The search for the Loch Ness Monster has been ongoing for years - it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to Loch Ness every year and many people have dedicated their lives to it. Myths around the monster range from it being an escaped circus elephant to the last remnants of the dinosaurs, or just a floating tree branch. But have you ever wondered what will happen if someone actually catches the Loch Ness Monster? Nessie Code of Practice Well, believe it or not there is actually an official code of practice for what would happen should Nessie be found. Scottish Natural Heritage have been in possession of the 'partly serious, partly fun' plans since 2001, and according to BBC News SNH are preparing to bring out the code again - just in case - amid DNA collection from the loch. Catch and Release Should Nessie be found, the SNH will protect him or her as a new monster species and they have stipulated that once DNA samples have been taken, Nessie should be released to back into the loch. SNH have added that should Nessie be discovered today, local communities and businesses would need to be consulted about her protection. First Minister - 'I'm a Believer' Just last month, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that she believes in Nessie's existence in the loch - and she joins a huge number of people who are convinced that this mythical creature lies in wait under the surface. So why hasn't Nessie been found yet? Well, it's not for want of trying. With origins in 565AD, the tantalising, brief sightings of something in the water have kept cropping up in the news. There have been numerous small and large expeditions to find the monster - including a £1m operation in the 1980s. But Loch Ness is not your average body of water. In fact, it contains more water than all of the lakes in England and Wales combined. (and even at that, Loch Morar is deeper and Loch Lomond is bigger!) It's 23 miles long and at it's deepest is 230m deep. That's an awful lot of water to look in, and that gives Nessie plenty of opportunity to evade discovery! Finding Nessie So, the search for Nessie will continue - but at least we can all be safe in the knowledge that should the monster be found, it will become Scotland's newest protected species and allowed to live in its natural habitat. If you're among the 400,000 people visiting Loch Ness this year be sure to keep an eye out for oor Nessie. And if you're not, try your hand at spotting her on Google Earth !  

July is here and with it summer has really hit its peak. With the lovely weather comes plenty of people venturing outdoors, and we have great guide books and maps for all areas of Scotland that are sure to be popular with tourists. This month we're also featuring children's outdoor books in our Lomond Letter, alongside some great summer reads and new maps and guides. We have plenty of books to encourage children to explore the outdoors, as well as activity books to keep young mind occupied on family outings. Be sure to have a read of our July Lomond Letter over on our website, and take a look at our July catalogue !

It's Monday, the sun is shining and it's the beginning of a new month. July brings with it the start of the school holidays in Scotland and we're sure to see an upturn in customer numbers as people get out and about to enjoy this surprise, sensational Scottish summer! To help you to maximise your sales this month, we'll be recommending a variety of books to encourage your customers to get outside and enjoy themselves - both adults and children, with titles across a variety of genres. Keep an eye on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and look for our hashtag #greatoutdoors for new recommendations throughout the month! And for more in depth range recommendations bespoke to your outlet, speak to your sales representative now to arrange a visit - we can facilitate this for you from the office so just call us on 01506 855955 and we'll take care of it for you!  

Whisky - or uisge beatha - remains one of the world's most popular spirits and Scotch its most famous and recognisable expression. The Story of Scotch Whisky This large format hardback, The Story of Scotch Whisky, is a celebration of both whisky drinking and of Scotland, covering every facet, from the distilling process to guided tours of the best-loved distilleries of the Highlands, Islands and Lowlands. Beautifully illustrated with more than 150 photographs and featuring numerous reproductions of items of whisky memorabilia, including letters, posters, licences and advertising art, readers can fully immerse themselves in the heritage of the nation's favourite spirit. Whisky's history dates from the late fifteenth century. From these ancient origins this seasonal, homespun  spirit gradually evolved into Scotland's most famous liquid export, surviving wars, tax, temperance and Prohibition. This volume retells the story of whisky and guides the reader around dozens of distilleries from Orkney to the Mull of Kintyre. Through the text and tasting notes, author Tom Bruce-Gardyne explains just the individual flavour and character of whiskies, even if produced just a few miles apart, can be so different. We've just added The Story of Scotch Whisky to our special value range which means it now has a discounted selling price from £25 to just £9.99 - making it a superb value book for both you and your customers. It's available to order in all the usual ways and listed on the website here .

We're thrilled to announce a new Lomond publication for later this year - an updated and re-formatted "Scotland's Nature & Wildlife". This popular title will be in the same format as Scotland's 100 Best Walks, a compact and condensed paperback with a glossy cover. It's an ideal size for visitors to take home, as well as for locals to keep on their bookshelves. Scotland's Nature & Wildlife Here's the book's description: Want to glimpse a falcon on a quiet crag, scent wildflowers close to the centre of town, or hear a whale's breath out on the ocean? Want to do it in Scotland? This is the book that can point you there. Whether your interest is in wee beasties or large mammals, birds or plants, there's something in here for you. Information on how, where and when to enjoy a host of Scottish wildlife is presented in easily read but authoritative text, illustrated by some of Scotland's top wildlife photographers. Distilled from the author's decades of practical experience, this is one of the most comprehensive popular guides to Scotland's wild side ever published. Part master class, part calendar, part gazetteer, and sprinkled with dozens of mini features on a wide range of species, it's a choice blend, finely tuned to Scottish needs. The geographical scope is vast, ranging from wave-pounded cliffs to the outermost isles to parks at the heart of cities. From Shetland to the Solway, the Western Isles to Grampian, and a host of areas in between, the book suggests methods and places to help you make the most of Scottish nature. There's something here for wild country rover and urban stroller alike. The message is simple - wherever you are in Scotland, if you want to get acquainted with some wild neighbours, you can. Let this book be your guide and inspiration. Scotland's Nature and Wildlife will be published by Lomond in August 2018 and will retail at £10.99. It's available to pre-order now either through your sales representative or on the website. Scotland's Nature and Wildlife is on the Lomond website here

Now in our special value range with a selling price of just £3.99, this hilarious children's book is a superb buy. Granny & the Wild Haggis David McNiven has a uniquely funny, rhyming style, that became popular in his previous collection of stories Granny and the Loch Ness Monster. In this book for younger children, the mystery of the haggis is revealed... "What is a haggis? Every year millions of people visiting Scotland ask this very question, and the answers they get are very often confusing! Granny is having none of that nonsense though - haggis is made of minced meat and vegetables, of course. That is, until she pops one in the pan and finds it eating all the vegetables..." Comedic chaos ensues as Granny tries to catch the haggis. This will be a surefire hit with children and adults at story time. Granny & the Wild Haggis is available from Lomond now.

The start of the 2018 World Cup is imminent, and even though Scotland aren't playing, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy some football fever! Scotland Stars FC 1: Calum's New Team For our young football fans, we highly recommend the Scotland Stars series from Floris. Aimed at 'reluctant readers', these stories are accessible and engaging, full of action and illustrations. There are also lots of extras like character cards to collect and football tips, puzzles and games. The stories are based around 10 year old Calum Ferguson. He's recently moved to a new town and is struggling to fit in, and is also fighting for a place on the school football team. Scotland Stars FC 6: Calum's Cup Final Packed with excitement on and off the field, these books will appeal to girls and boys interested in sport and football. There are six books in the series as we follow Calum from his new team right through to the cup final. Find the Scotland Stars FC series on the website here

As the season marches on, our big cities are getting busier and busier. We have some fantastic maps in the range for visitors to Glasgow and Edinburgh from Quickmap Limited that are perfect pick-ups for your stores. Quickmaps These simple and easy to use maps have a clear purpose - showing visitors what to see and how to get there. On one side, the city map is ideal for walking with the appropriate street level detail. On the reverse, an area wide map shows transport options - bus, train, tram etc. - so that journeys can be quick and efficient, leaving more time to enjoy the sites. City areas and quarters are identified, with brief descriptions and characterizations. Pocket maps for visitors and tourists These compact maps have a ziggurat fold - this means they're easy to open and close with ease without mis-folding. When folded, the maps are small enough for the pocket or wallet, being about the same size as a smartphone. Each has a colourful cover to protect the map when not in use, making them an attractive option for your customers. With a low cover price of just £2.95, these Quickmaps are just the thing for visitors and tourist on day trips and city breaks. Both are available from Lomond now, and we can also supply a small counter pack on request. Edinburgh Capital City Quickmap is on the website here Glasgow Great City Quickmap is on the website here

It may be hard to believe we're now halfway through the year, but the sun is shining and we're now seeing the lead up to the Scottish summer tourist rush. Our customers will now have received our new catalogue for summer 2018, and you can now view both our catalogue and Lomond Letter for June on our website. Keep an eye out on our social media accounts and blog for some exciting range highlights throughout the month, and we hope you have a wonderful June!

Our book of the month for June is tied into our theme - June for Juniors! 450 years ago, Mary, Queen of Scots undertook a daring escape from Lochleven Castle, where she had been kept captive for almost a year. In this latest story from Carnegie Medal winner Theresa Breslin this dramatic true story is given new life. Mary, Queen of Scots: Escape from Lochleven Castle Accompanied by atmospheric illustrations of the Scottish landscape, this tale bridges folklore and historical fact and gives children the chance to learn about one of Scotland's most powerful and infamous women. Through Theresa Breslin's gripping story, young readers will feel the tension of Mary's imprisonment in the castle and the excitement of her daring escape plans. Published by Floris, Mary, Queen of Scots: Escape from Lochleven Castle will be one of the stars of our children's wholesale range this summer. Order our Book of the Month on the website here