Author Archives: Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

About Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I'm the Librarian for the Kinrowan Estate. I do love fresh brewed teas, curling, English mysteries and will often be playing Scandinavian or Celtic  music here in the Library here in Kinrowan Hall if the Neverending Session is elsewhere. I'm a violinist too, so you'll me playing in various contradance band such as Chasing Fireflies and Mouse in the Cupboard as well as backing my wife Catherine up on yearly Christmas season tours in the Nordic countries.

A Kinrowan Estate story: Weavers and Stitchers

Posted on 17th July 2022 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

There’s been a group of stitchers here according to the Estate Journals for at least four centuries. And there’s certainly been weavers here for as well for at least that long. And certainly that’s why we’ve raised sheep here so … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Danse Macabre (A Letter to Anna)

Posted on 19th June 2022 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

  Greetings Anna, You’ll be tickled to know that Jack is putting back together the medieval music group called Danse Macabre that he had here well over twenty years ago. Of course, there’ll be new musos including my wife, Catherine, … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 15th of May: Cirque du Soleil, Steeleye Span live, A history of anime, peanut butter chocolate cups, mystery, vampires, and medieval feasts; Alison Bechdel and other queer comix; R. Crumb and old time music on film; Ojibwe Pow Wow singing, Albion Band, Springsteen, Teddy Thompson and more music

Posted on 15th May 2022 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

So… I lied. I cheated. I bribed men to cover the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder. But the most damning thing of all… I think I can live with it. And if I had to … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: The Sleeper Under The Hill (A Letter to Ceinwen)

Posted on 10th April 2022 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Dear Ceinwen, As a fellow librarian interested in all things mythopoeic, you’ll find this interesting. This is the month that I’ve got the Several Annies studying a myth in depth, this one being that of The Sleeper Under the Hill. … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 3rd of April: Music-related fantasy literature, speculative fiction manga series, all things Natalie MacMaster, some jazz-dub-world music, transcultural jazz and Spanish accordion music, dragon puppets, and of course chocolate

Posted on 3rd April 2022 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

People used to say, don’t you object to the title? And I said, well there are two of us. I had problems with ‘ladies’ because it sounds like a public convenience. But which bit do you object to? Are you … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: A Hidden Library

Posted on 2nd January 2022 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

It’s been jocularly observed that the presence of many books in one place can actually warp both space and time. I’m Iain MacKenzie, the Head Librarian here at the Kinrowan Estate, and I’m not sure that this view is so … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 3rd of October: Bothy Band’s “Old Hag” tune, CBGB Punxs, Hot Chocolate, Russell T Davies back as Who Showrunner and It’s Autumn!

Posted on 3rd October 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

She looks like the wizened old crone in that painting Jilly did for Geordie when he got into this kick of learning fiddle tunes with the word ‘hag’ in the title: ‘the Hag in the Kiln,’ ‘Old Hag You Have … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 19th of September: Red Molly cover Richard Thompson’s “Vincent Black Lightning”, All Things Neverwhere, live rock and roll from New Zealand, lots and lots of Kit Kats, and much more

Posted on 19th September 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

“Anyway, death is so final, isn’t it?” “Is it?” asked Richard. “Sometimes,”  said the Marquis de Carabas. Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere If you look down to the bottom floor of the central well of the Library, you’ll see our card catalog on the wall … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Cernunnos

Posted on 12th September 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I’ve rarely been scared deeply but I was upon encountering The Horned God while on a walk with two of the Estate’s Russian wolf hounds deep in the woods a few days ago. As you know, this Estate is big. … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Our Rooms

Posted on 29th August 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Kinrowan Hall’s a vast sprawling edifice going back far longer than one would suspect and it’s been added unto more often than perhaps was for the better. What that means is that we who are staff here each have private … Continue reading →

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