Author: ggrussell

  • A Journey Along Scotland’s Coastline and into Spar Cave

    Photo of Spar Cave

    Coastal caves have always captivated me, and their presence in my books reflects this fascination. These aren’t just intriguing places to explore; they often carry rich histories. In Taming the Highland Beauty, my protagonists encounter Spar Cave, a hidden gem near Elgol on the Isle of Skye.

    This tidal cave, adorned with glittering calcite crystals, boasts a captivating legend. In the ninth century, a local princess fell in love with a shipwrecked man, unbeknownst to the two of them, their fathers were sworn enemies. To protect their secret and avoid conflict, the pregnant princess hid her child within Spar Cave.

    Sir Walter Scott’s 1814 visit brought fame to Spar Cave, immortalized in his poem “Lord of the Isles” where he described a mermaid within. This inspired Victorian-era excursions, unfortunately marred by the theft of numerous stalactites.

    Initially muddy, the cave opens into a magnificent cavern of calcium carbonate, complete with a flowstone staircase. Ascending these steps reveals a breathtaking space, with a high ceiling and freshwater pools. A visit to Spar Cave is an unforgettable journey, offering a glimpse into the raw power and hidden beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

  • Do you believe in fairies?

    Before I started writing about fairies in my Guardian of the Isles series, I hadn’t really given fairies much thought, though I have always believed them to be real. And yet, upon reflection I realized fairies have always been an integral part of my life, and perhaps yours as well.

    When I was little, my mom told me that if I left a tooth beneath my pillow, the Tooth Fairy would come during the night and exchange it for a few coins. The first time that happened, I was utterly amazed! Of course, I passed the tradition onto my own children, leaving them not coins, but a crisp new dollar bill and sometimes a note from the Tooth Fairy when they started to have questions.

    Then there was Cinderella, which has always been one of my favorite fairy tales. I always wanted to have a Fairy Godmother who could transform my fate, as she did Cinderella’s, from drudgery to enchantment. It’s no surprise that the word “fairy” derives from the Latin fata meaning “fate” and Old French “faerie,” meaning “enchantment.”

    Other influences that fostered my belief were works of literature from James M. Barrie’s Peter Pan to J. R. R. Tolkien’s Elves of Middle Earth, and Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. So, when I came across a snippet of an article while researching the Isle of Skye that talked about the Clan MacLeod and their precious artifact, The Fairy Flag, I had to know more. Thus began the Guardian of the Isle series which focuses on the MacLeods of Dunvegan Castle and the real-life Fairy Flag which still resides within the castle, hanging in the drawing room for visitors to see and admire.

    While all the books in the series have dustings of fairy magic within their pages, A Little Highland Magic, book five in the series, is where readers get to know Aria MacLeod more fully, and where she faces her toughest challenge yet—to bring a MacLeod babe stolen by the fairies back home to his family.

    Join Aria as she returns to Fairyland with the Fairy Flag to barter for Keiran’s release along with Graeme Duff, the man whose duty it is to protect The Fairy Flag above all else. Aria and Graeme’s fantastical journey will hopefully have you believing in fairies, fairy magic, and all sorts of other enchanted beings.

  • The Fairy Pools

    In Only a Highlander Will Do, I sent Tormod and Fiona on a “date” to the Fairy Pools located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It seemed like the perfect place for them to finally have some time alone, away from everyone at Dunvegan.

    The Fairy Pools are a collection of pools, streams, and waterfalls in the Scottish Highlands that create a beautiful setting in the middle of the Glen Brittle forest. The Fairy Pools are said to contain a certain amount of magic in their unbelievably blue waters. On a sunny day, the water is so clear you can see each moss-covered stone in the bottom of the pools.

    There is no legend associated with the Fairy Pools other than that which comes from the lore associated with the fairies and the MacLeods of Skye. The waters of the Fairy Pools might be bone-chillingly cold, but that doesn’t stop visitors from swimming in them. Their near supernatural atmosphere has made them one of Scotland’s most enduring natural wonders. 

  • The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan

    Am Bratach Sith or The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle is the most treasured possession of the MacLeod clan. Legend has it that this sacred banner has miraculous powers. When unfurled in battle, the clan would invariably snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

    There are many tales of the flag’s origin but the one the MacLeod clan chooses to believe is this:

    Once upon a time the MacLeod chief, Iain Cair, stumbled upon a fairy dwelling where he met a fairy princess. The two fell in love, married, and had a child. But after a year in the mortal world, the fairy princess had to return to Fairyland. After promising his wife never to let their child cry, the laird did just that. Hearing her son’s cries from the fairy world, the fairy princess returned to her son, wrapped him in a fairy shawl, and sang him a fairy lullaby. Years later, the child told his father that the shawl his mother had given him had magical powers. That magic could be used at a time of great need, but only three times, before the flag, and the flagbearer would return to the fairy world.

    The Fairy Flag and the legends surrounding it are woven into the storyline of The Return of the Heir.

  • Readers Event – Passport to Romance October 19th, 2019!

    Passport to Romance is an amazing reader event you don’t want to miss…

    Saturday, October 19th, 2019 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
    Sponsored by the Greater Seattle Chapter of Romance Writers of America at The Westin Bellevue  –  600 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Washington 98004

     

    Gerri will join 40 other authors at a meet and greet event that is open to the public. She’s also presenting two workshop: Using Myth, Legends, and Fairy Tales in Fiction and Launching Multiple Books at Once: Pros and Cons during the conference. For further information check out www.gsrwa.org.

  • Black Cats: Lucky or Unlucky?

    Black catsI am the owner of four black cats. Or do they own me? I’m never quite sure. Pictured here are Indy and Tye, two brothers we adopted three years ago. In A Temptress In Tartan, a black cat is mistaken as a witch’s familiar.  In the sixteenth century, it was largely believed that  black cats were affiliated with evil because they are  nocturnal and roam at night. They were thought to be supernatural servants of witches, or even witches themselves.
    In celebration of my release, I wanted to share a little of the folklore surrounding black cats. Depending on the location and century in which one lived, black cats either symbolized good or bad luck.
    In 16th-century Italy, people believed that if someone was sick, he or she would die if a black cat lay on the bed. Today, in Asia and the United Kingdom, a black cat is considered lucky. In Yorkshire, England, it may be lucky to own a black cat, but it’s unlucky to have one cross your path. Completely opposite of that in North America, it’s considered bad luck if a black cat crosses your path, and good luck if a white cat crosses your path.
    Other beliefs about black cats that exist around the world today are:
    • To dream of a black cat is lucky.
    • Finding a white hair on a black cat brings good luck.
    • A strange black cat on a porch brings prosperity to the owner.
    • A black cat seen from behind portrays a bad omen.
    • If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune.
    • If a black cat walks away from you, it takes the good luck with it.
    Black cats have played a major role in folklore, superstition, and mythology for centuries. Today they are most closely associated with Halloween and used in costuming, decor, and as a party theme.
    What do you believe? Lucky or unlucky?

  • The History of Chamomile Tea

    In Romancing the Laird, my warrior-hero, Reid Douglas, enjoys a cup or two of chamomile tea every day to help him relax and recover from physical fatigue,. Which got me wondering about the history of chamomile tea. Here’s what I discovered.
    The name chamomile comes from the Greek word meaning “ground apple.” Records of its use date back to the ancient Roman, Greeks and Egyptians who believed the flowers contained both magical and healing properties.
    The ancient Romans battled many plagues, respiratory and other infectious diseases without the aid of modern medicine. This naturally led to using herbs as remedies for disease and to ease the symptoms of skin infections and respiratory diseases. Pliny, the noted physician of the time, is known to have used chamomile to ward off headaches and ease the liver and kidney inflammation. It is likely that chamomile was used for skin conditions and digestive disorders, too. Chamomile flowers were also scattered on the floors at banquets to perfume to the air or burned as incense during sacred rituals.
    Like the Romans, the Greeks thought of chamomile as a medicinal herb with healing properties. The Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides used chamomile to heal intestinal, nervous, and liver disorders, and prescribed it for women’s ailments. The ancient Greeks also made garlands from chamomile to fragrance the air.
    The ancient Egyptians so revered the chamomile plant that they associated it with their sun god Ra. Egyptians also used chamomile on the skin and probably used it in cosmetics and hair care products as well. It was used in rituals and ceremonies.
    Chamomile was considered one of the nine sacred herbs of the Anglo-Saxon and was used ritually to ward off diseases and to promote health.
    If you are like me, every spring I get a little congested from the extra pollen in the air. Sounds like I need to make myself a cup of chamomile tea. Will you join me in a cup?

  • The Witches’ Well

    I always think it’s fun to find out where writers get ideas for their books . . . that one thing that makes them pause and ask the question, “What if . . .?” That’s what happened to me while passing through Edinburgh Castle’s esplanade. I came upon a bronze plaque and a fountain featuring two women’s faces—one old, one young—a foxglove plant in the center, and a snake coiled around it all.

    The Witches’ Well was placed there in 1894 to commemorate all the women who were burned at the stake between the 15th and 18th centuries. Above the fountain a plaque read: This fountain designed by John Duncan RSA is near the site on which many witches were burned at the stake. The wicked head and serene head signify that some used their exceptional knowledge for evil purposes while other were misunderstood and wished their kind nothing but good. The serpent has the dual significance of evil and of wisdom. The foxglove spray further emphasizes the dual purpose of many common objects. (Foxglove can be used medicinally but it can also be poisonous depending on the dosage.)

    Even though I was surrounded by the magnificence of Edinburgh Castle, I spent the rest of the day thinking about the men and women who were accused of witchcraft, and I had to know more. Many hours of research later, the All the King’s Men series was born. There are seven books in the series. The first three books are scheduled for release as follows:

    Seven Nights with a Scot, February 21st, 2019
    Romancing the Laird, April 30th, 2019
    A Temptress in Tartan, August 13th, 2019

  • Readers Event – Passport to Romance October 27th, 2018!

    Saturday, October 27th, 2018 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

    Passport to Romance sponsored by the Greater Seattle Chapter of Romance Writers of America at The Westin Bellevue  –  600 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Washington 98004

    Gerri will join 40 other authors at a meet and greet event that is open to the public. She’s also presenting two workshop: Understanding Scene and Sequel and Mastering the Art of a Great Cover on Saturday, October 27th. For further information check out www.gsrwa.org.

  • PNWA Autograph Party – September 14th, 2018!

    Friday, September 14th, 2018 from 8:30pm to 10:00pm

    PNWA Writer’s Conference at DoubleTree Hotel Seattle Airport – 18740 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188

    Gerri will join 60 other authors at an Autograph Party that is open to the public. She’s also presenting two workshop: Creating Character Emotion and The Business Side of Romance and Women’s Fiction on Saturday, September 15th. For further information check out www.pnwa.org.