I fell in love with the tiny town of Stromness the first time I visited back in 2010. I’d read the books of Orcadian poet, George Mackay Brown (who lived all his life in Stromness) long before my first trip to the islands and I have this slightly whimsical idea that, through his words, the … Continue reading Stromness – town of the sea (and home of a storm witch)
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Westray – White sands, a storm witch and a very small plane
With Storm Witch being published on Friday I thought I’d introduce you to some of the places and folklore which inspired the book. As you know, Storm Witch is set in Orkney which is one of my favourite places. I first visited in 2010 having become fascinated by the islands from the books of George … Continue reading Westray – White sands, a storm witch and a very small plane
Six things which got me through my darkest time which might help now
If you’re struggling to stay positive at the moment then you’re not on your own. I’m finding it very hard indeed and seem to fluctuate between near panic and a kind of stoic ‘everything will be fine’. When I feel panicky I’m trying to remember the things I learned when I was very seriously ill … Continue reading Six things which got me through my darkest time which might help now
Five things I learnt from Spellbound
On Saturday I went to the Spellbound exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The tag line for the exhibition is ‘Magic, ritual and witchcraft’ and it certainly covers all of those areas but it also looks more deeply at what it means to ‘think magically’. I originally wrote this post as a kind of … Continue reading Five things I learnt from Spellbound
Summer Solstice – Celebrating Light
In the Northern hemisphere the summer solstice occurs on Thursday 21st June this year when the sun will be at its furthest point north in its annual cycle around the Earth. In the UK, that will actually be at 11:07. It’s the time of the longest day and the shortest night but it’s also one … Continue reading Summer Solstice – Celebrating Light
Secrets of the Green Man
If you’ve read my novel, Beltane then you’ll know the Green Man is a key character in the book. If you’ve not read it then I’m afraid I can’t really say much more than that without a spoiler alert but if you’ve seen the book cover you can probably guess that a Green Man features … Continue reading Secrets of the Green Man
Winter Solstice – the Return of Light
The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night in the northern hemisphere. This year it falls on Thursday 21st December. It’s also known as Yule or Midwinter. The word ‘solstice’ means ‘sun stands still’ although that doesn’t actually happen. The winter solstice marks the dying of the old year with the way being … Continue reading Winter Solstice – the Return of Light
Of Saints & Pilgrims: A Journey to St. David’s
Pope Calixtus II declared that two pilgrimages to St. David’s were equal to one to Rome. If he’d travelled, like I did, by the tiny stopping train that trundles through the Welsh marshes and then for hours along the South Wales Coast I think he might have revised that to a one:one ratio. St. David’s … Continue reading Of Saints & Pilgrims: A Journey to St. David’s
Five things I’ve learnt about writing from reading Dorothy Dunnett #IDDD
Back in April this year, my friend Lucy recommended the Lymond Chronicles to me. I’d been moaning to her about how hard it is to plot a series of books and she recommended that I learn from the expert and read Dorothy Dunnett. I went home, downloaded Game of Kings to my Kindle and started … Continue reading Five things I’ve learnt about writing from reading Dorothy Dunnett #IDDD
Samhain – the Celtic New Year
Autumn is the time of year when the earth’s energies are waning, when the harvest is gathered in and winter is round the corner. For the Celts each new day started in darkness at sunset and similarly their new year begins in the period of greatest darkness before the winter solstice. For them, Samhain was … Continue reading Samhain – the Celtic New Year
Alys West 