To celebrate our new title Woodlanders: New Life in Britain's Forests, a special exhibition will feature a selection of photographs from the book at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh from Thursday 16th September to Sunday 31st October in the Gateway Gallery, which is in the upper level of the John Hope Gateway. The exhibition is free, and booking is not required.

If you haven't yet visited the John Hope Gateway, the new biodiversity and information centre, it's a spectacular new building and worth a visit in itself. Opened earlier in 2010, it is beautifully designed, constructed of efficient, sustainable materials, and includes a shop, exhibition spaces, restaurant and education rooms.

Watch for further announcements, because the exhibition may visit other venues after its Edinburgh opening.

Announcing our new book by Clare Gibson: The Hidden Life of the Ancient Maya

The book is the latest addition to the widely praised 'Hidden Life' series. It describes how we can learn about the lost Maya civilisation by examining its art and artefacts, exploring the symbols embedded in the objects left among the relics of the great Maya city-states, with their stepped pyramids.

After two hardback editions have sold out, we're pleased to announce that The Garden Cottage Diaries is now out in paperback.

Fiona has had a busy time since publication of the original edition in Spring 2009. She has been on tour with the book and has spoken at many museums, historical societies, book festivals, bookshops, family-history groups and more. Proving popular as a speaker, she has engagements booked well in 2011 already.

Here's how Felicity Lawrence in The Guardian reviewed the book.

See video of Fiona speaking at AyeWrite festival, with footage in her cottage

We're thrilled that Books From Scotland have selected Saraband as Publisher of the Month for August. Read more here.

The launch events for Making Shore at Woodbridge, Suffolk and Lytham, Lancs have got the book off to a flying start. Members of the audience in Lytham, at the event organised by local bookseller Plackitt and Booth, were enthralled by a reading of extracts by talented debut novelist Sara Allerton, followed by comments and reminiscences by 86-year-old Brian Clarke, whose World War II survival tale inspired the author to write the gripping novel.

The author with copies of her first novel:

Below, she starts on the task of signing books. Demand was such that many audience members went home empty-handed and arrangements had to be made for a special delivery of more copies for signing.

Making Shore has gone down well with Simon Appleby of bookgeeks, who has just published this review

Thanks, bookgeeks!

A double-page feature on Sara Allerton and the story behind Making Shore has just been printed in the East Anglian Daily Times. Books editor Steve Russell has given this fantastic coverage in the respected local paper - thanks Steve!

Read the article - 'The Treasure on my Kitchen Table' - here.

Two events are planned to launch the exciting debut for Sara Allerton's Making Shore.

The first takes place on Sat 19th June, 11 am to approx 12 at Woodbridge Books, Woodbridge, Suffolk, where Sara will sign books in an exclusive pre-publication event for readers in her home town.

On Weds 30th June at 7pm, Sara will appear with Brian Clarke (86 years young!), whose wartime experiences inspired the novel, in Brian's hometown of Lytham St Annes, Lancs. The event is organised by Plackitt & Bookth, Lytham and is TICKETED (£2 - buy at Plackitt & Booth or call P&B on 01253 796 958) and will take place at Lytham Methodist Hall, Upper Westby Street. Sara will read an extract from the book and Brian will speak about his memories; both will participate in a Q&A.