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.
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