Truth is indeed stranger than fiction!

 I want to tell you how my writing life is filled with coincidences that can only be described as spooky! In a A previous blog coincidence-or-fate-when-fiction-meets-reality.html I told how I wrote an actual distant  relative of mine into the fiction. This time the coincidence came to find me on facebook.
With a research trip to the Isle of Lewis in Scotland’s far west now booked, I have begun the second draft of my novel in progress about the Lewis Chessmen (working title A Hebridean Mystery).  Pinned to my story board are two pictures. One of a late 1800’s Scottish islander woman (see right)  that I have used as a visual aid for the 1830’s character Mhairi. It was Mhairi and her husband Calum who rescued the buried chess pieces from their sandy grave.  I found this photo on one of the many Scottish history websites and fb pages that I follow.  
​The other photo I found using a google search “dark haired women images”. I scanned through many hundreds of images before choosing that of country singer, Brandi Carlisle (see below).   I have used her image to base my contemporary character Marianne on because she has I think, some of the same look about her as Mhairi and could be 3 X g-granddaughter (or maybe not- you’ll have to ready the novel!)
Both of the photos were randomly selected, and I would bet my boots that nowhere else in the world do they share a space on a story-board! 
Imagine then my delighted surprise when a Scottish history fb page posted the Mhairi photo. Oh, there she is I thought- my Mhairi.  This was pleasant but not totally unexpected. It was after all on the same site that I originally found her photo. But you could have knocked me down with a feather when I flicked to the very next post on my fb page and there was of Brandi Carlisle advertising her latest album.

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction!

For more updates on my writing journey read ​second-draft-fun.html

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