I’ve been a little quiet on my blog of late. You’ll be pleased to hear that’s because I’ve been busy with Book 4. ‘Cradle of Saints’ is tantalisingly close to completion! These final few weeks are the hardest in many ways. I’m impatient to finish and share it with you all, but I’m also toying … More Cradle of Saints – progress update!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzfg6VGjr-d6DVrR8WgD1CQ Think ‘small screen, epic discoveries’ as I launch my very own YouTube channel today, 9th June – widely celebrated as St Columba’s Feast Day. As you’ll already know, the Irish saint, also known as Colmcille, is a key character in my award-winning historical fiction series ‘The Chronicles of Iona’ which explores his life and … More News! I’ve launched a YouTube Channel
So I let you guys in on the launch date and title of my new novel last week; it’ll come as no surprise to you that I’ve been spending hours, days, weeks hunkered down in my study crafting and refining the story. But I recently had the opportunity to welcome a film maker into my … More Shooting video content for Colmcille 1500
I’ve been hard at work during lockdown, and I’m excited to reveal the title and launch date of my fourth novel. Cradle of Saints is the compelling next instalment of The Chronicles of Iona, and follows Columba and Aedan mac Gabran as they hunt down their enemies through the wilds of Ireland’s ancient north and … More News! Fourth novel to launch … on the 1500th anniversary of Columba’s birth!
If St. Columba is one of the stars of my series The Chronicles of Iona, Aedan mac Gabran is surely the other. He was the king of the Scots kingdom of Dalriada in the 6th century and was arguably the greatest warlord of his age. In fact, my lightbulb moment in writing these books was … More Armchair travelling 2: To Dunadd, the Citadel of the King
So, one good thing to come from this wretched pandemic is the fact that it has forced me back to my archives. In place of any actual research trips, I’ve been organising my files. I know! How utterly boring! And yet … it has taken me back to all the places I have so loved, … More Armchair travelling 1: To Iona
A wonderful thing popped up in my Twitter feed this week which deserves a huge shout-out. Longing to visit the isle of Iona again? I certainly am. Well, thanks to Historic Environment Scotland you can do so virtually. They’ve assembled a fantastic array of immersive resources for the armchair traveller we’ve all (temporarily) become, here: … More Visit Iona virtually
Book 3 of the award-winning series The Chronicles of Iona is out today. Praised as “mesmeric”, “engrossing”, and “gritty”, Island-Pilgrim continues the enthralling true story of how a 6th-century saint (Columba of Iona), and a warlord (Aedan mac Gabran, king of Dalriada), forged the nascent kingdom of Scotland. On Kindle now for only £2.31. #thechroniclesofiona
Here’s another great review of “The Chronicles of Iona: Island-Pilgrim”, this time from Kirkus Reviews. “This latest series entry continues the tale of how a medieval king and an abbot helped to found Scotland. In two previous books, Exile (2012) and Prophet (2013), de Fougerolles told the twin stories of future saint Columba and warrior Aedan mac Gabran, two … More “A thoughtful, well-written, and exciting historical novel in an excellent series.”
Many thanks to ForeWord Clarion Reviews for an outstanding review of “The Chronicles of Iona: Island-Pilgrim“. “The Chronicles of Iona: Island-Pilgrim is a swift, mesmeric historical tale about the men who shape a nascent nation. Paula de Fougerolles’s Chronicles of Iona: Island-Pilgrim is engrossing historical fiction relaying the creation of early Scotland. In the sixth century, Aedan mac Gabran … More “Swift, mesmeric … engrossing historical fiction”