Roz MacLaren

I wrote a trilogy set on a futuristic Isle of Skye – and here are three things I wanted to steer clear of.

Leaning into cliche

Pick up a book about a Scottish island and there’s a good chance you’ll find the word ‘remote’ in there. And, yes, if you live somewhere that has, say, a choice of supermarkets, a McDonald’s within walking distance and same-day delivery, Skye probably does feel remote. But I’m writing from the perspective of people who have lived on the island all their life. It doesn’t feel ‘remote’ – it feels like home.

See also: ‘windswept’. Although I do like the word so this is less of a bugbear.

TL:DR, I wanted to keep the atmosphere without sounding like a guidebook.

Letting readers down

Skye holds a special place in the heart of millions around the world. Whether you’ve lived here all your life or visited for a holiday, it’s beloved all over the globe.

That felt like a huge responsibility. I wanted my descriptions to feel real and immersive – whether you’re born and bred on Skye or visiting vicariously for the first time.

Thankfully, I had this beautiful review from a Skyediver:

I was both excited and anxious for this as I have read some books that the author clearly hasn’t been to Scotland but wrote it anyway and this thankfully wasn’t it!

…The characters were very well written and the scenes were almost cinematic in detail. There is a lot of strong descriptions that can really help you build a vivid picture to feel really immersed in the book.

Letting the landscape dictate the story

While I’ve been inspired by many real places on the Isle of Skye, I also wanted to keep artistic freedom.

I was keen to walk the fine line between setting a romantasy in a very recognisable location and also telling an entertaining story that wasn’t too constrained by geographical locations.

So, you might find distances on Skye that definitely couldn’t be walked in one day in the real world… but can in the book.

For example, Creyta’s castle is inspired by Dunvegan Castle – and yet Hunter manages to walk from it to Portree remarkably quickly, given that, in real life, it would take him around six and a half hours!

Ultimately, Forgotten Skye is a work of fiction. Recognisable enough to feel familiar. Changed enough to belong in the world of The Ruined Skye Trilogy.

If you’re new to the blog, I’m Roz MacLaren – a Scottish romantasy author who writes books for readers who crave emotional devastation and gut-punch endings. My YA romantasy, Forgotten Skye, is out now.

There’s something extremely immersive about reading a series set in a real location. The feeling that you can walk the same paths the characters trod, see the same views they saw.

That’s the feeling I wanted to evoke with Forgotten Skye. Even though it’s set on a fantasy, futuristic version of Skye, many sights, sounds and smells are the same as Hunter and Vesper would have encountered.

Here are three locations that helped inspire Forgotten Skye – and you can visit all of them.

The Cuillins

Skye’s world-famous mountain range has a starring role in the series finale. It’s also the place where Hunter meets carnivorous and savage Highland Cows. I can’t wait for you to meet them… and see if he escapes!

There are many beautiful walks in the mountains, but if you do venture there please do take appropriate precautions. Although Skye is beautiful, it can be dangerous – and not just inside my romantasy novels!

Dunvegan

Dunvegan Castle inspired Creyta’s castle. As a child, I particularly enjoyed visiting the dungeon. At the time, I don’t recall there being Perspex over the hole – so I vividly remember lying on the icy cold floor looking down and imagining what it must be like to be a prisoner there.

As in the book, the hole is the only way in and out of the dungeon – which, to a fascinated child, made it extra cool.

I am not aware of there being any secret passages or tunnels through the castle – but as an avid reader of Enid Blyton, I believe all good fictional castles should have at least one secret passage as an absolute prerequisite. Thus, there’s a scene where Pep helps Vesper through some hidden tunnels running from the castle to the shore.

In real life, the Castle is open for tours and is well worth a visit if you’re looking for history, atmosphere – and want to imagine where Vesper, Hunter, Creyta and Pep would have made themselves at home.

Portree

There are so many Portree locations that inspired Forgotten Skye. From the school and library (where Hunter and Vesper exchanged books and notes), to Portree Forest (where Vesper and her family live and try to survive), to the Lump and the hospital (which appear more in Book Two – although naturally the hospital is long-since ruined) and the harbour.

My photograph of the Co-op above was taken late at night – and I love the eerie orange glow to the sky. Although the lights would all be destroyed when my book is set, I pictured the Co-op (which is Skye’s main supermarket) as the location for Pesto to do his trading.

Have you ever been to Skye? If so, what was your favourite location?

If you’re new to the blog, I’m Roz MacLaren – a Scottish romantasy author who writes books for readers who crave emotional devastation and gut-punch endings. My YA romantasy, Forgotten Skye, is out now.