I’ve spotted so many beautiful trees lately while out walking. Their newly opened leaves draw the eye, all bright and intense and lit up by the sun. Above is a copper beech, and below, copper and green together.
Then there was this lovely horse chestnut:
I don’t think I’ve ever inspected a horse chestnut flower up close before, but they’re quite stunning.
And, back home, the tree peony is in flower. It smells like beef and onions 🙂
New Booktok Review for TENDU
✨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 the video here
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…
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.
They’re everywhere through the woods, and all over the garden too. Beautiful bluebells. Blue, pink, and sometimes even white. Their heady aroma fills the air as they herald the arrival of summer.
My Latest Series
Meet Ariel and her classmates, Bubbles and Alexander, along with a whole cast of vibrant characters, as they experience love, life and adventure at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland.
Each book in this coming-of-age series delves into the personal struggles and heartfelt romances of a different student over the course of a school year. As the spotlight shifts its focus within the old walls of the castle, there are television shows to be made and dark truths to be faced.
Join these young dancers as they whirl through their challenges, forge unbreakable bonds, and discover the power within themselves. Are you ready to travel to Northern Scotland, step into the castle school and dance through the deep dark of the dungeon?
Latest review: I’ve just finished Alexander, the last instalment of the whole sequence. What a ride! Great characters, plenty of good storylines and a magical setting. Highly recommended! On Instagram.
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.
Bessie had shown me the great hall, a huge room that put one in mind of a church. Sunlight fell through twelve windows, making narrow shapes on the earthen floor of that place…
I did rather fill up my writer’s swag bag at Drum.
Below is a beautiful bedpost…
Chapter 34:
“It’s beautiful, Thomas,” I said, walking into the room and running my hands up and down the dark smooth wood of the bedposts which were swirled with infinite oak leaves.
I don’t have a good picture of the dungeon there, though I pilfered that too. It’s a terrible place with a narrow stairway leading down, down, down into the dank. However, bats were roosting in it the last couple of times I visited the castle, and they’re a protected species so it was absolutely forbidden to disturb them. Which was quite a relief really…
Here is a pictorial quote from the book:
And into the swagbag goes…
A forest view from a high window at Crathes Castle
From Chapter 38:
I sat up on my seat by the three thin windows and watched the first golden shafts of morning light creep over the tops of the trees in the forest.
A Secret Stairway
From beautiful Craigievar I took the secret stairway that runs from top to bottom of the castle, strictly no photos allowed inside…
From Chapter 28:
We were in another passage, small and stony and grey, and after a short way it led to a narrow stairwell that was not lit by torches and sconces like the big one, but dark and shadowy and hidden. Secret. Indeed safe. For now.
The Laird’s Lug
Castle Fraser gave me its triangular peep-hole and ‘Laird’s Lug’.
From Chapter 28:
I told the Laird, and he took his turn at the peephole and gave the scene a long assessing look. “It is a pity there is so much noise tonight; we could have made out their words otherwise, the walls of the lug are thinned in places and shaped to augment speech made in the hall.”
I think that’s enough of my rampant thievery for one post – there may be others – so I’ll leave you with this review of the book from Terry Tyler, a brilliant writer herself. Actually – I can’t help myself – I’ll just steal a quote from that too:
Ailish Sinclair’s portrayal of 16th century, wild rural Scotland is quite magical. On one recent evening I was curled up in bed, head on cushions and lights dimmed, and I found that I was revelling in every description of the countryside, the day-to-day life at the castle (particularly the Christmas revellry; this made me long to be in the book myself!), the suggestion of ancient spirituality, and the hopes and dreams of the characters. Suddenly I realised that I’d gone from thinking ‘yes, this is a pleasant enough, easy-read’ to ‘I’m loving this’.
And here’s a wee picture of my author copies, or castle swag bags, if you will. Buy your own here on Amazon in paperback or on Kindle.
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…
My dance background and love of history and spicy stories are what inspired this heady 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.
Keep up to date with all my news by signing up to the mailing list. It’s a more intimate space than the blog and always contains some exclusive photos. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
The composer Rhodri Williams-Wandoch has created an amazing blend of music and words on the making of meaning. He describes the piece as an intricate and profound improvised invention on a chromatic theme. I’m the second author, a little after 2.20 minutes in, reading an excerpt from SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD entitled On War.
Listen to my dulcet tones (I think I was putting on my ‘posh’ voice) below:
The Garden
I wish I could share the sweet scent of the honeysuckle and lavender. The garden has reached its overgrown summer phase. The poor pink bench looks like it’s about to be reclaimed by nature.
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…
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 rather just hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
They didn’t get left alone for long, those poor characters. I soon pulled them all back into the drama and the story.
Publication
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.
Those characters do show up again, in the background of Castle Dancers
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.
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.
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.
It casts its light onto the track as we head home to hot chocolate and the fire.
Snow day!
Sisters at the Edge of the World
I went in to Sisters recently to update the back matter. It made me cry again…
New review from Molly on Goodreads: A beautiful tale of sisterhood, family, motherhood, love, war, romance and ancient traditions. I was completely lost (in a good way!) in the world Ailish Sinclair created. Her skills with historical fiction are astounding. The story moved in a way that was reminiscent of music. There was a rhythm to it that makes sense when you learn the author was/is a dancer.
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.
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:
Here we are on the loch-side walk now, sunshine to our left.
Wait! What’s that? Something’s moving in the woods, running and leaping through the trees…
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…
And yes – finally we come to it – the cover reveal for FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE, out April 1st 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…
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
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!
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.
The main character, autistic dancer Amalphia, won’t tell you that things are a bit dark in her world. She’s rather an unreliable narrator at the start of the book. But the story soon moves. In fact, it travels around quite a bit.
Out the door we go! Photo taken at Fyvie Castle
From the blurb
Leaving your boyfriend for a career on the stage is easy, right?
Back in London, and newly single, Amalphia moves into a seven-figure apartment and walks into a job with a top ballet company. Despite these advantages, she soon encounters new pain and a dark far deeper than that of the dungeon.
I took the next photo the last time I walked through Chinatown in London. Cakes like this don’t actually feature in the novel, but I think they express lightness and fun. There is plenty of that in the tale too.
Cakes in Chinatown
Excerpt
Justin and Amalphia meet in Chinatown at one point. Quote slightly edited to avoid a spoiler:
“Phi, keep going,” urged Justin. “You can’t say something like that and go quiet.”
Between large mouthfuls of food, I detailed the time in New York, the following week… and the present: the horrible, sticky, itchy present.
“I’m a bit shocked,” he admitted. “It’s a lot to take in.”
From Molly on Amazon.com: I laughed out loud many times! I cackled twice. I cursed at characters in my head a few times. It’s truly one of the best books I’ve ever read and made me feel SO MANY FEELINGS.
From emmalolly13 on TikTok: “This series has a special place in my heart… I feel so blessed to continue reading Amalphia’s story… Her journey with love has been rough… this is such a soul-touching series.”
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.
