Carol Tweedie biography
Fair Isle Ghosts
Fair Isle Ghosts is a new historical fiction by Carol Tweedie.
Set between the years 1851 and 1897, the story follows the fortunes of two Fair Isle families: the Taft Wilsons and the Quoy Irvines. Through maritime tragedies, hard winters, births, deaths and marriages, the families struggle to survive. They knit, they tend their beasts, and they fish in the unforgiving seas. But when offered the choice to leave Fair Isle forever, will they stay, or will they face the unknown?
The story is based on the true history of the people of Fair Isle, brought to life with careful research, and a little touch of imagination.
Very few books have ever been written about Fair Isle. This story serves as a rare insight into the lives of a vibrant people, almost forgotten.
About the author
Carol Tweedie was born in Edinburgh. After graduating from university she emigrated to Canada, but after a few yers she felt drawn back to Scotland.
Carol worked in education for 30 years and took up writing when she retired. History has always been one of her passions.
"In the picture of me above, I'm sitting in my mother in law's Fair Isle chair. The chair, we know now, is well over a hundred years old, and was made by her great grandfather.
The chair stood in Mollie's house, unremarked and almost unnoticed, all the many years that I knew her, but when the time came for her to move into care, I felt the need to give the old chair a home.
Over time, Mollie became more confused about the present, and more focussed on the past. We took her books of old photographs, and she was happy talking about all these people who were part of her early life, although none of us knew them.
From these conversations, stemmed a fascination with her family history, and from there, with the wider history of Fair Isle, and its inhabitants.
I could never have imagined that my journey would lead to writing a book. But once I knew the stories of these remarkable people from our past, I wanted to share them, and encourage others to tell their stories and find out more about their own history. "
