I had hoped it might be sunny on my recent visit to Bow Fiddle Rock, a natural sea arch near Portknockie. It was. Very briefly. Between the car and the benches, the sun shone brightly for a few seconds.
Then the clouds closed over, but the place was still beautiful.
Swan Lake
I was reminded of the stunning Swan Lake photos of husband and wife Gillian Murphy and Ethan Stiefel, taken by photographer Fabrizio Ferri below. Overcast, wet weather did not stop beauty there either.
Back at Bow Fiddle Rock, I slipped and slid over recently rained-on pebbles to take my photos.
I stopped to admire red clover on my way back up the cliff. And that was beautiful too.
Sisters at the Edge of the World
Set in 1st century Scotland, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance…
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I do. I write romps. I can’t seem to help myself. I try to write a thriller: romp. A sweet romance? Nope. That quickly went dark and rompy.
When THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR was on submission, one publisher told me they felt they were reading ‘a medieval romp’ and that they were looking for something more serious. It was a fair comment, though I assume they didn’t reach the witchcraft accusations of the story. That press has since gone out of business, so it was a lucky escape for me.
The latest of the romps is OUT TODAY!
TENDU: Dancing in the Castle
Scotland’s all misty lochs and magical forests and perfect boyfriends, right?
When dance student Amalphia Treadwell embarks on a secret relationship with her charismatic new teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his school in Scotland.
She’s soon dealing with her boyfriend’s obsessive ex, the strange research taking place at the castle school and her own ever-evolving relationship issues.
Amalphia works hard to be the best dancer she can be, but as tension builds within the old walls of the castle, she begins to wonder if she will ever escape the dank dark of the dungeon…
Dark, witty, sexy and fun, Tendu is a compelling and seductive story of love, dance and obsession.
There are no cliffhanger endings in this series; each book completes a story, but then there is more. So much more.
“This book has so much representation in its characters with autism, dyslexia, medical issues and LGBTQ+ characters…” Emma-Louise on Goodreads and TikTok
“Knowing there are two more books in the series made it easier to accept that the tale was coming to an end. It can be so hard to finish a book when you are loving the story so much.” Molly on Amazon.com
“So there we have it: mad experiments, paranormal powers, exciting dance sequences and lots and lots of sex. And did I mention the mystical forces in the old stone circle?” Tom Williams on his blog, author of the James Burke historical novels.
Go here to sign up for occasional emails that always include exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. They’re a bit more intimate than the blog. If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
I’ve spotted so many beautiful trees lately while out walking. Their newly opened leaves draw the eye, all bright and intense and lit up by the sun. Above is a copper beech, and below, copper and green together.
Then there was this lovely horse chestnut:
I don’t think I’ve ever inspected a horse chestnut flower up close before, but they’re quite stunning.
And, back home, the tree peony is in flower. It smells like beef and onions 🙂
New Booktok Review for TENDU
✨POV: You thought it was just another ballet book… then it emotionally body-slammed you in pointe shoes 💔 Slow burn, enemies to lovers, fate, and a Scottish setting that delivered. See the video here
TENDU: Dancing in the Castle (book 1 of A Dancer’s Journey)
Scotland’s all misty lochs and magical forests and perfect boyfriends, right?
When dance student Amalphia Treadwell embarks on a secret relationship with her rich, handsome teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his new school in Scotland…
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night…
New Books and Special Offers
If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
Purple sea rocket on an overcast day. The air was warm. And still. And the flowers smelled sweet.
Sea rocket is edible, but I have not tried it. The leaves do look a little like regular rocket.
The sea was cold, but it was so good to be out in nature, to feel the sand sinking away beneath my feet as the waves splashed my legs.
And the light was beautiful.
Writing Update
Everything is going well with the next series. All major edits have been done on the first two books and I’m now working on the third, Alexander’s book, and he’s giving me some trouble. If you’ve read Fouetté, you will have met Alexander and may not be surprised by this. Poor boy. He does have rather a bizarre backstory and a lot to cope with.
Molly reviewed Fouetté recently: Throughout reading the book, I exclaimed aloud in disbelief, I laughed, I whooped, I shook with consternation, I held my breathe in anticipation, my pulse raced in excitement, I nearly wept! I felt ALL of the feelings.
Each book follows a different student at the castle school as they go through various adventures and appear on different television shows. The main characters of A Dancer’s Journey feature in the background. In many ways this is a much gentler series of stories, though the characters are all dealing with dark issues from their pasts.
Go here to sign up for my occasional emails that always include some exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
Burghead Pictish Fort was built around 400 CE and destroyed by fire a few centuries later. The fort was large and must have been a centre of power and significance to the Picts. It was raided by the Vikings more than once, and in 884 CE it was captured by Sigurd the Powerful, the Earl of Orkney.
The Picts
The Picts were a group of peoples probably descended from the Caledonii tribe and other Northern tribes (as featured in Sisters at the Edge of the World). The term ‘Pict’ was used by the Romans from the 3rd century CE to describe the people of what is now Scotland.
The Pictish gentleman above stands by a stone from the original rampart of the fort in the modern-day visitor centre. Below is a depiction of how Burghead would have been in its heyday.
Burning of the Clavie
I attended the ancient fire festival of the Burning of the Clavie a few years ago. It takes place in Burghead every January 11th, on the old Scottish new year. The origins of the festival are unknown, though I suspect it may have something to do with the aforementioned Vikings!
A group of men carry a barrel of tar and staves (the clavie) around the village, followed by a great crowd. When I was there, petrol was then flung onto the clavie, creating large explosions of fire, after which it was left to burn out up at the fort. The pubs in Burghead serve free food on Clavie night.
The Remains of Burghead Pictish Fort
Sadly, most of the fort stonework was destroyed when the village of Burghead was built in the 19th century. People do sometimes find parts of it in their gardens. The ancient well remains, and I visited it: see the post here
Burghead is the only Pictish site where Bull Stones have been found. There were at least thirty, though many have gone missing over the years.
The sea views are amazing, and though all is peaceful at Burghead today, it’s easy to picture Viking boats approaching… Note the wee swallow flying by in the photo below.
Dive into the rich history of ancient Scotland with “Sisters at the Edge of the World,” a tale of sisterhood, sacrifice, and the struggle for freedom against Roman occupation.
Go here to sign up for my occasional emails that always include some exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
Roseisle is a beautiful place. The beach is golden and stretches for miles between Findhorn and Burghead, and every time I’ve been there, the sky has been bright blue.
It was the perfect place for me to visit recently. I had to come off my latest medication due to side effects, and I was frightened that I was experiencing the first signs of becoming unwell. This stage of chronic illness is always a balancing act between resting and getting things done while I can. So, I gallivanted gently, and so far, I am still well 🙂
Roseisle Beach
There are pillboxes and concrete blocks all along the beach, defences left in place from the Second World War. People use them as shelters and picnic tables today.
Roseisle Forest
The forest, planted in the 1930s, is rather magnificent too.
In the open area, there are picnic tables, and toilets, and even a food truck; the skin-on fries were very good.
Scotland’s all misty lochs and magical forests and perfect boyfriends, right?
When dance student Amalphia Treadwell embarks on a secret relationship with her rich, handsome teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his new school in Scotland…
Go here to sign up for my occasional emails that always include some exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
I walked past the sign to Strichen Stone Circle on my road to winter journey on Saturday. That’s actually as close as I got to the stones. It was just a wee trip out.
Strichen Stone Circle
I’ve been many times before, though, so here we go.
Every time I’ve visited this site, it’s been a dull day. But the stones are still majestic and bold.
This circle was knocked down in the 19th century, then put back in the wrong place, then built into a folly, then excavated, and finally placed back in its original position in 1982.
The recumbent looks like it may have been used for something at some point, to hold a post possibly?
You can see the old burnt-out Strichen House from the circle.
Set in 1st century Scotland, the novel includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The story features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance…
Elizabeth Felt, a lecturer in English at the University of Wisconsin, had this to say about it: “The tone of this book is amazing. At the beginning, the narrator is mute, and the book feels so quiet, so in touch with the earth and stone and air and water… Amazing writing. Excellent story. Highly recommend.” See the whole review here.
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I started this little rampage of flower posts with a blossom: apple. I’m ending with cherry. And a geranium. A pink and pretty celebration of summer and wellness.
Wellness
I used a blue to pink metaphor previously when writing about health. That seems like a really long time ago now. Lots has happened. Time has passed.
It’s great being out in the garden this year, managing to stay relatively well and do more. I’ve learned a lot about what triggers my body to have an immune response since my last hospital stay. Sometimes it’s odd things, things that should be healthy but, to me, they’re not. Sometimes it’s emotional, other times physical. Clichés spring to mind: knowing your limits; protecting your space. I’m better at those now.
And today, I’m off out into the garden again to plant sunflower and marigold seeds. No doubt they’ll appear here if successful!
Castle Dancers Series
Alexander’s Blurb
When Alexander turns eighteen, he learns that he has inherited a castle, the one that houses the dance school he attends, to be exact. He’s always wanted a do-over, a chance to fix the broken parts of himself and his life. Could this be it?
Instead of allowing the school to continue on as normal, Alexander throws the students and teachers out and claims the castle as his own.
At first he’s lonely. At first he’s hesitant. Will he have any friends left after this? The events of his uncle’s televised wedding at the castle prove that, while Alexander definitely still has friends, his broken ankle is actually the least damaged part of him.
Within the ancient castle walls, a world of dark family secrets is revealed. Join Alexander as he dances on the edge of sanity and survival, navigating through the flames of his turbulent past to forge a new future.
Latest review here on the Wee Writing Lassie’s blog: Yes finally!!! After years of stealing the spotlight in other people’s books, the great bad boy of ballet finally gets his own. Inheriting your own castle? Kicking your Dad out of his job? Just another day living the rebel son’s dream. What could possibly go wrong? [One book read later] And the answer is … everything. Everything could go wrong 😀
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night…
New Books and Special Offers
If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
The first of the fire and elephants is euphorbia fireglow. This stunning red plant remains fiery every year regardless of weeds and weather conditions. I usually misremember its name as euphoria, but that feels quite appropriate.
The elephant’s ears bergenia is at the other side of the pond.
Lush and lovely, this plant is also a hardy perennial, named for the shape of its leaves.
Fountain off for a reflective view:
A Dancer’s Journey
Scotland’s all misty lochs and magical forests and perfect boyfriends, right?
My dance background and love of history and spicy stories are what inspired this dark mix of contemporary romance and ballet set in a castle. Readers of my historical fiction will recognise the castle and stone circle that feature in these books.
A Dancer’s Journey is available in paperback, Kindle and on Kindle Unlimited.
There are no cliffhanger endings in this series; each book completes a story, but then there is more. So much more.
#CapCut A Dancer’s Journey Series: complete, shocking, unique. When dance student Amalphia Treadwell embarks on a secret relationship with her rich, handsome teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his school in Scotland… #booktok#kindleunlimited#romanticsuspense#ballettok#booktokseries
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night…
New Books and Special Offers
If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
It’s sprawling. It’s madly overgrown. But I love it. Darwin’s Barberry is a prickly orange shrub in the berberis family. Originating in South America, it was first described by Charles Darwin in 1835 during the voyage of the Beagle.
It looks like it’s on fire during late spring and early summer.
When Morragh speaks to another person for the very first time, she has no idea that he is an invader in her land.
What she does next constitutes a huge betrayal of her people, threatening her closest relationships and even her way of life itself.
As the conflict between the Caledonian tribes and the Roman Sons of Mars intensifies, can she use her high status in the community to lessen the coming death toll or even prevent outright war?
Set in 1st century Northern Scotland, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD is a story of chosen sisters, fierce warriors, divided loyalties and, ultimately, love.
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night…
New Books and Special Offers
If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
