That’s the earthen floor of the medieval great hall at Drum Castle.
I love it.
So I took it!
Continue readingThings I Stole From Castles
Tag Archives: castle
Staring Out to Sea from Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle sits high on the cliffs near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire. It’s scenic and sprawling and, though peaceful now, it boasts a turbulent history.
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Down the Rabbit Hole… to a Book Cover!
A Tentative Tiptoe Round Duffus Castle
Duffus Castle looms, majestic and huge against the skyline as you approach. It’s imposing and impressive… dramatic too…
On the day I visited – Easter Sunday – it was busy, really busy, and the air contained a mysterious hint of sulphur. This medieval fortress of the Moray family, one of Scotland’s most beautiful motte and bailey castles, had become a giant playground for the seasonal pastime of ‘egg rolling’.
Continue readingLove, Dance, Obsession, and Chocolate
2019 continues to be an exciting year for me on the bookish front! My contemporary novel, TENDU, is coming out in 2020 with Black Opal Books.
Some aspects of the story:
- It’s a tale of unconventional love, dance and obsession.
- Much of the book is set in Scotland.
- There’s a stone circle and a castle.
- The central relationship is deeply tempestuous.
- Ballet!
- Dark and terrible happenings!
- Hot chocolate and cake. Depending on era, you can’t always include chocolate in historical writing and, given all that I put them through, my characters both need and deserve it. So there’s lots of chocolate in this contemporary title. LOTS.
And there’ll obviously have to be lots at my desk too 🙂
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Castles in the Snow
Here we are at the start of our quest to find castles in the snow… we pass through the gates to Fyvie Castle where it’s more icy than snowy and we’re getting down and frosty with it!
Continue readingA Bookish Post
2019 got off to an exciting start for me when I signed a contract with GWL Publishing for my historical novel, The Mermaid and the Bear. It’s out in both paperback and Kindle NOW!
Universal links:
Aspects of the book:
- It’s mainly set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire.
- It incorporates the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic.
- There’s a stone circle.
- There’s 16th century Christmas.
- And there’s a love story.
Cover:
Blurb:
Isobell needs to escape. She has to. Her life depends on it.
She has a plan and it’s a well thought-out, well observed plan, to flee her privileged life in London and the cruel man who would marry her, and ruin her, and make a fresh start in Scotland.
She dreams of faery castles, surrounded by ancient woodlands and misty lochs… and maybe even romance, in the dark and haunted eyes of a mysterious Laird.
Despite the superstitious nature of the time and place, her dreams seem to be coming true, as she finds friendship and warmth, love and safety. And the chance for a new beginning…
Until the past catches up with her.
Set in the late sixteenth century, at the height of the Scottish witchcraft accusations, The Mermaid and the Bear is a story of triumph over evil, hope through adversity, faith in humankind and – above all – love.
 Further insight:
- Ailish’s post Walking the Witchy Ways of Aberdeen
- Ailish’s article Researching Historical Fiction: Immersing Oneself in the Past
- The Fraserburgh Herald’s piece Fraserburgh Author Ailish to Publish New Novel
- The Press and Journal’s feature on the book and author
- Review on GoodReads
- Review on the Lost in a Good Book blog
I made a wee aesthetic for it, because: oh the fun!
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Findlater Castle
For years I passed by the road signs for Findlater Castle on my way to other places, joking that ‘I must find that later’. I’m so glad I finally did! I’ve been a few times now and it’s always stunning.
On this day it was exceptionally warm and still for Northern Scotland which emboldened me to go a bit further down onto the ramparts than I’ve been before.
Off I went, past the gorse which was warmed by the sun and smelled all coconutty…
Over the Sea to the Fairies (and Skye)
The Isle of Skye. That’s the Old Man of Storr in the hills above, a beautiful rock formation visible for miles around. The island is a place of fairies: there’s a castle and a glen and a bridge… but first, back to another rock formation, specifically the one spied from the bedroom window of our holiday house.
‘That’s an interesting rocky outcrop,’ said I to husband.
‘Aye, we should walk up to it,’ he replied.
So we did.
A Walk Round Broadsea in Aberdeenshire
Broadsea is the older part of Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, having been the site of a Pictish settlement and later a fishing community. It still feels distinctly different from the surrounding town, more like a small village, and is a great place for a walk!
From Fraserburgh, we’re heading down Broadsea Road, past all the wee hoosies, right to the end.