’Tales tumble out of Jess Smith’s head and its her manner of telling them that is so compulsive.’--The Scots Magazine
In the third and final book of Jess Smith’s autobiographical trilogy, Jess reluctantly settles down to ’scaldy’ (non-traveller) existence. Now in a permanent home of her own, she traces her eventful life with husband Dave and their three children from their earliest years together. She continues to delight with wonderful gems of rich folklore she has heard by the campfire.The many ups and downs of married life are interspersed with stories of her parents’ childhood, her father’s ‘tall tales’ and the eerie echoes of ghosts and hauntings that she has heard from gypsies and travellers over many years. Fans of Jess Smith will not be disappointed with her latest memoir, full of more unforgettable characters and insight into the travellers’ way of life, a tradition that stretches back more than 2000 years and survives in the rich oral tradition of its people.
Jess Smith lives in Crieff, Perthshire, with her husband, Dave. She is in great demand in the UK as a traditional storyteller, often speaks at events and has featured in several radio broadcasts. She recently published her first novel, Bruar’s Rest, and is working on a history of gypsies and travellers.