SISSIE sighed with relief as a wintry Oban came into view. Her Morris Minor was behaving, but it always felt good to complete the long drive from Glasgow. The sea was sparkling and the air frosty as t

I WOKE up after a vivid dream of Eleanor. I’d had quite a few recently. Eleanor was my half-sister. She was older than me – the daughter of Dad’s first wife, Dorrie. My mum only found out he had a fir

The contemporary fiction writer talks to Zoe West

I t’s one of those January mornings where the sun is so dazzling it tricks you into thinking you don’t need to wear four layers and two pairs of socks. I made the error of leaving the house wearing my

The house next door had stood empty for many months and the weeds in the overgrown garden were spreading into my flower borders, becoming a nuisance. I’d taken early retirement when Jack became too il

KAREN is my oldest and closest friend. We met when we were eleven, seated side by side on the first day of secondary school, and instantly hit it off. She was tall and thin with long, straight, fair h