Tags
Claire Delacroix, Fae, Jewels of Kinfairlie, Medieval romance, The Beauty Bride, The Magic of Medieval Scotland, The Renegades Heart, The Rose Red Bride, The Snow White Bride, The True Love Brides
The Magic of Medieval Scotland By Claire Delacroix
I love the Middle Ages. I love the stories from that period of history, the pageantry, the myths and legends. Not only are there knights and crusaders on fine warhorses, but there are outspoken queens and beautiful damsels who may or may not need rescuing. I love the processions, the inventories of courses at feasts and – of course – the notion that the world is not all that it seems. If they ever invented a way to time travel to the 12th century in Europe, I’d be first in line!
The Middle Ages is also not that distant for us in terms of ideas Many of our ideas about love and romance come from the Middle Ages and the stories their troubadours told in medieval halls. (Maybe the first thing I’d do in the twelfth century would be to sneak into the great hall of a grand castle, find a seat at the board, have a cup of mead and listen to the music and stories.) In addition, many of our ideas about paranormal or fantastical beings – like the Fae or like shapeshifters – also have roots in this era. For me, the Middle Ages is a period in which all things are possible – and that’s why I write medieval romance.
Medieval Europe was a vast territory, each corner of it fascinating in its own way. For me, there are certain regions that are particularly interesting, and medieval Scotland is one of those. Why?
First of all, the landscape is beautiful. I have had the good fortune to travel in Scotland several times and the contrast between wild territories and cities within Scotland strikes me as being very medieval. It is easy to imagine wolves and elven queens in the forests even now, just out of range of the city’s walls and the church’s bells. I also love the old rocks, whether they are stone circles, broken castle walls, cobblestones underfoot or simply the rock of the earth itself, poking through the lichen.
Secondly, there is a rich cultural history in Scotland – as a storyteller, I love a place with good stories. Depending on the location in Scotland, there are stories influenced by the Norse and by the Irish Gaels, as well as those influenced by the French, the Normans, and the English. That mixture is distinctive and potent.
Thirdly, the Scots are a superstitious people. Their stories are filled with things that go bump in the night, ghosts that come back for one last thing, and dreamers who unwittingly get a glimpse of the future. I love paranormal and fantasy elements in the stories I read and write, so this pervasive awareness of the unseen is appealing to me.
It’s not a big surprise, then, that I couldn’t stay away from medieval Scotland. My last historical romance series was the Jewels of Kinfairlie, a trilogy of medieval romances which told the stories of the three oldest children at Kinfairlie. (http://www.delacroix.net/jewels.html) THE BEAUTY BRIDE is Madeline’s story; THE ROSE RED BRIDE is Vivienne’s story; and THE SNOW WHITE BRIDE is Alexander’s story. There are five more siblings in the Kinfairlie clan and I always hoped to tell their stories.
THE RENEGADE’S HEART (http://www.delacroix.net/trhX.html), my most recent medieval release, is the next Kinfairlie story. It’s the first of a new series called the True Love Brides, and it features Isabella. She’s not the next oldest sister, but she is the one who is outspoken and bold enough to insist upon her chance for love and happiness being next! Her older sister Annelise is the kind of quiet person who would let herself be pushed around – especially since Murdoch, the man who fascinates Isabella, is apparently a rebel and a rogue. He and Isabella are well-suited to each other, for she is not only unafraid of him but is determined to see him in good light, no matter what he’s endured in the past.
What has he endured in the past? Well, that’s the interesting thing.
There is also a consistent thread in the Kinfairlie stories of paranormal events and influences at that holding – as the maid Vera might say, “the veil between the world of men and the world of the Fae is thin at Kinfairlie.” That was another story element I wanted to build in these books and so, I kicked that portal to the realm of the Fae wide open. Murdoch has been captured by the Fae and has lost years in their realm. He quickly realizes that his release from captivity is just a reprieve and that the Fae queen intends to claim him permanently as her own. He is determined to make his time in the mortal realm count, by setting a wrong to right for his family, no matter what the cost. Isabella quickly takes his side to help him solve the mystery, never realizing that she will have to save Murdoch – and his soul – to win his heart forever.
I had a wonderful time returning to medieval Scotland in this book, and I loved exploring the realm of the Fae a bit more than in previous books. Now I’m working on Annelise’s book, THE HIGHLANDER’S CURSE, which will be out in December and will be another paranormal medieval.
What about you? Are you fascinated by different periods in history? Would you like to live in your era of choice? Tell me when and where you’d like to visit – and why. or tell me what you like about your favourite era in time.
One of the people who comment here today will win a signed trade paperback copy of THE RENEGADE’S HEART. Good luck!
Deborah Cooke sold her first romance in 1992, a medieval romance called THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE. Since then, she has published over forty-five romances, writing historicals under the names Claire Delacroix, Claire Cross and Deborah Cooke. She is New York Times and USA Today bestselling and has won numerous awards for her work. Her current series are The True Love Brides by Claire Delacroix, which launched with THE RENEGADE’S HEART in June, and Dragonfire by Deborah Cooke, which continues with EMBER’S KISS in October. You can find out more about her books at her websites (http://www.delacroix.net and http://www.deborahcooke.com), at her blog Alive and Knitting (http://www.delacroix.net/blog) and on her Facebook pages: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorClaireDelacroix http://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeborahCookeFanPage
Deb, every time you talk about the Scotland of Old I want to time travel back there and I do because every time I hear you talk about it I open one of your oldies but goodies and escape
thanks for the wonderful blog post
deb
Thanks Deb! btw, you’ll be able to open your mail and escape to Scotland any day now…!
Thanks Deb! Psst, you’ll be able to do some more time travelling when your mail comes…which means you can’t win today.
The last eight books I have read have been yours…I too am fascinated with Medieval Scotland.
Wow! Thanks Janet! You’ll be all caught up to me soon – I’d better write faster.
Deb aka Claire
I love historical romance. I love it even more when the author has taken time to make the setting and atmosphere of the story reflect the era. These books seem like a perfect fit for me. Though the Regency will always be my first love, I do think chain mail and swords are delicious and make a hero so enticing. I stayed in the Highlands a few summers ago and fell in love with Perthshire. My husband and I have been talking about buying a house there for us to live in part time, once our children are grown. When we were there, every stone bridge, grassy landscape, dark copse of trees lured my inner muse. I could not get enough of Scotland. I am looking forward to reading this series!
Oh, Christa, I’d love to have a house in Scotland! I think mine would be out on the western isles. I loved the rocks and wind and ocean. My husband loved the stone circles, esp in Aberdeenshire, though. (Okay, TWO houses in Scotland! LOL!)
I love the historical romances that take place in London and Scotland. I think my favorite is London though just because they have their grand balls! I would love to attend one of those! I’m not so sure if I would like to live in that era though! Scotland is just beautiful and I would love to visit there!! It is just a very interesting place the way everyone paints it!!
You’re right, rose. I love the pageantry of the Regency era in London, all those balls and masques and beautiful dresses. It sounds like a wonderful place and time – at least to visit.
I love that you have combined historical romance with paranormal in these stories. And the cover is wonderful!
All the best, Deb!
Thanks Jess!
Great post. And I love the sound of your new book. Congrats on the release!
I do like reading about different periods of history. Although I really just started with historical romance, mainly those with paranormal elements. And I dont know why I waited so long. But while I like to read about, I know I would not last well in those time periods. So I am content with reading about them.
Thanks for sharing!
Donna
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Tough living conditions don’t trouble me as much as the political scheming that was characteristic of later eras – I could never have survived the Tudor court for long.
But then, few did…
Glad you’ve discovered historicals, Donna. They were my first love in the romance section.
I’m with you I love Scotland of the middle ages. But then again who can resist a Highland warrior. In any time line.
With or without his kilt… ;-D
Um, that would be with. We need something to unwrap you know
I just adore your writing style. So far I have only read the Kinfairlie series’ and I absolutely love them. You know how to weave a good story, which for me is an integral part of any book I read. You have made a loyal fan out of me!
Thanks Danielle! And I’m always glad to have another loyal fan. (You keep reading and I’ll keep writing, okay?)
I’d love to have lived during the Regency era. I would have had such fun wearing those beautiful gowns and attending the balls, and hopefully landing myself a handsome Duke, Marquess or an Earl. Oh, alright, I’d even settle for a Viscount.
I would have been in my glory riding,driving through Hyde Park and mingling with all the other members of the “ton”. Then attending house parties and being waited on hand and foot. I would like to think that I would have been a a Lady, and not some commoner. Oops, I’m getting a little carried away here.
I also love and enjoy reading medieval romance, and drool over the hunky highlanders in their kilts, brandishing their swords and claymores. I love to roam their castles with them, wave them off to battle, and eventually end up in their bed. lol
You’re a new author to me, and I thank Layna for introducing you to us.
It is easy to get carried away, imagining ourselves in other places and times, isn’t it, Diane? (Especially if that era has great dresses and hunky guys!) Thanks for stopping by to comment!