There really is a place called Mahaar. I grew up there. When I was young there was a country school there, a nearby farm and a few farm cottages. The school had only two rooms. Kindergarten, and grades 1,2, and…
Seattle – Nothing Stays The Same
One problem with writing about things in the real world is that nothing stays the same. People, places, and circumstances all change. But it is also fun to write about specific places and events that some readers can recognize or…
Edinburgh Castle
When I describe real places in my stories I like to get the details right. I lived in Edinburgh for more than ten years and have visited Edinburgh Castle many times. It truly is an impressive and imposing structure. As…
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo
The climax to the Blackhope Scar story takes place at Edinburgh Castle during the final performance of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. This annual event occurs every evening during the three week-long Edinburgh International Arts Festival. It is so popular that…
Midges
These tiny biting insects thrive everywhere in the Highlands of Scotland. Their real name is Culicoides impunctatus. It is the females of the species that bite to feed on blood to give themselves a good protein meal to help their…
Cragganbogle Castle
This is the home of Richard Comyn, the Earl of Lochboidisdale, an aristocratic Scottish rogue. The castle itself sits on top of a high cliff on the west coast of Lewis. When seen from the sea it looks like a…