One day a few years ago my editor and I were talking about my future books when I happened to mention how much I loved Scotland. Not surprisingly, since I'd already placed two books there. She asked me if I would consider doing a series, and I responded that I would, but only if each book, although related, could stand alone. Nothing irritates me more than reading along and realizing that I need to read a prequel to understand what's going on. In addition, I didn't want the series to drag on and on and on. Sometimes, you just have to end things. So, with those two criteria in mind, i began my odyssey.
| Castle Gilmuir, the home of the MacRae clan, is a
composite of what I recall from my travels in Scotland, what I've
imagined, and perhaps a touch of whimsy. The above artist's rendition of Gilmuir is taken from When the Laird Returns, and differs a little from what the real Gilmuir looks like. The land bridge, for example, is a solid thread of land stretching from the promontory to the glen. Also, the promontory is elevated, with high cliffs on three sides facing Loch Euliss. Loch Euliss is a finger of a lake that leads into the sea, but the channel is deep enough that an ocean going vessel can navigate the loch. Tucked beneath the castle is a secret cove, and it's here that the MacRae clan escape in One Man's Love. The secret staircase, and the priory also feature heavily in the first two books. Here are some beautiful scenes, places that fueled my imagination.
Gilmuir was built in the shape of an H, over land that once sheltered a sacred shrine. Ionis the saint lived there, probably around 546. The monk, who legend states had been sent to his hermitage for the love of a woman, was elevated to the status of a saint after decades alone on the island. The site of his small cottage was a place of pilgrimage for many early Scots. One half of the "H" was devoted to the castle, most of which was in ruins by the time One Man's Love opens. The priory, the other half of the "H", was built with pillars, arches, and a pitched roof, and faced toward the rear of the promontory facing Loch Euliss. It, too, was in ruins when the series began. Below the castle, adjacent to the secret cove and the necklace of rocks, is a small cave. It's here that Ionis drew the portraits of the woman he couldn't quite forget, and who will forever be known as Ionis's Lady. In When the Laird Returns, Alisdair decides to rebuild the shattered castle. As the series progresses, the reader will learn exactly how the castle changes.
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