Settling on a Book Title: Echoes of the Storm

It's been three years since I first started working on this book about the Gloup Disaster. At the time, I had just launched my book Voices from the Past: Stories of North Roe, and I was looking for something new to get immersed in.

To say that I am loving this project is an understatement. At times, it is a difficult story to tell, dwelling as it does on such loss and tragedy. And yet, there is also survival and resilience to admire and be inspired by. My life is richer for "knowing" people such as Eliza Spence Williamson and her brother, William Spence; Alexander Moar, who tied himself to the boat, and his wife, Willa; and their daughter, Eliza, who registered the deaths of both her father and her older brother, each lost while sailing on a different boat. And so many more.

I wasn't sure how many stories I'd be able to find, but through the newspaper articles, journals, and stories shared by descendants, I've been able to piece together the lives of these people. This summer, I've been working on writing the chapters and weaving all the information together, which often hurts my brain! But it's also incredibly rewarding. I'm pleased to say I've settled on a likely title for the book— Echoes of the Storm: Tragedy, Survival, and the Shetland Fishing Disaster of 1881. I think it captures my purpose in sharing these stories—not only those of the men who were lost, but also those of their dependents, particularly the women and children, and the ways the storm shaped their lives.

Please follow along for further progress updates. And, as always, if you have any information to share, I'd love to hear from you!