Second book in new Hebridean trilogy

The books are available as ebooks on Amazon and Libby hopes to have them produced in paperback next year.

The Uist Connection finds Libby’s Bornish based hero Matt Macaulay back in Uist with a small job to do for the enigmatic Murdo MacNeil.

Unfortunately things don’t go quite as planned and hero Matt needs to work quickly with friends and neighbours, to save his home and the people he cares for from a potentially devastating disaster.

Brought up in London, then studying Politics and Sociology in the north of England, Libby moved to the Western Isles in 2006.

Although from a Scottish family, with many relatives on the west coast, Libby moved to the islands through a work opportunity, but in 2012 she was made redundant from QinetiQ and decided it was time to fulfil a lifelong ambition to write a novel.

Talking about her inspiration for the characters and the books she described: “The first book is inspired through family experiences.

“My son was medically retired from the marines, and he also rescued a girl being harangued in an alley. He found leaving the services hard and had to rediscover his sense of purpose.”

She added: “Also, working in the islands, I have seen how some visitors who come up make assumptions about the way of life and local people, as my villains in the first book do.

“I do think the way people come together to sort things is realistic.”

Libby described how she has always loved both reading and writing and explained that she also writes poetry, often penning verses for friends or about things that move her.

When asked about the process of writing and finding the confidence to take forward her first novel, she explained: “I attended a crime writer’s workshop at Lionacleit Library with Caro Ramsey, which gave me the confidence to take it forward.

“It takes me about a year to write one. When I know the outline of the plot I “draw” it. I put a roll of wallpaper horizontal on the wall of my office, then map out the book.

“It helps me understand what needs to happen when. I also research the places and timings to be as authentic as possible.”

At the moment Libby is currently working on book three fleshing out its characters and she talked about the help she received from Business Gateway in the promotion of the trilogy.

Talking about the support they offered Business Gateway said: “Libby contacted Business Gateway for advice in starting her new publishing venture.

“As well as attending some of our business skills workshops, Libby received specialist one-to-one business advice.

“We wish her every success with the launch of her new book.”