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Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, and the forging of Excalibur - there's a cost to making a King.
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Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, and the forging of Excalibur - there's a cost to making a King.
100% Privacy Guaranteed. Witches' Honour!
On the 16th May Magic Unleashed will published – it’s on pre-order now. It’s the third in the series, and the stakes are rising. Be prepared for more action, magic, and threats to Avery and the other witches.
But today’s post is all about Cornwall. Why did I choose Cornwall for the setting of White Haven Witches? Well, because it’s beautiful! It’s one of my favourite places in England, and I’ve spent many happy holidays there – most of them camping. There was one memorable holiday where we camped on top of a cliff above Looe on the South Coast, and a storm rolled in. Good times!
The White Haven Witches is set in a typical fishing village/ town on the south coast, but White Haven is fictional. In case you didn’t know, Cornwall is the toe – maybe that’s foot? – of England, so has both north and south coasts. I’ve set White Haven between Truro and St Austell, not too far from Mevagissey.
However, in Magic Unleashed we get to trek around Cornwall and visit St Ives and Zennor, and also Mevagissey.
I decided to make up a place to set my book in rather than setting it in a real town for artistic purposes. Harecombe, the home of the Favershams, is also fictional, but both are modeled on real Cornish places.
I do visit some real places in Buried Magic and Magic Unbound too. The Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro is real, as is the Courtney Library. While I’ve described the museum using photos from the net, the library is purely my imagination!
This is where Avery and Alex break into, to find information on the witch trials and the Favershams! When I next return to the UK, I’ll go and visit.
I also talk about St Ives in Magic Unleashed, and that really is known as an artist’s town. It’s not far from Zennor, where a mermaid once visited, and outside the village, on the edge of the moors, is Zennor Quoit, a ruined megalithic burial chamber. Dark deeds happen here – in my book of course, not really!
There are lots of places I’ve visited that I haven’t written about, but that have influenced my story. For example, Boscastle has a witch museum, and so has White Haven, and if you’ve read Buried Magic, you know quite a lot happens there. It was long time ago when I visited, and I’d love to go back.
Avery loves her home in White Haven, and I think you can see why. Of course White Haven is a special place with a magical history; I see it as little like Glastonbury, a place strongly associated with magic, myths and legends.
So, hopefully, you now have an understanding of some of the setting for my series, and if you ever have the chance to visit Cornwall, I hope you enjoy it. There’s a lot I haven’t mentioned, maybe I’ll save that for another time!
In the meantime Happy Reading, and here’s a link to my series.
I enjoyed your information on Cornwall, an enjoyable and interesting amble around the quaint, beautiful buildings. Narrow streets and alleyways with lots of atmosphere. Lovely, thank you!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Well,I always knew Cornwall was beautiful and magical, but enjoyed the tour.
Love the books, too. Please keep going. We need more British witch novels!
Thanks Trish! I’m working on book 4 now.
Ah I’d originally thought white haven was Whitehaven in Cumbria, also beautiful and on the coast x
I’ve never been to the real one, but must rectify that one day!
Love the way your writing brings out the best in your surroundings and how the characters see their home town x
Thanks Dawn!
Loved your stories. Have given my two daughters links to get their own copies. Definitely made me want to visit Cornwall. Made a few days of the Covid 19 pandemic bearable. Looking forward to reading the next book.
Thanks Susan. I was planning on visiting Cornwall this summer, but now it will have to wait! Fingers crossed for next year! 🙂
On the 2nd book now and I’m hooked. Really enjoying them. They are real page turners with something exciting going on in every chapter and they are very readable. Thank you for writing them. X
Thanks Sue! So pleased you’re enjoying them! 🙂
I think you ought to visit King Arthur’s hall, out on the moor not far from Roughtor and Brownwilly, access from the Candra’s, but only on foot. And amazing part of the moors, lots of tiny old graves from long long ago, a feeling of “oldness” and peace. And wind, and mist. You definitely need to spend a little time there! We’ll show you!
Hi Veronica, that sounds amazing! Let’s hope I get to the UK next year, I can’t wait to visit. Thanks for the suggestion xx
We moved to Truro six months ago and have discovered so many breathtakingly beautiful places since then. It is not hard to understand how it inspires people. I just started reading your first book when we visited Mevagissey and I could really envision it as setting for the book. I’m reading the second book now and still very much enjoy it! Thank you!
Thanks Viola! You’re so lucky to be living in Truro. I’m really pleased you’re enjoying the series. Mevagissey is one of my favourite places and one of my inspirations for White Haven. 🙂
I’ve just finished reading the first 3 White Haven Witches books and I absolutely loved them. I have just bought the next 3 and will be captivated before the day is done. Thank you, I get so much enjoyment from your amazing story telling. I am new to your work and will be reading everything that you have written. Thank you 😀
Hi Tracy, thank you! So pleased you’re enjoying them 🙂 xx
Hi I love your books and re read them regularly. The witches have become friends when I read. It’s getting me through a dark time. I love Cornwall used to go there for family holidays. Beautiful place.
Hi Karen, I’m so pleased that you enjoy them! Sorry to hear things aren’t so good for you right now, but glad to hear I could help a little. I miss Cornwall, and hope I can visit next year. Take care xx
Hi
I wish I had known about the Witch Museum in Boscastle when I was there, but unfortunately it was also when the very bad storm washed a lot of it away we were actually there at the time it was very frightening. Loving your books as I love all thing’s witchy.
Hi Sylvia, I remember reading about that, and watched it on the news. Awful! Glad you were okay, and glad Boscastle has recovered xx
I am lucky to live here in beautiful Cornwall and as it happens I am heading to Boscastle tomorrow so will try and get some pics of museum and put on group. Yes Sylvia it was damaged in those awful floods but I have heard some locals say it needed purging and that was cause of flood. It does have a very good feel about it nowadays and museum is wonderful. A lot of work has gone into it. Love the Buried Magic book TJ and excitedly waiting for your next book as chaos magic has now been read.
It would be lovely to see some photos, thank you! Glad you enjoyed the latest xx 🙂
Hi just finish Buried Magic and have bought the next in the series. Loved the setting the characters and your story telling. I am hooked! I am a regular visitor to Cornwall and you can feel the magic in the ground. Thank you.
Hi Amanda, thank you! I love Cornwall and can’t wait to visit there again! 🙂
Just reading book 3 at the moment, I live in Polgooth between Mevaggissey and St Aistell also run a shop in St Austell called The Cauldron with 3 witches as the owners, you do inspire me and thank you for your incredible Books.
Thank you! I visited Cornwall again last year. It’s a beautiful place. I must visit your shop next time!