Tag: books

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

Cover of Ailish Sinclair's 'The Mermaid and the Bear'

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

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

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

February 28, 2025November 24, 2025

“Filled with excitement and suspense…” Historical Novel Society

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Go here to sign up for my occasional emails that always include 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.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Hello, Darkness, My Old Friend

Post from 2024. Hello, Darkness. Hello, Flare. I’ve been struck down by autoimmunity again, but it’s been worse. Many times. I’m trying to do everything right and hope I’ll be better soon.

I searched my phone photos for ‘dark,’ and here are some of the results. I like that they all have light in them too, as if we’re heading that way, as if it’s inevitable.

Above is the loch. Below, the interior of Peathill Kirk.

This humorous wee video came up too, and it made me smile with its accuracy. I’m still working on that next series. I’ve slowed down a bit, but the pain actually seems to be less when I am writing.

@ailishsinclair
#CapCut #writinglife #frozen #writing #booktok #editing #memes
♬ original sound – Ailish Sinclair

Diabolical was there… Of course it was.

There were dark castles…

And moonlit skies…

The photos don’t lie. The light will come.

My Books – a Mix of Light and Dark

Read the contemporary series that’s shocking people! It’s available in paperback, kindle and on kindle unlimited.

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…

Review snippets:

Deanne Patterson on Tendu: It broke my heart and then healed it and made it sing. Full review here.

Molly H on Cabriole: It’s truly one of the best books I’ve ever read and made me feel SO MANY FEELINGS. Full review here – some spoilers.

Tom Williams on Fouetté: I galloped through it, loving every moment. Full review here – some spoilers, especially if you haven’t read Cabriole.

Historical Titles

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.

February 28, 2025May 6, 2025

About Page

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Newsletter, Updates and ARCs

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.

Reviewers can apply for Advance Reader Copies of future books here

Writer’s Tip Jar

When Characters Break the Fourth Wall

I love it when characters push past that invisible fourth wall and acknowledge the reader or audience in some way. It happens in two of my books, entirely caused by the bubbly, friendly nature of the heroines.

I didn’t plan it. I didn’t decide to have these girls develop an awareness of the observer. Second-person point of view just appeared naturally during writing.

The technique is used in both Hamlet and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, so I think I’m in good company.

The fourth wall is only breached occasionally in the stories mentioned below, but I enjoy it every single time. I hope it makes the reader feel more intimately connected to the characters too.

Bubbles: Dancing Through History (out today)

Henry and I make hot chocolate together in the communal area before going to bed. Separately. Obviously separately, you know that; I don’t know why I felt the need to say it.

Fireflies and Chocolate (see it here)

Now, I ken fit you’d like to say to me: “Elizabeth Manteith, you’re a spoilt wee lassie! Fit most folk wouldna give to live in a castle!” Aye, well. You dinna ken. You dinna ken at all.

Do you have any favourite fourth-wall-breaking moments?

Let me know in the comments 🙂

Castle Dancers Book 2 is out now

Bubbles: Dancing Through History

It’s going to be the most boring year of her life. That’s what Bubbles has decided. This, her second year at the castle school, will involve no naked dancing, or television appearances. No fires in stone circles. No meltdowns. And no hospital stays. You know, not like last year.

As she walks up the tree-lined drive towards the castle, she is immediately surrounded by TV reporters. Next she encounters the enigmatic and charming new boy, American student Aiden, and finds herself in an instalove situation. Being cast as the lead in a historical documentary is altogether too exciting and fun, as are the night-time visits to caves and underground chambers.

As Bubbles navigates her difficult home life, the complexities of her mental health and various intense experiences at the castle, she struggles to maintain equilibrium.

Will she be able to find balance amidst the chaos, or will her carefully laid ‘boring’ plan unravel completely?

Dive into this captivating coming-of-age tale filled with drama, romance, and self-discovery.

February 21, 2025February 21, 2025

Don’t miss the first title – Ariel: Dancing on TV

The fourth wall comes down again:

Castle Dancers Series - Bubbles Dancing Through History - breaking the fourth wall

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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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About Page

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Writer’s Tip Jar

Writing Fiercely Bonded Chosen Sisters

Sisters at the Edge of the World by Ailish Sinclair

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.

February 20, 2025February 20, 2025

“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

Writer’s Tip Jar

The Snowdrops and the Mole

Snowdrops and the mole. Sounds like the title of a book I might write. But no, it’s just the state of the garden.

The snowdrops are fully out, and the moles have been busy. Their little earthy hills are everywhere in the grass.

And coming soon in the garden – I missed them last year due to illness and hospital – there will be crocuses! And coming soon book-wise? Bubbles: Dancing Through History. It’s put me through the emotional wringer, this one. More than usual. I feel like a wrung-out little rag.

Bubbles: Dancing Through History by Ailish Sinclair

But back to the moles…

Fireflies and Chocolate and a Mole

Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair

A wee excerpt from Fireflies and Chocolate

My Mermaid Grandmother’s pin! An Elfin Blade that was cast in silver for her to be worn as a brooch. Now, truth be told, according to what she wrote, it maybe didna bring her the best of luck, but it’s always been good to me. She buried it in the stone circle, so say her writings, and I found it there when I was just a wee lassie. It came up in a molehill while I was dancing aboot in the circle. I saw movement in the mound of earth and there it sat, glinting in the sun. I didn’t know what it was then, of course. Eppy said it was a gift from the fairies, just for me. My father said it was a carved arrowhead from long ago.

February 19, 2025September 24, 2025

Newsletter and Free Story

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

Writer’s Tip Jar

My Characters When I’m Not There

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

Every so often I step away from the keyboard and take a day off. Not because I want to. I resist and avoid and cling to my desk in a desperate fashion. Friends persuade and entice me outside. And it is always good, always nourishing and refreshing. There’s a planned outing later this week, and I can just picture my characters’ reactions when they realise I’m not there…

Sharp-witted Justin notices first. He looks up, listens and checks again. “She’s gone out!”

Every character sags with relief. They go back to bed and sleep in till lunchtime. Later, they shuffle downstairs to get tea and food, and they sit in silence in the great hall of the castle.

People who usually snipe and gripe at each other, pass the sugar without word. Two of them exchange a wry smile, for without my omniscient presence to keep them busy, they can sense what’s coming; not the details, but the shadow of something bad ahead, something they would avoid if they could. But like my day out, it cannot be avoided. It has to happen.

A Dancer's Journey - My Characters When I'm Not There

They head to bed early, exhausted by the hours of doing nothing, tired from the rest and relaxation.

No arguments. No sex. No laughter.

How boring! These people need me. Maybe I shouldn’t step away from the keyboard after all…

The desk of Scottish author Ailish Sinclair when she's not stepping away from the keyboard (so, most days)...
My Characters When I'm Not There

They didn’t get left alone for long, those poor characters. I soon pulled them all back into the drama and the story.

Publication

A Dancer's Journey - a series by Ailish Sinclair.

After a long and convoluted trail to publication, the story is finally out in the form of a three-book series called A Dancer’s Journey. As you can see from the editor’s comment below, Justin and the others were completely justified in being relieved that I was gone.

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

Page with blurbs and quotes

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

My Characters When I'm Not There - diabolical

A Connected Series

Those characters do show up again, in the background of Castle Dancers

Castle Dancers series - from the post My Characters When I'm Not There

As you can see, I’m still putting fictional people through terrible things!

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.

My Historical Novels

The characters go through the proverbial wringer in these too!

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.
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: 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!

All novels are available in paperback, kindle and on kindle unlimited.

February 19, 2025May 3, 2025

Newsletter and Free Story

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

Writer’s Tip Jar

The Midnight Marauder

Midnight marauder - badger! — The Midnight Marauder

Every night, without fail, a badger visits the garden to eat scraps and leftovers that we leave out for him.

He’s been coming for years. Though, realistically, of course, it’s not only one badger. But we always speak about him or her as if it is.

Sometimes two come together. After eating, they run about in a frenzy before disappearing into the woods.

The lighter nights made these photos of the earlier-than-usual visit possible.

I swayed there at the back door in my floaty, shaky, just-home-from-hospital state and basically revelled in the badger’s joy and exuberance.

Feels like my song just now…

Health Update

I injected myself with my new medication yesterday. Another intervention to stop my body attacking itself. We’ll see if this one works. I have hope 🙂

My Books – a Mix of Light and Dark

Read the contemporary series that’s shocking people! It’s available in paperback, kindle and on kindle unlimited.

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…

Review snippets:

Deanne Patterson on Tendu: It broke my heart and then healed it and made it sing. Full review here.

Molly H on Cabriole: It’s truly one of the best books I’ve ever read and made me feel SO MANY FEELINGS. Full review here – some spoilers.

Tom Williams on Fouetté: I galloped through it, loving every moment. Full review here – some spoilers, especially if you haven’t read Cabriole.

Historical Titles

My historical 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, friendship and chocolate.

February 11, 2025February 11, 2025

About Page

See the page here

Newsletter, Updates and ARCs

Reviewers can apply for Advance Reader Copies of future books here

Writer’s Tip Jar

Woodland Pictures Taken During Lockdown

These woodland pictures were originally posted in 2020 during lockdown.

Lost in Writing

I am lost in writing. I am in the Iron Age. Second draft. Rough edges. Rough middle. Super-rough ending. Full of raw emotion. The manuscript is ragged with it, as am I.

Edit: that book is out now

Misty Woodland Pictures

I revel in timeless pictures and misty woods. And lockdown has not kept those from me. I know I am lucky in this, and hope you are all finding some beauty too.

There’s been tree felling here, so soon after Aikey. The wider world is strange and changed, and the immediate world mimics it in metaphor.

Whoops.

This post seems to be approaching a pretentious overuse of literary devices, especially alliteration… Things may be odd, but there’s no excuse for that!

Scots pines in lockdown: woodland pictures

Scots Pines. Sturdy and strong. Oops.

hazel trees on the skyline: woodland pictures

I love the gnarly nature of the hazel trees. It could have been worse. I could have added the word ‘nutty’. But just for a moment, I am going to give in to this curious compulsion…

mists over trees: misty woodland pictures

There have been many misty mornings. And with that one terrible sentence, it is gone…

The gean trees (wild Scottish cherry) are blossoming.

Sunsets are wonderful. And the moon is too.

A woodland quote from THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR:

Sisters at the Edge of the World (mentioned above)

The Romans called it the edge of the world

“Ethereal and spellbinding….” Historical Novel Society

See the press release here

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

Ariel: Dancing on TV

Torn from a life where she never fitted in, Ariel quickly becomes the focus of a reality TV show. Can she rise above a lifetime of pain and embrace the possibilities of fame and love that beckon to her?