Loudon Wood Stone Circle is so deep in the woods that it is almost impossible to find. There are many little paths that look like they might lead into it from the main track, but the one that actually does? Virtually hidden. I succeeded in finding it again in 2020. And it was wonderful.
Within the circle glade, it was peaceful. It was warm. It was calm.
There was a brief rain shower while I was there, and even that felt gentle and soft, in direct contrast to the horizontal in-the-face precipitation we often get here.
I didn’t want to leave. Surrounded by dense trees, the circle felt separate from the somewhat crazed world outside. It made me think of the person who commented on a recent Instagram post, saying that the image freed them from ‘all the bullshit’ for a moment. This was that picture:
Loudon Wood Stone Circle is like that too. Free of things that can maybe be symbolised by this beer made by a local brewery:
And there’s a nice review of THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR over on Goodreads here. “The ending is gorgeous and deeply moving. I had a hard time putting the book down. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction, love stories, tragedies, and the resilience of love, kindness, and faith.”
Set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire, Ailish Sinclair’s debut novel, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, features an often overlooked event in history, the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, and a love story.
Post from 2022. That was a beautiful pink sunrise a few weeks ago over a local doocot. Before I got ill. And spoonie time started. Again. Sigh.
Having revelled my way through the beauty of winter, celebrating the fact I was staying so well, I have been struck down once more. But I’ve been a lot worse. And I’m not in hospital, so that’s good. And, as my appearance here today shows, the medication is starting to kick in.
Spoonie Days
I have managed to keep up my writing schedule. My first spoon of the day goes on that. There’s quite a good explanation of the term spoonie here. Basically, spoons represent the energy you have for tasks and activities each day. And with chronic illness, the spoons can be very limited.
A Dancer’s Journey Series
These books are long, and involved. They’re rather a Magnum Opus at over 100,000 words each. They’re all at different stages of the editing/proofing process. I’m so enjoying working with all the editing feedback and bringing them together into something strange, intense and, hopefully, beautiful. So they will still be out this year. I will not stop till they’re done. Update: Amazon!
But that’s my blogging spoon spent. For today. I’ll leave you with the scene that greets me most mornings at the moment… I’m not sure what happened to spring!
My Books
SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD opens on a snowy winter solstice in 1st century Scotland. The main character is neurodivergent, and has been non-verbal until that first scene of the book.
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.
FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the kidnapped children of 18th century Aberdeen, and is set in both Scotland and Colonial Pennsylvania.
They’re all available in paperback, kindle and on kindle unlimited.
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.
Aviemore Stone Circle is unusual, though not unique, in that it is situated in the middle of a housing estate.
On the day I visited – Summer Solstice 2019 – roses were blooming at the edge of the circle, adding to the magical atmosphere of the place. The houses don’t detract from that; bushes and trees lend some privacy to the ancient stones.
Solstice Sun
The sun was newly risen and bright; patches of ground seemed almost luminescent. There’s often a special light quality at stone circles, whether they’re in an open urban setting like this, or tucked away within dark forests. Maybe the mind just tends toward mysticism among these mysterious old standing stones.
People had left mementos or offerings in the Rowan tree, perhaps treating the site like a clootie well?
Clouds gathered overhead as I left the circle, on my way to an utterly amazing breakfast just round the corner at the Mountain Cafe (no longer there, sadly).
If you liked this post on Aviemore Stone Circle, you might also like:
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!
Taking place mainly in a 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.
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!
These books are so naughty that I’m a little worried nobody will be able to look me in the face again after reading them. But not that worried. They’re heading out into the world anyway.
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…
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.
Well, WordPress prompt, when I was fifteen, I took over my ballet teacher’s school for a few months before going to college.
Despite being far too young for such a responsibility, I loved it, and it paid for all the dancewear and equipment I needed for my studies.
In my second year of dance school, I got a job in a shop in Covent Garden. It was a very nice shop. I had more money. No more choosing between food and decent pointe shoes.
But here is where things go a bit darker than the WordPress prompt probably intended. I knew really, that working both Saturday and Sunday, after a hard week of dance training, was a bit foolhardy. My sensible friend, Suzette, who would have counselled against this, had returned to Mauritius. More about Suzette and dance training here
So, I became exhausted. There was dance injury after dance injury. I developed a chest infection that lasted five months.
The shop sacked me for being ill. This left me even more vulnerable than I had already been, at seventeen, alone in London.
There was a violent predator.
There was an incident from which I was lucky to escape with my life.
Fast forward to the present, skipping several other jobs…
And my writing is influenced by my past. This is most evident in my contemporary work. There is a dark event in TENDU, the first book of A Dancer’s Journey, that I knew how to write because of my own experience. Not that it’s exactly the same, of course. In fact, it’s quite different. Fiction has to be more dramatic than reality, and more interesting. Far more interesting…
And have an infinitely more exciting setting…
These books have dark moments, but they are actually quite fun, overall, I think. And naughty. Like life, if you’re lucky!
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.
Everything about Burghead Well is mysterious. It’s not known who built it, or when, or why.
One definite fact: Burghead Well is huge
It’s much bigger than a plain water source needs to be. The chamber, carved out of solid rock, is five metres wide. The pool is 1 metre deep and fed by an underground spring.
It could have been part of Burghead Pictish Fort (probably built in the 5th century CE), or it could have come before or after the fort. That’s how little is known.
Today, the well sits behind a locked door in the middle of the village of Burghead. I peered through the bars of that door:
It was too intriguing not to walk back up the hill to the Visitor Centre to obtain the key…
Descending the steps
So, twenty minutes later, I descended the steps to the well. It was a bright and sunny day. And then it wasn’t. As soon as I stepped onto the original rock-hewn steps, everything felt dark and sinister. I stopped, wanting to turn and run back up to the light. And then I made myself go on, as I really wanted to see what it was like in the well chamber.
I’ve visited various underground places over the years – caves and barrows – but none of them have ever felt anything like this to me.
The mysterious well at Burghead. Exact date of origin unknown. It may predate or postdate the 4th to 6th century Pictish fort. Exact use unknown, but probably more than just water collection. It was really creepy down on the original steps! Blog coming soon. #pictishsites#wells#ancientwells#prehistory#scotlandtravel
There are various theories as to the original use of the well. It could have been an early site of Christian baptism, a Pagan shrine to water deities, or a place of ritual execution. Maybe archaeologists will uncover answers one day but, for now, Burghead Well remains mysterious.
Set in 1st century Scotland, and featuring the cliffs and caves of Cullykhan Bay, 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…
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.
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!
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 rather just hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly, lavender’s green, When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen: Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so? ‘Twas mine own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so.
Current writing research has taken me to the 17th century, and this folk song that has its origins in that time, is in my mind. The older versions are a little earthier…
Lavender blue and Rosemary green, When I am king you shall be queen; Call up my maids at four o’clock, Some to the wheel and some to the rock; Some to make hay and some to shear corn, And you and I will keep the bed warm.
The lavender is SO very fragrant just now, and the cornflowers are SO very blue 🙂
Ariel: Dancing on TV
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.
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.
Wandering barefoot. Along the sand. At St Combs beach.
Tiptoeing between the sandworm castings.
Feeling the smoothness and solidity of the rocks.
Bending down to look at some wee sea snails.
Leaping over seaweed.
A sand storm blows up on the way back.
But the skies stay dramatic at St Combs.
Reviews for TENDU
“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
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…
There’s a great review of The Mermaid and the Bear over on The Inquisitive Inkpot: “This is where I connected with Isobell: I connected with her when the fragility of her world suddenly mirrored the fragility of mine. So to speak, I met her in the details.”
And another here on Instagram: “The author has written such a triumphant tale of love, bravery, and true magic for these women and all women.”
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.
Keep up to date with all my news by signing up to the mailing list. It’s a more intimate space than the blog and always contains some exclusive photos. If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
There were dramatic skies the last time I went to look for reindeer in the Cairngorms. They were beautiful though. These were skies to stand and stare at.
And mountains to walk around in.
The Funicular Railway
The funicular railway was out of service, due to cracks having been discovered in the cement so, with my autoimmune conditions flaring, I didn’t venture as high into the landscape as I would have liked.
Lentil Soup
It was more of a restful day than an energetic one. A ‘lentil soup in the cavernous restaurant at the base station’ type of day (you will get lentil soup everywhere you go in Scotland).
Those Reindeer in the Cairngorms
The free-ranging reindeer herd remained elusive on this trip, but here’s an older photo of them. There are much better pictures on their own website!
Chosen Sisters, Romans and Romance
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.
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.“
Go here to sign up for occasional emails that always include exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. They’re a more intimate space than the blog.
A misty Midsummer morning: a perfect time to hear the carnyx
It’s Midsummer, and I’m in celebratory mode and sounding my (imaginary) carnyx, a wind instrument of the Iron Age Celts.
Midsummer in the woods
Sound of the Carnyx
In the video below, a musician plays a reconstruction of the Deskford Carnyx. The original was discovered in this area of Scotland and dates from the time of my Iron Age novel, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD.
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…
Midsummer, or High Summer, is important to the people of the book. There’s dancing, singing, storytelling and other, naughtier, activities in the stone circle. There’s also feasting and fighting, and the sound of a newly constructed carnyx.
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.
The Battle of Auldearn took place on the 9th of May, 1645 as part of the wider Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It was fought between a Scottish Covenanter army who were aligned with the English Parliament, and the Royalist forces of Charles the 1st. The Royalists won the battle despite being hugely outnumbered 4000 to 1500.
It was a long and bloody day, and the fighting took place over quite a large area around and actually in the village of Auldearn right between the houses.
A view of Garlic Hill, one of the battle sites, from under my umbrella:
I’ve been researching the battle as part of my wider research about Isobel Gowdie; it took place 17 years before her famous confessions. What a horrific and traumatic event it must have been for the people of Auldearn, and not one that anyone who lived through it would ever forget.
Liking to immerse myself in the history, places and times that I write about, I stayed in the friendly and relaxed 1645 Inn in Auldearn. It’s situated right on the edge of the battle field, and I had strange and disturbed dreams about the battle at night. Will this make the novel more strange and disturbed? Quite possibly.
The Boath Doocot
The 17th century Boath Doocot (dovecot) is a good place to overlook the battle field. The doocot itself would not have been there at the time of the battle, but the old motte that it stands on certainly was. It dates from the 12th century and was the site of a medieval castle called the Old Castle of Eren, the source of the name Auldearn.
Pigeons coming in to land:
Dead Man’s Wood
I wanted to find Dead Man’s wood. Sometimes just referred to as the ‘Dead Wood’, this is a tiny woodland that is said to be the burial site of the slain Covenanters from the Battle of Auldearn. Several map apps on the go, I travelled the roads round Auldearn looking for it. And there, in the middle of a ploughed field (so I did not cross) I found it.
There were poppies growing nearby. Storms have had their way with the wood, and most of the older trees have blown down. Elderflowers bloom on the site.
It’s said that people who were executed on Gallows Hill were sometimes buried in Dead Man’s Wood too, so it is possible that this might be the final resting place of Isobel Gowdie herself. There are no actual trial records for Isobel and her accomplice Janet Breadheid, and though one was granted, it had caveats, so the fate of the two women is unknown.
An iris grows beside the battlefield today… and on with draft two I go.
The Mermaid and the Bear (a novel about a different Isobell)
Lost in ancient woodlands and caught up in whispers of witchcraft, Isobell must navigate danger to reclaim her life. Can she find her happily ever after?
