More Scotland!

I had fully intended on hopping on here a lot sooner than today, but to be honest, I have been totally immersed in the day job and the new book I hinted at.

For starters, I have officially signed on for the Authors Invade Scotland event in June 2026 in Glasgow. The game plan right now is to fly the direct flight from Indianapolis to Dublin then hop on one of the regional airlines for the bump over from Dublin to Glasgow. No rental car this time. We will take the shuttle from the airport to the event hotel then after the event, do our sightseeing via one of the many tour buses available.

Speaking of tour buses, I had a run in with one on the road to Craigh Na Dun...you know...the standing stones? Well, the country lanes on the way there once you get outside Inverness were NARROW. So was the bridge I got cornered on by a tour bus that barely fit on the road. And he was not about to back up and let me through. In case I haven't mentioned it in previous posts, I am the world's worst backer upper! I hate the rear-view cameras and prefer to use mirrors. But in this instance, I didn't have a choice. Thankfully, with the help of my awesome navigators and partners in crime, I backed up for about a half mile on a one lane bridge and curvy roads with drop offs on both sides. No harm done, no scratches on the car. And we were off to Craigh Na Dun to see if touching the stones would send us back in time to a hot Scottish man. It didn't work.

I think I have shared on this blog that in addition to being an author, I am also clairvoyant. A spiritualist. I believe in past lives and reincarnation. And I had a moment at Crossraguel Abbey outside of Maybole. As we walked across the grass with the caretaker on the way to the main ruins, I caught an image of a woman lying on the grass sobbing. The caretaker--Paul--told me that a woman had been taken prisoner by the monks there and had eventually flung herself out the window falling to her death. She was buried in the lawn where we were walking. I cannot compliment the caretaker there at the Abbey. He was very knowledgeable and hospitable, and I enjoyed some time just sitting and talking with him while my friends climbed the stairs into the tower. There were other whispers in those walls as well. It happens to me all the time. We also met a lovely couple who had explored the Abbey right before us and there was a connection which I believe may have been a past life connection with the woman and myself. I gave her a couple of my books and enjoyed meeting her and her husband that day.

On the topic of ancestry, while we were at Culloden, I grabbed a printout of the origin of my biological grandfather's last name. Interestingly enough, I discovered the name could be traced back to the Picts. The painted people. Celts who arrived in very early Scotland, some of which who eventually fought alongside with Robert the Bruce. With this information in hand, I will be doing more research on this in the future. I reference "biological" because I was adopted by wonderful people when I was 5 days old and didn't meet my biological family until I was in my twenties. One of these days, I'll go into more detail, but right now I'm more about sharing bits and pieces of my Scotland trip. But, how about finding out you descended from some of the very first Scots while in Scotland!

The drive from Castle Lomond--where we stayed for three nights--up to Inverness was a beautiful one. The landscape in the Highlands was absolutely breathtaking! The heather was in bloom all through the hills and valleys and in the early morning hours, there was a beautiful mist hovering above the water along the loch. In hindsight, I really wish we had gotten accommodations further up in the Highlands rather than Loch Lomond which is considered the gateway to the Highlands. Every time I think of our stay there at Castle Lomond, the song "You take the high road... and I'll take the low road..." goes through my mind. It's such a sad song when you read up on the origins and meaning of the words of the song. But it is hauntingly beautiful, and I remember my dad singing it when I was a little girl.

Well, I really want to get back to working on my new manuscript, so I am going to sign off for now. I am sharing more pictures and hope to share even more in the upcoming days.