If you’ve read either of my Elle Cunningham Mackay mysteries, you’ll know that my family roots are draped in tartan. Coming from a long line of Cunninghams, I love weaving bits of old Scottish and Valley of the Scots lore into Elle’s adventures.
For those of you I haven’t yet met, in my day job, I’m a silversmith and dealer in Scottish Victorian jewelry. Most weekends find me at a Scottish festival or Celtic event — there are a surprising number to be found around the U.S.
Every Spring, the southeast Scottish Highland Games season kicks off with a games in Marathon, just up from Key West. The circuit crawls northward through Central Florida, up to the Panhandle and St. Augustine by the middle of March. Over the coming month, I’ll be at five or six here in the Sunshine State alone, with Georgia and the Carolinas soon to follow. If you’ve never attended a games, do yourself a favor and come out for the music, the dancing, the sports, and the spirits. Interested? Check my calendar page.
Under Loch & Key
This holiday season, I had a little time off. . . just a little. I was, however, able to put it to good use. The next Elle mystery, tentatively titled Under Loch & Key is taking shape. This one is going to a roller coaster ride, mixing murder with mystery authors, true crime podcasting, and lots of hidden secrets. I’ll have a cover reveal in the next few weeks and more updates on the drop date soon.
Spring Calendar
Over the next several weeks, you can find me at a Scottish or Celtic event every weekend like clockwork. The month starts with last weekend’s Suncoast Scottish Festival in Sarasota, followed by the Tallahassee Highland Games (February 8 and 9), the Dunedin Scottish Festival(February 15 and 16), the Northeast Florida Highland Games (February 22), the Panama City Beach Scottish Festival (March 1), and the St. Augustine Celtic Festival (March 8 and 9). If you’re curious about any of these, drop me a line and I’ll give you the details. I’d love to see you there!