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Thank you for visiting this very special section of my web site. It is here that I would like to share the stories behind my stories. People often ask writers where we get our ideas, and it is here that you will discover where I get mine, and much more.
But first, I'd like to answer another frequently asked question, namely, "what made you start writing in the first place?" Many writers claim they began writing at a very young age. I cannot make this claim. My loftiest ambition as a young girl was to become an airline stewardess and see the world. This, I did, and I suppose it can certainly be said that my travels, especially to the British Isles, did indeed influence my later career choice. I certainly kept meticulous travel journals of all my trips, and still do. But I never even remotely considered writing romance novels until a very special lady entered my life, my own favorite romance novelist, Becky Lee Weyrich.
Much beloved as The Queen of Reincarnation Romance, and sometimes as The Queen of Time Travel Romance, Becky wrote just the kind of books I loved to read. Her wonderfully moving book, ONCE UPON FOREVER, touched me so deeply, I wrote her a fan letter to tell her so. We began corresponding, became fast friends, and one day, I opened a letter from her and read that she felt I 'should try my own hand at writing romance.' My first thought was that 'I' could never write a book! My second was that I enjoyed reading far too much to devote precious reading time to trying to write a book. But her urging wouldn't leave me be, and I soon found myself wandering down a wonderful and exciting path ... a journey that would lead me to where I am today.
I never would have set foot on that path without Becky's encouragement. She is my own favorite author, my dear friend, and my mentor. To her, I owe a great deal indeed, and have therefore written this tribute to her and her books. I could not possibly discuss where my ideas come from or a particular book's setting, without giving credit to Becky. Without her urging and support, I would not have any books to tell you about. Thank you, Becky! ... For Everything!
So, where do my ideas come from?
The least complicated answer is that ideas can come from anywhere. All writers must do research, those using historical settings must do a lot of research. At least they should if they want their characters and settings to ring true. Often, research will unearth a curious little fact, an unusual or amusing anecdote, something, that will spark the idea for a book.
A writer's own love affair with a time period and / or a particular setting can inspire. Writers are advised to write what we know. I believe we should write what we love. Only then can we be truly passionate about our work. And this passion is crucial: if we do not feel it, how can we expect a reader to do so? Further, if we love the time and setting, it follows that this is a storyworld we are familiar with, or one we are willing to learn about. And it is this delving into the world of our stories, becoming totally absorbed in our characters' lives, in how and where they lived, that often leads to the next idea.
The more complicated answer is to tell you that my ideas often come from places I've visited. Why is that complicated? Because of my beliefs regarding the ways these places inspire me. You see, I believe there are times when our stories are perhaps already there. Waiting, if you will, for the right creative person to happen along. No one with an ounce of sensitivity can walk among the ruins of a medieval castle or abbey, or amble around a medieval battle site, and not feel ...something.
Maybe a hint of the story will be carried on the tail end of a light breeze curling round the ruins of a hollowed-out tower wall. Or perhaps you rest your hand upon the cold, grainy texture of a lichen-covered standing stone, and to your surprise, you feel a touch of unexpected warmth, a barely-there vibration. As if by magic, a strong sense of some emotion, an emotion not your own, fills you so completely, you can almost taste the past. See, hear, and feel it, thrumming just beneath the surface. No longer visible, no longer tangible, but definitely there for those who have imagination and the whimsy to believe.
please follow this link)
http://www.cali.co.uk/highexp/Skyeloch.htm
Best of all, is when you catch more than whispers on the wind and odd tingles when touching ancient stone. If you are very fortunate, a full-fledged character will break through the veil that separates us from the realm of the past and the world of our imaginations. When this happens, you usually recognize the character at once, know his or her tale, and are absolutely burning to tell it, too. This is the gift book, a very special thing and something that doesn't happen at will. But happen it does, as most writers will tell you.
DEVIL IN A KILT is such a book. Its hero, Duncan MacKenzie, came to me the day I visited his 'real' castle, Eilean Donan Castle, in the Scottish Highlands. Bold as day, he strode toward me through the mists of a gray June day, persisted in following me around, and would not desist until I promised to tell his tale ... tell his tale as he wanted it told, and make him look good, very good, while doing it! Such is the way of gift books. Like Duncan's, the whole story comes into the writer's mind in one great whoosh, and the book almost writes itself. Inevitably, odd little things happen during the process: your research turns up something strangely similar to something you thought you made up! This can be a name, a character, an incident. Whatever it is, in gift books these 'woo-woo' elements usually crop up more than once. Such things can't be explained, certainly, so when a gift books comes along, writers smile and accept them for what they are: blessings.
One of the most interesting, and nicest, things that happened to me with Duncan's book, was meeting a woman whose family are the hereditary chatelaines of Eilean Donan Castle, the Highland castle that not only inspired DEVIL IN A KILT, but is also its setting, although I call the castle Eilean Creag in the book, and also made the fictitious castle larger and more formidable than Eilean Donan is in reality. Kathryn Falk, Lady Barrow, of Romantic Times Magazine kindly introduced me to her friend, Miss Mary MacRae of Eilean Donan. Miss Mary and I correspond, and it was a tremendous thrill for me to spend time with her at the 2000 Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Houston.
Miss Mary's grandfather actually built Eilean Donan Castle. Or rather, he re-built it on the ruins of the original medieval castle. Knowing we were to meet in person at the convention, Miss Mary brought me several history books about her family and their holdings. One of the books contained a family tree. Imagine my surprise to discover that Miss Mary's father had been named Duncan?
Captain Duncan MacRae, Younger of Eilean Donan to be exact. Miss Mary had known how the entire story had come to me at Eilean Donan, including the part about the hero's appearance, but she was not aware of the hero's name. When I told her, she smiled, touched my arm, and said, "Well, it all certainly comes together, doesn't it?" She then told me that her father had been a charmer with quite a sense of humor, and would have been very pleased to know someone had written a romance set at his castle and named the hero Duncan! Considering how strongly the name Duncan came to me as I explored Eilean Donan that damp and misty June day, I can't help but wonder ....
For those wondering why the book's Duncan is a MacKenzie rather than a MacRae, that is because during the book's time period, the early 1300's, Eilean Donan was held by the MacKenzies. The MacRaes were around, though, and they were fondly dubbed the MacKenzies' 'shirt of mail' for their staunch support of the MacKenzies. In honor of Miss Mary, I've made Duncan's charming young friend, Lachlan, a MacRae.
This section includes tidbits of background information about my romances, some photographs taken at Eilean Donan, but also a few taken elsewhere in the British Isles. It is my hope this will give you a wee glimpse into places that fire my imagination and live forever in my heart as the inspiration of my books.
The Marriage Stone Ceremony that Duncan and Linnet must perform during the celebration of their wedding feast is a product wholly of my imagination, as is the legend old Fergus recites about the Celtic King and His Four Daughters. However, as is so aptly said, that where there is smoke, there is fire, both the ceremony and the legend of the stone they use to perform it, could very well have been real. They are certainly in keeping with similar Celtic beliefs and traditions.
My depiction of the legend and the ceremony as they appear in DEVIL IN A KILT was born of my own fascination with old Celtic lore and ancient Scottish customs. I've gleaned my information through years of travel and study, and more or less tossed together an appealing selection of myths and traditions, brainstormed a bit, then came up with the version I liked best.
The Marriage Stone was based on the old Celtic Swearing Stones. These stones had a hole in their center and were thought to possess special powers. People wishing to seal any type of pact, could do so by clasping hands through the center hole. Sacred stones of all sorts are well-known throughout Scotland as well as many other parts of Great Britain. Their magical powers can be used in relation to wedding vows as I chose to use for Duncan and Linnet, but can also be used to cure illnesses, foretell the future, or even to evoke vows of a darker nature, namely those involving curses. They could also represent a boundary or be a part of a burial site.
Such stones can also be a place of sanctuary. An example of stones offering sanctuary are the Knocklearoch Standing Stones which can be found on the Hebridean Isle of Islay. It is believed that these stones are actually two priests who were hanged and then, on the spot, were turned to stone. Legend claims these two standing stones provide refuge to anyone seeking sanctuary.
Many such stones and as many tales surrounding them, abound in the Scottish Highlands and Western Isles. I used a little bit of several such legends when creating the MacKenzies' ceremony and legend of the Marriage Stone. It is my hope that by sharing a bit of the background of this very special part of Duncan and Linnet's wedding feast, you will not only enjoy how they experience the ceremony, but will also appreciate a little bit more, the rich legacy of old customs and beliefs that help make up the fascinating tapestry that is ancient Scotland.
Spectacular views like this inspired my second Scottish medieval romance, KNIGHT IN MY BED, book one in my MacLean Trilogy and the tale of Donall the Bold and his heroine, Isolde. When deadlines and life allow, I will share similar tidbits about the Scottish customs, legends, and lore I explored in this book.
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Some readers have asked about a particularly heated scene between Sir Marmaduke and Caterine ... a steamy episode that takes place in a window embrasure in Dunlaidir Castle. |
Therefore, I thought I'd share the moment I was inspired to write that scene ..... |
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| This
lovely print of Dunnottar Castle by Betty Nance Smith can be ordered
through Loch Vale Fine Art at www.rmpaplochvale.com. |
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| This book's hero, Iain MacLean, must do penance for his hot-temper by taking a sacred relic to Dunkeld Cathedral in Southern Perthshire, the very heart of mainland Scotland. I have visited Dunkeld which, along with the abbeys of Scone and Coupar Angus, was one of the largest landholders in this part of Scotland from the 12th Century through the Reformation. I have spent time walking Dunkeld's grounds, I've explored its cool and musty interior with hushed awe, and I've sat for hours in quiet commune on a bench alongside the rushing waters of the nearby River Tay. But most of all, I've felt firsthand the magical aura of tranquility and timelessness that still clings to this very special place. Therefore I chose Dunkeld as the designation for Iain's journey of penance. | |
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This is Dunkeld Cathedral, very close to the beautiful River Tay and set in idyllic wooded surroundings. The constant danger of Viking raids to the Isle of Iona saw the transference of some of Scotland's holiest relics, those of St. Columba, to Dunkeld in 849 where they remained for many years. One of these relics was Columba's own crozier, the Cathbhuaidh, or 'Yellow Battler', which is now, sadly, lost to the centuries. |
| Dunkeld's significance as a reliquary church cannot be stressed, and surviving church documents confirm that at one time, Dunkeld's canons were indeed gifted with a fragment of the True Cross ~ which is the holy relic encased inside the little jeweled reliquary casket which Iain delivers to Dunkeld in MASTER OF THE HIGHLANDS. Records do not state how or from whom Dunkeld received the holy relic, only that it came to the Cathedral as a gift ... so perhaps Iain delivered it after all. I like to think so. | |
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This
is the tomb and effigy of my second-favorite medieval hero, Alexander
Stewart, c. 1342 - 1406, son of Robert II of Scotland, and better
known as 'The Wolf of Badenoch'. He was a larger-than-life
man of his time, most famous for his burning of the northern towns
of Forres and Elgin, including Elgin's magnificent Cathedral ...
but to me, he is extra-special and dear for his abiding love and
deep devotion to his Mariota. I was very pleased to pay him special
tribune when I visited his tomb inside Dunkeld Cathedral in Sept.
'02. I like to think he awakened from his centuries-long sleep
and knew I was there 'saying hello.'
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| The splendid Glasgow Cathedral with its great holy shrine to St. Kentigern ( aka "St. Mungo" ) is also visited by Iain and Madeline in the pages of their story. The cathedral is extraordinarily well-preserved to this day and a visit there is truly like journeying back in time. | |
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| The day Iain and Madeline had their fateful meeting inside Glasgow Cathedral, its beautiful nave would have been far from empty. It would have been swarming with pilgrims, beggars, churchmen, and knaves. Much of the timber in the cathedral roof is believed to date back to the fourteenth century ... and may just have witnessed Madeline's hasty exit from St. Kentigern's shrine. | |
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| This
altar marks the remains of St. Kentigern's magnificent holy shrine. St. Kentigern, fondly known as "St. Mungo" died ca. 603 and was Glasgow's patron saint. In Iain and Madeline's time, a pilgrimage made to his shrine was deemed by some to be as worthy as a journey to Rome. |
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MacKinnon's Isle in the Hebrides, the fictional setting of WEDDING FOR A KNIGHT, is a compilation of very special places I have visited on my annual trips to Scotland. Magnus MacKinnon and his kinsmen would be blessed daily with stunning vistas such as this. I took this while enjoying a delicious oooh and ahhh moment during a hike along Scotland's west coast in June 2003. Not far from Melvaig, this is looking out across The Minch toward the Isle of Lewis - and is exactly how I envisioned the view of the Isle of Doon from MacKinnon's Isle.
The gold-sanded boat strand in WEDDING FOR A KNIGHT is sheltered by lovely hills and high sand dunes - very similar to this super-special-to-me cove somewhere in Sutherland on Scotland's far north coast.I enjoyed a picnic lunch overlooking this strand and, afterward, relished a leisurely stroll along the wet-gleaming sands ... talk about heaven!
A closer look at one of my 'special places' in Scotland's far north ~ a place so dear I just had to make it MacKinnon's Isle's boat strand! And if you look very carefully at the grassy dunes, you just might see Magnus hiding there, watching his kinsmen working on their galley fleet!
During the wedding feast ceremony in WEDDING FOR A KNIGHT, Magnus and Amicia must participate in a clan tradition called the Claiming Ceremony in which they accept the blessings of the clan by drinking from the Claiming Cup, a beautifully-worked communal drinking bowl . The Claiming Cup as described in the book is wholly the stuff of my imagination, but it was inspired by a very real and extraordinarily special communal drinking bowl ... one crafted to honor my own greatest hero, Robert Bruce, Scotland's hero king, after his triumphant victory over the English at Bannockburn in late June 1314.
Known as the Bute Mazer, the quite large bowl features heraldry representative of Bruce surrounded by his staunchest supporters: Bruce is depicted as a lion, and his chief stalwarts, those who stood by him at Bannockburn, surround him as shields. The Bute Mazer can be admired at Edinburgh's fabulous Museum of Scotland, which is where I took these photos, and where, while gazing at it in awe and wonder, the idea for this book's Claiming Cup and its ceremony came into my mind.
Like all my books, WEDDING FOR A KNIGHT has a special four-legged character. His name is Boiny and he is affectionately based on this big-hearted yellow lab, a senior dog, who lent me his delightful company when I spent an afternoon exploring Smoo Cave on Scotland's northern coast. The name "Boiny" was taken from a verse by the beloved Gaelic bard, Rob Donn, who lived in the 1700s but whose golden voice ( and love of dogs ) is well-remembered to this day in his beloved Strathnaver home and elsewhere in the Highlands.
This is a view taken from directly above the cave entrance. After Boiny and I explored the cave's interior, he accompanied me up the steep path you see on the right. We spent enjoyable hours walking the cliff-top and I took leave of dear Boiny with a very heavy heart! But I knew even then, as I drove away in my rental car, that we would meet again in the pages of WEDDING. Wherever he is now, I hope he is well and knows I did not forget him.
Here is a link to Smoo Cave for those who would enjoy exploring a very special place.
http://www.smoocave.org/index.htm
Fierce thunderheads very similar to these would have greeted Magnus and Colin on MacKinnons' Isle's boat-strand near the end of the book. Luckily for me, the stormy sky photographed here never broke, and a good thing because I had to walk five miles one way across empty moors to get to this strand - no roads go there. But ooooh did I enjoy the sharp wind and atmosphere!
During the MacKinnon Claiming Ceremony at the feast to celebrate Magnus and Amicia's marriage, Magnus's golden-voiced brother, Hugh, the MacKinnon seannchie (bard), tells a beautifully poignant tale about two star-crossed lovers who lost their lives at Loch Maree in the West Highlands. This is me savoring the tranquility high above the loch in June 2003.
The incredibly serene Loch Maree. Like Hugh, Magnus MacKinnon's romantic younger brother in WEDDING, I, too, believe the tragic young lovers of Hugh's tale still walk these lonely shores - hand in hand, of course. United in death as they never could be in life.
One final glimpse of hauntingly beautiful Loch Maree, this one taken as I stood in awe on its pebbled strand, drinking in the magical atmosphere of a place that seems wholly untrodden and unexplored, so distant from the everyday world. A place with no wish to have its tranquility disturbed - save perhaps by two star-crossed lovers who tryst there still.
ONLY FOR A KNIGHT is Robbie MacKenzie's book, and those readers who enjoyed DEVIL IN A KILT will remember him as the hero's little boy in that story. Such readers might be pleased to know that Robbie's book shares the same setting as DEVIL IN A KILT, a magnificently atmospheric part of the West Highlands known as Kintail. Almost always mist-shrouded, with clouds dropping low on the peaks, Kintail is a ruggedly beautiful country of sea lochs, wild heather hills, and moorlands. And very near to where I took this photo, not all that far from **Glenelg, is where Robbie meets his heroine, Juliana.
**I chose to open Robbie's book in remote and peaceful Glenelg for a very special reason: during an afternoon spent exploring the glen, two incredibly regal red stags stepped out of the woods right in front of me! Magnificent creatures, they stood on the path for the longest time and just looked at me before ambling off to wherever it was they were going. No, they were not black stags like Robbie's inimitable father, Duncan MacKenzie, the Black Stag of Kintail, but they were stags and the encounter did happen in the very heart of Kintail, and they exuded such a profound sense of belonging, that I knew before they even disappeared from view, that Glenelg deserved special significance in Robbie's book.
In ONLY FOR A KNIGHT, Robbie returns to his father's castle, Eilean Creag, which was also the setting for DEVIL IN A KILT. In reality, "Eilean Creag" is one of Highland Scotland's most picturesque castles: Eilean Donan Castle, very close to the Isle of Skye. I always visit the castle when I am in Scotland and hope my readers will enjoy this especially stunning photo of a very special place.
Robbie is on his way home to Eilean Creag when he happens across Juliana during her ill-fated attempt to rescue a drowning ewe. That meeting takes place at a lochan very similar to this one. In fact, this particular lochan is not very far from the one that inspired this scene. Those who've read the book's acknowledgment will know what I mean.
*Note to those familiar with Highland landscapes: you are right, this is not Kintail, but farther north, close to Scourie.
One deep look into this wooly friend's eyes, and it's easy to see why Juliana gave her all to rescue a drowning ewe! This one gave me the eye ... not that I minded. This photo was made at Carbost on Skye on a delightful late autumn day.
Big Red MacAlister is a charming scoundrel in Robbie's book. Described as a 'ruggedly handsome giant with a mane of thick, bronze-colored hair and twinkling blue eyes,' he hailed from the tiny Island of Pabay, seen here from near Broadford on the Isle of Skye. Once thickly wooded, Pabay was a refuge for lawless, 'broken men' in Big Red's day, with many a raid launched from its innocent-seeming shores. Pabay also holds the ruins of an ancient chapel believed to have been built by one of St. Columba's monks.
http://www.pabay.org
UNTIL THE KNIGHT COMES opens with a glimpse at the Bastard Stone, a natural-made arch cut into a precipitous sea cliff. The 'arch' resembles a door and plays a significant role in the story. Imagine my delight to discover just such a 'Bastard Stone' while exploring Shetland's Noss National Nature Reserve during the writing of this book. A tiny island with sheer cliffs rising straight up out of the sea, Noss also teems with nesting seabirds in summer and spending a day there let me imagine what Kenneth must've faced as a skilled gatherer of seabird oil.
Yes, those are my feet. And, yes, this is still Noss. The day was spent wandering around the island's perimeter. And that means right along the cliffs because ferocious "Bonxies" make it too dangerous to cross the island's grassy middle. These huge birds attack anything that comes close to their nests. This photo was taken during a picnic and I wanted to have proof of how close I was sitting to the cliff's edge - my leg's were outstretched and crossed at the ankles. Most of all, the photo shows the kind of treacherous cliffs that abound in these northern waters. Such cliffs are home to thousands of screaming, wheeling seabirds and were the 'preying grounds' for medieval seabird oil gatherers. It was a fall down just such a cliff that caused the three thin scars seaming Kenneth's left cheek.
My picnic companions on Noss: Puffins! Not at all shy, these darling little birds hopped all around me as I enjoyed one of the most special picnics of my life.
Early in UNTIL THE KNIGHT COMES, Mariota seeks refuge at ruinous Cuidrach Castle and claims the "lord's chamber" for her own. Having stood empty for some years, this is likely how that bedchamber may have appeared upon her arrival at Cuidrach. Note the window embrasures and the well-preserved twin-facing benches. My readers will know that very interesting things can happen in these alcoves! O-o-oh, yes!! This is not in the Highlands, but rather the spectacular ruins of Dirleton Castle in East Lothian, not far from Edinburgh.
Like all my "MacKenzie" books, Jamie's takes place in Kintail. One of the Highland 's most beautiful areas, Kintail is very special. I love being there in all seasons, but autumn in Kintail takes my breath. Clever readers may notice that many of my stories are autumn-set, including BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT.
As mentioned in "The Dish" letter at the back of BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT, I spent time in Scotland during the book's deadline and enjoyed a bit of 'serendipity.' (otherwise known as Highland Magic) That magic was waiting for me at the end of this fine and atmospheric walk. Those who know my books, will know I relish such days as this. And, no, this isn't Kintail. It's Royal Deeside and the path shown is near and dear to my heart. It runs along the River Dee and leads to Crathes Castle where I found Jamie's 'magic talisman' as described in 'The Dish.'
Here it is ~ the medieval drinking horn that inspired the "Horn of Days" at Jamie's Baldreagan Castle . The real horn has pride of place in the great hall of Crathes Castle and is called the "Horn of Leys." Legend claims it was gifted to the Burnett family in 1323 by none other than Robert the Bruce.
Crathes Castle in June. A lovely time to visit, though I do prefer autumn. Crathes has a beautiful walled garden and if you could peek over the flowers on the photo's right edge, you'd see it. The garden is a dream. Absolutely enchanting and wonderful to walk through. But to me, Crathes Castle 's greatest attraction is the Horn of Leys.
Sigh ... Yes, that's me catching my breath at this lovely glimpse at Crathes decked in autumn gold and shadow. That crisp blue sky. This was November, the month I love best in Scotland . The air is chill, it's often possible to catch a whiff of peat smoke, the hills are ablaze with color, and places like this are wonderfully empty when you visit them! (yes, I am selfish ....)
Another autumn view of Crathes. I took this as I was leaving (there's a delightful path that winds down the hill and through the trees, returning you to the lovely River Dee walk shown in the 'moody afternoon' photo above. What you can't see in the photo, is my smile as I left Crathes. A bittersweet smile as I much prefer arriving anywhere in Scotland than having to leave. But Crathes is so special, being there always makes me feel all warm and cozy inside. Perhaps because of the Horn of Leys? The medieval drinking horn's connection to Robert the Bruce, and now my Jamie, too. Or maybe Crathes just has an abundance of Highland magic? Yes, I think that might be it....
Just to show that the long trek (on foot) to Crathes and back wasn't a chore, I enjoyed a picnic on the side of River Dee along the way. And, yes, this hot smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich was just as delicious as it looks!
Hughie Mac is a very special character in BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT and Jamie and Aveline pay a call to his cottage. Although Hughie Mac's cottage is surrounded by trees, this is the cottage I had in mind as 'his' as I wrote the book. This cottage is in the Cairngorms, another breathtakingly beautiful area of Scotland . Also very dear to my heart.
Another place that plays a role in BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT is Jamie's family chapel. Jamie and Aveline visit there on a stormy evening and this photo of a ruined medieval chapel could very well be Jamie's own somewhat ruinous *"St. Bride's." This, however, is Barevan Chapel and I took this photo on a chill November evening. Barevan is near my favorite Highland town of Nairn and is a very special place. Quite sacred to me, in fact. Verry atmospheric. Romantic, too. Ghosts linger there for sure. Perhaps even the notorious Wolf of Badenoch and his beloved, Mariota. Their love-nest, Lochindorb, is not far from here. Now, though, whenever I visit Barevan I will also think of Jamie and Aveline.
*To read of my own experience at the 'real' St. Bride's one stormy Highland afternoon, click on 'St. Bride's' above.
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