Sorchia's Universe

First , I wanted to let you all know that I just passed my most recent blood test and am free from doctors for nearly three months–just a little yearly maintenance to do. You know how it goes; the older the model, the more upkeep. Second , be aware that the entire Zoraida Grey trilogy is up for a Reviewers’ Choice Award at Paranormal Romance Guild. Voting begins on February 6 and ends on February 12 so hurry over to the Paranormal Romance Guild and make your voice heard.. Many categories, many great books. Finally , this quarantine has at least given me time to jump into some books I’ve been dying to read. One such item is Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish. Ok. I admit it. I got the audio version of Clanlands just so I could listen to Scottish accents whispered in my ear in the evening. Mission Accomplished. Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish is a trave

Banshee, I Hear You by Mageela Troche In Irish folklore, a banshee is a woman who heralds death by wailing. She is described as ghastly complexion and with red eyes from the tears. So, why would I call my heroine, Rowen MacKenzie a banshee? Rowen is pale skin—so pale that you can see her veins beneath her skin—with pale blonde hair that is looks more white than blonde and light blue eyes that seem almost colorless. For the people in Medieval Scotland, I imagine that they would have thought she resembled that fairy of myth. Before I wrote Highland Scandal, I had heard the term Banshee before. Never in a positive light. But then doing research, I learned about true meaning of the term and it make perfect sense to me. When I was in college, my fiancé died. I remember hearing the news and I heard a banshee. Nothing paranormal in that. The wailing or keening bounced about in my head so nothing else—not even the beat of heart—could be heard. That raw, soul-ripping sound came from within me.

Today’s Novel Magic guest, Jean M. Grant, takes us to Scotland where she delves into the magic and lore of a mystical land. Finding the Mystic in Scotland’s Lore by Jean Grant Scotland is a magical place. Sweeping moors and meadows, craggy mountains, eerie castles rich in history and lore, kilted men, brogue-accents. Ahh…I fell in love a few decades ago thanks to Julie Garwood and Diana Gabaldon (of Outlander fame). The setting in A Hundred Kisses takes my hero and heroine on a journey across the Isle of Skye and the sea separating the Hebrides and mainland, and then on to the Isle of North Uist. The best way to research? Go there! My trip to Scotland and this awe-inspiring region was nothing short of remarkable and fed my imagination. My story takes place circa 1300, so alas, there are no kilts, but there was plenty of superstition, intrigue, and magic in this time period. Myths and customs abounded and were rooted in stories of faeries or “sith,” witches, creatures, and people with