Category Archives: Scotland

Aberdeenshire, recumbent, Scotland, standing stones, stone circle

More Faces in the Stones…

September 26, 2015 Melanie 2 Comments

The longer I look at this photo on my computer, the more faces I see.

One of my writer friends, Beverly Stowe McClure, said she saw a face in the second stone in from the right. That wasn’t the face I originally saw, but I can see it now and clearly.

A co-worker said it was a Moai yelling, “Help me I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Looking at the recumbent stone, I can see that, too. I think it looks more like a lion’s face.

It’s interesting to see all the faces in the the stones… and now that you’ve seen all of the ones in this stone circle, you’ll never un-see them again.

Here’s the face I originally saw and referred to in my “Faces in the Stones – REVEALED” post on Aug 21, 2015.

Creepy? Maybe. Fascinating? You bet. The interaction of moss, lichens, the shapes of the stones and the light all combine to make for some interesting combinations.

The next time you’re out and about anywhere, take a look at the rock formations. You might be surprised by what you see.

Brockville, Family, family history, genealogy, Home Children, Orphan Homes of Scotland, Scotland

The MacDonald-Robertson union…

September 16, 2015 Melanie 3 Comments

Margaret MacDonald & John Robertson

If you noticed in my previous post on The Robertsons, my grandparents shared the same birthday… month and day anyway. They were both born on August 12th. Maybe grouse hunting has nothing to do with the moniker “The Glorious Twelfth”. Maybe it’s to do with John and Margaret. Not likely but it is a fun sort of fact.

The children were all born at Weets, Wardhouse by Insch (quite the address, eh?)

I’ll begin the oldest of John and Margaret’s children and work down to the youngest.

Thomas Robertson

MacDonald — Thomas Robertson Sep 2, 1903-Sep 19, 1942

Thomas was a Lance Corporal in the Canadian military and was killed in a motorcycle accident in British Columbia. He left a wife and an unborn child when he died.

William Robertson

William “Waddie” remained in Scotland his entire life and stayed in the area where he was born. He was born on Oct 7, 1904 and later on joined and served with the Gordon Highlanders during WWII. William died on Aug 9, 1977.

Benjamin Robertson

Benjamin was born on Nov 9, 1905 and came to Canada when he was 19 on the S.S. Montcalm bound for Winnipeg, Manitoba. The ship arrived in Quebec on May 3, 1926. Uncle Benji rode and raced motorcycles and won a number of championships. He died on Oct 22, 1990.

George Robertson

George was born on Jan 14, 1907. He was the oldest of the five Robertson children who were sent to the Orphan Homes of Scotland when it became too much for Grandpa Robertson (sometime between the time my grandmother died and 1917, he had a stroke) and children from his first marriage to cope. George came to Canada in 1922 on board the Cameronia and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Mar 7th. He died on Apr 24, 1965 at his home in Moose Creek, Ontario.

Barbara Robertson

Barbara was born on Sep 10, 1908. She was the oldest of the two Robertson sisters sent to the Orphan Homes of Scotland. She sailed on the Letitia and arrived in Quebec on Jul 25, 1925. Despite the fact that she came to Canada the same year as her brother, Andrew, the children sailed in two parties. The boys were one group and they sailed earlier in the year when the seas would be rougher and the girls in the summer when weather would be more favourable. She was married across the river in Ogdensburg, New York and made her home in Brockville, Ontario. She died on Feb 21, 1990.

Andrew Knight Beattie Robertson

Until now, none of the children had middle names. Andrew was the first. And further back in the family history, there was an Andrew Knight Beattie. But I digress..

Andrew was born on Dec 9, 1909. He, too, was sent to the Orphan Homes of Scotland, coming to Canada in 1925 on board the Athenia. The ship arrived on April 4th. Andrew served in the military with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. He died at his home in Brockville, Ontario on Jul 21, 1983.

Christina Mcdonald Robertson

Christina “Chrissie” as she was known as, was born on Mar 25, 1911. Although she had been sent to the Orphan Homes of Scotland, she didn’t emigrate to Canada for health reasons. She had TB and although it wasn’t active or infectious, she was deemed unsuitable to make the voyage. After she became old enough to leave the homes, she was taken on in employment as a domestic servant for the Superintendent at the time, a Mr Douglas. Chrissie married in Glasgow and died in Dundee on Apr 13, 1982.

Peter Robertson

Peter was born on Jun 23, 1912. It was the ‘middle’ children who were to be sent off to the Orphan Homes of Scotland which meant, he should go, and my father being younger should have stayed at Weets. From what I’ve been told, the son from the first marriage who took over the farm liked Peter more than my father. Sad but true. But then, had my father not come to Canada, he wouldn’t have met my mother and I would be here to tell you this story…

Peter remained in Scotland and worked on farms around Weets and Insch. When he retired from farm work, he moved to nearby Huntly and died there on Apr 1, 1988.

Robert Anderson Robertson

Robert (my father) was born on Jul 30, 1913. In the paragraph about Peter, I mention the events that lead to my dad coming to Canada rather than Uncle Peter. Normally, in the Orphan Homes of Scotland the boys and girls were houses in separate accommodations. Boys even had to make appointments to visit their sisters with the house mother and even then it was done outside under supervision.

My father sailed to Canada on the Letitia, arrived in Halifax on Apr 6, 1930. From there he came the rest of the way to Fairknowe Home in Brockville by train.

On June 18, 1930, the same day that he received his first placement in Canada, his father died.

My father served with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders during WWII. He worked at Phillips Cables (Phillips Plant as we know it) until shortly before his death (result of a workplace injury) on Apr 29, 1969.

Angus Mcdonald Robertson

Angus was also known as “Donald” which led to much confusion when researching the family. I always thought they were two different people. He was born on Jan 7, 1915 and lost his mother to complications from the measles in December of that year. I know he served in the military and I’m guessing it was the Royal Navy, given his uniform.

Angus got married in uniform and his three siblings who were able to, attended. My father was able to get leave to attend. And doesn’t he look dashing in his kilt?

After his time in the military, Angus worked for a cooperative. He died in Feb 1984 (note to self – I must get the exact date).

The Cottages at The Orphan Homes of Scotland

Hardly what I would refer to as a cottage. These places are enormous! Not quite as big as a mansion, but they are definitely villas. In their day, they would have had six to seven bedrooms and housed up to twenty children. Boys had a house mother and father. The girls a house mother.

With all these aunts and uncles, I’ve got plenty of cousins… and would you believe I’ve not met all of them yet.

A Shadow in the Past, Aberdeenshire, Novels, Photographs, recumbent, Scotland, Shadows from Her Past, stone circle

The Face in the Stones – REVEALED

August 21, 2015 Melanie 2 Comments

It’s only recently, I saw the face in the stones in this photograph. I guarantee that once you see it, you won’t be able to “un-see” it every time you see the picture. It’s even visible in the older version of the photograph that’s the header photo for my blog.

This stone circle, located in rural Aberdeenshire, Scotland, features in my debut novel – A Shadow in the Past – and its not yet published sequel – Shadows From Her Past.

This type of stone circle, known as a recumbent stone circle, is unique to Aberdeenshire. You can find out more about them here.

I’ve visited a number of stone circles in Scotland but I’ve never seen a face in them before.

Interesting? Creepy? What do you think?

Aberdeenshire, Novels, recumbent, Scotland, stone circle

The Face in the Stones

August 11, 2015 Melanie 5 Comments

It’s only recently, I saw the face in the stones in this photograph.

This picture has been the wallpaper on my computer since the end of 2014 when its predecessor decided it was time to have a major malfunction.

The stone circle, located in rural Aberdeenshire, Scotland, features in my debut novel – A Shadow in the Past – and its not yet published sequel – Shadows From Her Past.

This type of stone circle, known as a recumbent stone circle, is unique to Aberdeenshire. You can find out more about them here.

Located on the top of a hill on a working farm (we gained permission from the owners to enter), in a field with cows and one bull, we had to watch where we placed our feet. Initially afraid of us, it didn’t take long before the cows became inquisitive (sounds so much more polite than nosy) enough to set fear aside and come see what we were doing.

This particular cow looks like she’s resting her chin on the recumbent stone. Hers isn’t the face in the stones.

Do you see the face in the stones?

A Shadow in the Past, Aberdeenshire, Family, family history, New Adult, Novels, Photographs, Publishing, Scotland, Writing

Photos and such…

June 3, 2015 Melanie 1 Comment

This was first posted on Feb 26, 2011.

I posted a photo of my grandfather and his first wife that was taken presumably on their wedding day a few years ago. I’m reposting it along with two more from the family archives.

photos — Grandpa John Robertson with his first wife, Susan Christie

This photo was definitely taken in a studio setting and judging by their clothing and the way her hair is styled, it had to be a special occasion. Hence, the thought of it being a wedding photograph.

Grandpa Robertson was born in 1856 and married for the first time 20 years later. And yes, that is my grandfather, not great-grandfather or great-great-grandfather.

After looking carefully at the photo for a few minutes, close your eyes and imagine it in full colour, an oil painting of huge proportions… 6 ft by 8 ft (or larger still) and it’s hanging on a rich oak panelled wall. Can you visualize it in that setting?

That’s where it is in my novel. This is the Laird and Lady of Weetshill on their wedding day.

In my novel, the old Laird looks much more like this…

This photograph of an older Grandpa Robertson was taken some time before his death in 1930. I’m thinking maybe between 1915 (the year my grandmother-his second wife) and 1917 (the year my father and four of his nine siblings were admitted to The Orphan Homes of Scotland). By that time, he’d had a stroke with loss of memory and was unable to keep up the farm.

This is how I envision the hero’s grandfather. White-haired, balding, mustache and beard.

The old Laird in my novel also walks with a cane.

And finally this photograph from the archives…

This photo was taken on my Uncle Angus’s wedding day in Scotland. My father (Robert) was serving overseas with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders at the time but was able to get leave to go back to Scotland for the occasion. It would have been the last time my father saw his brothers.

Now there’s no mistaking the men in this photo are related but look closely at the young man in the first photo, the old man in the second one and lastly (mostly Robert) the men in this photo. Perhaps, a natural progression of how my hero will age?

4RV Publishing, A Shadow in the Past, Aberdeenshire, Authors, Kindle, kobo, New Adult, nook, Novels, Paranormal YA, Reading, Scotland, Writing, YA fiction

A Shadow in the Past – the real locations and inspiration behind the novel

March 30, 2015 Melanie 10 Comments

There were a number of things that influenced and inspired me to write my debut novel, A Shadow in the Past. Here are some of them.

Start with one spooky, derelict mansion…

Add one ancient stone circle…

Sprinkle in a narrow country lane…

Lined with ghostly trees…

Add a generous dollop of old graveyard…

One full-sized headstone…

Spice it up with a village hall…

One lunatic asylum…

One small country church…

And lastly a smidgeon of Aberdeen…

Mix well.

Add characters…

Let all the ingredients simmer then write, write some more, re-write, re-write some more.

When finished it looks like this…

Blurb:

Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a society that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women. When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages, powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum. After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.

Where to buy:

4RV Publishing: http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/robertson-king.php

Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346607916&sr=1-1

ChaptersIndigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/A-Shadow-In-The-Past-Melanie-Robertson-king/9780983801887-item.html?ikwid=a+shadow+in+the+past&ikwsec=Home

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434406&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-shadow-in-the-past-melanie-robertson-king/1112348992?ean=9780983801887

Amazon.co.uk:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434484&sr=1-1

A Shadow in the Past is also available at amazon for the Kindle (using the same links), Barnes & Noble for the nook, Kobobooks, and the iBookstore.

Authors, Blog Tour, Book Launch, Crooked Cat, Novels, Rosemary Gemmell, Scotland

THE HIGHLAND LASS by Rosemary Gemmell ~ BLOG TOUR

March 14, 2015 Melanie 18 Comments

Blurb

Eilidh Campbell returns to her Scottish roots from America with one main aim: to discover the identity of her real father. But her mother’s past in Inverclyde is a mystery with family secrets, a book of Robert Burns’ poems with a hidden letter and a photograph link to the Holy Loch at Dunoon when the American Navy were in residence.

Staying with her childhood friend, Kirsty, while searching for answers, Eilidh begins to fall in love with handsome Scot Lewis Grant, but just how free is he? Together they trace the story of Highland Mary and Robert Burns, with its echoes to her mother’s story. From Dunoon, to Ayrshire and culminating in Greenock, Eilidh finds the past is closer than she realises.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buy Links

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Highland-Lass-Rosemary-Gemmell-ebook/dp/B00TOTER6Q

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Lass-Rosemary-Gemmell-ebook/dp/B00TOTER6Q

Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Highland-Lass-Rosemary-Gemmell-ebook/dp/B00TOTER6Q

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m thrilled you were able to stop in here at Celtic Connexions on your blog tour, Rosemary. There’s so much I want to know about The Highland Lass among other things.

Thank you so much for inviting me to be your guest today, Melanie. It’s lovely to be here and next best thing to sharing a cup of tea with you in person.

You write in a variety of genres – short stories, articles, novellas, and novels. Do you have one you prefer over the others?

I used to think I preferred writing short stories, until I started getting into longer fiction, and now the short stories are more infrequent. So I probably prefer longer fiction, whether novellas or novels. I do, however, enjoy writing articles every now and then as they employ a completely different, more analytical part of the brain and I find them a good rest from the imaginary world of fiction.

Your latest novel, The Highland Lass, holds a special place in your heart. Most of it is contemporary but there are some historical chapters in Highland Mary’s voice. Is she, or perhaps Robbie Burns, a part of the family secret Eilidh has come to Scotland to discover?

The main thrust of the story is that Eilidh has never known who her real father was and needs to try and find the answer. After her mother’s death in America, she discovers a secret love letter in her mother’s book of Burns’ poems signed by the letter R and a photograph that suggests a link to the American Navy at the Holy Loch. Her mother always maintained that Highland Mary was an ancestress and Eilidh feels drawn to the 18^th century story. She also feels an affinity with the handsome Scot, Lewis Grant, whom she meets on the flight home to Scotland, as if they have known each other for much longer.

What inspired you to write The Highland Lass?

My mother first introduced me to Highland Mary’s grave in Greenock cemetery when I was a girl and I’ve been fascinated by her ever since. I also enjoyed Burns’ poetry, especially after winning the Burns certificate for recitation in primary school twice! But Mary Campbell was one small part of Burns’ life, with only certain ‘facts’ written over the years. My imagination was fired but I knew I couldn’t sustain a whole novel in the past as I didn’t want it to be about Burns himself. Since Eilidh is a Campbell, she becomes even more fascinated by the story of Robert Burns’ Highland Lass and their love story finds echoes in her mother’s story.

I also wanted to write about my own area of Inverclyde in homage to its beautiful scenery and I was interested in the period when the American Navy was based in the Holy Loch during the 1960s and 70s (and beyond) as many of the young girls on this side of the river went to the dances there and in Greenock – Eilidh’s mother being one of them.

How much research did it require?

The modern part didn’t require so much, as it’s set in all the areas I personally know, though I did need to visit the relevant parts of Ayrshire, just as Eilidh and Lewis do. I’ve been researching the historical details on and off for years and had an article about Burns and Highland Mary published in The Highlander magazine in the USA some years ago. Rather than speak to any descendants of Highland Mary, I preferred to use the letters, poems and non-fiction books to find out about her short time with Burns and how she affected him. This was important to me as the historical parts are completely fictionalised, albeit from the known ‘facts’ and they allowed me to imagine Mary’s voice.

What’s your next project?

I’m currently writing the third in my Aphrodite and Adonis series of contemporary novellas, with a touch of mythological fantasy set on Cyprus, for Tirgearr Publishing. At the same time, I have several other novels/novellas (historical and contemporary) awaiting some attention. I’m also writing a Victorian crime novel set around my own area – if I ever get on with the rest of it. Then there are the short stories and articles that are started but not yet finished!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author Bio

A prize-winning writer, Rosemary Gemmell’s short stories, articles, and poems have been published in UK magazines, in the US, and online. She is now a historical and contemporary novelist and The Highland Lass is the first novel from Crooked Cat Publishing under her full name. She has also published historical novels and contemporary novellas with a touch of mythological fantasy from Tirgearr Publishing as Romy and tween books as Ros, as she likes to tackle a variety of writing genres and styles.

Rosemary has a BA (hons) in European literature and history and a post-graduate MA in Humanities from the Open University. She is a member of the Society of Authors, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and the Scottish Association of Writers. She enjoys sharing writing information, and loves to dance!

Author Links

Website: http://www.rosemarygemmell.com

Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Romy-Gemmell/1422387704702586

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosemaryGemmell

Thank you for stopping by and sharing this exciting new book with us. My father may have been born in Aberdeenshire, but he was raised in Inverclyde at The Orphan Homes of Scotland so this part of your beautiful country is very special to me, too.

Chris Longmuir, crime writer, Non-Fiction, Novels, Publishing, Scotland

Author Interview with Chris Longmuir, Scottish Crime Writer

February 7, 2015 Melanie 6 Comments

It’s my pleasure to welcome Scottish Crime Writer, and my friend, Chris Longmuir to Celtic Connexions. I can’t wait to find up what you’re working on now. So, shall we get started?

You’re working on another historic crime novel in the Kirsty Campbell series. What is the title? Can you tell us what this book is about?

I’m keeping the title under wraps at the moment, it’s quite distinctive, and I hope unusual, so I’d hate to see it on another book!

The novel is a murder mystery, of course, with a spying sub plot. It’s historical, set during the First World War, so I have a cast of characters that includes women police, a Belgian refugee, munitionettes, Irish revolutionaries, MI5 agents, I even give a walk-on part to the Prime Minister of the time, Lloyd George.

It starts off with the Silvertown explosion in January 1917. This is based on an actual event, the explosion of the munitions factory in Silvertown. It was catastrophic and destroyed most of the area (70,000 properties were destroyed or damaged), with the effects felt miles away, there was even damage across the river on the Greenwich peninsula where a gasometer was blown up creating a massive fireball. This is the area where the Millennium dome is situated. The Silvertown explosion was an accident, although in my book it is something much more suspect, and sets the scene for a spy chase which leads us to Gretna Munitions Factory on the border of Scotland and England.

The Death Game was set in 1919 after the Great War. This book is set in 1917 during the action. Would you consider it to be the prequel to The Death Game?

That was certainly my intention when I started this book because it was intended to be a Kirsty Campbell novel. However, my characters often have different ideas to the ones I plan for them, and at the moment, my Belgian refugee, Beatrice Jacobs, is jostling for the top spot. She is a very interesting character, and I think I may give double billing to Beatrice and Kirsty. I will just have to see where they lead me.

What motivated you to depart from your contemporary Dundee Crime Series to historical crime?

I actually wrote The Death Game before I started the Dundee Crime Series, but I had an unfortunate experience with a publisher who contracted it. The publisher made so many demands for changes that the book became almost unrecognisable as the one I’d written. And, of course, as a new writer at the time I was anxious to please and thought they knew what they were talking about. So, I made the changes they requested, and in the process destroyed the book! When I came to my senses I did my best to get out of the contract, which fortunately had an expiry date, and put the book in the bottom drawer where it languished while I wrote the Dundee Crime Series. That series has proved to be very popular with readers, but I always had a niggle at the back of my mind about the Death Game which I had so successfully destroyed.

I decided to resurrect The Death Game, but because it was in no fit state to be read by anyone following the editing changes I decided to rewrite it from the beginning rather than mess about with it again. The book is now how I wanted it to be, but the style is different to that of the Dundee Crime Series, which is multi-viewpoint. The Death Game is much more focused on Kirsty, but my new Kirsty book, the one I talked about earlier, is more like the Dundee Crime Series in style, because it is also multi-viewpoint. But that is simply the result of my writing style having changed as I became a more experienced writer.

Will there be more books in your Dundee Crime Series starring DS Bill Murphy?

Yes, there will be more of the Dundee Crime Series, DS Bill Murphy would start to feel neglected if I didn’t pay him some attention. However, the conundrum will be, how I divide my time between DS Bill Murphy, and Kirsty Campbell.

You published a non-fiction book last year based on the blog posts you wrote as part of the Edinburgh e-book Festival. Can you tell us about it?

I did indeed. It’s called Crime Fiction and the Indie Contribution. It’s a study of independent publishing, and the focus is on ebooks and the independent authors known as Indies, who write them. I examine all aspects of publishing and make comparisons between the traditional and the independent models, pointing out the pros and cons of each. In conjunction with this I look at crime fiction, how it has developed over the years, and all the different subgenres. One thing I found out while doing this, is that what we in Britain refer to as crime novels, are more commonly seen as thrillers in the US and Canada.

I include discussions of 71 books written by indie authors or published by indie publishers in order to assess whether they meet the standards we expect from traditionally published books, and I read every single one of those books. These books were by authors unknown to me, and the book includes authors who probably have no idea I’ve included their books.

Writing this book was completely accidental. I did a series of posts for the Edinburgh Ebook Festival in 2013 – I was the Writer in Residence for the festival that year – and a lot of people followed the posts. However, after the festival finished, the posts were no longer available online, and readers were looking for them. It was a fellow writer who suggested I take the posts and make them into a book. Great idea, I thought, the posts were already written, so it shouldn’t take long! Well, you’ve heard the saying “Famous last words”, that could quite easily have been attached to those thoughts of mine. For a start, the posts were far too bloggy for a nonfiction book, so they had to be rewritten. Still, the information was there, so that wasn’t too onerous. But the main problem was that there just weren’t enough words for a whole book. So that meant a lot more research, extra sections added, and a lot more reading of indie novels. Anyway, I won’t go into details, but the end result was excellent, and I was pleased with it. The people who have read it have been very complimentary, even going as far as to saying it should be compulsory reading for anyone who writes, or wants to be a writer.

I know it’s still early days, but have you noticed a significant change in your sales since the changes to the EU VAT rules?

I’ve done a couple of blogs about these rules. I did one aimed at readers for my own blog, here is the link to ‘Paying More for your Digital Downloads? Here’s Why’. (Editor’s. note: I re-blogged this last Saturday.) The other one I did was for writers and it’s posted on the Authors Electric Blog site, and here’s the link to ‘EU VAT Changes Are Doing my Head In’.

These new rules have created havoc within the writing community, particularly for those authors who want to sell directly to readers through their websites. But apart from that, it’s pushed the prices of ebooks up in the UK and the EU countries. Where before, there was 3% VAT on ebooks (no VAT on printed books, they’re exempt), there is now 20% VAT on ebooks in the UK. That has had the result of pushing prices up for readers, and I think that is totally unfair considering the exempt status of print books.

I did worry that readers would think that we, the authors, were putting our prices up, when in fact it had nothing to do with us. However, because ebooks are relatively cheap in comparison to print books, the price rise is not extortionate. I think it’s added about 60 pence onto the price of each of my books. I know that some authors are saying their sales have gone down since the introduction of this tax, but I must say it doesn’t seem to have had any effect on my sales. I think that if a reader likes the way you write, and likes your books, they will still buy them. I know that if I want a particular author’s books, it wouldn’t make any difference to me.

However, I’m really sorry that readers are having to pay more, and I can only hope it doesn’t stop them buying books from their favourite authors, or those authors who have been recommended to them by other readers.

* * *

Thank you for inviting me onto your blog, Melanie. I’ve enjoyed the interview, and if any of your readers want to ask me anything, feel free. Your readers can also contact me through the contact page in my web site, and if they do, I promise to reply in an email.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, Chris. I’ve enjoyed our visit as I’m sure everyone who stops by Celtic Connexions has, too.

***

You can follow Chris and find her books at the following links:

Website: http://www.chrislongmuir.co.uk/

Blog: http://chrislongmuir.blogspot.co.uk/

Amazon UK: http://ow.ly/GeM1w

Amazon US: http://ow.ly/GeM9R

Apple iBooks UK: http://ow.ly/GeKOr

Apple iBooks US: http://ow.ly/GeKUi

Kobo: http://ow.ly/GJGy5

B&N Nook: http://ow.ly/GeL0D

Nook UK: http://ow.ly/GJGRt

Authors, bagpipes, bashit neeps, Book covers, champit tatties, haggis, Janice Horton, novella, Novels, online party, readers, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Robbie Burns, Scotland, soup, Writing

Robbie Burns Night with Janice Horton

January 25, 2015 Melanie 21 Comments

Robbie Burns Night Celebrations with Janice Horton

Robbie Burns

I’m so glad you were able to work me into your busy schedule, Janice. You’ve been snap-gapping all over the place of late so I’m thrilled to have you here at Celtic Connexions. You’re looking very “Scottish” today, all decked out in your tartan.

I take it you’re ready for a good old-fashioned ceilidh – Canadian style.

Here, come sit by the fire take the chill off (escorts my esteemed guest to one of the tartan wing-back chairs facing the crackling fire ).

I’ll summon my manservant, Donald (the Red) , to bring us some refreshments. Would you care for a wee dram? Perhaps Glengoyne – Scotland’s only un-peated single malt? (rings bell and gives manservant instructions)

I think you’ll like what I have in store for you at the ceilidh tonight. I tried to get the Old Blind Dogs but they weren’t available. That’s okay as I do have a vast collection of Scottish music on CDs – Old Blind Dogs, The Corries, Runrig and the list goes on.

(swish of swinging door as the manservant returns with a tray carrying a decanter of whisky – 18 year old Glenlivet no less, two glasses and water). “Your whisky, my lady,” he says as he places it on the table.

“Thank you.”

As the manservant straightens to leave, I cry out… “Donald, where’s your trousers?” because so unlike him, he’s wearing a kilt!

Overcome by the shock of seeing him dressed in that fashion, it takes me a moment to regain my composure. (fans self with copy of Leopard Magazine).

Well, while we wait for our meal to be ready, Janice, let’s chat about your novel. I’m really interested to find out more about it and your creative process. You spent three months on the Island of Utila researching and writing Castaway in the Caribbean. Can you tell me more?

Yes, I had the most amazing time in 2014 visiting, researching and writing in the Caribbean. While there I spent a lot of time in boats (as one features in my new novel) and even got to sail off Tortola in the British Virgin Islands in a schooner used in the making of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie! After visiting lots of islands, my husband and I settled down to island life for a stay of three months on Utila, a tiny Caribbean island off mainland Honduras. This is where I wrote the first draft of ‘Castaway in the Caribbean’.

When do you expect to release it?

April 2015. I have promotional online book tours organised for April and May.

What made you choose that title?

I feel the title suits the story line perfectly. The premise of the book is that the two main characters, a surly boat captain who hates tourists and a girl holidaying in the Caribbean who desperately needs to get to a neighbouring island, end up castaway together on a remote island. It’s a fun, fast paced romantic adventure novel that I hope will be the perfect beach read for 2015!

The manservant returns and tells us that dinner is served… so we pick up our drinks and at the first skirl of the pipes, wait for him to enter the room and we get piped in to the formal dining room (I wish I had one of them, too) to the strains of The Bonnie Lass of Fyvie for a traditional Robbie Burns feast.

Once everyone is around the table, we begin with The Selkirk Grace.

Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Our first course is Cock-a-leekie soup.

Not strictly traditional as I don’t put prunes in it.

You mentioned (or did I pick up on it) something about the names of your characters. Was there a particular reason why you used those names? If so, can you share it?

I wrote the first draft with my husband’s name, Travis, as the romantic hero’s name and the heroine of the story is called Janey (which is kind of like my name, Janice). I fully intended on changing the names in the second draft but for some reason ended up not doing so. The characters of Castaway in the Caribbean are Travis and Janey in their own right – they are not meant to be me and my husband – and the story is definitely a work of fiction!

The soup course is cleared away and the skirl of the pipes begins again. The door opens and the haggis is brought into the room with great pomp and circumstance.

Address to the Haggis

We’ll have a bit of a musical interlude courtesy of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers before we carry on with the rest of the evening’s festivities.

What’s your next project? Do you have another novel started?

I have a few ideas in mind for new projects. I’m travelling again this year and I’d like to continue the theme of writing romantic adventure novels set in places that inspire me.

Now that we’ve talked about your WIP (work in progress for those not accustomed to author-speak and abbreviations), tell us more about you and how the readers of Celtic Connexions can follow you?

Thank you, Melanie. I really enjoy connecting with people. I’m a keen blogger. I’m always on Facebook and I love to Twitter too. So here’s my links:

My Author Blog

Follow me on Twitter: @JaniceHorton

Friend me on Facebook Page

Link to my Amazon Author Page

Check out my page on Goodreads

My LLm Bookshelf

Associate Editor at: Loveahappyending Lifestyle Mag

Janice Horton writes contemporary romantic fiction with a dash of humour and a sense of adventure. Look out for Janice’s new release for 2015 ‘Castaway in the Caribbean’

and her Amazon Kindle bestselling books ‘Bagpipes and Bullshot‘

and ‘Reaching for the Stars‘

and her fun ‘Voodoo Romance’ series of novellas.

Her nonfiction guide to online promotion ‘How To Party Online‘

is recommended reading for all authors and writers by publishers. Janice is a regular blogger from her website at janicehorton.co.uk and you’ll also find her on Facebook and Twitter. She is also associate editor at the award winning online magazine Loveahappyending Lifestyle Magazine where she produces her monthly ‘The Bookshelf’ feature and her seasonal ‘Snap Gap Travel’ features.

Thank you so much for coming to my “un”conventional Robbie Burns Night. I hope you won’t have a sair heid tomorrow. I see the chairs have been rearranged in the front room so shall we move the party in there and let the ceilidh begin?

Gay Gordons, anyone?

4RV Publishing, A Shadow in the Past, Aberdeenshire, Books, England, Kindle, kobo, nook, Novels, readers, Scotland, Writing, YA fiction

It’s Tell a Story Day

October 27, 2014 Melanie Leave a comment

It’s “Tell A Story Day”!

Well, in Scotland and England it is. And since my heart belongs to Scotland, and I have family and friends in both countries, need I say more?

Okay, so in keeping with the day, here’s my story…

tell a story

Blurb:

Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a society that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women. When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages; powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum. After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.

Now isn’t that a great story? I think so, but then I’m biased.

~~~~~~~~~~

You can buy A Shadow from the Past in print or ebook from:

Publisher: http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/robertson-king.php
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King-ebook/dp/B00IGLS692/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-shadow-in-the-past-melanie-robertson-king/1112348992?ean=9780983801887
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/a-shadow-in-the-past-1

You can follow me here at Celtic Connexions or at:

Website: http://www.melanierobertson-king.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Melanie-Robertson-King/221018701298979
Twitter Account: @RobertsoKing https://twitter.com/RobertsoKing
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6543072.Melanie_Robertson_King