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Men in Kilts (and the women who love them…) by Emma Seaman
Many thanks to Emma for joining me on my blog and allowing me to share this fabulous post with you. If you like Men in Kilts and novels about Scotland (good or bad), read on . . .
One of the advantages of a Kindle is that the moment you’ve finished a good book, you can download the sequel, or more by the same author, right away. E-books can also be dirt-cheap, or even free, which gives me the impetus to explore genres and authors I wouldn’t previously have tried.
One of the downsides of the Kindle is the amount of (often self-published) weirdness out there…
I’ve been addicted to Diana Gabaldon’s fabulous ‘Outlander’ series since a friend recommended them last year. They hit every button for me – amazing settings, suspenseful plots, masses of fascinating historical detail, a strong-minded heroine and a frankly swoonworthy hero. The first book has just been made into a TV series (available on Amazon Prime) and though at first I had doubts about the casting of the book’s iconic Jamie Fraser, I’ve loved every minute. I’ve been saving the last (8th) book in the series to read later, because I’m pretty sure that either Jamie or the heroine Claire is going to die, and I’m not ready to lose them just yet… so I recently decided to browse on my Kindle for something similar.
The eternal fascination with what lies beneath…
Well, I have to say, I didn’t realise ‘Men in Kilts’ were such a big thing, if you’ll excuse the innuendo… I’ve always had a sneaking fondness for a man in plaid, ever since the Highlander film in the 1980s (my husband does a pretty good Christopher Lambert impersonation), but I had no idea that Gabaldon’s books had sparked such a surge of hormone-fuelled fantasy.
There are novels in every genre – from ‘Outlander’ time-travel copycats (though I haven’t found any as good as the original) to bodice-ripping drama and contemporary romance. As you’d expect, the quality varies hugely – I soon abandoned the ‘historical’ romances, which were often unreadably awful, with hideous ‘Forsooth, ma brae lassie’ dialogue and paper-thin characters. Authors, please note: a hero with a kilt, an accent and an improbably large sword does not make up for lousy writing.
Who designs these book covers? His boobs are bigger than mine.
Speaking of large swords, there is a frankly incredible amount of ‘Scottish erotica’ out there (don’t tell the Scottish National Party about this – they’ll only get ideas). It seems the Highlands are positively awash with passionate Celts who will tear off their tartan at the sight of a heaving bosom.
Really? Surely no self-respecting gay man would wear THAT striped shirt with THAT tartan…
It’s not just ladies who like the idea of a laird – kilted gay erotica is particularly popular, though queerly enough, much of it is still written by women – for women?
Eeuuwww. Wrong on so many levels.
There’s even a sub-genre of ‘Scottish Historical BDSM Fertile Erotica’, which is a very niche interest. Dearie me.
The contemporary women’s fiction scene is generally more wholesome (and rather better-written). Lizzie Lamb’s “Tall, Dark and Kilted” is a good, fun read with likeable characters, making great use of the romantic Scottish setting. I’ve also read a couple of entertaining supernatural stories where the kilted Highlander appears in ghostly form, to break a curse or charm the repressed English heroine.
If you’re more interested in the ‘real’ history of Scotland, you’ll find literary fiction re-imagining every era from the Picts to the 1960s, or you could venture into the murky realms of crime with Scottish Noir (though, to be fair, there’s not a lot of hot kilt-action in those).
Ouch. That’s what chaps were invented for
There’s so much kilted-ness to explore – I’m quite intrigued by the sound of the ‘Kilts and Quilts’ cosy mystery series, and more so by the probably dreadfully-chafed Cowboys in Kilts (c’mon guys – even Jamie Fraser wears trousers on horseback).
I’ve found Vampire Scots (do they bleed Irn-Bru?), Scottish Fairies (harking back to the magic of the standing stones in Outlander), Scottish Dragon-Shifters (Oi! Bob! Help me shift this bloody great dragon!) and even Footballers in Kilts (now that would REALLY liven up Match of the Day).
A kilt too far..
Still, I think the prize for ‘freakiest kilt-related fantasy’ and possibly the oddest book title ever, must go to “Men in Kilts with Tentacles – and the women who love them”.
I am NOT going to download that one, BTW – some things are definitely best left unexplored…
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Emma Seaman lives in Devon with her young family, and is a freelance Marketing & Social Media professional. She has been writing fiction for ten years, winning awards including the Jeremy Mogford Food & Drink writing prize and the Wells International Literary Festival Award.
Her short stories have featured in eight anthologies published by Legend Press, Exeter University, The Yeovil Prize and The Harrow Press (USA), with another due this October from the Bath Short Story Award.
She finds inspiration in long walks on Dartmoor, lazy days at the beach, from the people she meets and the fascinating minutiae of everyday life.
You can discover more about her writing at: www.emmaseaman.co.uk and her books at: http://www.emmaseaman.co.uk/blog/books/
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While we’re on the subject of Men in Kilts, dear reader, let me lead you gently by the hand towards my latest Scottish themed novel – Scotch on the Rocks which is available over on Amazon as a kindle download and as a paperback.
SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS – available for pre-order.
Yay. The day I’ve been dreaming of this since I started writing Scotch on the Rocks just over a year ago. Not quite publication day, but close.
I’ve loved writing this book and I owe a big debt to my writer and non-writer friends who have read it, commented and made suggestions along the way. Writing this novel has involved at least two research trips to Scotland (it’s a dirty job – what can I say?!) and hours spent pouring over catalogues of men in kilts. I have to thank Dr Nick Fiddes of http://www.scotweb.co.uk who so generously allowed me to use one of the images from his website. Sorry I had to decapitate the poor laddie.
Scotland, is a dreamy, mystical place and the further north one travels the more one feels it. It’s as if its situated smack in the middle of the biggest ley line on earth. Even though we were blasted by wind and rain in May during my research trip, I’m keen to go back again. If you’re wondering why I feel so drawn to this land and the people who live in it, read my upcoming blog – FIFTY SHADES OF PLAID. Who needs grey when they can have tartan? Ok, down to the business in hand.
Here’s the blurb for Scotch on the Rocks . . .
SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS – Where the men are men and the women are glad of it!
ISHABEL STUART is at the crossroads of her life.
Her wealthy industrialist father has died unexpectedly, leaving her a half-share in a ruined whisky distillery and the task of scattering his ashes on a Munroe. After discovering her fiancé playing away from home, she cancels their lavish Christmas wedding at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh and heads for the only place she feels safe – Eilean na Sgairbh, a windswept island on Scotland’s west coast -where the cormorants outnumber the inhabitants, ten to one.
When she arrives at her family home – now a bed and breakfast managed by her left-wing, firebrand Aunt Esme, she finds a guest in situ – BRODIE. Issy longs for peace and the chance to lick her wounds, but gorgeous, sexy American, Brodie, turns her world upside down instead.
In spite of her vow to steer clear of men, she grows to rely on Brodie. However, she suspects him of having an ulterior motive for staying at her aunt’s B&B on remote Cormorant Island. Having been let down by the men in her life, will it be third time lucky for Issy? Is she wise to trust a man she knows nothing about – a man who presents her with more questions than answers?
As for Aunt Esme, she has secrets of her own . . .
If you are new to my novels, please check out my amazon page.
If you would like a chance to win a signed, paperback copy of Scotch on the Rocks, please go over to my Facebook author page and ‘share’ the link there. All participants will be entered into the draw and a winner selected and notified. Thank you. If you’d rather have a PDF/Mobi copy, I can do that, too.
If you are a blogger and would like me to write a post for your site, please get in touch. All my links are featured below. I’ll be organising a Facebook event on Monday 6th July 7pm – 9pm – please keep a look out and join in the fun.
LIzzie’s links:
Amazon page author page (Facebook) Goodreads
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http://www.newromanticspress.com twitter: @newromantics4
What Every Reader Wants
What do readers really want – a reader’s point of view
I am delighted to welcome Sarah Houldcroft to my Blog today. Sarah, a Goodreads Librarian and Virtual Assistant for authors, tells us what she thinks our readers want from us.
‘You are so lucky – I would love to write a book’
How many times you, as authors, have heard that phrase, I wonder. Perhaps you smile and think to yourself: ‘God, if she only knew the hours and hours of stress, torment and sheer hard work I have had to go through…’ But we, as readers, don’t know. We simply cannot comprehend, it is not important to us. All we see is the end result and the author becomes a special gifted individual who can reach down into her soul and haul out people and feelings, emotions, happenings, and create a whole new world for us.
For the booklover, the reading experience begins way before the first word in the book. These days with so many more opportunities to read, the first question may be ‘How am I going to read my next novel?’ Paperback, Kindle, tablet, phone, PC? For me, there is nothing better than holding a printed book in my hand, the feel of it, the smell of it, even. And that wonderful action of turning the page to discover what happens next. However, there are an awful lot of booklovers who now just read books on their Kindle or other e-reader. Makes sense, you don’t have to lug an extra suitcase with you on holiday just to transport the books you want to read over the coming two or three weeks. Easy, a click of a button online and you can start reading, no need to wait for the post to deliver your next read. Personally, I am torn between the two methods. I do have a Kindle which is particularly useful when I am reviewing books for authors abroad as they can just send me a digital file and away I go. But, as I said before, my true love is the printed book, of which I have hundreds and hundreds. I am not alone either, although millions of ebooks are downloaded every year, the printed book is still managing to hold its own. But as readers, we like to be given the choice of how we read our next novel. So the more formats in which you make your book available, the better.
Regardless of the format of our next read, if we don’t know what to read next, or a friend has not recommended an author or book then odds are we will end up on Amazon. And that is when the next phase of the pre-reading experience begins. What to choose? Ok, we may have a particular genre in mind which could narrow it down, but with so many books to choose from these days we will be scrolling down the list at some speed until a book cover catches our eye. Yes, the old saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ doesn’t quite hold true these days. If we don’t like your book cover we will pass over you and keep scrolling and that applies to print books too.
Scott Pack, a former Waterstones buyer sums it up quite nicely here http://completelynovel.com/self-publishing/writers-toolbox-cover-design and offers some useful tips for authors to consider.
Of course, the one really wonderful thing about having a printed book is that we booklovers may be lucky enough to have the book signed by the author. This is so exciting for a reader, particularly if we have actually met the author in person which is an incredible experience in itself. This is something that ebook producers have considered and it is now possible to have an ebook ‘signed’ by the author too using https://www.authorgraph.com/
These days the reading experience doesn’t necessarily have to stop once the book has been read. Traditional publishing tended to keep the author at arm’s length from the reader, unless they were lucky enough to attend a book signing. These days with social media, websites like Goodreads.com and the explosion in self-publishing, authors can be far more accessible and that is what readers like.
What Readers Want to Know
- what inspired you to write your novel?
- how, why and where do you write?
- have experienced first-hand any of the aspects in your books?
- did you base your character on a real person
- if so, was it you?
I think booklovers have always thought these questions, but have not had the opportunity to ask until recently. And now we can, we want more. Yes, we will respect your privacy, but we want you to reveal more than just the contents of your latest novel. The author who embraces this new way of doing things, particularly the self-published author, will always win out over those who prefer to keep their distance. They will turn their readers into raving fans who in turn will review their books and talk about their books and encourage others to read their books.
READERS – do you agree?
**Sarah Houldcroft is proud to be an Author’s Envoy and particularly likes to promote self-published authors. She offers services to authors to help boost their online presence through www.vaforauthors.com and her new website www.authors-uncovered.com which will be a place where authors and readers can connect, read, write and share. She lives in Leicestershire with her teenage son, two bunnies, an aging gerbil and hundreds and hundreds of books!
Lizzie Lamb - author 