A little while ago I reported that my Nocturnes book was longlisted for a Saltire prize (the Saltires are Scotland’s National Book awards).

I’m happy to say that the book has now moved on to the shortlist. Exciting!

I’ve just come back from the Cheltenham Literature Festival where I discussed nocturnes and the music of night with Professor Michael Spitzer, author of The Musical Human, and Andy Rea, founder of the 2000trees music festival held each year at Upcote Farm in Gloucestershire.

We agreed that for some people, night music means clubbing and high-energy music. For others, it means quiet and soothing music which helps them wind down from the events of the day and puts them in a more reflective mood. Michael pointed out that in the dark, we all feel some degree of fear or apprehension, and we welcome the reassuring sounds of music, perhaps even more so if we can participate in the music-making.

I played nocturnes by John Field and Chopin, and some contrasting night music by Ravel, depicting the fluttering of ‘Noctuelles’ or night moths as they zigzag around in the darkness of an old barn.

The photo shows my view of Edinburgh’s Forth Bridges out of the window of an Easyjet flight as I returned home last night at sunset.