On A Northern Shore

About the Book: 

This far north, they say the dead are with us… 

Hogmanay, the far north of Scotland. Alone on the shoreline, lobster fisherman Rob Sinclair pours a dram into the freezing waves of the North Sea. It’s a family tradition; an offering to the sea spirit, the Selkie. 

That same night, a stranger arrives in Rob’s village. A young woman, Mairi, charged by her dead mother to carry out three acts of vengeance. Bitter revenge for deeds done before Mairi was born. 

Lonely and damaged, Rob and Mairi are drawn to one another. Rob is beguiled by Mairi, but she is elusive, frustrating, her personality shapeshifting. The only certainty is that Mairi is not who she says she is…

Reviews: 

This is a wonderful book about finding friends and contentment, beautifully illustrated. Juno Magazine on The Selkie Girl

This book... fires anyone's imagination and unlocks the mysteries of the sea. Older primary and younger secondary boys will love this book. The School Library Association on Magnus Fin and the Ocean Quest

This book is very exciting... I especially enjoyed learning some history while I read. I would recommend this book for boys and girls who like history. The Guardian on The Accidental Time Traveller

About the Author:

JANIS MACKAY is a writer, storyteller and creative writing tutor, from Edinburgh, Scotland. After careers in journalism and theatre Janis completed a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Sussex in 2004. She won the Kelpies prize with her first novel for children; Magnus Fin and the Ocean Quest and later, in 2013, won the Scottish Children's Book Awards with her novel, The Accidental Time Traveller, published by Floris Books. Her novel, Wild Song, published by Piccadilly, was nominated for a Carnegie Medal. With eleven published books for children, and one self published book for adults (The Watchmaker's Wife - a fictional story based on the life of her grandmother) On a Northern Shore is Janis's first published work for adults. Janis lives in the Borders with her partner, and teaches creative writing at Edinburgh University. Janis also runs a one year novel writing course.