The Selkie (23 page)
Unlike
Night Visitor
, whose faeries were comparatively easy to investigate, there is not a great deal of information available about the selkies of Scotland. To any of their descendents, I make apologies for deficiencies of fact about their culture, language, etc. I hope a vivid imagination has somewhat compensated for the lack of concrete information.
The Selkie
is set at an odd time for romance novels. Not much has been written about Scotland in the 1920s, probably because it was a bleak era; people were recovering from the first World War. There were many exciting things about this era, though, which made it ideal for
this story. Aside from having fun with the clothes and early MG roadsters, the time period also allowed for the introduction of the beginnings of technology and medical enlightenment—mainly a knowledge of allergies and the telephone, which were very useful plot devices.
In addition to the resources listed below, I had input from readers and friends. My finmen—Sevin, Turpin and Brodir—were all named by readers. And I want to thank Nikki from Horrorlit for being especially helpful with matters of traveling circuses in Great Britain.
While saying thanks, there are two other people I need to mention: my good friend Lynsay Sands and my long-suffering agent Helen. Writers—though happy with their solitary careers—sometimes need a cheering section, and these two have always generously supplied it. (NOTE: My editor is long-suffering, too, but he has been given his own dedication in another book. And besides, I already apologized for that joke about the heroine giving birth to a litter of seal pups.)
Welcome to my version of 1929 Scotland. The pleasure of your company on these adventures is always special. Hope you enjoyed the visit.
—Melanie Jackson
The Rites of Odin
by Ed Fitch
A Dictionary of Ghost Lore
by Peter Haining
The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves and Other Little People
by Thomas Keightly
Scottish Ghost Stories
by Elliott O’Donnell
The Ghost Book
by Alsadair Alpine MacGregor
Oicheanta Si
(Faery Nights) by Michael mac Liammoir
Cornish Faeries
by Robert Hunt
Ireland
by Richard Lovett
And special thanks to Deborah Anne Mac-Gillivray of W.I.S.E.
http://mars.ark.com/˜ramsay/selkies.htm
http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/finfolk/index.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/ chronos/254/merrow.html
http://www.legends.dm.net/fairy/selchies.html
http://userpages.umbc.edu/˜dgovar1/selkies.html
http://www.contemplator.com/folk.html
THE NIGHT SIDE
“
The Night Side
delivers in spades…A seasoned storyteller, Jackson delivers another entertaining story.”
—Fresh Fiction
DIVINE FANTASY
[Jackson] “has a wonderful way with descriptive language. There are some great connections with previous books and a surprise at the end.”
—
RT Book Reviews
A CURIOUS AFFAIR
“For a very different type of murder mystery and some very quirky characters and a twist at the end you won’t see coming, pick up
A Curious Affair
, because in this tale, curiosity does not kill the cat!”
—Romance Reviews Today
DIVINE NIGHT
“Not to be read quickly, Jackson’s latest is closely connected to the two previous Divine stories…This is an excellent addition to this series.”
—
RT Book Reviews
WRIT ON WATER
“An intriguing mix of mystery and romance, with shadings of the paranormal, this is a story that pulls you in.”
—
RT Book Reviews
DIVINE MADNESS
“This tale isn’t your everyday, lighthearted romance…Melanie Jackson takes an interesting approach to this tale, using historical figures with mysterious lives.”
—Romance Reviews Today
DIVINE FIRE
“Jackson pens a sumptuous modern gothic…Fans of solid love stories like those of Laurell K. Hamilton will enjoy Jackson’s tale, which readers will devour in one sitting, then wait hungrily for the next installment.”
—
Booklist
THE SAINT
“This visit to the ‘wild side’ is wonderfully imaginative and action-packed…[A] fascinating tale.”
—
RT Book Reviews
THE MASTER
“Readers…will not be disappointed. Her ability to create a complicated world is astounding with this installment, which includes heartwarming moments, suspense and mystery sprinkled with humor. An excellent read.”
—
RT Book Reviews
STILL LIFE
“The latest walk on the ‘Wildside’ is a wonderful romantic fantasy that adds new elements that brilliantly fit and enhance the existing Jackson mythos…Action-packed.”
—
Midwest Book Review
THE COURIER
“The author’s imagination and untouchable world building continue to shine…[An] outstanding and involved novel.”
—
RT Book Reviews
OUTSIDERS
“Melanie Jackson is a talent to watch. She deftly combines romance with fantasy and paranormal elements to create a spellbinding adventure.”
—WritersWrite.com
TRAVELER
“Jackson often pushes the boundaries of paranormal romance, and this…is no exception.”
—
Booklist
THE SELKIE
“Part fantasy, part dream and wholly bewitching,
The Selkie…
[blends] whimsy and folklore into a sensual tale of love and magic.”
—
RT Book Reviews
THE SELKIE BRIDE
THE NIGHT SIDE
DIVINE FANTASY
A CURIOUS AFFAIR
DIVINE NIGHT
WRIT ON WATER
DIVINE MADNESS
THE SAINT
THE MASTER
DIVINE FIRE
STILL LIFE
THE COURIER
OUTSIDERS
TRAVELER
THE SELKIE
DOMINION
BELLE
AMARANTHA
NIGHT VISITOR
MANON
IONA
LOVE SPELL©
February 2003
Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Copyright © 2003 by Melanie Jackson
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