Inspiration can come from a thousand places, but for me there’s only one such place: Scotland, land of my ancestors and home of my heart. I visit as often as I can, each time returning with my soul replenished. Being there refills my creative well, and the only difficulty is deciding which special place or tantalizing bit of lore to weave into the next book.
Several such places found their way into this book, and although I’m always ready to strike off on my own in search of Scotland’s truly wild and remote corners, I’d miss the real gems without the insider knowledge of my very special Highland friends.
Too many to name, most of them live in my favorite Highland town of Nairn. Glen Dare, almost a character in this book, is a combination of a few truly magical places they’ve either sent me to or taken me to visit. Dark and mysterious Glenelg, the wild moors of Drynachen, and the sweetest of Highland lochs, Loch Muick. The Tomnavernie stone circle, a fraction of the size of Stonehenge, but so much more special for its nontouristy remoteness. To visit Tomnavernie on a cold, misty day, touching the stones and absorbing the quiet, is to live and breathe the wonder of Scotland’s past.
That wonder stays with me as I write my books. It’s as real as my last walk in soft Highland rain or the echo of wind racing across the moors. It’s definitely in the earthy sweet scent of peat, especially on a chill and damp autumn afternoon. To me it’s all Highland magic, and when I can’t be there in person, I love returning in the guise of my characters.
Three very special women make that possible: Roberta M. Brown, my agent and dearest of friends. She knows what she means to me. Karen Kosztolnyik, my much-appreciated editor. She always has just the right sprinkling of fairy dust to bring my books to life. And Celia Johnson, an absolute gem, whose unflagging support I’ll always appreciate.
As ever, much appreciation and love to my very handsome husband, Manfred, who thought he was marrying a stewardess and ended up with a Scotophile bookworm whose greatest goal in life is to board the next plane to Glasgow. He’s a wonderfully good sport about that particular quirk of mine, and he’s also great at keeping marauders away from my turret. I am more than grateful. And my little dog, Em, my four-legged soulmate who makes the journey so worthwhile. There aren’t words for how much I love him.