Thrilled to announce the birth of a new book!
A-Z of Dumfries: Places-People-History by Mary Smith (yep, that’s me!) and Keith Kirk is now out.
The town of Dumfries, in the south-west of Scotland, known as The Queen of the South, became a royal burgh in 1186 and grew into an important market town and port in the mediaeval period. During its often turbulent past, Dumfries played an important role in the Wars of Independence as the starting point of Robert the Bruce s campaign for the Scottish throne, and later hosted Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Jacobite army. The poet Robert Burns spent his last years in Dumfries and in the 18th and 19th centuries the port of Dumfries benefited from trade with the Americas, as well as being a major exporter of tweed. During the Second World War Dumfries was home to the Norwegian Army in exile and although the port has closed today it is the administrative centre for the Dumfries and Galloway region.
In A-Z of Dumfries we delve into the history of Dumfries, revealing interesting and significant moments in the story of the town. The book highlights well-known landmarks, famous residents and digs beneath the surface to uncover some of the lesser known facts about Dumfries and its hidden gems.
While I wrote the text, this fascinating A-Z tour of Dumfries’s history is fully illustrated with Keith’s fabulous photographs.

Devorgilla Bridge, built in 1431 and the oldest surviving multi-spanned bridge in the country
Obviously some of the people and places in the book will be known to local people. Some Doonhamers may know Goldie Park is named after Jean Goldie who left a bequest for a park to be created in Maxwelltown. Few, however, will know it was Jean’s mother who gave Sir Walter Scott the plot for his Heart of Midlothian novel.
While most will be aware of Burns and Barrie’s associations with the town perhaps not so many know of James Hill, a Dumfries doctor who made enormous contributions to the 18th century treatment of cancer and head injuries.
We’re delighted the book has come out in time for Christmas – it’s the perfect gift for Doonhamers at home or abroad – and for anyone who is interested in Dumfries.
A-Z of Dumfries: Places-People-History (published on November 15 by Amberley Publishing) is available in bookshops and other outlets including Amazon.

Young visitors at the Camera Obscura at Dumfries Museum
For those who live anywhere in the region, Keith and I would be delighted to see you at our celebratory party to welcome the book into the world with some fizz on Tuesday, 26 November at the Rutherford/McCowan Building on the Crichton Campus at 6.30pm. Let me know so we can make sure there’s enough of the fizzy stuff to go round.

Wallace’s Loaning
Then, on Saturday, November 30 we’ll be at Dumfries Museum from 11am to 1pm to sign books and on Saturday, December 7 we’ll be doing another book signing in Waterstones from 11am to 1.00pm.
Wow! Good luck with your book, Mary. And the picture of the camera obscura is ace!
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Thanks, Jemima. Keith took the picture – not easy in the dark, I must say so I think he did a brilliant job.
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Reblogged this on Sue Vincent's Daily Echo.
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Thanks, Sue.
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My pleasure, Mary 🙂
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Congratulations, Mary!
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Thank you. I’m feeling pretty chuffed about it.
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I can imagine 🙂
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Congratulations and good luck with the new book 🌹🌹
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Thank you, Willow. It’s been a fun book to work on and I’ve learned more about what a great town Dumfries is.
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Fantastic 💜
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Congratulations, Mary! I hope the launch party is a great success. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks, Pete. I guess it’s a bit far for you to come – I’ll raise a glass to you on the night 🙂
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine and commented:
If you missed the news… Mary Smith’s book with photographs by Keith Kirk is now available – A – Z of #Dumfries… fascinating tales of places, people and history.
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Thanks so much, Sally. And, I suspect, thanks to your previous blog about pre-ordering the book, Amazon only has two left in stock 🙂
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Thanks for sharing this. I always enjoy reading about local history.
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Thanks so much. I love finding out about local history – so many fascinating stories.
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Congratulations, Mary! Looks and sounds very beautiful. A town like from a fairytale. Now i have another gift for some people too. Michael
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Thank you, Michael. This is the town Robbie came to visit after reading Secret Dumfries which I did last year. Maybe you’ll come to visit next year 🙂
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I love Dumfries. It was my first stop in Scotland. I have good friends that live in Thornhill. I explored the museum and spent some time there in 2018. Can’t wait to read the book and visit Dumfries again next year!!!!
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Thanks for dropping, by Sheri. Dumfries really is a fascinating place with a lot of history. I hope you enjoy the book. Let me know when you next visit 🙂
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I sure will!!!!! Thank you 🙂
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Oh, what a joy! Huge congrats, Mary & Keith!
I remember you speaking of this book. Thrilled it is out. It looks amazing!
Well done to both!
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Thanks, Pat. I’m feeling pretty chuffed about it.
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Wow, congratulations Mary! Wishing you every success, and have a great party!
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Thanks, Jo. I’ve enjoyed working on this book.
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Congratulations, Mary! This looks fascinating x
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Thanks, Shelley. It’s been fun finding out more about Dumfries.
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Congratulations, Mary. My copy arrived on my kindle on Monday.
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Thanks, Robbie. I hope you enjoy it as much as Secret Dumfries.
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Congratulations, Mary. I wish I could be there for the launch of your wonderful book. Have fun and sell lots of books.
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Thanks, Darlene. I wish you could be here, too 🙂
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Congratulations Mary, I hope it does well for you x
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Thanks, Jill. I’m hoping lots of people will realise what a great Christmas gift it is for people from Dumfries.
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Good luck Mary
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Thank you 🙂
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Am spending christmas in dumfries this year, cheers!
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How long will you be in Dumfries? I’ll be in Glasgow on Christmas Day with my son, coming back down on Boxing Day. Have you family down here? I’ll also be in Glasgow 28 November at a party in the Glad Cafe.
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Yeah, brother and sister. Going down with another bro. Quite a lot of us. Glad cafe not far from here. Hope you enjoy the perty
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Tell your brother and sister in Dumfries they’d be very welcome to come to the book launch on 26th 🙂
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Will do! Saw a feature on you in Galloway News. Hope all goes well
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So happy for you Mary. Enjoy every minute of your celebratory launch parties. ❤
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Thanks, Debby. I’m at the panicky stage now, worrying about people turning up – at least the books have arrived.
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Always our biggest fear Mary. But you’ve built it – and they will come. Then you will share with us all about it. ❤
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congratulations, and best of luck!
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Thank you, Jim.
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First of all, congratulations on the launch of this new book, Mary. The photography looks stunning. Shame I can not be there to join you in a glass or two of fizz, but I’m delighted to read that you’re giving the book a grand launch. It’ll be interesting to know how the launch goes in Waterstones. I’ve heard mixed views on book launches in store unless the author(s) is/are well-known. I think much of the poor feedback was down to the store, not advertising the launch in their window displays or online, though. I wish you much success. Have fun!
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Thanks for your congratulations, Hugh. I’ll let you know how the launch events go. What I (in this case, we, as there’s two of us) usually do is organise a launch to which we invite everyone we know, provide a glass (or two or three) of fizz (non-alcoholic for the drivers) and some nibbles. Once everyone has arrived and mingles we give a wee presentation, bit of chat, read an extract and invite people to enjoy another drink and say we’re happy to sign books. We bring the books. This is the event at which we hope to sell the most books as we get the biggest cut.
At Waterstones, they have the books in stock, make a display in the shop, posters in the window and I send out a press release to the local papers, announce it on Facebook and on some local Facebook pages, put fliers out wherever we think people will find them. We don’t make so much as we only get royalties as opposed to selling our author discount books but it creates extra interest. The last couple of signings I’ve done in Waterstones (and remember Dumfries is a small town) the manager has been delighted with sales of around 20+ copies in the couple of hours we are there.
You are right that advertising the event is key and it’s no good expecting the bookshop to do it all. The author has to be prepared to do a lot of leg work to generate publicity. I put posters up in all sorts of places and fliers.
Waterstones usually ask us to sign any remaining copies and they put a sign on the shelf saying ‘signed copies’. I’m hoping with it being so close to Christmas people will want to buy the book as a gift. Unfortunately, on this occasion it’s also close to the election *big sigh*.
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You’re right, Mary. We authors also have to do our share in advertising our books. I think it’s where (including me) we let ourselves down.
It’s great to hear that Waterstones do their bit in promoting the book too. I know another author who had a book launch at W.H Smiths, who did very little in promoting the book launch at their store apart from mentioning it on their blog. The author concerned (Gareth – he was at this year’s Bloggers Bash) had to make his own posters and ask for permission to put them in the window display. They didn’t turn him down, but they didn’t seem as proactive as Waterstones are.
I hope you sell lots of books which will be used as Christmas presents. I think it always a great part of the year to do a book launch. As for the upcoming election, I think most of us have already had enough and will want to seek out entertainment that we enjoy (rather than have thrust upon us).
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Congratulations, Mary!🎉 The book is wonderful and I’ve nearly finished it! I love the format of the A-Z and the mix of old and new works brilliantly. So many stories from and in your town! Good luck with the launch .. .wish I was closer to congratulate you in person and share some of the fizz. I’ve attended a few book signings in Waterstones and they are generally successful. People always seem to enjoy talking to a writer and with you both there I imagine conversation will flow … as will the book sales! 😀😀
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Thanks so much, Annika. I’m delighted to know you are enjoying the book. Dumfries does have many fascinating stories – and people – and I’ve enjoyed finding the lesser known stories along with the history most local people already know.
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Mary, many thanks for the second card, received today. I did get the first one too, but have been waiting for more to come to feature them on a post. I have three now, so if nothing arrives next week, your cards will feature on a post.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Oh, thanks for letting me know. I’m glad the original one arrived okay.
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Congratulations Mary and good luck with your new book. 🙂
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Congratulations and the very best of luck with it all.
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Thanks very much, Daniel. We had the official launch last night and it went very well – lots of people going home clutching signed copies.
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Thanks, Marje. We had our launch party last night and it went well despite my panic that no one would come out on such a foul night. We’ve a couple of book signing still to do but I don’t feel the need to panic about them so much!
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