That’s how I feel today. Calm. Steadfast. A little like a tree.
I’m back in the place where I’m happy. Writing. Of course, writing.
Steadfast Writing Update
A Dancer’s Journey is basically complete. The third and final title comes out next week, and I’m now working on the connected series. These are gentler books, shorter books, so they can be cheaper books, and they feel peaceful somehow. Easier. There’s no dramatic violence or explicit naughtiness, though the characters are dealing with dark issues from their pasts. I’ll still be adding a wee content warning on them, vague again so as not to cause harm to those who shouldn’t even read certain words.
And then, once that series is out – my autoimmune body will have its say on the timing of that – I can write something new.
There’s another witchy historical beckoning, but I also love writing contemporary. So both may have to happen…
A Witchy Historical
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.
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I’ve visited Pitfour Estate many times over the years. It’s a great place to walk, though less well known than the nearby Aden Park. I have photos from various years and various seasons. That’s summer above. Remember summer?
History of Pitfour Estate
The estate was purchased in 1700 by James Ferguson of Badifurrow, who became the first Laird of Pitfour. He and his descendants developed the land, building various bridges and follies. The observatory in Drinnie’s Wood used to be part of the estate too, having been built to watch horse racing on the nearby race track (now a forest).
The Temple of Theseus
One of the follies was a bathhouse built to look like a Temple of Theseus, seen from across the lake below.
The fifth Laird, an extravagant man who liked his luxuries, is said to have kept pet alligators in it. The interior:
Looking out over the lake from behind the pillars of the temple, on another summer’s day:
Pitfour in the Mist
The lake is used by a local fishing club today. You often see jumping fish.
I have a great many pictures, so I intend to share some more of them in my next newsletter: swans, another folly and some more mist. Hopefully that’ll go out in the next few days, if my current writing project releases me for long enough to do it! Go here to sign up for the newsletter.
Mermaid and Fireflies Reviews
Mallee Stanley shared reviews of THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR and FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE on her Read and Write blog recently. “”What makes both these books fascinating reads, is that they are based on dark historical events relating to Aberdeen.” See the whole review here.
But, for now, this morning, I’m off back into the manuscript of the moment. I’m working on the first title in the next book series, Castle Dancers. It begins ten years after TENDU – each book has a different main character – and the story starts like this:
It’s the night before I’m due to start at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland, so, of course, my mother tries to kill me.
Fun times!
TENDU: Dancing in the Castle
Dance, danger and desire collide in TENDU, a seductive tale set in the mystical landscape of Scotland. Will love conquer all?
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.
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
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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.”
Newsletter
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Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhain from another vantage point.
Heather.
Loch Affric.
Search and rescue Sea King helicopter over Glen Affric.
Keep up with all my news by signing up to the mailing list. It’s occasional and always contains some exclusive photos.
Books!
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!
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.
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!
It’s three weeks until TENDU releases (update: out now). It’s been a long time coming, and a lot of my heart is in that book. I need to go into the woods.
So, here we go, through different times and places, for the lush calm of the trees and the quiet stillness of the loch.
The hill behind the loch:
I need ancient stones too. Trees surround Berrybrae stone circle:
Berrybrae features in one of my sillier nocturnal TikTok/YouTubes (medication still preventing sleep):
On to a different woodland and another stone circle. The remains of Dunnideer:
And finally, Huntly Castle appears at the end of a tree-lined drive, just like the castle in the book does, though the fictional one is not a ruin.
Quote from TENDU:
Two majestic stone pillars, one topped with a mermaid and the other with a fearsome-looking bear, loomed large for a second and then were gone. It was properly dark between the densely packed trees that lined both sides of the single-track road. Everyone was quiet, looking ahead, awaiting the first view of the castle.
It burst into sight, all pink and floodlit at the end of the forest tunnel.
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 charismatic new teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his school in Scotland.
She’s soon dealing with her boyfriend’s obsessive ex, the strange 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 dank dark of the dungeon…
Dark, witty, steamy and fun, Tendu is a compelling and seductive story of love, dance and obsession.
Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, and some exclusive photos. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
I skirted round the edges Aberdeen in the rain, in search of bright spots and green corners. Above is The Chanonry, a cobbled street in Old Aberdeen. Cobbles are called ‘cassies’ up here, a word I had long forgotten until I was reminded of it on Twitter.
He’s a Doric dolphin that one, Doric being the dialect spoken in these parts. We do have some great words and phrases, such as:
Quine ~ girl. Loon ~ boy.
Flycup ~ a quick cup of tea, often served with a ‘piece’ (biscuit) or if you’re very lucky, a ‘funcy piece’ which might involve chocolate, cream or jam.
Fit like? ~ How are you doing? The accepted answer is ‘Nae bad, fit like yersel?’
The Winter Gardens at Duthie Park are an excellent place to visit when the weather is damp. I remember going there as a child with my Grandmother. She would have loved these colours:
Dancing Round Aberdeen in the Rain
A group of people huddled in the entrance hall, clinging to a vain hope that the rain might go off. I ran across the grass to the bandstand and was immediately reminded of a scene in The Sound of Music (16 going on 17) and indulged in some similar dancing. I am fortunate to have such open, non-judgemental people in my life. They joined in. We had all forgotten about the audience at the door who had quite a good view of the bandstand:
Having provided enough entertainment for one day, we headed home for a chocolate based fly cup and funcy piece.
Chosen Sisters, Romans and Romance
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.
Review from Terry Tyler: “It’s a fabulous story, a real page-turner and so well written. It made me think about the passage and circle of time, of the constancy of the land on which we live and the transient nature of human life. Loved it.“
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.
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!
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.
Summer in Scotland can be cold. Sometimes it’s hot. But, whatever the weather, bluebells always herald the start of the season (photos and post from May 2021). And just look at them!
Vibrant patches of purple abound in the forest. The scent is rich and heady, luxurious even.
It calls to mind the fairy folklore of bluebell woods, but I am not spirited off to fairyland, not this time.
It gets quite floral in the garden too. Cherry blossom falls like pink snow and gathers everywhere creating a carpet of petals.
I walk the pink carpet to the pink bench.
Then I run into the bluebell woods to wait for the fairies.
Terry Tyler has written a wonderful review of FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE: “A ghastly accident of circumstance leads to her being imprisoned on an Aberdeen slave ship, taking children and young people to the tobacco plantations of North America. A round of applause to Ms Sinclair for using fiction to highlight little-known history – I knew nothing about this.“
Just a small post, and a short wintry walk, written amid the nerve wracking experience of proofreading (originally from February 2021).
It’s been snowing.
Quite a lot.
Above are fox tracks in the woods. Below, an oak leaf.
Scary Proofreading
I’ve been proofreading Fireflies and Chocolate (out now: Amazon), desperately seeking any errors, making tiny tweaks.
Last chance to change anything. Last chance to get it right before it goes back to the publisher. It’s a little bit scary, this final stage of writing a novel.
In the woods
So, I trudge. Through the snow. Through the trees.
I breathe in the fresh cold air. It feels good.
Calming. Natural. Real.
Emerging from the woods, I hold my face up to the sun, follow the fox tracks and hope all will be well.
The Mermaid and the Bear
“Once Upon a Time, in the Days of Auld Lang Syne…”
THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR is a Scottish tale that includes a castle, a handsome Laird, witchcraft accusations, a stone circle and lots of love…
