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| High King Brian Boru |
I’m author Pat McDermott, and my particular Celtic bug is Irish. It bit me a long time ago, courtesy of my O’Brien grandparents. I have such a treasure trove of memories of them, I often wonder if their decision to emigrate to the United States might have cheated my mother and father in a mean way. Sadly for my parents, they didn’t know their own grandparents, nor did they know the grandaunts, granduncles, and cousins who stayed behind in Ireland. Like the children of thousands of immigrants, my parents lost an entire chain of links to their heritage, and they passed those missing links to their offspring.
I suspect this longing to understand the past has helped fuel the tremendous popularity of time travel novels. Reading them is another way to connect with the past, one that safely allows a mysterious ancestor to become the bold pirate queen or the claymore-wielding Highlander we imagined him or her to be. Writing such novels is a way to manipulate the past, to invent new ancestors to fill in the blanks, to get to know them better and fall in love with the scoundrels and heroes we meet along the way.
My books aren’t quite time travel novels. A Band of Roses, Fiery Roses, the forthcoming Salty Roses, and my recently completed young adult novel, Glancing Through the Glimmer, are alternate histories, rollicking good romantic adventures set in an Ireland that might have been. The stories are based on the premise that High King Brian Boru survived the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 A.D. and founded a rascally, royal dynasty that still rules modern Ireland.So what if I don’t live in a medieval mansion filled with portraits depicting a centuries-old family lineage? I can create one easily enough, and who knows? Perhaps some rogue of an ancestor is guiding my fingers over the keyboard as I write.
Pat, I wouldn't be surprised if you were channeling an ancestor or two!
ReplyDeleteI'll meet you at the Cliffs of Moher one of these days.
Hi Miriam and Pat. Great blog. Pat, your books sound fascinating and so does your family history. I would love to know more about my family history. I know very little unfortunately. Miriam, I loved the scenery on the blog. Happy Launching!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anita! That photo of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, where I have been, proved irresistable.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I love the look of this blog, Miriam. A contented feeling just surged through me at the sight of the background alone. Then I read Pat's post and enjoyed it even more. What a wondrous send off into the blogosphere! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnita and Maeve, thanks so much for the kind words. I agree, the scenery is breathtaking. I've visited the Cliffs of Moher twice, and I'd go back again in a minute. Lovely photo, Miriam!
ReplyDeletePat, another great post! Amen!
ReplyDeleteMiriam, welcome to the world of blogging. Even though I prefer Scottish historicals myself, men wielding claymores are still men wielding claymores. Ireland or Scotland... it does not matter where they come from ;)
Thank you, Victoria. Nice to see you on these magnificent cliffs!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Maeve and Victoria. Victoria, you're so right. Give me a kilt and bagpipes and I'm perfectly happy. A really nice claymore never hurts, either.
ReplyDeleteHi Miriam,
ReplyDeleteI will have to read your books. I like the alternate history premise. My favorite Irish myths are of the Tuatha de Danaan and the Fianna and some of these gods and warriors appear in my stories. I have a trilogy that revolves around an Irish clan (in sixth century Scotland/Alba) and a variation of the legend of Cailleach and Brigit.
Hi, Celtic Chic! Awesome--these sound like just the kind of books I love. Pat's books are great. She has only touched on the first one, above. Lucky for us, there are two more! I will introduce my own a little later.
ReplyDeletePat, I enjoyed your blog. I have Irish, Swedish and German ancestors in my family tree. My grandmother's uncle fought in an Irish troop in the American Civil War. He was a Connell, originally O' Connell. I've always been fascinated with learning more about him.
ReplyDeleteMiriam, congrats on your blog launch. Love the background scenery as well. I wish you much luck with your new blog.
Angela
Thanks, Angela! I know about those Irish troops. My great uncle ended up fighting with Genral Custer, not specifically in an Irish troop, but many of the recruits were from Ireland. Fortunately, he wasn't at the Little Bighorn!
ReplyDeleteCeltic Chick, your trilogy sounds intriguing. In my stories, the Fianna are still around, modern day warriors still protecting Ireland. The Tuatha de Danaan play a major role in my first Young Adult novel. Good luck with your writing!
ReplyDeleteAngela, if you go to Amazon.com, Books, and type in "Irish brigade civil war" you'll find several titles on the subject, some memoirs written by soldiers who undoubtedly endured experiences similar to your gg uncle's. Your local library will likely have some of the books. You may be inspired to write a story about him, if you don't already have one brewing. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteHi Miriam and Pat,
ReplyDeleteMiriam, congrats on your new blog. The Cliffs of Moher are truly breathtaking. I didn't visit when I was in Ireland last year, but I'm planning a return trip, and they're definitely on the agenda.
Pat, great post, as always. I love your alternate history. My favorite Irish legends are also the Fianna, as well as the myths of Tir na Nog, the Land of the Ever Young. Although my novels are straight historicals, there's always a bit of Irish magic sprinkled between the pages!
Gorgeous blog, Miriam! I have Irish in my ancestry too, on my mother's side. I also have an Irish heroine in my latest Civil War romance novel.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love both time travel and alternate history stories. They're so much fun!
Hi, Susan and Cynthia. Thanks for stopping by! Susan, my Irish blood is on my father's side, along with Scottish and Cornish--Celts, every one of them. Interestingly, many of the Cornish are descended from the last of the Celts driven westward in England. To this day, there is a "difference" and to be Cornish is not quite the same as being British. Hard to explain, but the sentiment is there.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I enjoy Civil War stories. I recently read a Young Adult paranormal version. A sad but fascinating time in American history.
ReplyDeleteCynthia, it's hard to write a story set in Ireland without adding a touch of magic!
I enjoyed your post and your new blog. I don't write Celtic stories, but I enjoy reading them. Best of luck to you!
ReplyDelete--Adele
Lovely post, Pat, and so on target--as always. Miriam, this blog is a wonderful idea--and it is simply beautiful. I'll be following you faithfully!
ReplyDelete~Donna/Celtic Queens
Adele and Donna, thank you for your good wishes and kind words. I'll be following Miriam's adventures here too!
ReplyDeleteHey Pat, me faither came from Glesga, and he made me recite Robbie Burn's poetry out loud from an early age, so I'd be able to do his accent. He would make fun of my Midwestern "twang", and ask me just how many syllables were in my diphthong when I said, "dance"...he exaggerated it to "day-eh-yence"! I told him if he wanted me to sound like him he should have stayed put, instead of moving to Chicago! But his parents were never able to afford to travel here, so I met his sister and brother, but never my grandparents.
ReplyDeleteMy Mom's parents were from Poland, and her father died when she was a teenager. My Busia (Polish for grandmother) never learned English, so our relationship was distant.
Many of us are the children of immigrants...go back 2 generations and there's no sign of my people in the U.S. at all! But that's our strength! We are all mutts, and the healthier for it!
But unfortunately, I do not find Highland men to be "hot"...I can't help thinking about my Dad! I know it's just me, but it's a curse I have to bear! That's why I write about hot Latin men, or interracial romance. To each their own, eh? Slainte!
Hi, Fiona. I'm imagining your midwestern twang/Scottish burr and smiling. I agree about the strength thing, especially when a person is the product of diverse nationalities. So much info to fall back on, and to fuel the imagination. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with your writing!
ReplyDeleteNice new blog site, Miriam. Pat, as always, enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dawn!
ReplyDeletePat,
ReplyDeleteI've often thought that automatic writing HAS to play a part in historical writing. You get so involved, you become unaware of Self. Alternate historicals, IMO, are parallel dimensions of lives lived based on different choices made.
Well said, Julie. The latest post on my own blog, Put the Kettle On, discusses the concept of alternate history. The genre is a great outlet/corral for hyperactive imaginations :-) Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat. The 'what ifs?' become 'if onlys' when it comes to bad things happening or regretted decisions. I'll have to check out your blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Miriam and Pat - I was fascinated to read more about that beautiful castle!
ReplyDeleteYour new book is The Comet, right, Miriam?
And Pat's is A Band of Roses.
I wish you both every success with your novels.
KATE
Hi, Kate. Cashel is truly a special place, a must for any visitor to Ireland. Yes, my first novel is A Band of Roses, and the sequel is Fiery Roses. Miriam's latest is The Comet. I've lost track of her many previous titles. Thanks for popping in!
ReplyDelete