Hamish and Friends by Susan Price
A Scottish hero is celebrating his 20th anniversary of appearing in print this year.
He has hunted for lost princes, skirmished at Stirling, and joined a clan gathering, driving himself there in his Whirry-Bang.
He doesn't travel alone. He has his English friend, Rupert...
They visit the great Scottish capital, Edinburgh, of course, and also the second city, Glasgow. At Glamis they meet a ghost, or think they do -- and what Scottish hero could fail to hunt for the Loch Ness Monster?
Hamish is, in fact, a haggis, his full name being Hamish McHaggis. We all know that haggisses really roam wild and free throughout the Highlands, only caught by the most skilled of Highland trackers.
I confess to a shameless plug here, because Hamish was created by my good friend, Linda Strachan, working in close collaboration with her good friend and illustrator, the late Sally J. Collins.
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| Linda with her tasty hero |
Linda, with typical energy and enterprise, has gone out and arranged various events around Scotland this summer, to mark Hamish's twentieth anniversary.
She approached her local uni, and recruited a team of marketing students to help her. With great enthusiasm, they set about making the McHaggis website and the downloadable activities, such as 'Hamish passports' and patterns for hats -- thereby gaining valuable experience to help them find work in the future.
Linda's idea, Linda's organisation, mark. She's the only writer I know with both the know-how and the energy to make it all happen it. Often, merely hearing about what Linda has been up to makes me feel I need to lie down for a nap.
Follow the link to the Hamish website and you can learn more about the events being held in Scotland to celebrate his 20th birthday.
There are nine Hamish books. Linda has written for Young Adults too, with her award winning books, Spider and Dead Boy Talking.
Recently, I met up with Linda and some other friends in Edinburgh (though sadly, Hamish didn't join us). Linda, spotting that the hem on my coat had come unstitched and was hanging down, demanded that I take it off and hand it to her. She then produced a sewing kit from somewhere (perhaps from behind her ear) and stitched my hem up on the spot.
I feel humble and honoured. Not many scruffs like me can say they've had their ill-managed wardrobe given a lightening repair by an award-winning writer. -- But it's typical of Linda's kindness, forethought and energy.
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