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The Midnight Marauder

The Midnight Marauder Every night, without fail, a badger visits the garden to eat scraps and leftovers that we leave out for him. He’s been coming for years. Though, realistically, of course, it’s not only one badger. But we always speak about him or her as if it is. Sometimes two come together. After eating, they run about in a frenzy before disappearing into the woods. The lighter nights…

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Home

Just that. Nothing else. All that’s needed 🙂

[ailishsinclair]

Cannula Days Are Here Again

Cannula Days Are Here Again

Cannula Days; Hospital Windows A small update. About why I’ve been quiet. Things got darker fast, and I’m back in hospital. Ten days in so far. No answers as to quite what my autoimmune body is doing yet. Hoping for success in suppressing it, though. So, cannula in. Audiobooks on. Normal service will be resumed at some point. But I don’t know when… BINGE THE SERIES that’s shocking…

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Hello, Darkness, My Old Friend

Hello, Darkness. Hello, Flare. I’ve been struck down by autoimmunity again, but it’s been worse. Many times. I’m trying to do everything right and hope I’ll be better soon. I searched my phone photos for ‘dark,’ and here are some of the results. I like that they all have light in them too, as if we’re heading that way, as if it’s inevitable. Above is the loch. Below, the interior of Peathill…

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Dunes and Trees and Intense Writing

Back in the dunes again. Below the big sky. Between intense writing sessions. The Intense Writing Near the end of Fouetté, there’s a moment when Aleks is going to speak to a troubled character who needs help and counselling. He assures Amalphia that he can do this. My editor made a comment there at the side of the manuscript: “Can you, Aleks? Really?” The events of the book that I’m working on…

[ailishsinclair]

Snowdrops in the Garden

The snowdrops have arrived, and with them the knowledge that spring is on the horizon. They can be found nestling by old trees. Small clumps of beauty abound in the garden. There are carpets of them in the woods, but I don’t have a recent picture. I will endeavour to take one before their short season is done. I love the blue-grey of their stems and their perfect white blooms. Snowdrops rule…

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Snow Day in Scotland

Snow day! Up the track we trudge… Past the gnarly tree… Let’s follow the deer tracks into the forest. The sun is just over the hill. It casts its light onto the track as we head home to hot chocolate and the fire. Snow day! Sisters at the Edge of the World I went in to Sisters recently to update the back matter. It made me cry again… New review from Molly on Goodreads: A beautiful tale of…

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Where the River Ugie Meets the North Sea

River Ugie It’s a beautiful place. The River Ugie (pronouned yoo-gee) winds its way through Aden Park and Strichen and ends its journey in Peterhead where it flows into the North Sea. There’s a foot bridge across the river. This little gull was quite friendly. Up through the dunes we go… And down onto the beach. The skies are bright between rain showers. We walk back along the riverside as…

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Dreich Days and Squelching Feet

It’s dreich here, as we say in Scotland. Grey. Rainy. Dull. The woods are still beautiful, though. I like the witches’ brooms in the trees. And the wintry light. The path through the forest is still a favourite place, and while the squelching of my feet is not entirely unpleasing, and I do like using the word dreich, I will welcome the brighter days when they arrive. A New Review of…

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2023 Moments: Dancing, Castles, Books...

I loved visiting the Pink House in Banff with its gorgeous wee book nook. Dancing among ancient stones in my ancient pointe shoes. That was fun. Autumn was gentle and beautiful this year. Visiting Bow Fiddle Rock was scenic and slippery. Being diabolical: good, and not so good. I had an interesting time exploring Provost Skene’s House in Aberdeen. Getting A Dancer’s Journey out there into…

[ailishsinclair]

Chasing Nacreous Clouds

Nacreous clouds have been appearing over Scotland in the last few weeks. They’re quite stunning, but my phone camera is really not up to the job of capturing the mother-of-pearl beauty of them. This was my first attempt last week: Nacreous clouds But then on Christmas Eve, this happened in the sky: I would like to say that I ran through the woods too see the clouds, but it wouldn’t be true.…

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Stuff Your Kindle Day #stuffyourkindle

Stuff Your Kindle Day has become a worldwide phenomenon among romance readers, with thousands of novels made free for one day. Officially the latest one is happening tomorrow. But it’s actually starting early. Right now, in fact. Go here to access over 2000 free ebooks TENDU is part of this Stuff Your Kindle Day. It’s free until December 29th. Get it here My About Page See my About…

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Merry Christmas: have TENDU for free!

TENDU for free! The kindle version of TENDU is free for five days worldwide. I hope you enjoy it! Get it here Do check the blurb and content warning to make sure it’s for you. There’s a lot of naughty fun in the book, but it also goes quite dark at times. It’s not a pink and fluffy ballet story. TENDU: Dancing in the Castle Scotland’s all misty lochs and magical forests and perfect…

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A Completed Series and Christmas at the Castle

Yes. Phew. *Lies down, exhausted* A Dancer’s Journey is now a completed series. Ready to binge. Though – it seems wrong not to mention this – the kindle version of the first book will be free for five days from the 25th, Christmas Day. The photo above shows the fireplace in the music room at Fyvie Castle, previously glimpsed here. Dance and Despair I have a new article up on the Women Writers,…

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Calm and Steadfast like a Tree

That’s how I feel today. Calm. Steadfast. A little like a tree. I’m back in the place where I’m happy. Writing. Of course, writing. Steadfast Writing Update A Dancer’s Journey is basically complete. The third and final title comes out next week, and I’m now working on the connected series. These are gentler books, shorter books, so they can be cheaper books, and they feel peaceful somehow.…

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Fyvie Castle at Christmas

Christmas at Fyvie Castle There was a Christmas Fayre on when I last visited Fyvie Castle. It was all rather unexpected and enchanting. Over on Twitter, Andrew Spratt, medieval re-enactor and ‘Man at Arms,’ worked his magic on an image I took on the day. It shows how the castle would have looked in the 15th century. Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire (Scotland) @AilishSinclair image & reconstruction…

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The Loch of Fyvie in Winter

Ducks on the Loch of Fyvie It may not be quite correct to call the Loch of Fyvie a loch. It’s man-made body of water, and the family from the nearby castle always called it a lake. It is, however, usually referred to as a loch now. And it’s beautiful. No debate there. The colours of winter suit it well. There are many magnificent old trees round the loch. I love them. Gnarly: Peering…