Novelist Carolyn J. Nicholson is chatting with me about her new middle grade book, The Last Witch on Skye.
Bio:
Carolyn was born in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, worked in the health information management field, taught in post-secondary education, and was in ministry in The United Church of Canada. After her retirement, she began researching her ancestors; after many years she discovered her Nicolson ancestors were from the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands, and she began to visit Skye with her sisters. Skye, she learned, was always full of fairies, witches, water monsters, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures. As a project for her small writers’ group, she wrote a 1,200-word story about fairies, witches, etc., then decided to play some more with what she had written. In time, this became a larger and larger story. Carolyn decided to take a course offered by the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia on how to write a children’s story. Then, daring to believe the story might be worth publishing, she contacted OC Publishing and the rest, as they say, is history.
Wishes sometimes do come true, and Carolyn’s wish would be that this little story might bring happiness and pleasure to children and that they might come to love little Magaidh and her friends and family as much as she does.
Welcome, Carolyn. Please tell us about your current release.
The Ban the Witches and Fairies (BW&F) Party has chased the supernatural beings out of the Isle of Skye. Only Magaidh (pronounced Maggie), a young witch, remains, disguised as a cat. Thankfully, she and the Queen of the Fairies have a plan that will allow the supernaturals to return to Skye. Back in human form, Magaidh is tempted to get revenge on the BW&F Party; the Fairy Queen suggests peace. While Magaidh considers which it will be, peace or revenge, she helps the people of Skye with love potions and spells. She and two fairy friends rescue a stranded dragon, deal with a fearsome ghost, and befriend a baby water horse. In the process, Magaidh gets to know her father and finds out why she is different from her siblings, who force her to choose revenge!
What inspired you to write this book?
My ancestors are from the Isle of Skye, and I’ve visited there many times. The last time I was there I bought a book called, The Guide to Mysterious Skye and Lochalsh by Geoff Holder. The subtitle is: Loch Monsters – Fairies – Ghosts – Clan Legends – Stone Circles. Later, my little writing group assigned themselves the task of writing 500 words to be read at the next meeting of the group. I found myself writing about witches and fairies. Then I just kept playing with the material until it became a children’s book.
Here’s an excerpt from The Last Witch on Skye:
The ghost gasped.
“Find a spell to stop them, Miss Witch, and I’ll work with you and the villagers. Don’t let them burn down my castle!”
Magaidh searched her book frantically while Tòmas tried to comfort Iain, and Sean kept watch at the entry.
“Hurry, Magaidh, hurry!” Sean yelled.
Magaidh didn’t find anything and decided to start over.
Dòmhnall paced and ran his hands through his red hair until it was standing on end, making him look even scarier.
Sean could see the crowd of angry men and some women, with flaming torches, shovels, and pitchforks in hand.
“They’re almost here, Magaidh. Do something! It’s now or never!”
What exciting project are you working on next?
I have two books on the go:
Traitors, Cannibals, Highlanders and Vikings – it’s historical fiction about the first of my ancestors to come to Nova Scotia.
and
A book I’ve decided to call Isabel. It’s about the life of Isabel Ellis (Morton) Wishart and my rich and influential relatives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It takes place in Kings County, Shelburne, Halifax, and St. John. There is a thread running through it about women’s ‘liberation’ as married women had no rights at that time and unmarried women were the object of ridicule. I think OC Publishing will begin to edit it in August this year. It’s historical fiction.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I only took up writing after I retired and only to find a way to make my ancestor research more accessible to those who might have an interest. Once I started researching how to write a book, I gradually began to think I was a writer. Once I had my first book, William Forsyth: Land of Hopes and Dreams, published, then I owned the label.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I’m retired so it is easy to find the time to write. I don’t think I could have done it while I was still working. During Covid I wrote three books. I have the idea I would like to write about my 16th century 11th great grandmother and her three sisters. Juliana (Carpenter) Morton and her sisters, Priscilla and Alice all came to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, in 1623. Agnes would have followed but she died in childbirth. I’d also like to write a sequel to The Last Witch on Skye.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have to imagine scenes for a book while sitting on my bed. It doesn’t work anywhere else.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be part of a military pipe band.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
My father’s people – the Nicolsons – are direct descendants of the Norse Vikings that invaded the Hebrides of Scotland and stayed for 400 years. So, my Nicolson ancestors were in the Hebrides for 1,000 years (from 800 AD to 1841 AD) before they left for Prince Edward Island. I consider the Isle of Skye my true home. This is a verse from the Canada Boat Song:
From the lone shieling of the Western Isles
Oceans divide us and the length of days
But still the blood is strong
The heart is Highland
As we, in dreams, behold the Hebrides.
Links:
Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Barnes and Noble | Rakuten Kobo
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Thanks for joining the virtual book tour Lisa and for this wonderful interview on launch day!