A Week of Woodland Walks

Scottish woodland, autumn

I’ve been breathing in beauty on recent woodland walks. Mild weather is extending and enriching the colour palette of the season here in Scotland.

Scottish woodland - leaves and berries

There have been storms, but it’s still bright and leafy out there.

Scottish woodland walks

Sometimes the sky is grey. Sometimes the trees are silver and gold.

silver birches

Sunshine blasts through, highlighting the brilliant bronze shades of the leaves, and I slow my stride. I stop, overwhelmed and delighted all at once. It’s almost too much. Nature is audacious and bold and completely glorious.

Humbled and blessed, I take a deep breath and walk on.

sunshine on trees: Scottish woodland

More Woodland Walks

The Mermaid and the Bear

The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair

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.

Paperback and kindle on Amazon

View full book detail page here

“A delight from end to end.” Undiscovered Scotland

About Page

ballet feet of Ailish Sinclair

See my About Page

Newsletter

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.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Gentle Autumn Days

autumn days - trees

I love these warm and gentle autumn days. The sun is hot, the trees are turning colourful and the sky is bright blue.

fungi - autumn days

Mushrooms and toadstools appear.

autumn days - oak leaf

Paths are crunchy as the trees shed their leaves.

tree with berries

The rodgersia is red, red, red…

rodgersia

And the beach feels especially golden. More beach to come in the next newsletter

beach - autumns days

From the misty hills of ancient Scotland…

SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD with a misty mountain view

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.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

The setting is ethereal and spellbinding as our main characters walk a fine line between what has been and what is to come. A beautiful tale of ancient wonders and kindred souls.” Historical Novel Society

About Page

feet

See the About Page here

Newsletter

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.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Colours of Autumn

Colours of autumn: rowan berries
Colours of autumn: rowan berries

The colours of autumn are all around now. Wind and rain too. And, sometimes, glorious golden sunshine, bright and hot and surprising.

Colours of autumn: heather by the witch stone

The heather is blooming by the Witch Stone.

Colours of autumn: heather

Shadows deepen as the season progresses, and it does that quickly here in Scotland.

Colours of autumn: shadows

I have flu. I think my immune system is flexing its muscles after coming off the latest immune-suppressing medication. But I’ll be careful. Not like this previous time when I said I was recovering from flu and ended up in hospital with a collapsed lung…

I’m not nearly that ill, so I can write (Alexander is getting there now) and I can sit in the sun. So things are quite good really 🙂

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 rich, handsome teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his new school in Scotland…

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

Review of the third title in the series on twitter/X this morning: Fouetté is sooooooooo goooooood! One of my top ten favorite books of all time!

Fouetté, out now

About Page

feet

See the About Page here

Newsletter

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.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Harvest Time in Scotland

harvest time in scotland
Harvest time

One day the barley is there, swaying gently in the breeze. The next day it’s cut, and harvest time is here.

harvest time - cut barley

I love the smell of the ripe crop at this time of year, the scent, briefly intensified by cutting. I will try to get photos of the bales when they appear, but the farmer is super quick in removing them these days. They are beautiful in the landscape, though, so my ears are pricked, waiting for the sound of the baling machines…

Next day edit: bale picture!

A Harvest Time Panorama from a Previous Year

Click the image for a larger view.

A Dancer’s Journey

A Dancer's Journey by Ailish Sinclair

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

Ailish's feet

See the About Page here

Newsletter

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.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Bluebells, just Bluebells

pink bluebelles
Pink bluebells
Bluebells in the garden

Bluebells. They seem to be everywhere this year.

In the unmowed grass:

Wild bluebells
Bells of the wild lawn

In the woods. They make blue carpets of themselves there…

Bluebells in the woods
In the woods

And, along with pink and white purslane, they line the pathways and fill the air with intoxicating sweetness.

A path of bluebells
Bluebells and pink purslane

THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR

The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair, and a harp

My debut novel, The Mermaid and the Bear, was published by GWL Publishing in 2019.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Waterstones

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.
The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair

Further insight:

Aesthetic for The Mermaid and the Bear, Ailish Sinclair's debut novel
Mermaid aesthetic

About Page

Ailish in the stones

Bio, socials, articles and interviews.

Newsletter

Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, and some exclusive photos. It’s a more intimate space than the blog. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Autumn in Scotland

Autumn in Scotland - apples

Autumn in Scotland is brief. One day you’re in the midst of the wild and overgrown end of summer, and then – it always feels sudden and surprising – the trees are full of brilliant and bright colours.

There’s also berries. And misty mornings. And apples.

It’s all so beautiful.

I love it.

Autumn in Scotland

And this year I’m not missing it due to illness (see the article Doctors and Deadlines: writing with chronic illness).

I’m walking through that hot afternoon sunshine, between the trees and the toadstools. There’s so many of those this year.

fly agaric toadstool: autumn in Scotland

The end of autumn in Scotland

It all feels rather magical. But it could be over at any moment. When the first frost comes, which could happen any time in the next month, the leaves will turn brown and fall off. The dragonflies and butterflies will disappear. And it will be winter. Like the onset of autumn, this always feels sudden, but at the same time sneaky. Like, when did this cold, cold change occur?

So, I treasure sweet autumnal moments for as long as I can. Look at the sunshine shining through those red leaves. Glorious, isn’t it?

autumn in scotland

A Dancer’s Journey is here!

TENDU is making me think of Covent Garden. And cake.

Tendu by Ailish Sinclair

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

Page with blurbs and quotes

More on the series:

Sisters Review

This is from the long and thoughtful review of SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD from Olga Núñez Miret:

“Those who are looking for a strong female protagonist, love lyrical and expressive writing styles, and favour stories with a touch of magic and ancient mythology, particularly set in Scotland, should put it on their list. They are bound to discover a new author to follow, and a protagonist they’ll never forget.”

See the whole review here.

Share Your Books

Don’t forget you can share your own books and writing on this post. I always love to see it.

My Historical Fiction

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!

“Ethereal and spellbinding….” Historical Novel Society

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

See the press release here

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

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

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

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

Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair

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

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

“Filled with excitement and suspense…” Historical Novel Society

feet

See my About Page here

Newsletter

Go here to sign up for my occasional emails that always include exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. They’re a more intimate space than the blog. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Fraserburgh Beach: a good place for #bluemind

Fraserburgh Beach

Fraserburgh beach in Aberdeenshire is sandy and golden and beautiful. It’s usually pretty deserted, especially early in the morning, and I love it.

I’m still very taken with the concept of blue mind (see last post on it here) and have decided to take every opportunity to experience it.

So, here I am.

Fraserburgh beach

Beside the ocean.

The tide is in today, so I only have to take a few steps to be right by the water. Sometimes the North Sea is far far away in Fraserburgh bay.

But this gentle morning, I just sit on a pink granite block and breathe it all in. The sun. The lapping waves. And the blue… the glorious blue.

Fraserburgh beach

Fraserburgh beach also features in these posts:

My Books

books by Ailish Sinclair

Romans + Celts = some rather complicated romance in SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD.

Set in an Aberdeenshire castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR features the Scottish witchcraft accusations and a love story.

FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the 18th century kidnapped children of Aberdeen and is set in both Scotland and Colonial Pennsylvania.

Paperbacks and Kindle and on Kindle UnlimitedAmazon UK or Amazon Worldwide

“Ailish Sinclair spins this Scottish tale filled with excitement and suspense…” Historical Novel Society

peering through the grasses to the sea

Go here to sign up for my occasional emails that always include some exclusive photos and news of my writing and life.

See my About Page