Interview with Julie Shackman - author of ‘A Scottish Island Summer’

Interview with Julie Shackman - author of ‘A Scottish Island Summer’

My review of her new novel is here.

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About the Author:

Julie lives in Scotland and is married with two sons. From an early age, she always knew she wanted to write novels and after reading “Princess Daisy” by Judith Krantz at the age of thirteen, Julie was bitten by the bug.

She trained as a journalist and studied communication and media. Julie is the author of the very successful feel-good romance Scottish Escapes series, published by the HarperCollins imprint One More Chapter.

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INTERVIEW

 

Please tell us about your latest summer novel and what inspired you to write it? 

When ambitious city girl, Darcie Freeman is sent to the Isle of Skye to conduct research for a travel guide, she’s horrified. The prospect of having to travel to a remote island in the Scottish Highlands leaves her wondering what she’ll do.

Step in Logan Burns. Gorgeous and adventurous, he lives and breathes the island, and along with his sister Iona, who owns a rather haphazard PR company, they’re going to show Darcie everything she needs to know about Skye.

As Darcie swaps her designer shoes for her walking boots and her faux fur jacket for her raincoat, will she learn there’s more to life than the picture-perfect presence she shares on social media, or will it be the case that Skye is the limit…

I was actually inspired to write a story, based on Skye, by my wonderful editor at HarperCollins, Jennie Rothwell! Jennie mentioned how she thought it would make a fantastic, romantic setting and I agreed! 

How is Darcie Freeman affected when she is taken out of her usual comfort zone and sent to Isle of Skye? 

She is basically miserable! She feels out of her depth and wonders what on earth she has got herself into. Darcie is used to travelling to exotic climbs, as a social media influencer and travel blogger, so when she finds herself on a remote island in the Highlands of Scotland, she's not at all happy about it - at least, not to begin with... 

Tell us about Logan, who he is, his relationship with Darcie and his part in the story?  

Logan Burns is the outdoorsy, enthusiastic and gorgeous local geologist, who is tasked with showing Darcie the beauty of Skye for her research for her travel guide. He is immediately attracted to her (as is Darcie with him but she denies it!) and is determined to show Darcie that there is so much to love and admire about the place he calls home. He doesn't understand her preoccupation with social media - Logan very much lives in the here and now -  and they have a few discussions about their differing views on social media.

Who was your favourite character to write in A Scottish Island Summer and why? 

I loved writing about all of them, but I think Darcie just steals it for me! She's vulnerable underneath all the gloss and bluster and is kind too; that becomes more and more apparent as the story unfolds. I had a lot of fun with Darcie and spending so much time with her!

Photo by Daniel Tonks

Why did you choose Isle of Skye for your setting? It is known for many things—even its dinosaur history. How important is location to the novel? 

As I mentioned before, it was my editor Jennie who suggested the Isle of Skye as the setting. It's romantic, wild and spectacular and lends itself so well to a novel backdrop, especially for the romance genre. It was an inspired suggestion by her! I think location is vital to any novel. I love world building and I've been told by my readers before, that my settings come to life and become like a character in my books, which I find very, very flattering! With this novel, the setting of Skye is so, so important, as it's steeped in history and that plays a huge role in the story. 

Were there any special or memorable moments you had while writing A Scottish Island Summer ? If so, name at least one. 

There are a few, especially involving animals of some kind! One of the scenes I really enjoyed and had fun writing,  is when Darcie is 'chased' by a huge Highland bull called Rusty...

Share the background of the historical mystery item in A Scottish Island Summer and its effects on various characters? 

The Skye Lovers Cross is supposed to be a fabled pendant, given to a local girl by a Viking warrior who fell in love with her. A lot of people don't believe it actually exists, but an eminent archaeologist from the island, Campbell Adams, has never given up hope on finding it. He has always been convinced it does exist, and although his dedication to finding it, ultimately cost him his marriage and reputation, he enlists Logan and Darcie in his hunt for it. Logan has always admired Campbell and jumps at the opportunity. Darcie agrees too, thinking that if they find it, this would help boost her career! But along the way, she realises there are more important things in life than just success and fame...

What are the key ingredients you would consider to be necessary in creating a fun yet informative romantic mystery? 

What a great question! Wow! For me, I think it's a gorgeous, mysterious setting, characters who have chemistry and a brewing romance at the heart of it.

If you could pick one place to visit that might challenge you in different areas of your life, or take you out of your comfort zone, where would it be and what would you hope to accomplish? 

Another great question! I would love to go and see the mountain gorillas in Central Africa. That would be such an amazing experience. Definitely a bucket list moment! 

Are you working on any new writing projects and, if so, can you share a little of what they are? 

I've just completed structural edits on my next book  (Book 9 of the Scottish Escapes), which will be out Summer 2025 and features a heart-broken romance author and a sexy lighthouse keeper...And I'm currently writing the first draft of Book 10, which is about a struggling actress...

Thank you for such great questions, Cindy! XXX

Thank you, Julie, for the interview and for sharing your writing experience. We wish you much success on the release of your exciting new mystery romance novel! Visit Julie’s website, learn more about her books, connect with her and see her social media links there as well.