ONCE UPON A DREAM: I Passed Oxford!!!

 

It's 7.30pm on a cold January evening and I have just received the news that I have passed my course at Oxford University!! I'm elated and excited - and a little bit shell-shocked to be honest. I can't quite believe it. I have read the results several times, just to be sure. And yes, I have passed my year at Oxford!

It has been such an enjoyable academic and authorial experience. It was all that I hoped it would be and more. I have really enjoyed learning from these elite Dons - their teaching is second to none, their feedback intense and they are the very best tutors I have ever experienced in my entire academic life. I feel very, very lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from them.

It was quite a long academic year though, and an even longer process overall, one which began back in the early summer of 2023, when I first applied to the university. I was convinced that I wouldn't get in, then when I did, I was convinced that I wouldn't be clever enough for Oxford and that I'd fail, so to now have it in writing that I've passed my course in Advanced Creative Writing & Gothic Literature is a moment to savour and enjoy. 

I can now add my time at Oxford University onto my Author CV, having spent the whole of 2024 studying there to improve my writing craft, following in the footsteps of great writers such as C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien and Lewis Carroll etc. It has been quite a dream come true! But it hasn't always been easy, especially as I spent the majority of the year recovering from the riding accident, writing essays and assignments with two badly injured wrists. It was a painful process at times, but I refused to give up knowing that I might never get the opportunity to study at Oxford University again.  

The work can be quite intense. There is the pressure to do well obviously and because  Oxford is self-funded and very expensive the cost adds to the pressure, as you don't want to waste money by failing! I was also juggling the course with my work as an author and writing several books at the same time as studying and writing my assignments etc. It meant that my 2024 New Years resolution to not work weekends went straight out the window, because as soon as I began Hilary term in January last year, I knew that in order to meet my publishing deadlines and keep on top of the study tasks, course work, classes, discussion groups and assignments, I would have no choice to but to work weekends!

I'm so glad that I did it though and that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and kept pushing myself to succeed, despite the obstacles life threw in my way. I kept at it, even though my wrists were still so painful at the time and typing hurt  - a lot! Now as a result, I will soon hold a University of Oxford Accreditation Certificate in Advanced Creative Writing, proving that I spent the whole of 2024 working on my authorship skills and mastering my craft as a writer. I'm just waiting for them to send the certificate out to me.

The feedback on assignments has been invaluable. They Dons really dig deep into the nuts and bolts of creative writing and they expect a lot in return from their students by way of implementing everything you've learnt and putting it into your assignments.  Work is assessed paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence with the Don adding notes on each section, so that you have an in depth appraisal of your work. Not a comma out of place goes unmissed or unmarked!  Luckily I'm quite used to editorial feedback, so this didn't bother me too much - but it did highlight how much I rely on a good copy editor! Oxford has added more polish and finesse to my work and as a result, I am much more self-aware as an author of what I want to say and also why and how I want to say it. 

The course has also introduced me to so many great books and authors I may never have discovered otherwise, not least of which is one of the Dons who taught me. I have greatly enjoyed exploring her work and the discussions we've had about the significance of folklore as the bedrock of all storytelling. 

My own work has improved as a result of the course too - which was the whole point. I wanted to hone my craft even further. I now have more confidence in my abilities, particularly in my characterisation and world building. I have already implemented some of this development into my published work too. For instance, if it wasn't for the Oxford course, I doubt if I would have had the confidence to write and publish fantastical meditations in The Book of Moon Magic. There will be more fantasy themed work dropping from me this year too, where I have been free to invent characters, dialogue and narratives, so look out for that in the coming months. 

I really feel that I am now taking my writing in the direction I have been dreaming of and aiming for, for years.  Now I spend my days coming up with new characters and writing scenes that are filled with enchantment. As a result, I feel a new sense of enchantment in my own life too. As I put more whimsical enchantment into my writing, so my writing in turn brings a sense of greater enchantment to my daily life. It makes my heart lift.  Everything suddenly feels possible, because now I have the confidence to just go for it as an author of prose fiction. 

Oxford gave me that. 

The feedback on my assignments was so strong and positive that, although I wrote them purely as assignments for the course, I am now seriously considering developing this project into something I might one day publish.  

It might sound strange, but my own writing has begun to inspire me in ways I would never have imagined! So often we are told that we need to be inspired to write - I would argue that in following the writing, it can also inspire us in turn. I have made changes in my home because of the things I have been writing, because of the characters I have created who seem to whisper to me "Maybe you should do it this way. Maybe you should try this." Its the most bizarre feeling, but I love it!

As an example, if you have been following me on Twitter you will have seen that I have been decorating my home and that I have a bit of a butterfly theme going on. All I will say about it is - Glimmershine made me do it!  You will meet Glimmershine in the summer, all being well. But that is just one example of how my own writing has been inspiring me in the more mundane areas of my life. 

So yes, it is fair to say that doing the course has been very enlightening, in more ways than one. I'm so glad I was brave enough to apply, because now I am an Accredited Creative Writer from the University of Oxford and that will only stand me in good stead with editors and publishers in the future.  Now that the course is completed and my goal is achieved, I am looking forward to a much slower pace in 2025. With no studying to do, no academic work to write and submit, I can just enjoy writing my books, with no additional pressure. I'm looking forward to an interesting year of writing and my current project is one that is very close to my heart. The deadline is the 20th of this month, so I have a few more days to work on it yet, but I am greatly enjoying the process. Its lovely to be cocooned in my home during the depths of winter, writing magical books for a living. I truly love my job.

But for tonight, I'm just going to savour the fact that I have just passed a year long stint as an Oxbridge student and that I have passed a course, one that will further my writing career, at Oxford University, one of the most prestigious and elite universities in the UK, in the world, in fact. That is not something to be dismissed or discounted. It means I'm a lot smarter than I thought I was! 

It is an achievement to be proud of and one that no-one can ever take away from me. This time last year I had just started Hilary term. One year on, I have successfully passed the course, with an Oxford University certificate on the way! I wonder what golden opportunities will knock on my door in 2025?

Serene Blessings,

Marie x

Writer's Dream: 2025 - New Year, New Brand!

 

I have been working in publishing now for over 25 years. During that time I have moved from writing and publishing poetry, to correspondence courses, to books, to magazines, to music and back to books again.  Writing is a transient profession and many writers switch seamlessly from one type of writing to another throughout their careers. There are several reasons for this. Publishing platforms don't always last forever - in just the last couple of years, many of the magazines I used to write for regularly, such as Spirit&Destiny and Soul&Spirit, have gone out of circulation altogether and are no longer being produced.  Publishing imprints also change, evolve and disappear, with new imprints coming to the fore instead. Nothing ever feels permanent in publishing. Editors move on, authors evolve, publishing houses merge or go under. It can be a very precarious profession in which to make a living. 

That said, it makes it all the more special when you find a publisher who is happy for you to grow and evolve as an author, within the framework of their own publishing house.  With most commercial types of creativity, companies tend to want their creators to produce 'more of the same', because they know that is what sells. That's where their profits are. However, being creative depends on being able to change, grow and try new things, otherwise the creativity becomes stale and the job becomes a chore. 

I felt that way during the latter half of my time at Spirit&Destiny magazine. Whenever I tried to write something a bit different, I was met with the request to write more of the same please instead. It was stifling!  It was also one of the reasons I went on to publish my best ideas with their rival magazines, such as It's Fate and Kindred Spirit, because Spirit&Destiny had already proven that they didn't want innovative, imaginative writers -  they just wanted formulaic contributors. 

Writers need the space, time and opportunity to experiment and try new things. That's why I have always jumped at the chance when new authorial opportunities have been offered to me - such as when I was asked to write an album of pagan songs for Paradise Music, or when I was asked to write fairy poetry and magical sleeve notes for New World Music, or when my current publisher asked if I wanted to start writing and creating oracle decks and mythology titles.  

My answer has always been a resounding yes - but I haven't always answered right away! Often, my first instinct is to run and hide, to question myself and my ability - Can I really do this? Did they make a mistake in asking me? Are they simply being kind? Where's the catch?  It's impostor syndrome at play. All those thoughts run through my head initially and so I need to go away and process them for a little while, before I come back and say Yes please, I would love to. 

My current publisher is great at offering me opportunities for projects that I haven't done before, like the oracle decks and mythology books. Yes, these projects fall firmly in the genre of Mind, Body, Spirit, but it was  never the genre I objected to - it was the request to keep writing the same old thing over and over again. Now that I have found an editor and a publisher who are happy for me to try new things, I feel like my creativity is thriving once more. It helps that my editor is also an author too, so she has experiential understanding of the typecast situation writers can sometimes find themselves in. A lot of editors don't really write that much, literary agents even less so!   I have fallen very lucky with my current publisher and editor, and in the opportunities they offer to me and their openness to my ideas and book proposals.

One of the things I have wanted to do for quite some time is separate my magical writing from my psychotherapy and psychology writing. Although these genres often sit side by side on the shelves in most book stores, they are very different types of writing and authorship, so I wanted to draw a clear line between the two. The issue I have always come up against before is that I am best known for the magical writing and so editors tend to want to capitalize on that. It takes time and money to develop a new author brand, so it is often more profitable to build upon the existing brand instead.  

It must also be said that just because an author can write well for one particular genre, doesn't mean that they can write well in other genres.  I certainly had to prove my psychotherapy writing skills (not to mention my qualifications in this arena) via my recent book The Wiccan Guide to Self Care, before I was considered a serious psychology author. It's not the kind of topic you can simply pluck from thin air, throw your hat at, and hope to gain a book deal! You do need the relevant qualifications and clinical experience in place first, and even when you already have a publisher, you still have to prove your capabilities in a new genre before you will be commissioned in that area of expertise, which is why I approached The Wiccan Guide to Self Care as something of a literary audition and a chance to prove what I could do in terms of psychology writing. 

So when my editor asked me how I would feel about maybe publishing some work under my first name, in order to make a distinction between my magical work (which is published under my middle name, Marie Bruce) and my psychotherapy writing, I was thrilled. This is something I have wanted to do for several years, so to have it suggested by my current editor was amazing! She really is the best!  I had a few projects lined up that brought together both creative and therapeutic writing for the benefits of metal health and personal well-being. They fit firmly into the realms of psychotherapy writing, with not a single spell or magical ritual between them, so it made sense that we would use these new books to re-brand that side of my work. 

In addition, I spent the last couple of months of 2024 working on a project that I am very excited about and proud of. Its a new psychology project and it is rather special, so I can't wait until I'm able to share that with you too. Again, it will be published under my new psychotherapy-author brand name of Jacqueline Bruce because it doesn't include any spells at all. It is pure psychology and self-help. It's still me though, and you will certainly recognise my authorial voice. 

Not only that, but these projects also meant that I was given the opportunity to write on a topic close to my heart - that is, the positive benefits of writing!  Writing books about writing has been one of my goals for many, many years, and now I am doing just that! These books will be published under my first name, Jacqueline Bruce, and their release in 2025 will mark the launch of my second author brand, which is super exciting! It is something that I have been working on throughout 2024.

Of course, I will still be writing magical projects and spell books. I enjoy this kind of work even more now that I have other topics to write about as well, because it breaks up the monotony and I come to the magical genre with fresh eyes and renewed enthusiasm. It's nice to have two distinct branches to my writing now, two completely different genres to work in. I'm enjoying flipping back and forth between the two.  

I'm also in the process of writing a brand new column, having returned to the team at Kindred Spirit, this time as a columnist in their print magazine rather than on their blog. My first column launches in the Spring 2025 issue and the column will appear in the magazine throughout 2025, but I'll do another blog post on that nearer to the launch date.  All I will say here is that it is a very enchanting, whimsical column and unlike any column I have ever written before! I'm very excited about it. It's such a fun column to write too.

Suffice to say that there is lots of fun stuff happening in this brand new year and I am enjoying my writing work so much. Who knows what new writing opportunities will come along next? I'm certainly looking forward to finding out, because writing really is the best job in the world! 

So look out for new titles coming from me in 2025, not only Mind, Body, Spirit projects as Marie Bruce, but also mainstream non-fiction books writing as Jacqueline Bruce too!  This is definitely a big step forward for me as an author and a significant goal achieved. Happy New Year! 

Blessed Be

Marie x 

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Christmas 2024 Reflections

It's late on Christmas night and like many people, I am feeling extremely grateful and rather full of too much food and festive cheer! I've had a lovely Christmas so far, going out to dinner again with my mother. I really think that dining out will become our annual Christmas lunch tradition because its so much easier - all you have to do is enjoy the food that has been prepared for you and there's no washing up afterwards! We went out last year for Christmas lunch as well, so it seems to be our new tradition - just book a table and enjoy Christmas dinner out somewhere lovely.  This year we were seated by the fireplace which added to the cosy festive atmosphere, as we pulled crackers to the crackle of the logs. 

I was lucky enough to receive some very lovely presents from friends, family and neighbours, including books, gold foiled tarot cards (they are stunning!), a pink Glinda/Wicked vanity case for my Flower Knows makeup, jewelry, lots of cosmetics and girly bits and bobs, Kylie's new album on limited edition yellow vinyl and of course, the obligatory pink nightie and some baby blue slippers. Is is really Christmas without new slippers?

My favorite gifts this year included a very elaborate ballerina snow globe, shaped like a silver bird cage with a ballerina pirouetting inside as the glittering snow falls down all around her. I've never seen anything like it before - its enchanting! This is from my mum and its so gorgeous. It was one of those very special gifts which brings a tear to the eye and I almost cried as soon as I saw it. Its just beautiful and it will go perfectly in my bedroom. I also got The Pink Fairy book too, which is a Folio edition that I have wanted for over a decade, so to finally have it and be able to read it on Christmas night feels so magical. Its a limited special edition and so they are quite rare. It's rose pink, with stunning silver foiled cover art of a Chinese lady chatting to her two cats and it comes in its own slipcase. Its just precious and I feel very lucky to finally have it as part of my library, where it will sit proudly next to its brother, the Blue Fairy book.

My neighbour also surprised me with some lovely little gifts too, including a collection of art cards and stickers featuring cute wildlife art, and a cushion cover that has an image of a knight in armour riding through the snow. His white horse is caparisoned in red and there is a fairytale castle in the background. Its perfect for me and my home, because it has a Pre-Raphaelite vibe to it so it will go well with all the Waterhouse prints I have around my  bedroom. I'm touched by her thoughtfulness. I also got gifts of chocolates and hand made tree decorations from my mum's neighbours and friends as well.  Again, I'm touched by their thoughtfulness and generosity. I feel surrounded by kindness, which is just lovely. 

I think the main reason that so many people have made such a fuss of me this Christmastime is because they know that I've not had the greatest year of my life, to say the least, and 2024 has been quite difficult at times. The riding accident back in March and the injuries I sustained has coloured the entire year, as I spent months going to hospital for x-rays and checkups and physiotherapy etc. Then in November I was told that the asthma I'd had as a child had come back with a vengeance. The doctors seem to think it was triggered by the years I spent working at the vetinary hospital where I was surrounded by vast amounts of pet hair and dander. I now have to use an inhaler every day - which is a pretty shade of pink, so I don't mind it too much! So yes, my health has been put through the ringer this year. 

I have to say, I'm proud of myself this year and of what I've achieved, given the circumstances and despite the odds being set against me so early on. I have completed my year at Oxford University, submitting my final assignment to them just before Christmas on 5th December. I should get to know in the early new year if I've passed the course, but I'm so proud of myself for sticking with it, in spite of having two broken wrists and only being able to type very slowly for the first seven months after the operations.  A lot of people would have used the riding accident as an excuse to drop out of the course altogether. I didn't. I stuck with it. Although I did ask for an extension on the deadline for my first assignment, which was due to be delivered just a week after the operations, I still got on with it and I wrote that assignment with both my arms in casts from my knuckles to my elbows and very limited movement in my fingers. I even met the extended deadline with a few days to spare! 

In addition, I have also continued working and I have written several new books this year too. My editors have been amazing, giving me longer to work on each book and more generous deadlines to account for my recovery, but they have still trusted me to get the work done and write the books to a high standard. They have been very supportive and I have written their names on my gratitude list more than once this year! I could not ask for a better commissioning editor. She's so lovely and kind-hearted.  I feel very lucky to be able to work with her. So again, I'm really proud of myself for the fact that I kept on working, writing new titles and meeting deadlines.

I also got quite a lot of decorating done in my house too. I had help from my mother because I just wasn't fit enough to do it all on my own, but we managed to completely re-decorate four rooms and give the house a bit of a refresh. Next year we are going to re-decorate my bedroom and then tackle the staircase. I'm not going to lie - decorating is a painful process for me now. It's very hard on my wrists, which are still extremely delicate. I am continuing to do physio exercises to try and make them stronger, but its a long process. The truth is that they may never be as strong as they were before the accident. I'm trying my best, but only time will tell. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they keep improving.  The good news is that I was medically cleared to drive my car again last month, so I must be getting stronger or the doctors wouldn't let me drive. I'm taking this as a good sign.

I have learnt some valuable lessons this year, which is entirely due to the accident, so maybe it was the universe's way of forcing me to listen. First I learnt that its okay to slow down. I have spent the last decade or more running from one academic course to another, to working twelve hour days in an emergency pet hospital at the same time as doing the Masters degree, to writing multiple books a year, to studying at Oxford University too, all without really slowing down or coming up for air. I have to say that writing the books is the easiest one and the one I find most enjoyable and fulfilling!  

However, I have pushed myself and pushed myself. I was exhausted, but I didn't know it - until the accident/universe forced me to STOP.  I learnt that its okay to stop, to slow down, to ask for more time to complete a task or project. I learnt that it is important to prioritize rest and that rest is just as important as achievement.  Most crucially, I learnt that it is okay to ask for HELP. It's safe to let people help me. I don't have to do everything all by myself, all of the time. There are people who want to help me - but I have to let them in. 

This was perhaps the biggest lesson I needed to learn, because ordinarily I never ask for help. Suddenly being in a position where I couldn't do anything for myself was incredibly scary and humbling. I had to trust the nurses (total strangers?! OMG!) to feed me, wash me, dress me etc, duties which then fell to my Mum for a few months as I gradually recovered enough to hold a spoon, a sponge, a sock. I couldn't live in my own home and had to move in with my Mum for a few months. One day at a time, I learnt to take care of myself again, but the lesson had not been wasted on me and I heard the universe's message loud and clear - it's okay to trust certain people and ask for help. 

I wonder how many times the universe had whispered that message to me in the dark and I hadn't heard it, or how many times it had called it out to me, only for me to ignore it. But the universe tripping up my horse and leaving me incapacitated for a big chunk of the year? That was the message I heard and paid attention to! Therein lies the silver lining. Even negative events have something to teach us. In fact, they can often be the best teachers of all. 

Also, there is nothing that offers greater perspective than a hospital bed. It highlights exactly who is actually there for you in a real way, and who is just full of piss and wind. Frankly if someone isn't there for you when you're bleeding, broken, hyperventilating, in hospital etc - then they have no right trying to re-enter your life when you are healed and on the road to recovery. They have already told you all that you need to know about who they are and where their priorities lie - and its not with you!  

This too is a message from the universe and one that you would be wise to listen to. I have certainly paid attention to it and it isn't just Father Christmas and Taylor Swift who have been making a list of names this year! Those who were conspicuous by their absence and silence in the aftermath of my riding accident need not apply for a position in my life in the future.  I have no openings available for them. Nor will I. 

So 2024 has been a year of difficulty, proud moments and many lessons learnt. I'm hoping that 2025 will be a gentler, more uplifting year, one where I can fully concentrate on my writing as I now feel recharged and refreshed and ready to get back into it again.  I think it will be because there are already some exciting things lined up for next year, but I'll cover that in another blog post. 

Until then, stay safe, stay warm, ask for help when you need it - but make that list of names, of those who were nowhere to be seen or heard from, when you were broken and bleeding, scared and vulnerable in 2024. Take note and think twice before you carry them into the New Year with you. 

Bright Blessings

Marie x 

BOOK NOOK : The Quiet Music of Gently Falling Snow

 

"At first, alone in her tower, she wept for the loss of her love. From the window she could see so far, but not as far as the other side of the universe. After a while, alone in her tower, she began to spin, fine golden thread. After a while, alone in her tower, she began to weave.  And after a while the rhythm of the loom would mingle with the memory of his songs and she began to sing. And in her song was the sound of the wind and the call of the birds, the ache of her heart and the strength of her love, and the loneliness of living."

My editor introduced me to the work of British artist, Jackie Morris, a few years ago, via a rather lovely Christmas card and I'm so glad that she did!  I have always loved whimsical art, poetry and fairytales so Jackie's work is just my cup of tea. Over the years since I have collected quite a few of her books and art card collections, and they are always a delight.

The Quiet Music of Gently Falling Snow is a collection of soft and dreamy fairytales, written to complement the artwork within. Each picture is a colourful kaleidoscope of soft muted tones and bolder accents, with the downy wash of watercolours expertly blended together. Originally these images were designed as charity Christmas cards for a musicians benevolent fund, so they all feature snowy landscapes and musical instruments alongside fantastical creatures, angelic beings and whimsical backdrops.  Although the stories were added later there is a perfect sense of synergy between the words and pictures, creating a beautiful cohesive whole. 

Opening up this book is like stepping into another world! One that is unique and at the same time, strangely familiar, for the narrative voice is that of traditional fables and fairytales. You can hear the forbidden music in the rhythm of the words, for this is a book about a world were music is banned and where musicians are forced to venture far and wide in order to find a new place of belonging.  It feels like a book from your childhood, even though it was only published fairly recently in 2016. It has the same comforting vibe as Narnia or The Box of Delights, spiriting you away to an imaginary winter realm, populated with polar bears and snowy hares, jesters and princesses, tiny kittens, silver tigers, angel cats and so much more. 

As you turn each page you are drawn more deeply into the joy and enchantment of the winter season. The pictures are filled with intricate detail, with tiny creatures hidden in the background that you might fail to notice unless you really study the images, for there is always more to discover. In this world of pure wonder, rocking horses gallop through deep snow, hot air balloons float across starry skies, polar bears are called home to icy landscapes and swan boats carry people to their dreams of love and freedom. 

These fairytales can be read as individual stories, but they also build upon one another, their edges gently merging into each other and pulling you along from one tale to the next. The words are poetic and pretty, soft and dreamy, the lyrical style lulling you into a state of wonder and quiet magical charm.  It's a lovely book to read at the end of a bad day, or when you're going through a difficult time, because the effect it has on the reader is so soothing, its almost a form of self-care! 

Also, don't dismiss this as a children's book because it can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Yes, it is a picture book and a collection of fairytales, but it is also the dreamwork of a visionary artist who draws you into the fantastical world she has created so that she can soothe your soul while you're there. I firmly believe that this book is good for mental health. 

The wintry dreamscape it presents means that it is the perfect book to curl up with this December in the run up to the festive season.  It is a book to be enjoyed by a twinkling Christmas tree, or in the depths of an icy January by candlelight, with a cup of hot cocoa beside you as you allow yourself to drift into The Quiet Music of Gently Falling Snow. Enjoy!

Bright Blessings,

Marie x

AD: This book is published by the Welsh publisher Graffeg Ltd and is available now. 

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Festive Dunoon!

 Sunrise over the Bay at Dunoon

I have just returned from my birthday trip to the Highlands. I wanted to go to a part of Scotland I had never been before, so I decided to visit Dunoon in Argyll, which is at the lower end of the Western Highlands. Dunoon sits on the western peninsular, which means that you have to go by ferry to get there. This was one of the most wonderful aspects of my holiday because it meant that I had a boat trip twice a day to get to and from mainland Scotland! 

It was like living on one of the Scottish islands and I enjoyed it so much. The gentle rocking of the ferry was very relaxing, heading out in the early morning and retuning in the dark in the late afternoon. I loved the experience of 'island life', where people catch the ferry instead of the bus to get to work and back, or to do their grocery shopping. Its so quaint and lovely, though I expect it can be a bit of a trial in bad weather when the ferry is cancelled at the last minute. 

Fortunately we were very lucky with the weather, with bright winter sunshine and gorgeous dry sparkly days, though it was cold by night, but I didn't need to use my umbrella at all, which is unusual in the Highlands at this time of year.  The sun was shining its birthday and festive blessings on us all week, which was very nice.

I had a sea view from my hotel room, with a little roof just below where the gulls would congregate, so each morning I woke to the beautiful cry of seagulls. This is one of my favourite sounds and it was a wonderful alarm clock to wake up to! On my arrival at the hotel I found a box of chocolates and a bottle of bubbly in my room, along with birthday cards from the staff there. My mum had arranged it all as a surprise, plus I got a birthday cake at dinner on the first night too, compliments of the hotel, with all the staff and my mum singing happy birthday to me! That was such a delightful surprise and I wasn't expecting it at all. 

Dunoon is a pretty little coastal town with whitewashed houses and long, long gardens that lead straight down to the sea front. Its actually an estuary, where the river Clyde meets the Irish Sea, but it is known locally as the Clyde Sea and it has a nice promenade to walk on and plenty of places to sit and enjoy the beautiful views of the mountains and sea.  It reminded me a lot of Ullapool, further up the western coast.

Like many Highland towns, Dunoon depends on tourism to hold up the local economy and there are not many opportunities outside of the tourist industry itself. It always grinds my gears when tourists complain about a place being 'touristy' - as if they are not tourists themselves and are somehow better than everyone else who visits! Its akin to sneering at how someone makes a living and demonstrates elitist snobbery at its finest. 

At this time of year though, outside of the holiday season, Dunoon is a quiet, peaceful and beautiful place to stay on the coast of Argyll. Its been a great escape for me , as the mountains surround the town and the sea  was stretching out before me -  I felt like I was hidden in a little nook of natural Highland beauty, safe and serene. 

Its a fantastic place for a writer because its so inspiring, with both history and classic literature being represented in the town. High on Pier Esplanade stands a fine statue of Highland Mary, or Mary Campbell. She is the woman who stole the heart of a young Robert Burns, so much so that he wrote his famous poem about her, entitled Highland Mary. She stands proudly facing out to sea, overlooking the Firth of Clyde.  It's a lovely romantic monument, not only to Mary, but to Burns' enduring love for her and the poetry she inspired in him, so I feel very lucky to have seen it up close.

Dunoon also has a museum and a castle, but that was research for one of my future books so I'm not going to write about it here. That was the reason for the trip - to gather information and inspiration from the Scottish Highlands and from places I've not yet covered in my books. I'll be hard at work soon, putting my research into my writing as I work on the new project over the next few weeks. Research trips are a great source of inspiration for authors and I was busy soaking up the atmosphere of Dunoon's history and environment for my work. 

We took a couple of trips back to the Scottish mainland too. Our first trip was to Glasgow and the festive Christmas markets they have going on there. This was just the ticket to tip me over from birthday vibes into festive, Yuletide vibes! There were stalls selling lots of pretty tree decorations and fancy gifts, plus lots of food and drink vendors. We had fudge and Baileys hot chocolate as we walked around the market, Christmas carols were playing over loud speakers and it was all so festive and cheerful.  

All the shops were decked out for Christmas too, with golden stags, a silver peacock and various window displays, the best of which was easily Dior which had a golden tree that just gleamed with golden makeup trinkets from their Royal Ball Christmas Collection - it looked so beautiful it was breath-taking! I've never seen Glasgow looking prettier - everywhere was lush and luxurious. We had a mulled wine by the Christmas tree in the middle of George Square, then got the ferry back across to the peninsular and back to Dunoon. 

The next day the weather had taken a sharp turn. It was still bright and dry, but the temperature had dropped significantly to -6C, so it was a chilly drive out to Inveraray. It was stunning though and it felt like we were driving through a Christmas card or a movie scene - everywhere was picture-postcard perfect, in a shimmer of white frost - even Loch Fyne was iced over! Inveraray is one of my favourite places in the Highlands and I try to go there as often as I can. It's an original white walled town dating from the 1700's and it has strong historical links to the Jacobite Uprisings.  Sitting on the banks of Loch Fyne, the town boasts some incredible scenic views. It is a picturesque village that has some fantastic artisanal craft shops, so you can pick things up that you just wouldn't find anywhere else, all with a lovely Gaelic touch. The backdrop is, of course, Inveraray Castle with its four iconic fairytale turrets. Its so pretty!  

Inveraray is firmly in Clan Campbell country and the castle is the ancestral seat of the Duke of Argyll, with the 13th Duke and his family still in residence today. It's a beautiful castle and it looks as if it came straight out of a fairytale, especially when it glitters in the frost as it did when I was there. I wish I could live there!

After Inveraray we had a couple more days in Dunoon, wandering around the picturesque shops and doing a bit of Christmas shopping. I treated myself to a hand carved wooden swan which I saw in the window of a gift shop and I just had to bring her home with me as my souvenir of Dunoon. I discovered The Bookpoint book shop which is a bookworm's dream - books stacked high from floor to ceiling and piled up on tables, with the stacks back to back leaving just a narrow space to squeeze through and a couple of tables in the window where you can sit with a cup of tea or coffee. It was a lovely bookstore and I picked up a few books on Scottish folklore and Argyll legends, plus one about the darker legends of Yuletide and Christmas which I'm going to read first. I also found a cosy little café called The Swallow Café where I had a pink peppermint ruby hot chocolate with all the trimmings. It was delicious and definitely on a par with The Oban Chocolate Shop. 

All in all it was a magical trip and it has been a fantastic end to my prolonged birthday celebrations, not to mention the start of the Yuletide festivities. My heart always sings in the Highlands. It makes my soul happy to be there and the mountain air is so good for me - I can breathe easier there and I feel the fresh clean air doing wonders for my health, both mental and physical. It was also wonderful to spend time by the sea again, walking on the beach each day and making friends with the seagulls. I'm already thinking of where in Scotland I might want to go next!

Dunoon was lovely and I had a really nice time. I would certainly go back there again as it was so peaceful and tranquil, which is just what I needed after a rather hectic year of hospital appointments, x-rays and physiotherapy on my poor little wrists. They've been through such a lot this year, but the Highlands is the most healing place I know and it was just the right medicine for me. I'm already looking forward to planning another trip!

In the meantime, I have my own new books to write and deliver to my editor before the Christmas break so I'm going to be rather busy again. However, I will make time to read my  books from Dunoon too. As its Sunday, I plan to unpack my cases, then immerse myself in some festive Yuletide folklore with The Dead of Winter by Sarah Clegg (which looks at many of the same characters I covered myself for one of my new books that comes out next year, so look out for that!), while nibbling on some Highland Butterscotch Fudge from the old fashioned sweetie shop in Inveraray. And next week I'm finally going to see Wicked! I can't wait to watch such a witchy confection of a film! 

Serene Blessings

Marie x

WRITER'S DREAM: Norse Magic Publication Day!

"May your actions bring honour to your name and your courage never fail in times of adversity."

Today is publication day for my new book, Norse Magic, which I began writing on the winter solstice, December 21st last year. Originally the deadline had been the end of September 2023, but I just knew that this was a book that needed to be written during the winter months in the first instance, so my editor and I juggled a few of my projects around to mean that I could deliver Norse Magic in January instead.   That meant that I could spend the whole of the Christmas season and the first part of the New Year writing this book. It was honestly the best decision, because my love of winter is apparent on every page.

I really wanted this book to have all the charm of a snowy Norse winter, along with seafaring adventure and the danger and victory of battle. To me that is what the Vikings were all about - honour and glory and making a name for themselves.  I didn't want this book to be a simple spell book that slotted the names of Norse deities into the rituals. I wanted it to be a book that left you feeling as if you had spent some time in Scandinavia and set sail with the Vikings themselves.  I wanted it to be a reading adventure with a little bit of history, a little bit of magic and spell-craft, a touch of psychology - all rooted in the mythology and mindset of the Norsemen. Learning the history of a culture is important because it gives a greater depth of understanding to the spells you cast with a specific pantheon of gods and goddesses, in this case Norse. 

My research visits to The Viking Museum in John O'Groats and The British Museum in London really helped to inform this book. There is nothing like diving deep into the culture of a place and its people through the ancient artefacts in museum exhibitions to add colour and authenticity to your work. This kind of immersive research is essential for writers. I love history and I learnt so much from these visits about the values and beliefs of the Norsemen, so hopefully that translates to the page. It is why I was able to write the Viking blessing at the top of this post, which my copy editor thought was an authentic piece of Viking lore! So that was a lovely compliment. 

Norse Magic is also quite a personal book as I was able to dedicate it to the memory of my Highlander friend, Alexander, who sadly passed away a few years ago. He had the heart of a true Viking and I never felt safer or more protected than when I was with him. He is the man who came throwing pebbles at my hotel window in the middle of the night so that he could show me the Northern Lights glimmering over the Highland village of Strathpeffer. It was a very special time and I know that he would be delighted with this book and the dedication. 

There are some stunning illustrations in the book too and the design team at the House have done a fabulous job, sourcing fantastical images of Vikings, Valkyries, Odin, Freya, Thor's Hammer, wolves, reindeer, the northern lights, the polar region adrift with snow and ice and of course, Yggdrasil the World Tree. It's such a pretty book, illustrated almost like a fantasy novel in some ways, which being a fan of fantasy myself, I absolutely love!

I have had a fabulous couple of years of writing about the various mythologies of the world and it is proving to be such a great writing time for me. As someone who adores myths, legends, fairy-tales and folklore, this aspect of my writing career has been incredibly joyful and rewarding. It really doesn't feel like work when I get to immerse myself in the legends and stories of world mythology and I feel incredibly lucky to do what I do for a living. I never take it for granted. 

In my book of Norse Magic you will find elves, dwarves, shield maidens, Nordic witch trails, deities, tricksters, wolves, reindeer, the firefox, trolls, as well as runes, rituals, spells and Nordic charms. It was such a joy to write and I spent a very, very cosy Yuletide sitting by my pink twinkling tree, writing this book into being last year, so I hope that it might find its way under a few of your Christmas trees this year. May you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Perhaps it could be your own Jolabokaflod gift this Christmas Eve? 😊

Bright Blessings

Marie x

AD: My book of Norse Magic is published today in hardcover. My book of Natural Magic was also published in hardcover on the 15th of November 2024. 

BOOK NOOK: Once Upon A Wardrobe by Patti Callahan

 "The door is slightly ajar, and I peek inside and see him sitting at his desk with a pipe in his mouth and a nib pen in hand. He dips it into an inkwell and begins to write quickly. I hear him mumble the words he is writing out loud. He is whispering them into existence on the paper and through his pen. Something otherworldly is happening while he dips and writes and mumbles. I almost expect a faun to jump from beneath his desk or a witch to perch on the windowsill."

I have found that one of the best things about studying and being a student at Oxford University is the sheer number of book recommendations we receive, not only from our Dons who are all published authors themselves, but from fellow students in the Common Room.  Any book that is associated with Oxford's own authors is quick to circulate and as C S Lewis is one of our most famous alumni, along with his friend J R R Tolkien, it was only a matter of time before this one was brought to my attention. It came to me just as I had finished transforming my hallway into a wintry Narnian retreat, so it certainly felt like I was meant to be introduced to this novel.

Like many people, I have loved C S Lewis's Narnia books since early childhood. As an adult I have attended magical events that are based upon his books, most notably The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe movie exhibition at Leeds Royal Armouries and also the Christmas in Narnia event at Castle Howard based on the same book.  Seeing Aslan beaming down on me in a kaleidoscope of colours from inside the dome of the stately home a couple of Christmases ago was a sight and feeling that I shall never forget.  I love to immerse myself in the world of Narnia and in my opinion it is one of the most enchanting fantasy worlds ever created. 

So I was eager to read Once Upon A Wardrobe just for the chance to revisit Narnia from an adult literary perspective.  This novel is written by an American author in American English, rather than British English. As such it is littered with Americanisms: sidewalk instead of pavement, quit instead of stop, math instead of maths, stoop instead of step, take a left instead of turn left etc. This can be a little jarring for British readers, especially as there are no American characters in this novel, so it is purely the author's cultural background that is present within the text.  It is a rather unintentional form of authorial intrusion. 

It wouldn't have taken very much research to use the correct British terminology. All it needed was a gentle tweak from a good editor. I mention this because it is, in all other respects, a quintessentially English book, set in and around Oxford University and detailing the life of one of our most famous and beloved classic children's authors, C S Lewis. So it reads a little incongruently at times. 

Having said that, this is a fantastic and beautiful novel! I absolutely loved and devoured every single page of it. The story is both moving and magical, heart-breaking and enchanting, all at the same time. I enjoyed the author's storytelling style of writing. It has the same quality as a fable or fairytale and she completely draws the reader back into Narnia, but from the perspective of an adult, which is just wonderful. 

The book tells the story of seventeen year old Megs, a student of physics at Oxford University, whose eight year old brother, George, is dying from a heart condition. George's days are numbered and everyone knows it, yet at the same time he is full of life and a yearning for adventure. He finds solace in his favourite book - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and he asks Meg if she will contact C S Lewis, who is a tutor at Oxford, to find out where the story of Aslan and Narnia came from. And so Megs sets out on a quest to do all she can to answer her little brother's question.

Once Upon A Wardrobe is a beautifully atmospheric novel. Set among the dreaming spires of Oxford University with beautiful libraries and lecture halls, stone cottages, cosy pubs offering warm cider on snowy evenings and a trip to the Irish castle that may have inspired the invention of Cair Paravel, this novel will sweep you away on a wintry adventure that is just as heart-warming and fantastical as the original Narnia books.  It is a novel about the power of love of all kinds: romantic, familial and spiritual. It is about finding the heart's own truth and solace in faith through the darkest of times. 

I have loved revisiting Narnia again through the pages of this book and learning more about the man who wrote this world into being in the first place.  It has been a joy to read and to escape into, and I have already got another book by the same author, which is also based on the life of C S Lewis, which I plan to start reading right away. 

If you love Narnia, then you will love rediscovering it through Once Upon A Wardrobe. I couldn't recommend this book more highly. It's such a dreamscape! Once a king or queen in Narnia, always a king or queen in Narnia. Maybe it is time for you to go back through the wardrobe too and pick up your own crown...they say Aslan is on the move... Enjoy! I'm off to watch the movie, with some Turkish Delight and a hot chocolate. 

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book is published by Harper Muse and is available now in all formats.