Reading about Mental Awareness Week on the Scottish Book Trust website there were two post which caught my eye:
The Callan Gordon Award is open for authors between between 18 and 35 years in memory of the tragic death of Callan, when he took his own life at 28 years through mental illness. Here’s Iain’s story, Callan’s Dad.
My heart goes out to Iain, who is still going through pain at the memory of events in 2011, ten years ago. Here’s the link to the award:
This is a way of supporting young Scottish authors too!
The second post on the Scottish Book Trust relating to Mental Awareness Week is how best to improve mental health by getting out and about in the natural world as described in Brian Kerr’s book How to Value a Skylark, The Countryside in a Time of Change.
The Scottish Book Trust describes 15 wonderful books and so, if you can’t absorb yourself in the natural world right now, then why don’t you settle down and relax and read one of these lovely books at home. I’ve only read The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd in this list and it magically transports you to the wild places in the Cairngorms.
That brings me neatly to my little book of encouragement which I began writing as I was leaving my teaching post at Barnfield Further Education in Luton, giving young people a second chance; a book much needed as we emerge from lock down. The title speaks for itself:
Search for the Pearl Inside Yourself
A Gift Book of Encouragement for Young Adults
To be released as a paperback on 25th June 2021
Diana Jackson 