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How a stage school educated girl dared to write a book.
Barbara Speake's Stage School Class of 1985 with Mrs Reed. One simple answer to the above is - I had a great English teacher. Here is my...
mckenzietrakks
Aug 192 min read


Things that inspire me 5… Historical Fiction.
Some of my fave's! To be transported back to another age and lose yourself there for an hour or two’s reading…what could be better than...
mckenzietrakks
May 212 min read


May 9th 2025
Like many others, I found Victory in Europe Day yesterday incredibly emotional. I was thankful to see so many events commemorating May...
mckenzietrakks
May 91 min read


Things that fire my imagination…4. Location Shoots.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work on numerous TV and film shoots throughout my life, sometimes playing a role with dialogue and at other...
mckenzietrakks
Apr 103 min read


Things that fire my imagination…3 Glasgow.
Renfield Street. Glasgow City Centre, 1950s. Curtesy of Vintage Glasgow Glasgow is many things to many people but to me, it has become an...
mckenzietrakks
Mar 272 min read


Diaries of a West End Wendy
Yesterday I caught up with old friend Scott St Martyn. In the 80's, we were in the touring production of Annie together and in recent...
mckenzietrakks
Feb 252 min read


Things that fire my imagination…2. Novels.
Some of my very well worn books! My favourite reads as a child and teenager. Watership Down. I read this book over and over again until...
mckenzietrakks
Feb 184 min read


The Rabbit Hole of Research.
I have found writing a book to be many things, two of those things being engrossing and nerve-racking. Whilst in the midst of writing...
mckenzietrakks
Jan 262 min read


Things that fire my imagination…1.Ocean Liners.
The Reina Del Mar Ocean Liners have figured large in the lives of myself and my family. The launching of possibly the most famous liner...
mckenzietrakks
Jan 172 min read


Do you like tales from the Entertainment world? Here's one from my dad, Bandleader Ronnie Caryl.
Here's a little anecdote he told about an incident when he and my Mum were doing their double act in Variety Theatre in the late 1940's....
mckenzietrakks
Dec 29, 20242 min read
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