The second instalment in a new trilogy of Scottish ghost stories released for the Christmas season has been published by Glasgow author, Campbell Hart.
‘The Rocking Stone’ explores the choices facing three generations of women haunted by a mysterious figure who stalks ancient druid sites looking to lift a curse and end a life.
“The vengeful spirit of the Lady of Threepwood has stalked Cuff Hill for hundreds of years, bringing death to those unlucky enough to catch her eye. And when a black metal box is unearthed in a druid’s grave, a young girl’s life is transformed for all time, with a chain of events unleashed that will haunt her family for three generations. Only the Rocking Stone holds the key to the legend, with the truth to be found in the ancient fire cast out from the otherworld.”
The story was inspired by real life druid sites in North Ayrshire and a Christmas trip by the author to the Rocking Stone near his hometown of Beith in 2016 during Storm Conor.
Combining real life locations, local myths and a healthy dose of fantasy, the novella explores the psychological ties between mother and daughter. Written in the tradition of ghost stories for Christmas, the story is set in a 50 year period between 1933 and 1983.
Hart (43) said, “The Rocking Stone’s been in my blood since as long as I can remember and when I returned last year as strong winds and rain lashed the blasted heaths of the Bigholm hills, I needed no further inspiration for this atmospheric tale of spectral revenge.
“I think the big draw with druids is that we really don’t know much about them, so we can only really guess what their rituals actually involved. That mysticism made for a great start for a ghost story, which was a lot of fun to write.
“When you boil it down this is essentially a tale about mothers and daughters, with the haunting adding an extra layer of heightened tension, which I hope makes for a compelling read.
“I’m also looking to promote the real Rocking Stone as the site’s now becoming encircled by industrial forestry and the old dyke round the stone is in dire need of some TLC. If there’s anyone out there looking to get involved in a restoration project I’d love to hear from you!
“The project’s nearly completed now and the final part of the trilogy will unite characters in books one and two, with isolation and empty nesting likely to form the central themes in what’s been a fascinating journey so far.”
‘The Rocking Stone’ is available from all ebook outlets. The first novella ‘The Sniper’ is currently free to download on ebook - click here.
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