A grant, a trip, and a lot of waffling

A couple months ago, I received a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to fund taking time off from other paid work so I can devote time to my newest novel. Part of this grant covers a research trip to Scotland to immerse myself into a smaller village, talk to people, find out about village life in the 1990s (that long past and historical era, aka my formative years), and buckle down into a self-guided writing retreat to finish the first draft of my novel. A CCA grant is hugely competitive and life-changing and I'm still kind of reeling from the excitement (and responsibility) of receiving one. 

Of course, all that excitement means I still have to successful complete the project! The first part of my research included a lot of panicked internet searching and frantic emails to every single person I know who lives in Scotland, has lived in Scotland, once went to Scotland on vacation, and that guy from my writing group who wears a kilt. My main goal was to narrow down my search for the perfect village in which to set my novel from THE ENTIRETY OF THE COUNTRY (TEOTC) to at least a shortlist. Or perhaps a longlist. Or, at least a region. 

 Of course, every single person I asked had a different opinion about "the best" but after a lot of research, a lot of street view scrolling, and so many zoom conversations with people absolutely intent on convincing me their hometown would be the perfect setting for any book, I finally narrowed down my shortlist from TEOTC to The Highlands. Or the Moray Coast. My wife and I had traveled to Scotland twice before but for our trip in 2026, we decided to stick solely to The Highlands and visit as many villages as we could. We also ended up visiting a few places along the Moray Firth. GAWD that place is gorgeous. 

Friends, when I tell you there are so many gorgeous places in Scotland, I am not kidding. And of course I fell in love with all of them. It didn't help that so many meet my criteria for what I'm looking for in the setting of my novel. Gorgeous, dramatic, small enough that my main character feels as if people already know them when they come home but not so small they would know every single person. Preferably close enough to some cliffs that I can go stand in the wind with my cape whipping dramatically around me while I panic over writer's block and em-dashes. Public transport available so I can randomly decide to take off and spend a few days exploring other areas of Scotland. Walkable to in-village stuff like groceries, a pub, and (fingers crossed) a bookstore. 

Because I had to pick somewhere, I ended up with a shortlist of Cromarty, Ullapool, Dornoch, Plockton, Strathpeffer, Avoch, Fortrose, Rosemarkie, Golspie, Brora. I know it's not particularly "short" but considering it's not TEOTC or even the ENTIRETY OF THE HIGHLANDS, I think I should get some credit. 

About the book:

 "Of Our Bones" is a family drama about a non-binary artist who is called back to their small Scottish village to say goodbye to their dying father, thirty years after the two of them became estranged. Camden, who has made a rich and full life for themself in British Columbia, returns angrily and full of bitterness for the home that turned its back on them. But people are complicated, and as Camden reacquaints themself with the village and it's people, they start to realize that community, like families, contains far more layers than Camden wants to admit. 

As Camden starts to reintegrate into their childhood home as an adult, they realize former neighbours have changed, old friends have have created new lives, and acceptance is less about unwavering agreement and more about unconditional love. 

Why Scotland?

I fell in love during one of my previous trips. There are so many gorgeous places in Scotland, steeped in rich history, but the stories I kept hearing from the people we met on our previous trips stayed with me. And then I posted about my search in a Scottish travel group and so many people reached out. People offered help in so many ways. Some offered to introduce me to folks who might have accommodation. Some gave me book recommendations. Some wanted to meet for a tea or coffee when I came to visit. 

I felt drawn into the community and I wasn't even there yet. That's the spirit I hope to impart in this book - the idea that you can leave your community, you can disagree with it, even have fundamental differences with it, but it will still embrace you when you come home. 

Because my book is about estrangement and homecoming, about assumptions and reconciliations. And because my family history is Scottish. And I have a complicated history with my family. 

What I'll be researching:

The bulk of my research will consist of immersing myself in day-to-day life. Understanding the public transport, the grocery stores, the pubs, where people meet each other, how they relate and disagree. I also hope to spend time talking to Gen X folks and older millennials to get a feel for what life was like in the 90s. My ultimate goal is to end up with a setting that feels more like a character than a place, and to showcase the beauty, complexity, and history in a way that feels respectful and loving to the place I ultimately choose. 

Where I am now: 

I've realized that accommodation is going to be the hardest part of this search and I may ultimately end up choosing my village based on someone having an affordable flat to rent in one place or an off-season hotel in another. I'm willing to be flexible in that way. I'm the writer in residence at a retreat in Spain at the end of February, but from about March 15th to May 14th, I'll be looking for my home away from home. (Maybe longer depending on what I find.)

I have to admit the accommodation search has me worried. Holiday lets go by the night and are looking like the lowest I'm finding is about 5,000 pounds a month - which equates to almost 10,000 dollars for us poor Canadians. I can't afford that. I've tried some hostels, some room share places, I have feelers out with everyone I know. I've also recently opened myself to considering other areas like Anstruther or Pittenweem. Dunbar. North Berwick. Crail. Basically anywhere I can find accommodation. After all. I'm a writer. If I can't make the setting work, I'm not doing my job. 

Every novel is shared, in part, with people who generously share a little of their world. If my research leads me to your village, I'll be grateful for the chance to spend a few months becoming part of the community, shopping in local businesses, attending events, drinking too much tea, learning the names of all the village dogs before their human's names, and doing justice (I hope) to the beauty and complexity of daily life. 

Update: 

I just found a place and I am chuffed. It's affordable, it's adorable, and the homeowner is an absolute delight. I'll be staying in the gorgeous village of Cullen! I cannot wait to immerse myself and bring this book to life.