REMEMBERING TRAVELING "SKYE"

REMEMBER TRAVELING?

A TIME WE FREELY MOVED AROUND?

On a Face Book post a woman displayed my novel, The Skye in June.

The woman in pink holding up a copy of my first novel, The Skye in June,had hosted a book party for me and since a trip to Scotland was already planned decided she'd read the story there.

Her first stop was in Glasgow where the story begins for the MacDonald family (see excerpt below).

The last time I visited Scotland was 14 years ago with my husband who'd not been there beforehand.

The Unexpected Magic of Travel: One never knows what or who will be experienced.

Funny story...as we walked the main thorough way named Dumbarton Road of a district called Partick where I lived as a child before emigrating to San Francisco, we heard "JUNE! JUNE!" shouted out behind us.

Confused to who'd know we'd be there?

Turing around a cousin of mine raced toward us. She no longer lives in Glasgow bur had heard we were in own, although not any particular day nor time. She followed a "feeling" that if she went that day, at that time she'd meet me.

Is she "fey" like me? Can she see and know what others cannot? "Skye" is about a young girl who is fey as a gypsy character reveals.

"Skye" is a historical story set mostly in San Francisco, California but begins in Glasgow. It's about a family who emigrates after a family tragedy in the 1950s and how they change over time. The a poignant story often hilarious with tactics the sisters take to deter their father control especially as the early days of the 1960s threatened to implode them.

A review: Not since author Amy Tan's early writings has a woman's voice so strongly resonated from one of San Francisco's most famous neighborhoods. - Jim Toland,  author, Fire and Fog and In and Out of Ireland

Enjoy an excerpt from the opening chapter.

Chapter 1

Glasgow, Scotland

May 31, 1950

The rain drizzling down the windows of the taxi shrouded the riders inside. Cathy MacDonald, the sole passenger, leaned her head against the misted window. She was bound for St. Andrew's Infirmary to deliver yet another wean.

Her fingers dug into her seat as she readjusted her bulky body. No position seemed to bring relief to her discomfort. She let her head fall forward onto the back of the driver's seat. 

“Does he have to hit every bloody stone in the road?” she muttered under her breath as the taxi bumped along.

“Don't you worry, Missus. I'll get you there in time. “The rough sandpaper voice of the taxi driver startled her, and she wondered if he had heard her question. “I know all about how fast those weans want out. Got six bairns of my own,” he said laughing loudly.

Cathy didn’t dare tell him that her labor pains were coming very close together and that this might be the first time that a baby would be born in his taxi.  

“Your man's Jimmy MacDonald, right?” he inquired. 

His talking only irritated her, but not wanting to appear unfriendly she tried to focus on what he had asked. Her response came as a muffled sound that could have been an answer or a retreat from the question. She caught him peeking a glance at her in the rearview mirror. She braced herself for the next question, knowing what it would be. 

“You Mr. B's daughter?” The driver, along with so many others in Glasgow, deeply respected Willie Buchanan, or Mr. B, as he had been known for as far back as anyone could remember. Mr. B had earned a reputation for being a fair man. Years ago he had rallied a group of well-off citizens to provide funds to support youth soccer teams for the town's underprivileged children. He had insisted that the money be shared equally between Catholic and Protestant teams-–an unusual act, since prejudice between the two religious groups was still very intense in Scotland. Although some people protested, most citizens supported his efforts.

The taxi swerved sharply to avoid a pile of building rubble. Cathy moaned in protest, which made the driver wish her husband was there to help with the situation. 

“Where's Jimmy?” he asked.

“Working,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper. 

She fell away from the driver's seat and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath in and then blew out sharply as jolting cramps came one after another. If Jimmy hadn't been so worried about getting to his second job, he could've been with me. He'd tell the driver to slow down, Cathy thought. She didn't want this ride to be over too quickly. She wasn't ready to walk up the four broad stone steps to St. Andrew's Infirmary to lie on a bed under a sheet, waiting. Not wanting to sound demanding, she stopped short of asking the driver to slow down. Instead she moved her hands over her belly and whispered hoarsely, “Wait, wee one. Just a bit longer.” 

Read more about The Skye in June and my other books at june ahern DOT com. 

#Isle of Skye #historicalnovels #psychickids #storiesaboutScotland #immigrantsories

SKYE'S THE LIMIT! TOP FEMALE AUTHOR WISH

My novel, The Skye in June, had been nominated for 

a 2019 Top Female Writers contest.

Please wish it (me) luck and a successful win!

THANK YOU!

Happy to say, my first novel,  is an enjoyed story with over 500 overwhelmingly positive reviews at various book selling sites. Skye has been translated to Japanese (on Amazon.com Japan). 

We couldn't have had a more perfect guest. Ahern's really a natural--so cool and calm, articulate and conversational. - Karen Adams, Producer, Arts, Palo Alto Community Television     ​

​One of my favorite perks is traveling across the United States on book tours across and

meeting so many lovely, interesting people eager to ask questions about San Francisco - my adopted city by the bay and its  best known neighborhood The Castro. Did you know it sits just about in the heart of the city?

So many more questions - book events are always lively! I've been invited to talk at bookclubs, and taken to dinner with groups just so they can meet an author and ask what's it like to write and market a book - why did I write it? And much more is discussed.

A review on Amazon written by a guest at a book party in Brooklyn, New York said: “Ms.Ahern reads excerpts with her fabulous Scottish burr and engaged her piercing blues eyes with the audience. This stayed alive in my mind and embellished my reading experiences.”   

Where can I get this fine novel? you ask... 

• Amazon (international);

• www.smashwords.com (all kinds of ebook options); 

• your bookstore! 

• Order there and... a personally autographed copy (USA mailing only)

Please review my other three books, learn about me and my paranormal investigations on YouTube (The Haunted Bay) and  at june ahern.com 

AGAIN, PLEASE SUPPORT "SKYE" BY SENDING GOOD WISHES. Envision my smiling face with a Winner 2019 top Female Writer banner across me - might as well throw in champagne too! 

SKYE IN JUNE ANNIVERSARY FREE EBOOK CELEBRATION

Not since Amy Tan has a woman's voice from one of 

San Francisco's most famous neighborhoods. 

Author Jim Toland 

The Skye in June rolled off the press April 28, 2008

and has sold every month since '08.  

It's my first novel's Ten Year Anniversary 

Sharing my successful blessing

Free eBook April 25th to April 29th 

Follow this link to Amazon 4/25 - 4/29 and ENJOY!

Photo by Jerry Briesach

"Skye" receives overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon.com US, UK, France, and Japan, Goodreads.com, Barnes and Noble,  My website Comments page

If you take advantage of the free ebook please leave your comment at these sites or your favorite bookselling sites; truly does help other readers decide to purchase.

ABOUT THE STORY: June MacDonald's fate is sealed the day she is born when her mother defies her husband by not naming their new daughter after a Catholic saint, as is their tradition. No one can foresee that June will grow up to threaten the family by revealing her mother's secret past in the Scottish Highlands. After a tragedy the Scottish MacDonalds emigrate to San Francisco in hopes for a new start. There, young June begins to have visions that haunt her mother. Her rigid and abusive father will not tolerate them. That doesn't stop the feisty girl. Her three sisters try to protect their little sister from their father's wrath with often hilarious tactics. The family is on the brink of imploding when June and her sisters come of age in the 1960's Haight Ashbury scene. Their father's declaration seems to be coming true: "Doomed to hell, every last one of you." In order to save June her mother must stand up to her husband. This poignant mother daughter story is about of how family changes over time and addresses the issues immigrants face in their new country. It's a story of acceptance and reconciliation and the world of mysticism. A book for the young and older readers.

HOW THE STORY CAME TO BE: My mother's love of books and her great imagination for storytelling inspired me to write "The Skye in June." It's a tribute to my mother and five zany sisters. In it I share some of our history as Scottish immigrants and coming of age during the 1960's in San Francisco. It began as a screenplay because that's how it unfolded for me as I saw characters, felt moods and heard their conversations. Especially enjoyable was the sisters' discussions, which at times was rather hilarious. Before putting it on paper, I'd speak aloud each one's words. My husband finally stopped asking if I was talking to him or "the MacDonalds" (or whomever was being created). 

      

Because my protagonist and I share the same first name I've been asked if it's an autobiography. Some situations and events did occur but the majority of the story is my imagination hence a rather thinly veiled autobiography set in a fictional framework. Why did I call my protagonist June? Fact: Against my father's wishes my mother named me June, a name my father declared was a "heathen name" and not a saint's. I don't believe I'll be the first Saint June.

ABOUT ME: June Ahern to date has authored four books; two novels "The Skye in June."and "City of Redemption." and two non-fictions, "How to Talk With Spirits: Seances, Mediums, Ghost Hunts" and "The Timeless Counselor: The Best Guide to a Psychic Reading" which was the best selling book of a new author at the 1991 Whole Life NY Expo. Like her main characters, June was born in Glasgow Scotland before immigrating to San Francisco. 

My other three books, read at www.juneahern.com

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND TO SAN FRANCISCO

Those who followed my writings know my novels settings are in two places, Glasgow, Scotland and San Francisco, California, U.S.A. Both places are close to my heart and life experiences: I was born in Glasgow emigrated in mid-fifties to San Francisco's neighborhood called Eureka Valley, now known to many as the Castro.

Although I became an American citizen in 1962, I grew up in a very traditional Scottish household. Thus I am of both nations. Many stories I heard about "back home" and songs learned, like "Murder, Murder Polis", came past down from parents and our Scottish friends. They were about growing up in Glasgow such as the difficulties Catholics had in the job market, and about my faither's (father) work at the shipyards on the River Clyde, WWII - running at night with an infant and toddler to a bomb shelter, and the happier times of holidays at Ayr with a graveyard as the backyard of the place we stayed. I remember jumping from gravestone to gravestone that laid long on the ground. We spoke differently with words like pokeyhat (ice cream cone) and wee backle  (a small disheveled person) were spoken. To this day I am more comfortable with some pronunciations of words than in the West Coast U.S. way of speaking.

I learned that the English were sassenachs and not well liked in Scotland by many. After all, when taking over the highlands of Scotland they had turned out women and children in the dead of winter to starve and freeze to death  That time was called, The Highland Clearance.



The English wanted the land for sheep grazing, not for inhabitants who had lived there for hundreds of years. Further more they took the traditions and honor of the inhabitants by banning the wearing of the kilt (the highlanders colors), forbidding the bagpipes and Gaelic. 

So much trite in such a small country and so much of the discord supported by the conquers through religious division as read in my novel, "The Skye in June".

Is it time for the Scots to have their country back as the Irish have done in the south of of that country?


Tomorrow 9/19/14 we'll learn if Scotland will separated from England. A country that opposed and repressed Scottish people for hundreds of years.

John Oliver's satirical video says it all http://youtu.be/-YkLPxQp_y0

In my novel, The Skye in June,  the answer to the family's unhappiness will be found when they learn the secret connection to the Isle of Skye. You will also enjoy learning
Scottish words, and customs. Same as in my novel, City of Redemption while you dig the San Francisco groovy scene from 1967 - The Summer of Love.

My paranormal and parapsychology books: "How to Talk with Spirits: Seances, Mediums, Ghost Hunts" and "The Timeless Counselor: The Best Guide to a Psychic Reading" are in ebook form (How to Talk with Spirit in paperback due by end of 2016).  On Amazon: or Smashwords.  To learn more about me and follow links to my ghost investigations and hauntings please go to june ahern dot com.