A Day Off From Writing: the Characters’ Relief

Tolquhon Castle

Every so often I take a day off from writing. 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 at the keyboard…

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.

Quote from TENDU by Ailish Sinclair. A day off from writing.

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 take a day off from writing after all…

The desk of Scottish author Ailish Sinclair when she's not having a day off from writing.

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

And that story will be out later in 2023, in the form of a contemporary three-book series called A Dancer’s Journey. As you can see from my editor’s comment below, Justin and the others were completely justified in being relieved that I was gone.

Diabolical - a day off from writing
Diabolical…

More on the series:

My Historical Novels

I put the characters through the proverbial wringer in these too!

Historical Fiction from Ailish Sinclair. Witches, kidnapping, Romans and romance.
  • SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD opens on a snowy winter solstice in 1st century Scotland. The main character is neurodivergent, and has been non-verbal until that first scene of the book.
  • 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 was inspired by the kidnapped children of 18th century Aberdeen, and is set in both Scotland and Colonial Pennsylvania.

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

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

Newsletter and Updates

Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, and some exclusive photos. If you would rather just hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

My About Page

Ailish's feet

Read all about little old me here!

Writer’s Tip Jar

Contemporary Romance and Historical Fiction

Scottish Fiction from Ailish Sinclair. Quote from contemporary romance novel TENDU.

I write contemporary romance and historical fiction, often set in the area of Scotland where I live, Aberdeenshire. My historical novels combine little-known dark events with love stories. There are witches, bears, kidnappers and Romans to be found in them, detailed below. My contemporary romance is a lot naughtier, though still dark, and coming soon.

I also take a LOT of photos, as is evidenced throughout the site.

Here on the blog, I write about castles, history, stone circles, dance, living with chronic illness, and writing. See my about page here.

Sisters at the Edge of the World

Sisters at the Edge of the World by Ailish Sinclair

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 chosen sisters, fierce warriors, a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

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

The Mermaid and the Bear

The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair

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. There’s also six chapters of medieval-style Christmas.

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

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!

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

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

Coming Soon: a Dark and Sexy Contemporary Romance Series

Coming soon from Ailish Sinclair: A Dancer's Journey, a contemporary romance series.

These books are so naughty that I’m worried nobody will be able to look me in the face again after reading them. But not that worried. A Dancer’s Journey is going to be released anyway, and I’m having immense fun working on it just now!

Scotland's all  misty lochs, and magical forests
and perfect boyfriends, right?
The dark of the dungeon soon proves otherwise.
Short blurb for TENDU, the first book in the series.

Full blurbs and covers will be revealed in due course along with release dates which will be a month apart. No long waits between books, and no cliffhanger endings either. Each book completes a story, but then there is more. So much more.

Meanwhile, I’ve been writing bits and pieces about these stories, and the background from which they sprang, on the blog. See the posts:

Quote from the contemporary romance, TENDU by Ailish Sinclair

Further Insight into my life and work

Updates

Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, and some exclusive photos. If you would rather just hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

A Dancer's Journey: dark and sexy contemporary romance

Diabolical and Deranged: Writing and Blood

Diabolical

Diabolical and deranged. These are words that have been said about me, or aspects of me, in the last few days. I like diabolical the best. My editor said it about the plot twists in CABRIOLE (book 2 of A Dancer’s Journey series). And she’s right. They are diabolical. And now they’re making other people cry too, not just me. It feels a little wrong to be delighted about such a thing, but it shows that the book is ticking the proper emotional boxes. So, I’m pleased. And diabolical.

Note: the Dancer’s Journey series will release later this year. I don’t want there to be big gaps between release dates, so I’m waiting until all three books are ready. Health issues are preventing me from setting an actual publication date as yet. I will be writing lots more about the series, and the inspiration behind it, here on the blog over the coming months.

And Deranged?

It’s not my mind that’s deranged, but my blood. So I was told by a specialist nurse this week. And that’s not so much fun. There are to be more tests. And treatment. And, hopefully, my blood will arrange itself in a more pleasing manner soon.

Some Diabolical and Deranged Street Art

diabolical street art in Fraserburgh

I rather like the side of this wee cottage in Fraserburgh. Great movement and verve there from the artist.

Sisters at the Edge of the World

Ethereal and spellbinding... says the Historical Novel Society of SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

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

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

Newsletter

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

My About Page

Read my bio and see all the social links and articles here.

Writer’s Tip Jar

Just Some Spring Flowers

spring flowers - crocus in the garden
In the garden

It’s good to see the spring flowers. And the sunshine. As illness recedes a little along with the winter.

SISTERS

Ethereal and spellbinding

Romans + Celts = some rather complicated romance!

Set in 1st century Scotland, the novel features a neurodivergent main character, chosen sisters, fierce warriors and the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes.

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

    Newsletter

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

    My About Page

    castle roof

    Read my bio and see all the social links and articles here.

    Writer’s Tip Jar

    Daffodils in Snow, and History Lessons

    A line of daffodils in snow
    Daffodils in snow

    Originally published April 2021.

    At first I thought there was only a single line of daffodils in the snow. I stopped to take photos. Like I would do on any other day out. A day out just for fun. Not that there have been many of those lately.

    I walked along the path and headed down the steps where I was met with this stunning bank of yellow.

    Continue reading “Daffodils in Snow, and History Lessons”

    Fireflies and Chocolate, my second historical novel

    Fireflies and Chocolate, the new historical novel from Ailish Sinclair

    Originally posted 2020.

    GWL Publishing have accepted my next historical novel, FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE, for publication Spring 2021. I am lucky to have a publisher who is so understanding about my current health issues; all the deadlines for various edits are flexible.

    Fireflies and Chocolate, released April 2021

    The book was inspired by the 600 children who were kidnapped in Aberdeen during the 1740s and sold into indentured servitude in the American colonies. You will meet the Manteith family again, and see the castle and the stone circle, though the story doesn’t stay there long.

    There’s some real historical figures again. There’s a love story again, though it’s quite different from the one in THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR. And, this time, there’s chocolate, in the form of hot chocolate 😀

    Article in The Evening Express

    Amazon: kindle or paperback 

    Waterstones 

    See the FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE PAGE for full details.

    Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair

    I hope you’re all staying safe and well during these strange times of lockdown and isolation. I’m posting photos of #goodthings from my phone archives on Twitter and Instagram each day at the moment.

    sunset over the loch
    Sunset over the loch, from 2014

    THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR is now free to download on Kindle Unlimited here.

    The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair

    Witchcraft, Kidnapping, and the Cobbles Between

    cobbles of Correction Wynd in Aberdeen

    I do seem to have a habit of running up and down the medieval cobbles of Aberdeen in the name of research.

    Correction Wynd

    Here I am again, travelling down Correction Wynd, site of the 17th century House of Correction. But it’s not the old poorhouse/jail that I’m investigating. Not today anyway…

    I pass St Nicholas Kirk, where people accused of witchcraft were held in the 16th century.

    sT nICHOLAS kIRK, aBERDEEN

    It’s time to move on from that now.

    On from THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR.

    Researching and writing those times have led me to another.

    Over the cobbles towards The Green, in Aberdeen

    Over the cobbles I go, glancing up at the modern city above.

    Archway in Correction Wynd, Aberdeen

    Over the Cobbles to the Green

    Through the beam of light and into the, also rather modern seeming, Green.

    The Green, Aberdeen

    The kidnapped children of Aberdeen were held here in the 1740s. In a barn.

    Cobbles of The Green in Aberdeen, Scotland.

    Passers by sometimes heard music coming from the place, as the kidnappers tried to keep the children entertained.

    The Green is mentioned in Fireflies and Chocolate (out today!):

    “Another barn,” notes Peter, when we are ushered into a large ramshackle wooden building. Again we find a space to sit together, among the others. Again, we are on the floor, this time an earthen one. No chairs are provided for the likes of us anywhere now it seems. “I was kept in a barn in Aberdeen,” he tells me. “Down at The Green.”

    I ken The Green. I used to think it was a nice place to walk through, a space between buildings, like a city version of a forest glade.

    The Tolbooth

    The children were also kept in the Tolbooth at times. There are tales of desperate parents trying to break down the door to get to them. Peter Williamson, who appears in the above quote, would be held there again in later life as punishment for his book, in which he accused the town magistrates of involvement in the kidnappings. You can read a large print version in the Tolbooth museum today beside a life size cut out of Peter!

    He’s not the main character in Fireflies and Chocolate though. That’s Elizabeth Manteith, who is entirely fictional. But I love her. In their press release about the book the publisher describes her like this:

    Fiery and forthright, Elizabeth isn’t someone to be argued with. She knows her own mind, and isn’t afraid to speak it. Through her experiences, the reader sees her grow from a girl, into a woman with a powerful voice… a woman of her time, but very much of ours too.

    The cobbles of Correction Wynd in Aberdeen, dark Kirk behind.

    Those dark cobbles do take me places!

    FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE, 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, is out now. The story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith from the castle and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s proper derring-dos on the high seas… And there’s chocolate!

    Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair, out 2021

    Amazon UK

    Amazon Worldwide

    Waterstones

    Go here to subscribe to my occasional email newsletters.

    Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair

    Chasing a Cover Reveal Along Snowy Pathways

    snowy path to a cover reveal

    This is the cover reveal for FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE!

    Other reveals can be seen here for THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, and more recently, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD.


    Last time I had a cover to reveal we journeyed down a rabbit hole to find it… but I haven’t been anywhere exciting like that lately, so we’ll have to stick closer to home, starting on the snowy track into the woods.

    Reaching the end of the track, we nip up this narrow path:

    narrow path to a cover reveal

    Here we are on the loch-side walk now, sunshine to our left.

    sunny path in the woods

    Wait! What’s that? Something’s moving in the woods, running and leaping through the trees…

    The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair in the snow by deer tracks

    No, that’s not it. That’s the first book (out now!) and some foot prints left by a deer. We need to retrace our steps, I think…

    Snowy track to a cover reveal

    And yes – finally we come to it – the cover reveal for FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE, out April 1st 2021!

    Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair, out 2021

    The cup featured on the cover is an actual chocolate cup from the 1740s when the book is set.

    Inspired by the 600 children and young people who were kidnapped from Aberdeen and sold into indentured servitude in the American Colonies, the story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s proper derring-dos on the high seas (as opposed to my previous metaphorical ones)! And there’s chocolate…

    Amazon UK

    Amazon Worldwide

    “Filled with excitement and suspense…” Review from the Historical Novel Society

    Newsletter

    Keep up to date with all my news, from visits to Scottish castles and stone circles, to books and writing and life, by signing up to the mailing list!

    My Other Books

    Sisters at the Edge of the World cover

    Set in 1st century Scotland, my latest novel, 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.

    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

    Amazon UK

    Amazon Worldwide

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

    ballet novel, TENDU, by Ailish Sinclair

    See my About Page here

    Writer’s Tip Jar

    Historical Hot Chocolate and 75 Words

    Historical Hot Chocolate... not quite.

    That’s not historical hot chocolate there; it’s totally modern and topped with ice cream, and was rather delightful on a snowy day.

    To see the historical version being made we have to go to one of the YouTube channels I used during the research and immersion phase of writing FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE.

    Elizabeth, the main character, uses a slightly simpler method, back in the 18th century, in this quote from the book:

    “I shave slivers of chocolate from the block and stir them into hot water over the fire. I add sugar and mix until it is all well blended. Then I pour it all into the pot with the warm milk and whisk and whisk until it’s frothy and perfect.”

    Whatever century you’re in… yum!

    The first 75 words of the novel were up on Paragraph Planet in 2021. I took a wee screen shot:

    Openeing of FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE by Ailish Sinclair
    The Mermaid and the Bear cover

    FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the 18th century kidnapped children of Aberdeen and is choc full of historical hot chocolate!

    Not to be forgotten, my debut novel 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

    Fireflies and Chocolate teaser

    Christmas Reading and Gentle Colours

    loch, and Christmas reading.

    A little lull has been reached at the end of a hectic week. The colours of the loch are gentle, muted now at the darkest point of the year. I’ve seen a few blog posts about Christmas reading, such as this one here from Jacqueline Seewald. People are sharing the books they’re reading, and those that they’ve written, and I thought I’d join in.

    So, share away! What books are you reading over the next couple of weeks? And/or, which books of yours should we consider delving into just now?

    I’m reading Where There’s Doubt (romantic suspense/psychological thriller) by Terry Tyler and The Essex Serpent (historical fiction) by Sarah Perry. They’re both very good. My own books are down at the end of this post.

    Feel free to add to the previous sharing posts too. They will be brought to the front of the blog perennially, so won’t vanish into the abyss. Share Your Books and Writing, and also Share First Lines.

    Christmas Reading

    My historical novels all involve little-known dark historical events, romance and a little magic…

    Christmas reading from Ailish Sinclair
    • SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD opens on a snowy winter solstice in 1st century Scotland. The main character is neurodivergent, and has been non-verbal until that first scene of the book.
    • 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 was inspired by the kidnapped children of 18th century Aberdeen, and features Christmas in Colonial Pennsylvania.

    They’re all available in paperback, kindle and on kindle unlimited.

    Amazon UK

    Amazon Worldwide

    Signed copies from me

    Newsletter

    Go here to sign up for occasional emails that always include exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. They’re a more intimate space than the blog.

    Writer’s Tip Jar

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