ST GIBSON, FANTASY AUTHOR AND POET
Where is it?
Old Town, Edinburgh.
Why do you go there?
The Gothic architecture, winding alleyways speckled with boutiques and pubs, and lovely parks always make me feel creatively inspired. When I’m in Edinburgh, I don’t even want to sleep, because there’s so much to explore and so little time.
How often do you go?
I try to go once a year if I’m able. I’m excited to be back on Scottish soil for the Cymera Festival and to also be appearing at Greenside Church in Edinburgh. I’m a bit of a church history nerd and love visiting historical religious sites any time I can and learning about their past and present.
How did you discover it?
My best friend used to work as a flight attendant and visited Scotland every chance she got. Even after moving into a different career, she continued to make this pilgrimage and invited me to join her on her fifth trip from the US to Scotland. She was completely correct that I would fall immediately in love.
What’s your favourite memory?
Unwinding after a day of landmark-spotting and cemetery-strolling with a visit to the Ensign Ewart pub. Talking for hours with my friend at a cosy little table in the backroom while we ate sticky toffee pudding.
Who do you take?
I want to share this city with everyone I love truly. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit with my fiance soon.
What do you take?
A travel raincoat, always, so that I can stay out longer if the weather turns particularly wet. My journal, so I can capture the sweetest memories as they come. Also, a dedicated notebook for whatever book I’m currently working on, so I can scribble in pubs and cafes.
What do you leave behind?
On my last trip, which started and ended in Edinburgh, I shed so many anxieties during the two weeks I was in the country. I started out the trip a little nervous and neurotic, but by the time we returned to the city to celebrate all the adventuring we had done, I felt so much more confident and at peace.
Sum it up in five words.
Lively. Haunting. Moody. Cosmopolitan. Delicious.
What other travel spot is on your wish list?
There are some truly magical coastal spots in Scotland I’ve promised myself I’ll revisit, such as Arisaig which absolutely captivated my senses.
Or Oldshoremore where I walked along the beach for hours plotting books out loud with my friend and we stayed in a guest house attached to a historic schoolhouse.
Outside the UK, I’ve dreamed of visiting Prague ever since I was a little girl, especially as a romantic winter getaway to see the Christmas markets.
Evocation by ST Gibson (Angry Robot, £18.99) is published on May 28. The author will be appearing at Greenside Church, Edinburgh, on May 30, and at Cymera 2024 - Scotland's festival for science-fiction, fantasy and horror writing - at the Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh, on June 1. Visit toppingbooks.co.uk/events and cymerafestival.co.uk
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