Welcome Wednesday is delighted to have a return visit, today, from Cathie Dunn. Cathie's an author friend from The Wild Rose Press who also writes for Crooked Cat Publishing. She's come to talk about the setting for her historical novel - Highland Arms - which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
So, let's find out what Cathie has to say about my favourite country- Scotland. (Yes, I am a bit biased, and I admit it!)
Hi Cathie! I believe you're going to talk about a part of Scotland that you love so much that you used it for the setting of 'Highland Arms'? I find it a tall order to name my favourite part of Scotland- there are just so many great locations to choose from - but where you have chosen is an area which has great memories for me too.
Thank
you for hosting me today, Nancy.
It’s wonderful to visit your lovely blog again.
Today,
I wish to give your readers a glimpse into the Scottish Highlands. Into my
favourite place in all Scotland,
to be precise: Glencoe and Ballachulish.
 |
| courtesy of Cathie Dunn |
Having
visited the area many times, the decision of where to set Highland Arms was an
easy one. Even the ‘Drovers Inn’ mentioned in the novel is based on a real inn:
the cosy Clachaig Inn!
Baile a' Chaolais, the village's Gaelic name,
means 'village of the narrows'. It lies at the junction where Loch Leven flows
into the much larger Loch Linnhe. The original
village lay in what is now North Ballachulish (Highland Arms is based just a
couple of miles north along the shore
of Loch Linnhe), with a settlement in South Ballachulish, now linked by a bridge, established
later.
Ballachulish is less than a mile from Glencoe
village, at the entrance to the Glencoe hill range. The small villages nestle
at the bottom of hills, with clouds always hovering low over the mountaintops.
It is a magical place, highly atmospheric.
 |
| courtesy of Cathie Dunn |
Connoisseurs of Scottish history
will know the sad story of the place, the Massacre at Glencoe that befell Clan
Macdonald in 1692. You can still sense the desolation.
Driving out of the Glencoe range, the view
gives way over Loch Leven towards Loch Linnhe
and more hills beyond. Breathtaking!
Lovers
of Scottish romance must visit the area if they’re planning a visit.
Inspirational and awe-inspiring. That reminds me, I’m overdue another visit...
:-)
(ps . For the people who like to know how to pronounce things and haven't a clue about Ballachulish, try saying BAL-A- HOOL-ISH )
Highland Arms- the story is about....
Betrayed by her brother’s lies, Catriona MacKenzie is
banished from her Edinburgh home to her
godmother’s remote manor in the Highlands.
While her father ponders her fate, Catriona’s insatiable curiosity leads her
straight into trouble--and into the arms of a notorious Highlander.
Five years after an ill-fated Jacobite rebellion, Rory
Cameron works as a smuggler to raise money for the cause--until Catriona
uncovers a plot against him and exposes his activities. Now Rory is faced with
a decision that could save their lives or destroy them both.
You can buy Highland Arms from:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Arms-ebook/dp/B005E03J72/
Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4560
Cathie's sharing a little bit with us today -to whet the appetite...
After a brief
chat with Auntie Meg over a cup of tea, real tea
from the Colonies, Catriona retired to her bedroom and slept for an hour.
Although the fatigue from her journey still lingered, she felt refreshed, her
mind settled.
She made her
way to the dining parlor where the table was set, and a fire roared in a large
stone fireplace built deep into the wall. Crossing the room, she went to the
tall, narrow window and pulled the thick brocade curtains aside.
With dusk
settling, the view across the loch took her breath away. Low light shimmered on
the water’s surface, reflecting the last glimmer of the evening sky. Across the
water, she watched the shadows sink deeper down the hills.
When the door
behind her creaked, Catriona jumped. Hastily, she dropped the curtains back
into place and turned, expecting her brother.
But it was not
Angus who closed the door and faced her. Her pulse began to drum in her ears,
and her hands shook from the unexpected surprise. She grabbed the curtains
behind her for reassurance.
He leaned
against the door, his dark blond hair washed and tied again at his neck. This
time, his muscular frame was clad in worn trews and a fresh linen shirt, loosely
fastened. A trace of mud clung to his black boots.
She looked at
his face and held her breath, caught as she was by a now familiar set of
piercing green eyes. Her throat went dry. The last time she saw those eyes, at
the Drovers Inn, they’d been friendly, even flirtatious. Now they were cold,
dark, and as forbidding as a loch in winter, bereft of the warmth of the sun.
Rory Cameron.
He sounds like he just might be trouble for Catriona! But I've read it already, so I'm not going to say any more since I hate spoilers.
About Cathie Dunn...
...she writes romantic suspense &
adventure set in Scotland, England and Normandy. A hobby historian, her focus is on
medieval and Jacobite eras.
She has two historical novels published:
Highland Arms, a romantic Scottish adventure, and Dark Deceit, the first in The
Anarchy Trilogy.
Recently, Cathie self-published Silent
Deception, a romantic spooky novella set in Victorian Cornwall. All her books
are available on Amazon.
Cathie lives in Scotland
with her husband and two cats and currently works on a contemporary romantic
suspense set in Idaho,
US, and a medieval Scottish romance.
Slainthe!
Sounds fascinating and how could I not fall for a Cameron man (one of my clans!) Not only am I now raring to read this book but I am pining to go back for a visit. Thank you both, ladies!
ReplyDeleteHello Ailsa. It's definitely a great read and as you say the Glencoe area is fantastic to visit.
DeleteThank you, Ailsa, for your lovely words. Yes, Camerons are very tempting! ;-)
DeleteI love the area to bits. In fact, I could live there, looking out over the dramatic hills and beautiful lochs. Sorry, was getting carried away a little. Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you, Nancy, for hosting me today. it's great to be back.
ReplyDeleteI love rambling on about my favourite place in all Scotland. Must watch I'm not getting carried away!
It's very nice to have people pop back again, Cathie. Feel free to revisit, especially if you have an update on Glencoe or Ballachulish.
Delete