally I decided to call it “A Crofter’s Year”.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
I am actually working on a new/ old project! When I was in secondary school between the ages of 14 and 15, I wrote a 106 A4 page novel. It then sat on a hard-drive and I mostly forgot about it. I was not well recently so I decided to take that time to clean my computer and hard drives. I then found my creative writings from when I was a teenager including this book. I had a vague memory of the theme but absolutely no idea of the plot, so it was hilarious to read and rediscover what I had written! I am now in the early stages of rewriting the book as I like the storyline and the basic characters. They need significant development and the story needs a lot of filling out but the basic plot is there. I am enjoying writing them from an adult perspective and have so many ideas I want to explore. The book outline is based on traditional fantasy involving elves and dragons but set in a modern-day world with modern technologies. It is very much from a female perspective with woman playing the main roles throughout.
Europe Books thanks the author, MIRIAM HAMILTON, once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book A Crofter’s Year. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my readers, I hope this book relaxes you, allows you to “travel,” and provides you with food for thought and interesting, useful questions for your everyday life.
So, my dear readers, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!