In my upcoming historical novel Hold Fast, I tell the story of Ann MacLean's real-life struggles in Canada's first refugee camp, Machiche. A place of conflicting identity, Machiche is the perfect setting for the story of a woman from two worlds. The camp of Machiche was put together on the north shore of the St. Lawrence,… Continue reading Machiche
In my upcoming Young Adult Fantasy novel Everdream, one of the most important characters spends the whole book sleeping. Queen Aderyn, young Prince Kynan's mother, may be Dreaming quietly throughout her son's quest, but her story is the catalyst for his journey and for a change that will change the face of Everdream and the Wake… Continue reading Queen Aderyn
The American Revolution wasn't the beginning of only one nation. Â It was the catalyst to the birth of a second, too. Think about it. Â Without the American Revolution, how different would Canada be? Before the war, Canada was nothing more than an annexed territory, won from the French after the Seven Years' War. Â In the… Continue reading A New Nation
One of the fun things about doing research for my historical fiction based on a true story, Hold Fast, is finding out about real-life characters that fit into the story. Â Among the people Ann MacLean would have known at the refugee camp at Machiche, Quebec was the Loyalist captain Jeptha Hawley. Jeptha first came to… Continue reading Jeptha Hawley
In my new YA fantasy novel Everdream, in the middle of the land of Tyernas, on a hill overlooking a wide river, stands its capital—the home of the king, Castle Cairdrist.  Aside from the odd rare trip with his father, Cairdrist is the only place Kynan has ever known. At first glance, Cairdrist looks much… Continue reading Castle Cairdrist
In this latest sneak peek from my work in progress, an historical fiction based on the life of Ann MacLean, she has just given birth to her second son while fleeing as a Loyalist refugee from the American Revolution. Â Please let me know what you think in the comments below. The babe stayed close to… Continue reading Hold Fast: To Lose Everything
In this sneak peek of my YA novel Everdream, Kynan learns a little more about the mechanics of the dream world.  As always, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments. They made camp in a shallow cave under a massive overhanging boulder.  It was warm enough in Everdream, he'd noticed, never to need… Continue reading Everdream: Mechanics of a Dream
Every hero has an origin, and it would be impossible to understand Ann MacLean without knowing where she came from. She was born on the shores of Loch Dunvegan, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Â But at her core she was really a child of two worlds. Ann was born to a humble master… Continue reading Dunvegan
In my upcoming YA Fantasy novel, accessing the magical realm of Everdream isn't as simple as falling asleep.  There's a bit of magic involved—a set of magic words...and a talisman. The talisman is personal to the Dreamer.  It must be something that has deep significance to the bearer, and is best something small and portable.… Continue reading The Talisman
In doing the research for my work in progress, Hold Fast, I've come across some very interesting facts. Â Not least of these facts is the Scottish laird with the nickname "The Wicked Man". You see, when I got Ann MacLean's story, all I knew was that she was the granddaughter of a Scottish laird who… Continue reading The Wicked Man
Erin E. M. Hatton 