In reverse order, some August sightings, love-in-a-mist first. Such a lovely flower. So well named.
Tide out at Fraserburgh beach. Blue skies and reflections.
The sundial above is situated on the wall of the 13th century ruined Kirk at Rathen in Aberdeenshire. The dial was added in 1625 and is still telling the correct time.
Set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire, my 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.
Published by GWL Publishing, the book is out in paperback and Kindle now.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 😀
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.
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.
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.
#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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 🙂
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
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.
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.
Apple blossom has such a sweet and delicate scent. It was my Grandmother’s favourite flower, and it always makes me feel happy when it blooms. This particular tree produces small yellow fruits that are waxy and intensely fragrant.
Today’s apple blossom is the first in a series of tiny flower-based blog posts. I’ll do them daily for a while.
Historical Fiction
Video
I write unconventional romance and historical fiction, often set in Aberdeenshire, the area of Scotland where I live. My historical novels combine little-known dark events with love stories. There are witches, bears and Romans to be found in them, detailed here.
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.
There’s pink flowers a many in the garden, and the sun is bright. But, wow, it’s cold! Frosty mornings are standard just now. The cherry tree is in full bloom, undeterred by low temperatures.
Writing Update
After spending over a year obsessing over the extraordinary witchcraft confessions of Isobel Gowdie, and studying everything I could find about associated people and places, and events of the time, I’m finally writing the book. Well, something is burbling out of me! I’ve also started saying things like ‘a many’ (see above) and spelling time as tym.
And, when I take a break to go outside and breathe (it’s going to be a dark book), and look at the blue skies, hares are dancing around in the field behind my house. In twenty years of living here, I’ve never seen hares around before, so it feels rather magical.
I shall go into a hare, With sorrow and sych and meickle care… Isobel Gowdie, 1662
Let’s look up at those pink flowers and blue sky!
Darker Covers for Amalphia
TENDU: Dancing in the Castle
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.
“POV: You thought it was just another ballet book… then it emotionally body-slammed you in pointe shoes. Slow burn, enemies to lovers, fate, and a Scottish setting that delivered.”See this TikTok review here
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.
