We're pleased to have added a new product range to our wholesale offering this year and it's off to a truly flying start. Running Press Mini Kits Running Press produce this range of Mini Kits - tiny boxes that really pack a punch with their products! These have been on the market for 25 years and sales of the original Mini Kits and books are stronger than ever. They make the perfect impulse purchase and are the ideal size as an add-on gift for any occasion. There's something for everyone, from officially licensed movie merchandise, to desktop sports, to those kits that are just utterly whacky!   Running Press Mini Kits In the licensed merchandised range, there are tie in kits for Game of Thrones, Star Trek, The Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Seasame Street, Superman, Doctor Who, Wonder Woman, Pokemon, Pusheen, Hello Kitty and lots more. Some of the best-selling Mini Kits are those associated with Harry Potter. There are wizard's wands, the Sorting Hat, character figurines, even a Quidditch set! The perfect purchase for a Potter fan. Running Press Mini Kits Also in the range are a variety of lifestyle kits - kits like The Mini Bonsai, Desktop Terrarium, The Felt Succulent and By Hand Lettering will appeal to crafters everywhere. There are also kits for book lovers, belly dancers, embroiderers and meditate-rs.   Running Press Mini Kits And in addition to these there are a huge variety of retro kits and humour gifts. There are lots of desktop sports to try - football, tetherball, golf, volleyball - as well as desktop BBQs, disco balls and more. There are some cheeky toys in there as well, like the Bob Ross Bobble Head, the You Are a Badass Button and the Brain Fart - for those days when you're brain just can't quite keep up.   Running Press Spinner All in all, there's something for everyone in this range. We can provide a variety of point of sale units to really boost sales, from a 6 pocket cardboard pack to a 120 pocket floor spinner. And remember, with these mini kits you will make more money on a small foot print than on virtually any other product in the same space!   Take a look at the full range of Running Press Mini Kits here , or speak to your Sales Representative to see some samples.

Towards the end of this month, it's National Stationery week... prepare your hole-punch confetti and sellotape streamers! Now, as lovers of stationery at Lomond, we're all for this celebration of everything post-it and paperclip, but we've decided to declare April 'Stationery Month' and we'll be telling you all about some of our fantastic stationery products on the blog and on social media. We've found that a few well-placed and well-selected stationery lines can really enhance a range, and attract those valuable add on sales from visitors and locals alike. So follow our Facebook , Twitter and Instagram pages (whichever is your preferred platform!) throughout April for highlights of the range. (...can't wait until then? See our full Stationery section on the website here!)

If you've received our mailing this month you'll know a bit about our featured books for April - a range of great value guidebooks from Guidelines. We've carried these regional guides for a number of years now and year-on-year they are strong sellers. For just £2.99, visitors can acquire a wealth of knowledge about a tourist hot-spot, condensed into an easy to read, accessible format. Already in the range are guides for Arran , Islay & Jura , Mull & Iona , Skye & Raasay and the Outer Hebrides . New for 2018 are Visiting Shetland and Visiting the Scottish West Coast Islands: Coll - Ailsa Craig. Visiting Shetland Visiting Shetland starts with the Mainland and its capital Lerwick. It then moves to the North East, Northmavine and the West before taking in Central Mainland and then the South. It is richly illustrated with photographs including Jaalshof and Scalloway Castle. The smaller islands of Bressay and Noss are then featured, along with photographs of some of the native wildlife. There follows sections on Fetlar, Out Skerries, Papa Stour, Unst, Whalsay and Yell. Visiting Scottish West Coast Islands Visiting the Scottish West Coast Islands provides all the information an island hopper might need for a jaunt along the West Coast. The islands covered are Mull, Iona, Ulva, Gometra, Treshnish Isles and Staffa; Coll, Tiree, Islay, Jura, Colonsay, Oronsay, Lismore, Kerrera, The Slate Islands, Gigha, Gigalum and Cara Islands, Arran, Bute, Great Cumbrae and Ailsa Craig. Throughout these guides there are helpful hints on getting there, places to visit, events, walking and guided tours, facilities and accommodation. They really area  great pick-up item for shoppers that add value to any retail offering. Both are in stock and available to order now.

Today - 2nd of April - is not only Good Friday but it's also International Children's Book Day! The Kilted Coo This celebration of children's books is facilitated by the International Board on Books for Young People, and every year on April 2nd a different National Section is nominated to the day's official national sponsor. Treasure of the Loch Ness Monster 2018's sponsor is Latvia and their chosen theme is 'the small is big in a book'. In a message from renowned Latvian author Inese Zandere, the focus of the celebration is that in books, small is a relative concept. With courage, belief in our ideals, foresight, perseverance, and the power of talent we can make literature and the art of books significant and meaningful. Porridge the Tartan Cat Here are a couple of extracts from Inese's message about what children's books can be: "A children's book is a miraculous force that promotes the small person's great desire and ability to be. It promotes his or her courage to live" "A book is a mystery in which something unsought can be found, or something beyond one's reach" "A picture book can function as a treasure chest of wisdom and culture even for adults, just as children can read a book intended for adults and find their own story" Sky Dancer "A children's book signifies respect for the greatness of the small. It signifies a world that is created anew each time, a playful and beautiful seriousness" Where's Nessie? At Lomond we adore children's books and it's one of our strongest categories - no matter how the market is, children's books always outperform expectations and it seems that their resonance and appeal is unending. You can find our fantastic selection of children's books here.

We've just taken delivery of three fantastic new books into our Lomond Guides range - these are great quality, superb value guide books perfect for visitors and cover a range of Scottish heritage topics. In a lightweight, compact format and at just £2.99 retail price, these guides are excellent souvenirs for visitors from around the world. Scotland's Kings & Queens The first of our new guides is Scotland's Kings & Queens . While a few of our more famous monarchs - Macbeth, Robert the Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots - are well known, a total of 48 kings and queens have sat on the throne since Scotland's emergence in the 840s. This guide reveals the story of all of Scotland's dynasties - MacAlpin, Canmore, Bruce and Stewart - in a richly illustrated and accessible form. Scottish Clans & Tartans Also new into the range is Scottish Clans and Tartans . For many people the clan system is a vague concept, associated with colourful tartans and tragic battles, and in particular with the defeat of Prince Charles Edward and his gallant army at Culloden in 1746. But it was the clan system that provided the economic and social structure of the Highlands for some 500 years. The bond of kinship was so strong that for those of Highland descent even today, their clan is a worldwide family that engenders a pride in their past and a unique sense of belonging. Robert Burns Our last new addition is all about Scotland's bard, Robert Burns . Perhaps one of our most famous sons, Robert Burns is one of Scotland's best loved poets. His remarkable genius is preserved by the wealth of poems and songs that he bequeathed to the world. His enduring popularity remains to this day, with many of his lines now part of everyday speech. No writer has been more widely translated, and gatherings around the world end with the pledge to meet again, which is Burns's 'Auld Lang Syne'. This illustrated celebration of his life and work reveals the man behind the achievement. Also available in the Lomond guides range are - Bannockburn 1314: Battle for a Nation Culloden 1746: Fight for the Throne Edinburgh Scotland's Birds of Prey Scottish Castles Glasgow (reprinting June 2018) These new guides are available now for the start of the 2018 tourist season.

One of our hotly anticipated new releases in March is this stunning photography book from one of our favourite photographers, Allan Wright. Most of you will be familiar with Allan's work as it features heavily in our postcard, magnet and greetings card ranges and, of course, in all of our Lyrical Scotland calendars. Arran: Sixty Best Views - the latest photography collection from Allan Wright Allan's latest project is a celebration of one of his favourite parts of the country, the Isle of Arran. Ahead of the book's launch, Jenny grabbed a few minutes with the man himself to find out more about the book - Jenny: Tell us a bit about how this new book, 'Arran: Sixty Best Views' came about - why Arran? Allan Wright: The previous title, Arran, which I co-authored with Tony Bonning has been out of print for many years now, and since that time I have built up a new collection of images from the island. I have started a programme of new book titles to address the increased demand for photography on the printed page, or in 'hard copy'. J: Is this book the result of one particular visit to Arran, or images collected over a period of time? AW: Most of the images were taken within the last five years, but there are a handful that go back much later - these are the images that I haven't been able to improve upon since! Arran: Sixty Best Views, Allan Wright J: How long did it take you to edit your selection to just sixty images? Were there many more that you would have liked to include? AW: An hour here and there over a period of a week I drilled into my files and created a shortlist of about a hundred. From there, I whittled down to a core sixty images. Editing is one of the hardest parts of this kind of photography. J: If you had to sum up 'Arran: Sixty Best Views' in a tweet, how would you describe it? AW: The unique character and beautifully diverse landscape of Arran distilled into a tidy little soft back. J: What makes this book different from other collections of photographs of Arran? AW: Inevitably each collection is a subjective view. 'Arran: Sixty Best Views' is my take which I hope is representative of my work as a whole and one which shows the island at its best. Arran: Sixty Best Views, Allan Wright J: You've been working in Scotland for a number of years - what do you enjoy most about photographing the country? AW: The infinite variety of colours, textures, light quality, topography and heritage - both natural and man made - probably has few equals anywhere in the world. J: How do you find the seasons change the Scottish landscape? AW: The range of challenges and opportunities that our seasons offer is absolutely vast. In fact, it's difficult to overstate the differences the seasons make to the landscape's character. J: Tell us a bit about how you work as a photographer - do you plan a day around capturing particular shots or do you go out take what the day brings you? AW: I am tied to the logistics of a shoot in a big way. Weather is huge of course, but so is travel, access issues and time of day. Expected demand for certain subjects also influences my decisions, but in general it is a straight split between planned shots and ad hoc encounters. Arran: Sixty Best Views, Allan Wright J: Did you always want to be, or think you would become, a professional photographer? AW: It was a hobby whilst I was working abroad as an oilfield engineer. I discovered my fascination with the power of an image while traveling in third world countries and I have never lost the passion. J: Do you still enjoy working as a photographer now as much as when you started? AW: Yes, although the experience is different now. Perhaps a little less excitement, more quiet satisfaction. J: Photography is a hugely popular activity and many of us fancy ourselves as an amateur photographer. What advice would you give as a successful photographer in so many genres? AW: Follow your passion and get a broad grip of the process, but then specialise if you want to gain recognition in one field. J: Do you prefer more traditional methods of photography or digital techniques and gadgets? AW: I shoot all digital although I try to keep it simple and avoid over reliance on technology to enhance the end product. Nature and fine architecture is simple and beautiful, the challenge is to do it justice without deception. Arran: Sixty Best Views, Allan Wright J: What sort of photographs do you enjoy taking most? Landscapes, nature, cities, people... AW: All of the above in equal measure. J: What do you have planned next? More books? AW: Yes, I plan to do at least six titles over the next three to four years. So it sounds like there's a lot more to look forward to from Allan Wright over the next few years. 'Arran: Sixty Best Views' is part of his latest collection of photographic books which so far includes Galloway, Castle Douglas, Skye and Glasgow. The book is launched at the end of March and we're taking trade orders for it now on the website here .

'Hame' - a Scottish home; a valued place regarded as a refuge or place or origin Hame - Annalena McAfee This is a fabulous new novel set on a fictional island of Fascaray - a remote and wild small isle off the coast of Scotland. A combination of letters, poems, journal extracts and fiction, it's been described by Irish Times as 'a hugely entertaining roller coaster of a ride through poetry and language'. The novel centres around Mhairi McPhail, a young American  curator who, following the break down of her relationship, picks apart her New York life and moves thousands of miles to a place that couldn't be further from her previous home. She arrives in Fascaray - nine year old daughter in tow - to write the biography of the island's late Bard, Grigor McWatt. Here's the blurb from the back: 'But who was the cantankerous Grigor McWatt? Despite his international reputation, details of his past are elusive. As Mhairi struggles to adapt to her new life she begins to unearth the astonishing secret history of the poet regarded by many as the custodian of Fascaray's - and Scotland's - soul. A highly acclaimed debut novel, this is a wonderful read for Spring. Find it on our website here.

The Debatable Land was an independent territory which used to exist between Scotland and England and it is the oldest detectable territorial division in Great Britain. The Debatable Land - Graham Robb It was once one of the most revered parts of our native island - the bloodiest region in the country, fought over by Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and James V. After the the Union of the Crowns this territory was the last part of Great Britain to be conquered and brought under state control. But until now, the history of this unique part of the country has been widely  ignored or forgotten. Historian Graham Robb has been writing acclaimed, prize winning books for years and this is his first look at his homelands. When he and his wife moved to a lonely house on the very edge of England, he discovered that the river which almost surrounded his new home had once marked the Debatable Land's southern boundary. Intrigued by the remarkable and yet unremarked history of this area, he began a journey on foot, bicycle and into the past, and uncovered the lost towns and roads of this region. In the course of the narrative, Robb sheds new light on the Dark Age and delves into several discoveries of major historical significance. This rich history book will appeal to anyone with a interest in Scotland's past - particularly since it is on a seldom covered topic. It's currently backed by a major publicity campaign and really is one that everyone is talking about. Find it on our website here .

It's all hands on deck this week with the arrival of our brand new 2019 Lomond calendars! We're processing the stock now and working away on all of your advanced orders to get these fantastic new designs out to you before Easter. 2019 Scotland Calendar We're often asked by new customers why our calendars arrive so early in the year - since these are such great value products for visitors we have always found that they sell consistently in shops from Easter onward, right through until Christmas... and sometimes beyond for those late-birds! Don't believe us? Try them and see! We have ranges for Scotland, England and Northern Ireland this year - all on our multi-buy retail offer. Your customers can buy one calendar for £3.99 or 2 for £6 making these some of the best value, quality calendars on the market. 2019 Wild Scotland Calendar There is a new design in our Scottish range for 2019 - Wild Scotland which captures the ragged beauty of the Scottish landscape and its ever changing weather. As touring and camping holidays are on the rise in Scotland, we think this will really appeal to this increasing visitor market. As ever we've chosen our calendar covers to represent the best of Scotland and for 2019 these include landmarks new and old, from the Kelpies to Eilean Donan Castle. 2019 Scottish Reflections Calendar In our English and Northern Irish ranges we've scoured thousands of photographs to find the best selection of images to capture the varying aspects of each region's beauty - from gardens to palaces to cities to seascapes. View the full range of Lomond multi-buy calendars here .

One of the big titles published this month is Canongate's lead fiction debut 'Sal' by Mick Kitson, an English teacher. It's road to publication is one of the more unusual - Mick met Canongate's Communications Director at a family memorial service, and subsequently sent her his manuscript looking for advice. What followed was a lucrative, world-rights deal with Canongate expecting to publish in 20 countries. The book has been described as a Scottish west coast Hansel and Gretel. It's a harsh and brutal depiction of 13 year old Sal's survival in the Scottish wilderness with her younger sister, but one that is ultimately uplifting. I'm reading it myself now and I can vouch that it's definitely worth the hype. Here is the blurb: Sal planned it for almost a year before they ran. She nicked an Ordnance Survey map from the school library. She bought a compass, a Bear Grylls knife, waterproofs and a first aid kit from Amazon using stolen credit cards. She read the SAS Survival Handbook and watched loads of YouTube videos. And now Sal knows a lot of stuff. Like how to build a shelter and start a fire. How to estimate distances, snare rabbits and shoot an airgun. And how to protect her sister, Peppa. Because Peppa is ten, which is how old Sal was when Robert started on her. Told in Sal's distinctive voice, and filled with the silent, dizzying beauty of rural Scotland, Sal is a disturbing, uplifting story of survival, of the kindness of strangers and the irrepressible power of sisterly love; a love that can lead us to do extraordinary and unimaginable things. This comes from a fresh voice in fiction and is destined to be a great success. Make sure you have the book that everyone is talking about! Sal - Mick Kitson Find it on the website here