art Archives - Ailish Sinclair

March 24, 2025March 24, 2025

Persephone and the Maiden Stone

Persephone statue in the woods near Inverurie

The Maiden Stone

The beautiful pink granite Maiden Stone stands near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It is an 8th century Pictish stone. On one side it bears designs favoured by the Picts, such as the comb and mirror, the mysterious Pictish Beast (Dolphin? Elephant? Mermaid? Nobody knows…) and a centaur at the top.

On the other side there is a very worn Celtic Cross, indicating that this may have been an early Christian preaching site.

Maiden Stone Folklore

There’s a rather wonderful tale attached to the stone.

A maid from Durno was baking a batch of bannocks one morning when a handsome man appeared at her door. He bet her that he could build a road up the hill of Bennachie before she could finish baking the bannocks. If he won, she had to marry him. Unfortunately, the man was actually the devil, and he built the road with great speed. The maid ran. He chased after. Just as he caught up to her, she prayed to be turned to stone rather than have to wed him. The notch on the stone is where the devil grabbed her shoulder as she transformed.

The Statue of Persephone

A couple of hundred yards to the west of the Maiden Stone, in the woods, is a statue of Persephone. She was carved from 8.5 tonnes of millstone grit in 1961 by the artist Shaun Crampton, and her story echoes that of the Maiden Stone. In the Greek myth, Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, Goddess of the harvest, was innocently picking daffodils when she was carried off to the underworld by Hades to become his wife.

Zeus decreed that Persephone should be released as long as she had not eaten anything in the underworld. But, poor quine, she had consumed some pomegranate seeds. So she only got to return for six months of the year, the six months of growth and harvest.

The statue holds some pomegranate seeds in one hand, and a mirror like the one on the Maiden Stone in the other.

Persephone near the Maiden Stone in Aberdeenshire

On the day I visited, someone had left a pomegranate at her feet.

And, like the Maiden Stone, the back of the statue is worth viewing too.

Still 99p – Ariel: Dancing on TV

The night before Ariel, a sixteen-year-old girl with a deformed hand, starts at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland, her mother tries to kill her.

Torn from a life where she never fitted in, Ariel quickly becomes the focus of a reality TV show. In the castle school, she forms deep friendships and meets Alexander, the best looking boy she’s ever seen. Together, they unravel the mysteries of the castle’s shadows and confront the demons of Ariel’s past.

Can she rise above a lifetime of pain and embrace the possibilities of fame and love that beckon to her?

‘Ariel: Dancing on TV’ is a mesmerising tale of resilience and the pursuit of a brighter future against all odds.

On Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Historical Fiction

My historical novels combine little-known dark events with love stories and a hint of magic.

The historical novels of Ailish Sinclair

SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD: ancient battle, neurodiversity and forbidden romance.
THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR: witchcraft, a stone circle, a castle and six chapters of medieval Christmas.
FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE: kidnapping, friendship and chocolate.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

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See my About Page here

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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…

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March 20, 2025March 20, 2025

The Neolithic Stone Balls of Scotland

neolithic stone balls from Aberdeenshire — The Neolithic stone balls are about the size of tennis balls.

The Neolithic stone balls of Scotland are beautiful things. They’re mainly found in Aberdeenshire, sometimes buried beside stone circles. The carvings on them are varied, and some of them have knobs. Yes, we could have a lot of fun with the balls and knobs of this post, but let’s not go there 😀

The exact use of the balls is unknown. Many of them are lacking signs of wear and tear, so they’re not generally thought to have been weapons.

The above stones are in the Arbuthnot Museum in Peterhead. I took the picture in 2020, right before lockdown, having just become well enough to go out and about again. I posted on Twitter about including such a stone in my – then – work in progress.

SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD is set well after the date of these balls. They’re estimated to be 5000 years old. But Morragh knows that it’s an old object. She calls it the ‘ancestor stone,’ and sometimes it travels about with her.

Excerpt from SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

I am before the Calgach and we look into one another’s eyes. It does not hurt too much, this looking, this time. He does not question me or try to interrupt what I am doing. I lay the knife in front of him, still looking into his eyes, and then the stone ball which makes a large hollow echoing sound as it connects with the table, silver sickle encircling it.

More Information on the Neolithic Stone Balls

You can read more on the National Museum of Scotland site here. Below is the stunning Towie ball which is part of their collection.

Recent Reviews

SISTERS is an unusual book with an unconventional narrative voice, as is noted in the following review.

Andrew G Lockhart: “Morragh walks in a mystic and magical realm, but one which recaptures the wild simplicity and beliefs of the peoples of pagan Scotland.” See review here.

And then MERMAID got a great review from Louisa Blackburn: “I really, really like the way the accents are written. I talked about them enough to where my mom asked me, “Are you reading the story, or are you listening to it?” I read the book, but the accents were written in a way that I knew what everyone sounded like.” See the whole review here.

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The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

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March 6, 2025March 13, 2025

The Land Girls Gate

The Women’s Land Army

The Land Girls Gate in Clochan is a memorial to all those that served in the Women’s Land Army during the world wars. The Army was formed in 1917, and then again in 1939 when WWII broke out. Women as young as 17 signed up for the duration of the war and took on all forms of farming and food production. The Army was eventually disbanded in 1950. There’s lots more information about the Land Girls here.

The Land Girls Gate

The memorial at Clochan in Moray is a beautiful piece of art, paying tribute to the women who served in the Land Army throughout Scotland. Stones from various farms across the country have been incorporated into the ground around the gate. The fact that the memorial is surrounded by working farmland feels perfectly fitting too.

If you visit on a Sunday morning, as I did, there’s a small car boot sale going on just down the road in Clochan, with pancakes and tea being served in the village hall. It’s rather lovely and feels a bit like stepping back into a simpler time.

The Land Girls Gate in Clochan, colourful farmland beyond — The Land Girls, farmland beyond

Writing on War

SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD is the only one of my books that includes war. From the chapter entitled Mons Graupius:

I was in a dreamlike state before; now I stand in the nightmare. I was in a soft and colourful ocean before; now everything is dry and hard and hurting and red. I had not imagined it like this. I had not thought of it at all, not in any realistic way. I’d heard a clash of swords in my mind and sensed the smell of blood. But I was like a storyteller, who lessens the dreadful parts to make them less harmful to those who listen.

Sisters at the Edge of the World by Ailish Sinclair

From the misty hills of ancient Scotland emerges a tale of love, betrayal, and the fight for freedom. Join Morragh in SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD for an unforgettable journey.

Set in the 1st century, the story includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. There’s a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance!

Amazon UK

Amazon USA

And on Amazon Worldwide

“The setting is ethereal and spellbinding as our main characters walk a fine line between what has been and what is to come. A beautiful tale of ancient wonders and kindred souls.” Historical Novel Society

Article: Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

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The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

New Books and Special Offers

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Ailish's feet on the land girls gate post

Read about little old me here.

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March 4, 2025March 4, 2025

Tarlair Revisited: Art Deco Pool and Pavilion

I’ve written about the Art Deco pool and pavilion at Tarlair before in this memory-laden post. The pool originally opened in 1931 and then closed in 1995. It’s now in the process of being restored, and it’s all rather beautiful. The pavilion is finished and about to open as a cafe, and funding has been secured to fix the pool up too.

I do like to go up onto the roofs of buildings (see Aberdeen Art Gallery here) and you can now do that at Tarlair.

View of the pool from the roof of the pavilion:

View from the roof of the pavilion at Tarlair Art Deco pool

It’s so full just now that it looks like one pool, but it is actually three. There’s a little kids’ area by those rocks, a boating pond and a swimming pool.

Down the steps:

Along the passageway…

Peering in the front door:

Tarlair Art Deco pool - front door of cafe

It’s strange; the look of the interior really reminds me of the old gymnasium in Macduff Primary School. The wooden floor, the windows… I must venture back once it’s open.

clouds reflected on Tarlair Art Deco Pool

Looking out over the pool, and back at the pavilion:

Art Deco Pavillion at Tarliar, Macduff — Tarlair Art Deco Pool and Pavilion

You can read more about the pool on the Friends of Tarlair website here

Ariel and Bubbles are happy

They have ‘most gifted’ and ‘top new release’ banners on Amazon just now and Ariel got a wee review on Instagram. Alexander is waiting impatiently in the wings with his explosive series finale. It’s out March 31st.

review
Ariel
Bubbles
Alexander

Meet Ariel and her classmates, Bubbles and Alexander, along with a whole cast of vibrant characters, as they experience love, life and adventure at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland.

Each book in this coming-of-age series delves into the personal struggles and heartfelt romances of a different student over the course of a school year. As the spotlight shifts its focus within the old walls of the castle, there are television shows to be made and dark truths to be faced.

Join these young dancers as they whirl through their challenges, forge unbreakable bonds, and discover the power within themselves. Are you ready to travel to Northern Scotland, step into the castle school and dance through the deep dark of the dungeon?

Castle Dancers Series on Amazon UK

Castle Dancers Series on Amazon Worldwide

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The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

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February 21, 2025February 21, 2025

Writing Fiercely Bonded Chosen Sisters

Aesthetic for the new book from Ailish Sinclair: Sisters at the Edge of the World. Writing. — Aesthetic for the book

This is an older post, written in early 2022: Work on the new book is forging ahead nicely. I’m writing, writing, writing. The aim is for it to be released this summer, but that may be subject to change.

Update

The book released on the 21st of September 2022.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

“Ethereal and spellbinding….” Historical Novel Society

See the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

Sisters at the Edge of the World by Ailish Sinclair. Writing.

Thank You for the Writing Advice

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on publishing options. My publisher, too, gave me lots of wonderful advice and information, and while they would have been willing to look at the manuscript, despite its shortness and strangeness, I am choosing to self-publish this novel.

Thanks also to everyone who has donated through Kofi. With traditional publishing, there is no cost to the author (remember that, don’t be taken in by vanity presses posing as traditional pubs; there’s a lot of them about), but this time I’ll be paying for everything myself, so thank you so much!

Being ill, having chronic conditions and facing my own mortality have made me want to experience things while I can. And if those things can be accomplished sitting at my desk, all the easier. So, it’ll be an adventure! That’s how I’m thinking of it anyway…

Aspects of the book

The main characters are fiercely bonded chosen sisters. Can their bond survive betrayal and perhaps even death? (Already attempting to write the blurb here).
The story is set in the 1st century CE and features the battle of Mons Graupius between the Roman invaders and the Caledonian tribes.
There’s romance, but it’s rather complicated romance this time.
The stone circle is still there in all its glory.
The castle is not, obviously, but there is a great round house where it will be one day. And a wee hoosie in the woods.

sunshine and frost in the woods. A writing day. — Sunshine and frost in the woods

Edit in: and now it has a cover!

SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD cover - writing

Do sign up to my occasional mailing list to be kept abreast of developments and also for exclusive photos…

The traditionally published books

FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the 18th century kidnapped children of Aberdeen.

Set in an Aberdeenshire castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR features the Scottish witchcraft accusations and a love story.

Paperbacks and kindle: Amazon UK or Amazon Worldwide

“Filled with excitement and suspense…” Historical Novel Society Editor’s Pick

Newsletter and Free Story

You will receive a free short story when you sign up for my occasional, more-intimate-than-the-blog newsletter (the story can be read in a browser too). It’s listed on Goodreads to help with those reading goals!

The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

New Books and Special Offers

If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page

About Page

ballet feet of Ailish Sinclair - My Characters When I'm Not There

Read all about little old me here

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January 26, 2025January 26, 2025

The History of Witchcraft in Aberdeen

There is a brutal history of witchcraft in Aberdeen, including mass accusations and executions. The town has been host to other dark events too, with historical magistrates being involved in kidnapping people for money. This post details the start of my witchcraft-related research.

Memorial

Aberdeen’s Cowdray Hall doubles as a war memorial and a venue for classical concerts, and it’s where I started my wee tour of the city on this day.

Gaol!

Leaving grand places behind, I journeyed on to the Tolbooth Museum, a 17th and 18th century gaol. Unlike the pristine war memorial, the prison exhibits the dark nature of its origin for all to see. The small cells are stifling and scary. They smell stale. There are a few of those terrifying pretend people; some of them talk, regaling you with tales of their mistreatment.

The 18th century record of prisoners reveals many debtors, a murder spree and one intriguing entry of unspecified ‘outrages’.

History of Witchcraft Accusations

An interesting fact gleaned behind the bars and bolts and padlocks of the jail was that people accused of witchcraft were once imprisoned in the steeple of St. Nicholas Kirk. Out the door I went.

door to the cells: history of witchcraft in Aberdeen

The present day kirk is serene and beautiful and open to visitors in the afternoons. The steeple sits just above the part pictured below. It’s not the same one that was used as a prison in the 16th century, but it is situated in exactly the same place.

Those boards on the left display a detailed history of the church, but there was no mention of witchcraft.

church and history of witchcraft in Aberdeen

There was an excavation happening in the east part of the building. Lots of skeletons were uncovered along with a metal ring that ‘witches’ were once tied to.

archaeology: history of witchcraft in Aberdeen

The 12th century St. John’s Chapel houses a memorial to those killed in the Piper Alpha oil disaster. These amazing chairs are part of it. They sit right underneath the steeple.

This window depicts the history of Aberdeen. It was paid for by the oil and gas industry so those themes dominate.

I walked down steps and cobbled streets in search of comfort, hot chocolate and books.

Unfortunately there’s not much comfort to be found in researching The Witchcraft Act and all that followed.

The Witch Stone

It is said that witches were tied to the witch stone near Fraserburgh, and burnt. The landowner questions whether this was the case as no documentation exists on the subject. But such evidence was often destroyed, or omitted from written history. After the burnings and ‘dookings’ and other well specified outrages by church and state had ended, people were ashamed. And rightly so. But where’s the memorial in that?

Memorial through Dance

70 years since D-Day, BalletBoyz pay tribute to the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives with a specially commissioned short film for Channel 4:

The Book

The book that eventually sprang from all this is out in both paperback and Kindle now.

Article in the Press and Journal: New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland

The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair

Set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire, Ailish Sinclair’s debut novel, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

My New Series

The first title – Ariel: Dancing on TV – is currently 99p/99c

The night before Ariel, a sixteen-year-old girl with a deformed hand, starts at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland, her mother tries to kill her.

Can she rise above a lifetime of pain and embrace the possibilities of fame and love that beckon to her?

‘Ariel: Dancing on TV’ is a mesmerising tale of resilience and the pursuit of a brighter future against all odds.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Newsletter and Free Story

You will receive a free short story when you sign up for my occasional, more-intimate-than-the-blog newsletter (the story can be read in a browser too).

The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

New Books and Special Offers

If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

About Page

Read all about little old me here

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January 1, 2025January 23, 2025

Walking the Witchy Ways of Aberdeen

cobbles, or cassies, as they are called in Aberdeen

Galllus Quines. Wonderful street art in Aberdeen honouring those persecuted for witchcraft. The Witchy Ways of Aberdeen. — Gallus Quines

Exploring Those Witchy Ways

I ran through St Nicholas Kirkyard, the first of the historical ‘witchy ways’, and down and round Correction Wynd, an old medieval lane in Aberdeen, to see this recent street art. I was due to meet people for breakfast, but determined to see the ‘Quine Shrine’ first. The reason being? That first part, on the left, honours those who were persecuted for witchcraft in Aberdeen, and one tile names a few of them, including the three women I chose to write about in The Mermaid and the Bear.

Tile naming some of those accused of being witches in Aberdeen, Scotland. The Witchy Ways of Aberdeen.

Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

The spellings are different, because spellings weren’t set back then, not like they are today. I chose to go with the way the names are recorded in the Survey Of Scottish Witchcraft from Edinburgh University. It was there that I learned, contrary to popular belief, that only a tiny proportion of those accused were midwives or folk healers; a mere 9 of the 3837 ‘witches’ in Scotland were midwives, and only 141 had some mention of healing in their cases. See the Introduction to Scottish Witchcraft

In my fictional account of these women’s lives, one of them is a midwife and healer, but this is not the reason for the accusations brought against the three quines.

So, with the quine shrine admired and appreciated, on to breakfast:

The Tolbooth

Now fortified, off to gaol we go! It’s difficult to get good pictures in
the 17th century Tolbooth, what with it being so dark due to having windows like this:

Tiny and narrow window in a 17th century prison. The Witchy Ways of Aberdeen. — Let the sunshine pour in!

Chain in the Tolbooth Museum, Aberdeen. The Witchy Ways of Aberdeen. — A chain hangs from the wall

Prosecutions for Witchcraft in Aberdeen

I think I did a better job with photos the last time I was there, blogged here. That was when I first read these words:

text, detailing some history of witchcraft in aberdeen

I remember feeling overcome and distressed by the information, but it was then that I decided I was definitely going to write the book. Here’s that steeple, or its replacement, standing tall against the blue sky:

Steeple and clock of St Nicholas Kirk in Aberdeen. The Witchy Ways of Aberdeen.

Back in 1597, there were two large bells in the original steeple. Now there’s an impressive carillon, and it started to play while I was eating my lunchtime chocolate ice cream in the kirkyard. This is not as creepy and strange as it sounds; there are benches and lots of people go there for lunch! I took a short video, so you can hear the bells.

Lunchtime bells

I’ve made a Pinterest board for the book, though it does seem to be rather focussed on the cheerier parts of the story.

pinterest board for the novel, The Mermaid and the Bear, by Ailish Sinclair — Pinterest board

I am Weather Obsessed

And on another cheery, or perhaps laughable, note, I was recently mentioned in the Evening Standard as an example of a ‘weather obsessed’ Briton.

Ailish Sinclair in the Evening Standard.

I must go now. I have to check on the weather!

The Mermaid and the Bear

The book that came from it all is out now in paperback and kindle.

If you like castles, Scotland, history, witches, stone circles and Christmas done medieval-style, you might like THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR. There’s also a love story.

Amazon UK and Amazon Worldwide

Other bookshops (and libraries) can get it too!

From the Press and Journal: New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland

I also feature in the article Should we really have fun at Halloween when the north-east led the great execution of witches?

My New Series

The first title – Ariel: Dancing on TV – is currently 99p/99c

The night before Ariel, a sixteen-year-old girl with a deformed hand, starts at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland, her mother tries to kill her.

Can she rise above a lifetime of pain and embrace the possibilities of fame and love that beckon to her?

‘Ariel: Dancing on TV’ is a mesmerising tale of resilience and the pursuit of a brighter future against all odds.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Newsletter and Free Story

You will receive a free short story when you sign up for my occasional, more-intimate-than-the-blog newsletter (the story can be read in a browser too).

The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

New Books and Special Offers

If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

See my About Page here

Writer’s Tip Jar

December 25, 2024February 27, 2025

Diabolical and Deranged: Writing and Blood

Diabolical and deranged. These are words that have been said about me, or aspects of me, in the last few days. I like diabolical the best. My editor said it about the plot twists in CABRIOLE (book 2 of A Dancer’s Journey series). And she’s right. They are diabolical. And now they’re making other people cry too, not just me. It feels a little wrong to be delighted about such a thing, but it shows that the book is ticking the proper emotional boxes. So, I’m pleased. And diabolical.

Update: the whole series is out now!

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

Series on Goodreads

Page with blurbs and quotes

Dance and Despair: Writing What You Know on Women Writers, Women[‘s] Books.

And Deranged?

It’s not my mind that’s deranged, but my blood. So I was told by a specialist nurse this week. And that’s not so much fun. There are to be more tests. And treatment. And, hopefully, my blood will arrange itself in a more pleasing manner soon.

Some Diabolical and Deranged Street Art

I rather like the side of this wee cottage in Fraserburgh. Great movement and verve there from the artist.

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.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Read the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

Go here to sign up for occasional emails that always include some exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. They’re a more intimate space than the blog. If you would rather just hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

My About Page

Read my bio and see all the social links and articles here.

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December 24, 2024February 27, 2025

A Small Blue Ball of Pain

oorange tulip behind barbed wire — Tulip behind barbed wire

Originally posted May 2022 in the midst of an autoimmune flare-up.

Small Blue Ball

I am a small blue ball of pain.

Curled up.

Can’t eat. Can’t sleep. Can’t write.

Life on hold.

Wondering what went wrong. Why I am here again.

A pause by the bluebell woods on the way back from hospital. A biopsy may provide answers to the mystery of me and my strange body, who knows?

The flowers smell sweet. I breathe them in.

Pink

An easing comes. A moving on from the small blue ball. A sort of ‘pinkening’. Lilac flowers are taken in from the garden, and I sit in a delicately scented cloud of beauty.

Then, a few steps, and I am outside.

It is glorious. Painful still, but better. I can envision being well again.

The sunshine. The breeze. I love it all.

pink bench and blossom — Blossom caught in the pink bench.

Writing

Thoughts of writing come. I left my poor characters in the middle of the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. War. A situation far worse than my own. I must release them from it soon.

Cover Reveal

Before all this, before I became ill again, a cover was designed. My own photos of stones from Aikey Brae Stone Circle were used.

The main character in the book is neurodivergent.

As am I.

Illness makes me open, bared and true. Pain peels back layers of politeness and hesitancy and doubt. I just say things. And, I just am.

I still hope for a summer release, a later one obviously, maybe early autumn. My body will have its say in the matter. But it will come…

Update: Sisters at the Edge of the World came out in September 2022

When Morragh speaks to another person for the very first time, she has no idea that he is an invader in her land…

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide/Barnes & Noble

See the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

Newsletter and Updates

Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, and some exclusive photos. If you would rather just hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

My About Page

Read about little old me here!

Writer’s Tip Jar

December 22, 2024January 26, 2025

Pitsligo Castle and Peathill Kirk in Aberdeenshire

Pitsligo Castle

Crows nest in the old keep of Pitsligo Castle near the village of Rosehearty in Aberdeenshire. Dating from 1424, it’s an impressive and atmospheric place. The Forbes family who built it, staunch Jacobite supporters, lost their lands and titles after the battle of Culloden. The castle was then ravaged by Hanoverian soldiers and fell into ruin.

The oldest part of the castle, the keep or tower:

Many of the rooms round the rubble filled courtyard remain intact. The evening sun added bright effects on this visit.

A large bird flew out of here. It was all a bit ‘Game of Thrones’…

Here and there the sky shows through chimneys, windows and decayed stairwells.

The gateway:

Peathill Kirk

Just up the hill sits Peathill Kirk, where old and new towers stand side by side and, unsightly as it is, mobile phone reception is great.

Ghosts of Jacobites lurk here too.

Alexander Forbes, the 4th Lord of Pitsligo, quite a famous Jacobite, and owner of Pitsligo Castle, is buried in the crypt below. He was a most interesting character.

I’ve written about him here: In Search of Lord Pitsligo’s Cave and then in more detail over on The Witch, The Weird and the Wonderful blog. His open minded and fair way of being also inspired the character of Thomas, the Laird, in THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR.

Here he is at the side of Bonnie Prince Charlie (on the right, in the shadows), entering the ballroom at the Palace of Hollyroodhouse.

Bonnie Prince Charlie Entering the Ballroom at Holyroodhouse

The painting, by John Pettie, is part of the Royal Collection Trust.

The two sites make a trip up to Peathill most worthwhile. The castle and kirk would been used and inhabited at the same time – Lord Pitsligo would have sat in the Forbes pew just above where his grave now is – and offer an evocative glimpse into the past.

Chosen Sisters, Romans and Romance

“Ethereal and spellbinding….” Historical Novel Society

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

See the press release here

Review from Terry Tyler: “It’s a fabulous story, a real page-turner and so well written. It made me think about the passage and circle of time, of the constancy of the land on which we live and the transient nature of human life. Loved it.“

Read the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

Witchcraft and a Handsome Laird

Taking place mainly in a fictional castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.

See the press release here

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Review from Tonya Ulynn Brown: “Before I go any further, I just have to say, this is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read…“

From the Press and Journal: New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland

Kidnapping, Slavery and Friendship

Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair, out 2021

FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the kidnapped children and young people of Aberdeen. The story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith from the castle and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s derring-dos on the high seas… And there’s chocolate!

See the publisher’s Press Release here

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

“Filled with excitement and suspense…” Historical Novel Society Editor’s Pick

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