I am at Laggan Cottage on the Isle of Arran, the inspiration for Creggan in Dreamwords. Having done the random dump-and-run experiments in Glencoe and Edinburgh, I now want to find out how the hit-rate changes if I try to skew the distribution dice in the book’s favour.

One of the reasons I picked this area for the novel’s setting was its tranquil isolation. Footfall is almost non-existent. Still, over a summer week, it’s reasonable to think that I might shift 100 books. By pitching my tent directly outside the cottage and placing the display just off the path, most walkers will see them and I am close enough to strike a conversation. I usually do this anyway so it’s perfectly natural. Most of them are mature and many are cultured. Combine this with the fact that they have a shared and (hopefully) pleasant memory of the place and it is hard to think of a better demographic.

I doubt I’ll snag an army of readers, but what I learn here for the rest of the distribution, could be invaluable.

And anyway, I can work at the same time and it’s hard to think of a better place to be.

Three days ago, as I lay on the grass writing, dolphins fished a few yards off-shore – them doing their thing, me doing mine. Bliss!