The beautiful surroundings of Millport has provided the inspiration behind a new book which comes out this week.

Every year, writer Helen MacKinven visits the Isle of Great Cumbrae to have a break in Millport.

But this June, it was a special trip to take photographs of the inspiration for her latest novel, Buy Buy Baby, which will be published by Cranachan Publishing on 7th July.

Set in and around Glasgow, the novel is packed full of bitchy banter, as it follows the bittersweet quest of two very different women united by the same goal – they desperately want a baby. By turns moving and funny, Buy Buy Baby is a story of life, loss and longing.

Helen said: “I love Millport and I’m very lucky to have the use of a holiday flat overlooking Kames Bay to enjoy a relaxing weekend with my family and our two dogs. But in recent years, neither of my adult sons is lured by the plan to hire bikes to cycle round the island or go for walks on the beach. These days, it’s only me and my hubby who climbs up to Farland Point for spectacular views across the Firth of Clyde and combs the shore for beach glass to add to my collection.

"On my annual trip, I often stop to read the plaques on the memorial benches dotted all over the island. Being nosey is part of being a writer and I’m always intrigued by the dedications on the benches. The tributes to loved ones were the inspiration for a story about a mother whose child has died and how she visits her ‘Angel’s Bench’ to reflect on their time together. It was this initial idea that developed into the manuscript for Buy Buy Baby.”

Managing Director of Cranachan, Anne Glennie, said, “We’re thrilled to be launching our company with such a thought-provoking and entertaining book.”

Buy Buy Baby is already available online for pre-order.