We all know the iconic tartans of Scotland - each clan has their own, some tame, others quite wild. But this was not always the case. In the days of Alba, checked patterns would certainly exist, and regional variations would depend on what natural dyes were available in certain areas. But the tartan system as… Continue reading Friday Fact: the Fabric of Alba
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Tuesday Critique: Seumas on a mission
Here's my latest excerpt of Sons of Alba, Book 2: Son of Redemption. Seumas is off at war, itching for the fight to start, when he learns a few things while scouting with an older warrior. The captain paired him with an older man, seasoned in the Ard Righ’s battles against the Lochlannaich. He looked… Continue reading Tuesday Critique: Seumas on a mission
Monday Motivation: Baby Steps
Did you ever get your course syllabus in university and want to drop out then and there? I did. I'd look at all the projects and exams I'd have to do in the next 4 months and feel like it all had to be done by tomorrow. Then I'd go in my dorm room, take… Continue reading Monday Motivation: Baby Steps
Friday Fact: the Kingdom of Strathclyde
Before there was Scotland, a number of smaller kingdoms shared the land. One of these was Alba, itself a union between the native Picts and the Irish settlement of Dalriada. Alba eventually became dominant, swallowing up the Viking lands of Orkney, Caithness, and Sutherland to the north, the Isles and Galloway to the west, Anglo-Saxon… Continue reading Friday Fact: the Kingdom of Strathclyde
Writer Wednesday: Dig Deep
Ernest Hemingway once said "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." Now, Hemingway isn't my favourite author. Not even close. But he's got a point. Some of my best writing has come from those deep places in my heart - the hurts I've experienced, the greatest… Continue reading Writer Wednesday: Dig Deep
Tuesday Critique: Fionnaghal misses Seumas
In this excerpt from Sons of Alba, Book 2: Son of Redemption, Seumas has just gone off to war, leaving behind his young (secret) bride Fionnaghal. She muses on the future. How was she supposed to go back now? How could she just pick up her fearsaid and spin wool and pretend that nothing was… Continue reading Tuesday Critique: Fionnaghal misses Seumas
Monday Motivation: Finding your balance
We've all heard plenty about balancing our time. But let's face it: reality is we all bounce up and down like a yo-yo sometimes. Have you done it? Have you invested all your energy into one thing until you were spent, left exhausted with piles of neglected tasks? There are many things that demand our… Continue reading Monday Motivation: Finding your balance
Friday Fact: Structures of Alba
At the time of my Alba novellas, the structural landscape of Scotland was just as diverse as its people. I thought I'd give you a visual taste of some of the buildings you might see if you wandered into my books. 😉 Brochs These weren't much in use at the time of Daughters… Continue reading Friday Fact: Structures of Alba
Writer Wednesday: Editing Checklist
I struggle with editing. Not so much other people's work, but definitely my own. Once I've put something on the page I have a hard time figuring out how to change it. But obviously it has to be done. So I took a look at how I edit other people's manuscripts and compiled a bit… Continue reading Writer Wednesday: Editing Checklist
Tuesday Critique: Seumas Deals with Rage
Here's a new excerpt from my work in progress, Sons of Alba, Book 2: Son of Redemption. As you can see, Seumas has a long way to go. Muirne and Catidh thought it was funny, the way Seumas had to shift in his seat at dinner. It wasn’t funny at all, and he glared a… Continue reading Tuesday Critique: Seumas Deals with Rage
Erin E. M. Hatton 