Hi folks, today I’m delighted to introduce N.C. Scrimgeour, a fantasy and sci-fi author whose latest publication is Sea of Souls which I really enjoyed! It has selkies, blood magic, dangerous creatures, unlikely friends and a windswept, Scottish inspired setting.
(You can find my full review here)
You will find our interview below as well as a character introduction I’ve created for Sea of Souls, plus all the usual author links and bio.
Dive in!
Interview
Hi Nicola and welcome to Spells & Spaceships!
Being a guest here feels quite apt seeing as you’ve not only written the magical Sea of Souls but also the highly rated space opera The Waystations Trilogy. How different or similar did you find the experience of writing both fantasy and sci-fi?
I definitely think there are more similarities than differences. For me, the draw of writing science fiction and fantasy is being able to go to a new world and create these places from all the ideas in my head, whether that’s a distant planet or a magical fantasy land. My sci-fi books tend to fall in the ‘softer’ category anyway–I don’t lean heavily on practical or plausible science or technology, so there’s a bit of a fantasy element even in Waystations. I think they’re the kind of sci-fi books that someone who reads primarily fantasy would enjoy.
The main difference I found was actually my prose itself. With Sea of Souls, it’s a bit more poetic and lyrical, which I think suits the fantasy and folklore elements in that book. My writing in Waystations is still descriptive, but it’s a bit more direct. It wasn’t really a conscious decision to write them in that way, but it felt right.
Space opera and dark fantasy are genres that go big on imagination. How important do you think it is for readers to have these worlds to escape to?
Escapism is the main driving force for me when I pick up a book, so it’s no big surprise that I write the same kind of things I like to read! Nothing against books set in our own world, but one of my favourite elements of sci-fi and fantasy is getting to explore all these imaginary places that are so different from our own, whether that’s the environment, the magic, the people and so on. For me as a reader, it just lets me switch off and go somewhere else for a few hours, and I think sometimes you need that!
Folklore is a key element in Sea of Souls. Is there a particular myth or piece of folklore—Scottish or otherwise—that continues to fascinate you and that you’d love to weave into your future books?
I’ve always been fascinated by folklore and mythology, particularly in Scotland, and it was really fun to incorporate those elements into Sea of Souls. Selkies have been the main focus, but there’s also been glimpses and mentions of other mythical creatures from Scotland, like kelpies (water horses) and the Cirein-cròin, which is a huge sea monster. And there might be even more as the series goes on…
Also, I kind of love that Scotland’s national animal is a unicorn. It’s one of those fun facts that always surprises people when they hear it, but you’ll see it in a lot of emblems and coats of arms when you visit historical sites across the country!
Do you feel any personal connection to these elements, and how do you bring that sense of place into your writing?
I definitely feel a personal connection in the sense that I really wanted to draw on the folklore and stories from my own country and try to add my own spin to them. When it comes to Scottish folklore or legends, the first thing that springs to most people’s minds is the Loch Ness Monster. And while we all love Nessie, I wanted to shine a light on some of the more underrepresented creatures from Scottish folklore. We’ve got such a rich and interesting mythology, and when I was researching this book, I was learning new things all the time.
Many writers claim that their characters often take on a life of their own. Have you ever had a character completely change direction from what you initially planned, and how did that impact the story?
I’ve never really been one of those writers whose characters ‘tell’ them what to do or take on a life of their own. I’m very much a planner, so usually all the characters’ arcs and paths are fleshed out before I actually start writing the book. That said, sometimes things change along the way, and my outlines are always flexible enough to make changes if I start writing and realise that a different direction would serve the story better.
There have been a couple of times that I’ve made quite big changes to the original plan for a character. I’ll try not to get too spoilery, but at the end of Those Left Behind, the first book in The Waystations Trilogy, I was originally going to kill off one of the main characters. When I was planning the book, it seemed like a fitting end, but by the time I got there, I realised their story wasn’t done yet. I’m glad I made that change, and it went on to impact the rest of the trilogy in a much better way than if I’d stuck with my original idea!
When you’re outdoors on a walk with your dog, does that time in nature ever inspire solutions for plot problems or ideas for new scenes? What’s the most random place inspiration has struck?
Walking is definitely a good time to mull ideas over in my head. If I’ve had a morning writing session and then take the dog out for a walk, it gives me time to think about what I want to write next and start visualising it in my head. Although sometimes I end up thinking of really good lines and have to type them into my phone halfway through the walk so I don’t forget them!
What was the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?
Two that spring to mind are The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson and The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan. I read both of those earlier this year and on both occasions I finished them within two days, I was that hooked!
If you could completely forget one book and read it all over again afresh, which book would you choose?
It would have to be Watership Down by Richard Adams. I don’t remember the first time I read it in childhood, but I know I must have re-read it a couple of dozen times since. It’s a book that just resonated with me in a way no other book has, and I will never get bored of going back to it. The worldbuilding, the characters, the culture and lore Adams developed…I honestly think it’s a masterclass in storytelling.
Thanks for taking the time to join me for an interview, it’s been a pleasure to have you!
Thank you for having me and for asking such great questions–I had a fun time answering them!
Sea of Souls Character Introduction
Sea of Souls has some fantastic characters. Allow me to introduce them below…
Isla Blackwood
Isla is the main character of Sea of Souls. She’s spent years at sea, never really feeling a true sense of belonging, but knowing she didn’t belong on the Blackwood estate, consigned to life on land.
The start of the book sees her returning home after a mysterious letter from her dying mother. She spends most of the book uncovering clues and trying to get to the bottom of what this letter really means.
Isla is passionate, dangerous and courageous. She’s not straightforward and comes to question her own decisions in a world where not every choice is black and white. Regardless, she always tries her hardest to do what is right, not what is easiest.
Eimhir
Eimhir is a selkie who approaches Isla early on in the story against a backdrop of human-selkie hostility. We see them develop a mutual respect as the story develops and perhaps realise they have a lot more in common than they would have ever previously thought. Isla may be the main character, but in many ways it is Eimhir’s story too that drives the book forward.
Eimhir is level headed and thoughtful, with a burning passion for protecting her kind.
The selkie transformed. Its speckled fawn-coloured fur, glistening with water, shrank back to reveal pale, freckled skin and unkempt hair. Its eyes changed shape and lightened into a stormy grey. It landed in the waves on two legs, bare and wet, covered only by the long tails of the pelt that now sat upon the selkie’s broad shoulders. Its long jaws and protruding snout melded into more familiar features, until the creature staring at them had the face of a woman. The selkie grinned, the axe handle still between her teeth. Then she sprang.
Sergeant Darce Galbraith
Darce starts the book as Isla’s father’s dedicated bodyguard and swordmaster. He’s loyal to the Blackwood family, having served them for many years. This was first as a young squire while Isla was still young and living with her family.
Isla and her younger brother Lachlan rely on his martial skills to help them escape the horrors of a selkie raid and protect them on their journey. We soon learn he has a much bigger role to play in Isla’s journey than as a swordmaster alone.
Lachlan Blackwood
Lochlan is Isla’s younger brother and the two share a fractured relationship, Lochlan feeling that Isla abandoned him and their family when he needed her. Isla holds a protective instinct for her brother, but decisions are difficult when their views are often so different. Conflict is often inevitable and Isla must weigh up her brother’s needs with the wider issues in play.
Finlay
Finlay is a selkie, a clanmate of Eimhir’s. Unlike Eimhir, Finlay is a lot more rash and impulsive with less patience and more prejudice than his clanmate.
Finlay is distrustful of humans and his cynicism keeps a barrier up between himself and the human companions he’s reluctant to share the adventure with.
The Grand Admiral
The main antagonist of the story, Grand Admiral Alasdair Cunningham epitomises the greed and power of 18th and 19th century European naval powers. Domination and conquest are his forte and he’s built up a reputation as a selkie killer.
A selkie’s pelt holds the memories of its ancestors and is the very essence of their soul; they will die a horrible death when parted from it. The Grand Admiral keeps such pelts as prizes and trade goods.
Author Bio
N. C. Scrimgeour is a science fiction and fantasy author whose books focus on character-driven stories in vibrant worlds, from folklore fantasy to space opera.
After completing her Masters in English Literature, she went on to work in journalism and marketing and communications while pursuing her passion in writing.
Her first series, the Waystations Trilogy, is an epic space opera filled with exploration and ancient alien mysteries. She is currently working on the Sea of Souls Saga, a Scottish-inspired dark fantasy trilogy.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing story-driven RPGs, watching and reading all things science fiction and fantasy, and getting outdoors with the dog for a good walk!
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