Wandering Wednesday: Edinburgh and beyond! #giveaway

by @CarolynMAuthor

My upcoming Regency romance The Making of Mrs Hale releases next week, and to celebrate, I thought I'd take a quick trip down memory lane and recall some of the places I've visited in Edinburgh, Scotland, where part of the novel is set.

My trip to England in 2015 was not going to be complete without a whistle-stop visit of various Scottish locales, including iconic Edinburgh. My sister and I stayed in the basement level of a terrace house within walking distance of the Great Mile, at the end of which stands the famous castle.

Along the way are dozens of tourist enticements, such as these emblems of Scottish music:

From the battlements you can see New Town stretched before you, a grid like system of houses built in the early 1800s in an effort to stem the disease rife in older parts of the city.

One of my favourite places to visit was the Georgian House, a National Trust property in New Town dressed with period furnishings of the - you guessed it! - Georgian era.  

Inside, visitors can see various rooms, including the drawing room with a square piano, a room designed to be the most impressive for after-dinner entertaining. Visitors are shown the parlour, where the tea-table was positioned. Tea was heavily taxed in Regency times, and the lady of the house kept the keys to the tea chest to prevent servants from helping themselves. (They were permitted to use the owner's spent tea-leaves, though!)

The dining room with Wedgwood service and Regency-era menus is also on display, as are bedchambers, the water-closet, and 'below stairs' in the kitchen and cellars. If you want a taste of Regency life, visiting such a well preserved museum is a must!

For my story, I wanted to show something of what life would be like in 1800s Edinburgh, so the inclusion of details such as cobblestones and steep streets were a must.

 As were the many public houses ('pubs' or taverns) and other interesting places pointing to Edinburgh's history.

If you get the chance, visiting Scotland is a must; it's a place filled with castles, history and mystique that still resonates today - and makes a great setting for a book, such as The Making of Mrs Hale.

Giveaway

I'm giving away a copy of The Making of Mrs. Hale (ebook for international readers or print book for readers with an Australian mailing address).

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post and/or the November New Releases post  on November 19. Receive two entries in the drawing by commenting on both posts. The giveaway closes on Friday November 30.

Can a runaway marriage be redeemed?

Marry in haste, repent in leisure—Mrs. Hale is about to find out how painful that repentance can truly be. Julia Hale ran off to be married in Gretna Green, following romance instead of common sense. 

But her tale isn't turning into a happily ever after. Her new husband is gone and she doesn't know where—or if he's ever coming back. Julia has no option but to head home to the family she betrayed by eloping and to hope they'll forgive her. 

Along the way she will learn how relationship with God can bring restoration and hope, and find the answers she needs both for her husband and her future.

The Making of Mrs Hale is now available for preorder from Amazon, Book Depository, etc 

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked part-time as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher. 

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, Winning Miss Winthrop, and Miss Serena’s Secret, all available from Amazon, Book Depository, Koorong, etc

Connect with her:      

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I Can't Believe I Missed That!

by Marion Ueckermann

We spent most of June in bonnie Scotland visiting my brother who’d immigrated there a year ago. A blog or two back I’d promised to share more of that trip. Today, I’ll focus on our time in the city of Edinburgh.

I love Scotland. Who doesn’t? I know I’m biased, though. My grandfather was born and bred (till the age of fourteen) in the Highlands near Inverness, so there’s just this overwhelming feeling of returning to my roots when I visit this place.

We saved a day trip to the city for our last day in Scotland. With seven in our party, too many for one car, we took the train into the city. Edinburgh in one car would be a nightmare. In two... Don’t want to even think of that. It was great to sit back on the train, relax, and watch the green Scottish landscape go by.

We booked an all-day Hop-On-Hop-Off City Bus Tour. I’ve always wanted to do one of those, and it was great fun. We did our loop twice. The first time sitting upstairs in the open section so we could see where we wanted to stop and explore. The second time downstairs so we could hop on and off the bus several times. Having humorous tour guides explaining what we were seeing was not only informative, it was entertaining, too. Here my sister-in-law is patiently waiting for my brother while I’m scurrying into a seat behind her. My sister’s already found her place at the back of the bus.

First place we saw, just outside Edinburgh’s main train station and right where the tour buses leave from, was Scott Monument. This interesting Victorian Gothic monument to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott is reputedly the largest monument to a writer in the world. Even though reaching the highest platform promised a certificate to commemorate the climber’s achievement, I’d conquered my full quota of stairs that holiday, and my legs protested adding another 287 to my count.

I absolutely loved this cute two-story building—Queen Mary’s Bath House.  Way back in the 1500’s it was attached to a boundary wall which enclosed the King’s privy garden of Holyrood Palace. The royal family would relax here when out strolling in the garden.  It’s unknown whether it ever actually contained a bath.

We looked on at Holyrood Palace, the official Scottish residence of the British monarch, from outside the gates—too much to see, too little time. Situated at the bottom of the Royal Mile, Holyrood has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 16^th century. 

The Royal Mile is filled with interesting building such as these. I wish we’d had the time, and the strength to walk this entire road. Definitely on my itinerary for the next trip.

The Scottish Parliament building, not far from Holyrood was unusual—from the distinctive windows inspired by Henry Raeburn’s iconic painting, The Skating Minister, to the Canongate Wall façade that has quotations inscribed onto pieces of rock. These quotations are from Scottish writers and poets like Sir Walter Scott, Robert (Robbie) Burns, Sir Alexander Gray, Edwin Moigan, Norman MacCaig, and Hugh MacDiarmid. Some quotations are from historical politicians, activists, and artists. I was both surprised and pleased to find a quotation from the Bible (right hand image). This building has won numerous awards and described by landscape architect Charles Jencks as “a tour de force of arts and crafts and quality without parallel in the last 100 years of British architecture”.

Public Domain

How glad I was when we found the small statue of Greyfriars Bobby in a corner of Candlemakers Row. This Skye Terrier rose to fame in 19^th-century Edinburgh. Bobby spent 14 years guarding his owner’s grave until he died. In 1912 Eleanor Atkinson wrote a novel based on the true story. Bobby’s story was also made into a movie in 1961. There are several books and films about Bobby’s life. I read one of them many years ago and enjoyed it. Here my sister is trying to touch Bobby’s nose. You’ll notice how shiny his little snout is—the result of rumors that it’s good luck to rub his nose. Apparently tourists are asked to touch gently after work to restore this tiny part of the statue failed for a second time. I didn’t see any signs alluding to this request though.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to go to Edinburgh Castle, but we did see this imposing fortress from the top of the bus.

No trip to Scotland would be complete without indulging in a haggis. Thanks to my brother’s previous trips to Edinburgh, we were treated to the best haggis around (at least I thought so). The photo speaks for itself.

After our trip to Scotland, I happened to be on the internet doing some research for a story, when I stumbled upon The Writer’s Museum. HOW DID I MISS THAT! Definitely another good reason to visit Scotland, and the fascinating city of Edinburgh, again.

By Kim Traynor (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Stefan Schäfer, Lich (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Welcome Wendy Jones, Author of Tartan Noir and Children's Mysteries

Wendy Jones, welcome to ICFW and thank you for being my guest! First off, your favorite topic—tell us something about Dundee, Scotland.

Dundee lies on the River Tay on the East Coast of Scotland. It is Scotland’s smallest City. It is often overlooked and yet it is beautiful. It has everything, hills, sea, beaches, history, castles, stunning parks, and is home to two wooden sailing ships. One of these, The Frigate Unicorn, plays a large part in my upcoming Young Adult book. They are also building the only Victoria and Albert Museum outside London.

What a lovely place to live. I know the setting has deeply influenced your D. I. Shona McKenzie series in the popular Tartan Noir genre. Tell us more about Shona and her love-hate relationship to her surroundings.

Shona is feisty, funny, sassy, sharp and usually hot on the trail of a serial killer. She is originally in Dundee but moved away when she was two so was brought up in England. She moved back to Dundee a year before the first book, Killer’s Countdown, takes place. She loves Dundee and it’s people but is often mystified by the city and those people. She is also of a mind that it always seems to be raining in Dundee and that Dundonian’s are obsessed with the weather.

This is such a fun series. Is it okay to say that? I’m not sure noir is supposed to be fun—but Shona has such a quirky sense of humor. Anyway, tell us about the latest book in the series.

Killer’s Cut is the fourth book in the series. Someone is leaving body parts all over Scotland leading Shona and her team into a game of human jigsaw. They find themselves piecing together bodies as well as piecing together an investigation to catch the killer.

And now you’ve launched out into a series for children—which I have already purchased for my grandchildren! What inspired you to write about Fergus and Flora—beyond those wonderful names which should be enough.

A publisher, who asked if I had any ideas for a children’s Mystery series, approached me! I had actually been thinking about one and had made notes on the first book. I firmed this up and wrote a detailed plan for the series and pitched it to the publisher who loved it. I wanted to write a mystery set in Scotland that could be read by younger readers as well as adults. The book has been written in such a way that readers of all ages will find something to enjoy and hook them. To give you a flavour of the book here is the blurb from the back:

An ancient Egyptian dagger.

A hungry curse.

A city under siege.

In the dead of night the ancient dagger is stolen from the museum in Dundee. As mysterious accidents, illness and even death stalk the city, the Detective Duo, Fergus Bernstein and Flora MacDonald, follow clues that lead them into ever increasing danger. Can they find the dagger and break the curse before it’s too late?

As if you weren’t busy enough, you’ve also published an excellent book on marketing—which I found very useful. It inspired me to start a newsletter. What are some of your favorite marketing hints?

The first marketing hint is write more books. Series sell better than one book. My other main marketing tip is try different things. Get out and about and do book signings. Ask venues such as coffee shops, book shops and any other venue which has a link to your books, if they would like you to do a book signing.

Wendy, I know you follow your own advice by keeping a breathless pace of speaking, writing and book promotions so I really appreciate your taking time to visit with us here.  Where else can our readers find you on the web?

It has been my pleasure. It is always delightful to be on your blog. If readers would like a free ebook, DI Shona McKenzie’s Guide to Killing Your Boss, then they can get it from my website via a popup. This is the only place you can get the book as it is not available elsewhere:

Website: http://www.wendyhjones.com

Amazon: http://author.to/WendyHJones This is a universal link which will take you to the Amazon of your country

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendyhjonesauthor/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyHJones

Posted by Donna Fletcher Crow, whose newest Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense has just been released: A Most Singular Venture, Murder in Jane Austen's London

Visiting my Writing World (and eBook giveaway)

by Marion Ueckermann

In two weeks, I’ll be heading for the airport to catch a Qatar flight to Doha, and then on to Edinburgh, Scotland. I can’t wait for this overseas trip for many reasons. I’ll be seeing my brother, Lenny, and sister-in-law, Hanlie, who immigrated in September last year. Hubby’s coming with which is great because we both need a good holiday after an exhausting year—plus, I think my brother needs some male company for the 17 days we’re there because my sister is also going with us to Scotland, as are her two crazy daughters (no, they’re not literally crazy, but it is definitely going to be a barrel of laughs from beginning to end with them around). I’ve booked the seats in front of them on the plane for Noel and I, and have warned them that if they misbehave, I’ll recline my seat as far back as I can the entire way. Jokes aside, I can’t wait to show my sister and nieces the land of our ancestors. I’ve been to Scotland twice and loved it.

My brother lives in Falkirk now, about an hour from Edinburgh (one of my favorite cities), and an hour from Glasgow. Below are pics of The Kelpies close to his home. Aren’t they magnificent works of art?

Care to join me for a minute and take a look at what I’ll be experiencing and seeing? Click here. I promise, it’ll be a minute well spent.

This brings me to the second reason for my excitement for this trip. Have a look at the photo below to see what’s waiting for me at my brother’s house. Because postage is cheaper and safer to Europe than to South Africa, I’ve sent my book shipments there. I’m certainly glad my hubby, sister and nieces are there to help me lug the 26kg of my books back home. I’ve already claimed 5kg baggage from each of them (think I deserve some recompense for booking the tickets and sorting out the visas, don’t you?)

And here’s just one more good reason why I can’t wait for this trip. Glasgow Grace, my third Passport to Romance novella published by Pelican Book Group, releases on July 22nd, and I cannot wait to visit the places I researched and wrote into this story. Places like The Clyde Auditorium, also known as The Armadillo—a concert and public event venue in Glasgow (remind you of another opera house down under?); Buchanan Mall; Anderston Quay; and all the bridges that cross the River Clyde—Bell’s Bridge, Millennium Bridge, and Clyde Arc or The Squinty Bridge. Here are two photies of Lenny and Hanlie’s recent trip to Glasgow. Doesn’t it look like such an interesting city?

I found two photos of The Armadillo on Wikimedia Commons to share with you (no guesses why it got that nickname).

I cannot wait to get to Scotland and see all the above. We're also spending four days beside Loch Ness...I wonder what Scottish stories my mind will conjure up during this time. 

To get you as excited as I am, here’s the cover and blurb for Glasgow Grace. As soon as this novella releases next month, I’ll give away a free eCopy to one lucky reader who leaves a comment on this blog. 

Opera singer, Skye Hunter, returns to the land of her birth as leading lady in Phantom of the Opera. This is her first trip back to bonnie Scotland since her mother whisked her away to Australia after Skye’s father died sixteen years ago.

When Skye decides to have dinner at McGuire’s, she’s not going there only for Mary McGuire’s shepherd’s pie. Her first and only love, Callum McGuire, still plays his guitar and sings at the family-owned tavern. 

Callum has never stopped loving Skye. Desperate to know if she’s changed under her mother’s influence, he keeps his real profession hidden. Would she want him if he was still a singer in a pub? But when Skye’s worst nightmare comes true, Callum reveals his secret to save the woman he loves.

Can Skye and Callum rekindle what they lost, or will her mother threaten their future together once again?

MARION UECKERMANN's passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. She now lives in South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.

Talking over the Teacups with Dorothy Stewart

Although I had met the delightful Dorothy Stewart online through the English Association of Christian Writers group to which we both belong, I didn’t get to know her charming vivacity until we met in person. (There are some things electronic media still can’t quite communicate.) When I spoke at the Felixstowe Book Festival last June Dorothy drove for well over an hour from her home in Halesworth to be there for the event.

It was a busy morning, but we did manage to share a quick cup of tea— a great start, but not nearly long enough to talk about all the things we would have loved to explore. Now we continue over the miles (7000 of them) and invite our International Christian Fiction Writers friends to listen in. So go get yourself a cup of tea and join our virtual tea party.

Donna:  Dorothy, I’m so excited to hear about your new book. Congratulations! Tell us about When the Boats Come Home.

Dorothy: The Great War (1914-18) had a devastating effect on families as well as on the men who fought. When the Boats Come Home tells the story of one family, the Rosses, a fishing family whose eldest son is killed, their daughter widowed. But behind those simple facts lie secrets that are tearing the family apart. Every year, the herring fishing fleet descended on Great Yarmouth for the autumn fishing, but 1921 was a bad year and the boats were kept in harbour, the men idling round the town. But (this is the factual bit!) Jock Troup, an evangelist from my home town of Wick, took the opportunity to preach to these men one evening in the Market Square – and God sent revival. The book follows how this affects the Rosses, how God can rebuild and restore. There’s pain as the secrets have to come out but there is a happy ending – oh and romance too!

Donna: That sounds great. I love historical fiction. What piqued your interest in the topic?

Dorothy: I’m a lay preacher serving a group of nine churches. Kind folks in the congregations sometimes invite me to lunch after the service. One Sunday, I was relaxing over coffee with my host while my hostess was busy in the kitchen. When he heard I came from the small town of Wick in the far north-east of Scotland, he said ‘You’ll know all about the Fishermen’s Revival at Great Yarmouth?’ I had to admit I had no idea so he told me how, in the autumn of 1921, a great revival spread through the fishing towns of the East Coast. I always take Monday off as my ‘Sabbath’ when I’ve had a busy Sunday so I had time to take a look at the internet – and was deeply moved by the story. Especially when I discovered that the Wick fishermen brought their new-found faith back home and built a mission hall near the harbour – where I came to faith forty years later! I knew then this was a story I had to tell – but in fiction. And that’s how it began.

Donna:  How wonderful that this turned out to be such a personal story for you! Is this your first novel?

Dorothy:  It’s my first published novel – but I had another ten under the bed! Apprentice pieces, I think you could call them! I’ve had ten other books published – one children’s book (It’s Hard to Hurry When You’re a Snail) and nine non-fiction, mainly prayers and meditations.

Donna: Oh, yes. I always thought of all those “under my bed” as paying my dues. What launch events are you doing for When the Boats Come Home?

Dorothy: This is the first – thank you, Donna! I’ve got interviews set up with local radio, a tea party at my local Christian bookshop, and bigger events at the two wonderful specialist museums in Wick and Great Yarmouth. Everything’s happening very quickly but I love to give talks and interviews so I’m really looking forward to it all.

Donna: What an honour that ICFW is your maiden voyage! And what’s next in your writing agenda?

Dorothy: I’ve taken advantage of NaNoWriMo to get the next one (or maybe it’s a trilogy!) underway. Because I won’t work Sundays, I’ve been doing 2,000 words a day six days a week. Hard work but enormous fun! The new one is also a Christian historical, weaving the stories of four families – starting again in my home town in Scotland, but moving out to the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898, ranching in Manitoba, the high life in San Francisco and Buenos Aires – and that’s only the first half of the first book! There’s romance, adventure, a feisty heroine – and a happy-ever-after.

Donna: Oh, good. I hope all our Canadian readers caught that. We’ll definitely want to hear more when that book is out. Since we invited the ICFW community to listen in to our conversation, what else would you like to tell them about yourself?

Dorothy: I’m a Scot from the far north of Scotland and I’ve loved to write since I was a young child. My first job was as trainee reporter on my local paper, The John O’Groat Journal, where I learned the discipline of sitting down and writing. I was 18 when I came to the Lord and though my life has been full of ups and downs, He has never let me down – though I reckon I’ve let Him down more times than I care to remember! I worked in book publishing most of my life but am now enjoying seeing my early dream of being a published fiction writer come to pass.

Donna: And tell us more about your preaching.

Dorothy: That’s something I love. I love the study that goes into preparing a Sunday service. I love choosing hymns. And I love the actual delivery on a Sunday. It’s an enormous privilege to serve God’s people this way. I believe that the writing and the preaching are complementary parts of my ministry to nourish and strengthen God’s women in particular.

Donna:  What a busy lady! Thank you so much for taking time to have a cup of tea with us today, Dorothy.  Where can our friends find you and When the Boats Come Home on the web?

Dorothy: When the Boats Come Home will be available around December 12^th as a paperback as well as Kindle and other e-formats. My publisher, Zaccmedia, tell me it will be available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble among other outlets. They also have a web page for direct purchases. And I blog at dorothystewartblog.wordpress.com

  

Donna Fletcher Crow's newest release is A Newly Crimsoned Reliquary, book #4 in her Monastery Murders series.  

Step into a good book!

Step into a good book!

I’ve always had a thing for those movies or TV shows which show people able to actually leap into a book and visit its locale. A scene from the Disney classic Bedknobs and Broomsticks comes to mine and countless others. I always thought that would be the coolest thing!

But if you haven’t tried to literally jump into a good book lately, it’s rather a tough task…

So I decided that I’d have to settle for the second best thing, which was actually visit the setting of one of my favorite novels.

“The Winter Sea” written by the extremely talented Canadian authoress Susanna Kearsley

It was time for me to once again cross the pond from the U.S. to the U.K. The destination was Edinburgh, Scotland for a highly anticipated second visit. It was actually the first time overseas I’ve ever visited the same place twice.

My dear friend Carole and I both thoroughly enjoy Kearsley’s novels, so she was game as well to visit its locale. Heading north by train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen and then farther on toward Petershead by bus, we finally reached our literary stop of Cruden Bay, Scotland.

Slains Castle ruins and The Winter Sea novel

The Winter Sea is set within two time periods -- the present and the 1600s and it all revolves around the Cruden Bay area and the expansive ruins of Slains Castle. And the castle was where we were heading for the day!

Slains Castle is actually referred to as “new” because it had to be rebuilt in the late-1500s after King James VI blew up the previous one as a punishment for the Earl of Erroll’s part in the rebellion. The castle remained with each Earl of Erroll until 1916 when it was sold. The new owner let it fall into disrepair and eventually had the roof removed so he didn’t have to pay taxes on the property. Thus the once majestic castle became ruins.



Standing in Slains Castle ruins

Before our visit to the castle, we stopped at the St. Olaf Hotel for a nice lunch of chicken curry and rice, a favorite of mine. The hotel is where Kearsley stayed while researching her novel and the nice waitress/hotel manager told us about her visit and even let us see the room she stayed in.

Then after a very out-of-the-way walk, we made our way to the castle at the end of a muddy footpath. It was so worth the trouble though because it was still in great shape for ruins and it was gorgeous.

Even teetering precariously at the edge of a sea cliff, which continually shrinks from erosion, had not taken away its splendor. As I walked through the enormous hallways and rooms, I could not even fathom how grand of a place it must have been in its heyday.

And the vibrant images of Kearsley’s novel just came to life right before my eyes. It was as if I was inside the book’s pages myself and I must say it’s always great to find oneself lost inside a good book. Wouldn’t you agree? :)

Have you ever visited a favorite book locale? Is there one you’d especially like to see? I’d love to hear your stories.

Morgan Tarpley

Morgan Tarpley is an award-winning newspaper reporter and photographer in Louisiana. She is also a historical novelist currently seeking representation. Besides writing and traveling to over a dozen countries, her interests include acting in her local theater, photography, historical re-enactment and singing.

For more information about Morgan, visit her website (www.morgantarpley.com) and blog (www.pensonaworldmap.com). You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Goodreads.

Sally Wright on Writing International Backgrounds

My guest today is Sally Wright, author of the superb Ben Reese Mysteries. Sally has just brought out Breeding Ground, the first book in her all-new Jo Grant series which I'll be posting about later,

but first I've asked Sally to share with our international audience some of her experiences developing the international backgrounds in the Ben Reese series.

Sally, we share a love for Scotland, which features in several of your Ben Reese novels. Where did your fascination for that wild, beautiful land start?

Sally: I've always gravitated to books about England and Scotland, which may be related to my mother's father being an Elliott, born in Jedburgh in The Borders in 1880, who came to America when he was eight. He didn't sound Scottish, or talk much about Scotland, but knowing him probably made me pay more attention when I read about Britain.

It was going to Scotland for the first time (I think in 1980) that pushed me over the brink. For it was then I got to know David Munro, a Ph.D. Geographer (and former Director of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society) who later drove me all over Scotland and Northumberland (and gave me great destinations when I drove myself) as I did research for the Ben Reese mysteries that chronicle the experiences of an archivist-ex-WWII-Scout. David knows even the most remote parts of Scotland like the back of his hand, and he has an encyclopedic grasp of history, so his most casual conversations gave me information and insights I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. And standing in the ruins of Dunnottar? How could you not be changed?

There may be a blood-borne infection at work too. With very few exceptions, I've felt a strange affinity for the Scots I've met. And when my husband (a Robertson and a Stewart on his mother's side, who was never told about his Scottish roots) stood on the Battlefield of Culloden and stared at the stones marking the spots where untold numbers of his ancestors died, Joe knew in his bones that he was a Scot for the first time in his life - and I knew I was too.

We also share a fascination with the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne. You feature Holy Island in PRIDE AND PREDATOR, the second of your Ben Reese novels as I do in A VERY PRIVATE GRAVE, the first on my Monastery Murders. What drew you to Holy Island? Can you share something special about your time there?

Sally: My love for Holy Island started when I saw a photo article on Lutyens' renovation of Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island's eastern tip. Lutyens is an architect I've long admired, and what he did with the castle's interior made me want to live there.

Of infinitely more importance, of course, was the evangelizing mission of St. Aidan and the monastery he planted on Holy Island. Both profoundly influenced the Christian conversion of northern England, and the more I read about him and his followers, the more intrigued I became. And then - as I stood in the early morning mist with my back to the ruins of the Benedictine priory, the castle perched on what looked like a small volcano a mile off in front of me, sea birds patrolling the water's edge, sheep wandering the grassland -I suddenly imagined a man in three piece tweeds, walking away toward the castle. I immediately asked myself, "If someone were here all alone, how could I murder him?" The plot of Pride And Predator ended up being the answer.

You have set stories in England, Scotland, Italy and France. Do you have a favorite location either to write about or to visit?

Sally: Scotland is still my favorite place, with certain spots in England running a close second – Oxford (and the Cotswolds among them) where I researched parts of Pursuit And Persuasion while our daughter studied. I saw beautiful places in Tuscany, of course, when I was writing the Ben Reese novel, Watches Of The Night. I loved the art and architecture in Florence - but loved Siena more. I'm not a big city person. I like small villages and lovely towns, and countryside even better.

We stayed in an absolutely wonderful old farmstead turned now into a spectacular small hotel near Sinalunga called Laconda de L'Amorosa, where the ancient farm buildings captivated me (especially the chapel, and the old olive pressing barn where we stayed). The whole 60 hectares of grape vines and woods and wild boar and crumbling outbuildings amazed me, and gave me the final location and denouement of the plot.

I love Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia, and Beaufort and Charleston, South Carolina, where I placed Out Of The Ruins.

And exploring the Loire Valley in France was a very interesting experience too, when I was working on the French Resistance and the US OSS because of a character in Breeding Ground. Studying the Resistance all across France had been overwhelming, and I'd had to narrow my focus to the Loire Valley. But I still felt distanced from French culture during the war. It was in a tiny B&B in an idyllic old mill southwest of Tours that God gave me the gift I needed to write the WWII backstory that's a part of Breeding Ground's plot.

The mill owner (totally unbeknownst to me when I made the reservation) had spent his life studying France in WWII. We talked for hours, and yet it was his telling me of an event that had happened in the village a mile or so from the mill during the Nazi occupation - and how the villagers reacted still in 2010 - that I put directly in the novel, for it gave me the perspective I needed to encapsulate that time.

I really enjoyed what I saw of France. But as much as I love Scotland and England? No. I suspect I'm a Scots-Anglophile by interest and genetics.

You can see more about Breeding Ground here: http://j.mp/1i2E81m
 Visit Sally's website here: http://www.sallywright.net/

Posted by Donna Fletcher Crow the author of The Monastery Murders: A Very Private Grave, A Darkly Hidden Truth and An Unholy Communion as well as the Lord Danvers series of Victorian true-crime novels and the literary suspense series The Elizabeth & Richard Mysteries. To read more about all of Donna's books and see pictures from her garden and research trips go to: http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/ You can follow her on Facebook at: http://ning.it/OHi0MY