One of the best things about writing the WARRIORS OF THE STONE CIRCLE series has been the crazy, woo-woo things that have happened or I’ve discovered while writing it. From creating elements or events for my FICTIONAL story that have been discovered later to connecting my husband’s DNA ancestry to locations in the story, it was one surprise after another as truth became wilder than fiction.
My series is based on ancient Celtic mythology, but when I was researching the gods and goddesses and the symbols and important details, I realized that a god/goddess was missing. Seven is a sacred number to the Celts and yet there were only six main ancient gods. So, I wondered where the seventh one was. And that led me to a series of "what-if" questions that helped me develop the story that is told in four books – what if the six turned against the seven? What if they exiled her because she was evil and trying to destroy the world? What if there were gates that kept her out of this world? What if those gates were circles of standing stones?
And what if the ancient gods/goddesses left behind human descendants who were meant to guard those gates?
The first wild thing that happened as I was planning this series happened at the end of a booksigning at a local bookstore. I was leaving and put my signing basket (filled with pens, and chocolates and stuff I use at booksignings) down on the pile of hardcover ‘coffee table’ books to button up my coat. When I lifted the basket, a book slid off the table and fell on my foot. As I picked it up and saw the title, I knew it was a message from the cosmos – Circles of Stone, a photography book about all the stone circles all over Great Britain, Ireland and Normandy! I noticed when I looked at the map of locations that there were concentrations of stones in four place that formed a rough cross. So, now I had my locations. But I didn’t want to use the well-known locations (Stonehenge, Callanish, Brodgar) and I marked the places where the most stone circles were and came up with four possible locations. The adventure was on!
After I chose the first two locations (Scotland for RISING FIRE and Orkney for RAGING SEA), I needed a place in southern England, something near Stonehenge but not that famous circle itself. I realized that my stories would follow the route of the Celts into Ireland and Scotland but in reverse which meant the final location would be in Ireland. I found a small stone circle in the southeast of Ireland that fit my needs – Drombeg. And off I went telling my stories, each one of two descendants of ancient Celtic gods who would face terrible choices in the battle between good and evil.
In the first book, I decided to use the Norman/French origins of my husband’s name when naming the villain’s torturer – Brisbin comes from "Brisbois" which means "bone-breaker" so it fit the character perfectly. While writing that book, set in two locations in Scotland, one outside Edinburgh and the other closer to Aberdeen, my hubby had his DNA evaluated. When the report came in, it turns out that his DNA shows up exactly in the area near Aberdeen where I set the story – as if "Brisbois" had lived there!
While writing the second book, two woo-woo things happened. The first was the location itself. I’d visited Orkney before and knew that I wanted my circle to be in the center of the neolithic heart of the Mainland, so I grabbed my map and chose an area for the stone circle that would be raised from the lakebed by the hero and heroine’s new powers. Later, when confirming some historical details about. . . water levels in Orkney in 1100 AD, it turns out that sonar studies have found what looks like a manmade, circular, stone platform under the water in the exact spot I chose! (Even more interesting was that in 2018, Josh Gates of the Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown visited Orkney as part of an ‘origins of Stonehenge’ program and with local archeologist Carolyn Wickham-Jones and they discovered these structures exist under the sea or lakes all over Orkney!)
The other thing was that, for my story, I used the existing site of the Broch of Gurness, a stone tower-like structure on the coast of the Mainland. But, I needed there to be an underground chamber, too. So, I made one up for my characters to use as a critical part of the story. Wildly, after I’d finished the book, it turns out that archeologists have discovered a buried stairway near the broch that seems to lead to. . . and underground chamber!
When I began writing BLAZING EARTH, I couldn’t wait to see what strange twist my story or research would take – and I wasn’t disappointed!
As I had in RAGING SEA, I examined the geography of the bigger area of what’s called the Salisbury Plain. I found an area that seemed to be somewhat circular, so I chose that to be my circle. I changed its actual name slightly from Durrington and pictured one of the largest circles ever, with two smaller circles within it. It wasn’t until after the book was published that new research was publicized about the expanse and variety of discoveries around Stonehenge – including the discovery of possibly the largest henge ever found! And experts now believe that the people who built Stonehenge lived at Durrington Walls while building the infamous landmark.
Now, as I look ahead to finishing my series and writing the fourth and final book – SEARING MOON – I can’t wait to experience another woo-woo moment or two as I research and write it! I’ve visited Ireland several times now and have visited Drombeg Stone Circle along with other neolithic sites. Surely, something unusual will happen since I know that several mystical places in Ireland will be featured. . . and a dragon is involved!
Warriors of the Stone Circles #3
An ancient goddess grows more desperate to escape the bounds that keep her imprisoned. . .
A man whose lands have always been fertile and bountiful even in times of strife and drought. . .
The woman whose secret could destroy his dreams and force him into the waiting hands of the evil one..
Tolan’s family has had a strong bond with the farmlands he tends and he keeps the truth of it secret. For generations, his ancestors worshipped the ancient gods and oversaw their lands. Now, darkness is gathering, and Tolan is drawn into an evil nobleman’s plot to destroy his enemies. When his lover Elethea is targeted, too, he must choose one side or the other.
Elethea’s healing skills are known widely, but when the arrival of strangers cause the power in her blood to surge, she discovers it is more than simply knowledge of the healing arts. The only one she cannot seem to heal is herself and her inability to give Tolan the children he needs is keeping her from committing to him and to a future together.
Now, as the evil one gathers its minions and threaten all that Tolan and Elethea hold dear, will they choose the side of humanity or choose the enemy who even now holds their future in his hands?
This dark, emotional fantasy romance series set in medieval Scotland was previously published by Berkley.
Romance Fantasy [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: September 27, 2022, e-Book, ISBN: 9780451469120 / ]
RWA RITA-nominated, award-winning, USA Today best-selling author Terri Brisbin is a mom, a wife, grandmom! and a dental hygienist from southern NJ. Terri has sold more than 3 million copies of her 50+ historical and paranormal romance novels and novellas in more than 25 countries and 20 languages around the world. Her current and upcoming historical and paranormal/fantasy romances will be published by Harlequin Historicals, Dragonblade Publishing, Oliver Heber Books and independently, too.
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