books Archives - Ailish Sinclair

May 22, 2026May 22, 2026

Things I Stole From Castles

A Stolen Floor

The first of the things I stole from castles is the earthen floor of the medieval great hall at Drum Castle.

I love it.

So I took it!

From Chapter 3 of THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR:

Bessie had shown me the great hall, a huge room that put one in mind of a church. Sunlight fell through twelve windows, making narrow shapes on the earthen floor of that place…

I did rather fill up my writer’s swag bag at Drum.

Below is a beautiful bedpost…

oaken leaves on a bedpost at Drum: things I stole from castles

Chapter 34:

“It’s beautiful, Thomas,” I said, walking into the room and running my hands up and down the dark smooth wood of the bedposts which were swirled with infinite oak leaves.

I don’t have a good picture of the dungeon there, though I pilfered that too. It’s a terrible place with a narrow stairway leading down, down, down into the dank. However, bats were roosting in it the last couple of times I visited the castle, and they’re a protected species so it was absolutely forbidden to disturb them. Which was quite a relief really…

Here is a pictorial quote from the book:

And into the swagbag goes…

A forest view from a high window at Crathes Castle

forest view from Crathes Castle window: things I stole from castles

From Chapter 38:

I sat up on my seat by the three thin windows and watched the first golden shafts of morning light creep over the tops of the trees in the forest.

A Secret Stairway

From beautiful Craigievar I took the secret stairway that runs from top to bottom of the castle, strictly no photos allowed inside…

Craigievar Castle: things I stole from castles

From Chapter 28:

We were in another passage, small and stony and grey, and after a short way it led to a narrow stairwell that was not lit by torches and sconces like the big one, but dark and shadowy and hidden. Secret. Indeed safe. For now.

The Laird’s Lug

Castle Fraser gave me its triangular peep-hole and ‘Laird’s Lug’.

Castle Fraser: things I stole from castles

From Chapter 28:

I told the Laird, and he took his turn at the peephole and gave the scene a long assessing look. “It is a pity there is so much noise tonight; we could have made out their words otherwise, the walls of the lug are thinned in places and shaped to augment speech made in the hall.”

I think that’s enough of my rampant thievery for one post – there may be others – so I’ll leave you with this review of the book from Terry Tyler, a brilliant writer herself. Actually – I can’t help myself – I’ll just steal a quote from that too:

Ailish Sinclair’s portrayal of 16th century, wild rural Scotland is quite magical. On one recent evening I was curled up in bed, head on cushions and lights dimmed, and I found that I was revelling in every description of the countryside, the day-to-day life at the castle (particularly the Christmas revellry; this made me long to be in the book myself!), the suggestion of ancient spirituality, and the hopes and dreams of the characters. Suddenly I realised that I’d gone from thinking ‘yes, this is a pleasant enough, easy-read’ to ‘I’m loving this’.

And here’s a wee picture of my author copies, or castle swag bags, if you will. Buy your own here on Amazon in paperback or on Kindle.

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

Contemporary Fiction

Book covers of A Dancer's Journey series by Ailish Sinclair: celebratory dance.

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…

My dance background and love of history and spicy stories are what inspired this heady 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.

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

There are no cliffhanger endings in this series; each book completes a story, but then there is more. So much more. Read all the blurbs here

Historical Fiction

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

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, romance, friendship and chocolate.

“Ethereal and spellbinding….” Historical Novel Society

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

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May 22, 2026May 22, 2026

Pointe Work and a Daring Leotard

Reflections

Looking back on this post from a year ago. Reflecting on the past twelve months. Determining to stay well now. To not burn myself out again. In a year’s time I want to be writing about dancing around doing pointe work and getting books out and visiting castles and other lovely places. Maybe I’ll even wear a red leotard. Probably not to visit a castle. But, you never know… 😀

Back to the original post:

Would a strappy red leotard distract the eye from my puffer-fish face or accentuate it? The many thin straps of the garment crisscrossed my back in a pleasing design. It was different. It was daring. I wore it.

The above quote is from TENDU, the first book of A Dancer’s Journey, a romantic-suspense series. The main character, Amalphia, has just been through some relationship turmoil, again, and is returning to class after injury caused by an inappropriate level of pointe work. The red leotard gets her into a surprising amount of trouble.

Her injury came from being asked to perform every exercise in class en pointe. This is something that I took from my own life.

Memories of Pointe Work

One week at college, our usual morning-class teacher – the late great Imogen Claire – was absent and a substitute put in place. This new teacher decided I needed to be stretched and pushed and had me do everything en pointe. Just me. Nobody else. This singling-out drew a few nasty looks from the other dancers. But really, there was nothing to be jealous about.

Because it really was everything. Every bend. Every jump. I love jumping en pointe. I still do it sometimes. But as a training method in morning class, this excessive pointe work made no sense. It removed the benefit of many of the exercises, and I limped off to the other lessons of the day improperly warmed-up.

After two days of this, my feet were sore. After a week, they were a mess. But then Imogen returned with her no-nonsense approach to teaching and ballet, and I healed.

Imogen Claire and Christopher Biggins in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. — Imogen looks through her glasses in disapproval (Rocky Horror Picture Show 1975). Christopher Biggins, to the left there, once said very insightful things to me while judging my annual assessment at college.

There was no need for extra pointe work as we were blessed with a specialist teacher for that. At first I was surprised to learn that the class was taught by a man, but Gary Harris was a true expert on the subject, performing all the steps en pointe himself in his soft trainers at the front of the studio.

So, dance-school memories indulged, it’s time to head back into the next manuscripts. There’s a connected series coming…

A Dancer’s Journey Series

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…

My dance background and love of history and spicy stories are what inspired this wild 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.

There are no cliffhanger endings in this series; each book completes a story, but then there is more. So much more. Read all the blurbs here

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

Sisters at the Edge of the World

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

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

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May 17, 2026May 22, 2026

Sea Rocket at the Beach

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.

See the whole review here

About the new series

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.

When will it be out? Time and health will tell!

A little more sea rocket:

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May 13, 2026May 22, 2026

Roseisle Beach and Pine Forest

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.

Forestry and Land Scotland site

Info on foodtrucks in the area

I did gallivant on a little further up the coast:

Burghead Pictish Fort

Burghead Well

A Dancer’s Journey – a completed series

He’s a damaged diva, used to getting his own way. She’s an autistic ballet girl who speaks her truth without tact. What could possibly go wrong?

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

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…

My About Page

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May 12, 2026May 22, 2026

Cherry Blossom and Wellness – the Flowers of May

Cherry Blossom and Geranium

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 😀

Castle Dancers Series on Amazon UK

Castle Dancers Series on Amazon Worldwide

Blog posts on the series

Inherit a castle - the house at Logie Estate - cherry blossom post

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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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May 11, 2026May 22, 2026

Fire and Elephants – the Flowers of May

Fire and Elephants - euphorbia fireglow — fireglow

Fire and Elephants by the Pond

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.

fire and elephants - elephant's ears bergenia

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.

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

Articles

Dance and Despair: Writing What You Know on Women Writers, Women‘s Books.
Author releases steamy romance novel with ‘lots of naughtiness’ set in Aberdeenshire from Aberdeen Live.
New novel from Aberdeenshire author combines passions from Grampian Online.
TENDU press release

@ailishsinclair
#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
♬ som original – Bibi perigosa mx9

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

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May 9, 2026May 22, 2026

Purple Gromwell – the Flowers of May

Despite being called purple gromwell, this flower is clearly bright blue.

It’s a wonderfully medieval name, though, gromwell, isn’t it? I recall mention of the plant in the Cadfael series – books and TV show (affiliate links) – where its presence helps in a murder investigation. Perhaps if I grow enough gromwell in my garden, I can also solve mysteries and fight crime. It comes in a white variety, so I’m on the lookout for that.

Growing nearby, and undeniably purple, is a small rhododendron.

Fireflies and Chocolate

Torn out of an isolated life in a Scottish castle, Elizabeth embarks on a determined quest to return home. Exhilarating adventures unfold on the high seas, love blossoms, and the chocolate, purchased in Benjamin Franklin’s printing shop, is delicious!

FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the 600 children and young people who were kidnapped from Aberdeen during the 1740s and sold into indentured servitude in the American Colonies.

Paperback and kindle on Amazon

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

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

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May 8, 2026May 22, 2026

Ivy-leaved Toadflax – the Flowers of May

This ivy-leaved toadflax is growing in a drain at Broadsea just now. It’s a tough little plant, preferring to make its home in rocky, stony places. It was introduced to Britain as a garden flower hundreds of years ago, and was first recorded in the wild in 1640.

This lovely toadflax was spread all along the back garden wall of one house I lived in, and I was sad to leave it behind when I moved. These flower posts are becoming rather nostalgic!

The Mermaid and the Bear

Isobell needs to escape. She has to. Her life depends on it.

Set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire, Ailish’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.

Paperback and kindle on Amazon

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

“A delight from end to end…” Undiscovered Scotland

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

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May 8, 2026May 8, 2026

Writing a Coherent Novel Among Blue Flowers

writing a coherent novel among the bluebells

Is it possible to write a coherent novel when the primary research source, that I’ve become so deeply embroiled in, is anything but coherent? And how was that for a non-coherent sentence?

The witchcraft confessions of Isobel Gowdie are extraordinary. And strange. And mixed up in many ways, so it seems to me.

Here’s a quote from Confession 2, not translated by me, slightly translated by Robert Pitcairn in his 1833 work Ancient Criminal Trials in Scotland (I will translate quotes that appear in the novel for ease of understanding):

“The aucht Spirit [is called] ‘ RoBERT The JAcks,’ ftill clothed in dune, and feimes to be aiged. He is ane glaiked gowked Spirit! The woman’s [nikname] that he waitis on, is ‘ABLE AND STOWT!'”

The letter S was written as F. Sometimes. The letter F was also written as F. All the time. What a wonderful voice Isobel had, for I definitely feel that at least some of that passage did not come from just answering ‘aye’ to closed, specific questions. Such are my incoherent, and sometimes inconsequential, thoughts…

So, I revisit Isobel’s places:

Auldearn Stone Row in the bluebells - writing a coherent novel

The stone row in Auldearn above. Bluebells! Green alkanet by Auldearn Kirkyard below.

Green alkanet by Auldearn Kirkyard - writing a coherent novel.

I also revisit the Downie Hillock, where Isobel dined with the King and Queen of Elfhame (fairyland). It’s nice there.

I was there in these places on May 3rd, the day on which, in 1662, Isobel gave her second confession.

Downie Hillock - writing a coherent novel

Back at my desk, I remember that coherence can come in editing. Later. And I let the words and the story flow on…

The Mermaid and the Bear, 2019

The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair

Everyone knows about the Salem witch trials that took place in seventeenth century America, but less well known are the instances of witch hunting that occurred across Scotland.

Ailish Sinclair painstakingly researched this fascinating and terrible subject for more than a year, before blending it with a love story in her debut novel, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR. Featuring three real women who were accused as part of the Aberdeen witchcraft panic of 1597, the book is set against the beautiful backdrop of the Aberdeenshire countryside and tells the story of Isobell, and her desperation to escape London and an arranged marriage, to find a better life.

Upon landing in Scotland, Isobell’s dreams of faery castles, ancient woodlands and misty lochs seem to be coming true, as she finds herself kitchen maid to a handsome Laird, who offers not only safety but also the hope for a brighter future, filled with love and kindness. All is not how it seems, however, and enemies, both from the past and the present, conspire to test Isobell to the limits of endurance, and beyond.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Signed copies

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May 6, 2026May 22, 2026

Hawthorn – the Flowers of May

Hawthorn, according to folklore, is the most likely tree to be inhabited by fairies or the Wee Folk… It flowers in May, mainly in hedgerows and wild places. The scent of hawthorn is wild too, earthy and spicy, calling to mind rites of spring and naughty pixies. It feels like that to me anyway 🙂

An Earthy and Spicy Series

@a.dancers.journey
A Dancer’s Journey Series by Ailish Sinclair 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. She’s soon dealing with her boyfriend’s beautiful and obsessive ex, the sinister 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 deep dark of the dungeon… #booktok #balletbooks #romanticsuspense #contemporaryromance #bookboyfriendsdoitbetter
♬ Too Bad – GIULIA BE

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.

She’s soon dealing with her boyfriend’s beautiful and obsessive ex, the sinister 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 deep dark of the dungeon…

Dark, witty, sexy and fun, Tendu is a seductive story of love, dance and obsession. Get your copy today.

Amazon UK

Amazon worldwide

“I enjoyed the romance parts and the emotional rollercoaster ride!” Latest review on Amazon.