Dark Goddess Trilogy

I set out to write a story involving the Picts of ancient Scotland and I ended up writing a trilogy that revolved around an Irish clan and a vengeful goddess.

After discovering Aedan mac Gabrain, it was hard to resist basing my hero on him. After coming under pressure from the powerful Ui Neill clan in Ireland, the clan Gabrain came to Scotland (known then as Alba) in about 500 AD to form the kingdom of Dal Riata in what is now Argyle. There were two other clans, but the kings from clan Gabrain were the high kings of Dal Riata. The Dal Riata clans had embraced Christianity while most of Alba had not.

Aedan mac Gabrain became king of Dal Riata in about 574, picked to be king by the famous St. Columba. This Irish king was known as the most feared warlord of his time, and his contemporaries were the British King Riderch, King Urien of Rheged, and King Morcant of Gododdin. They formed the Northern Alliance to battle the Picts and Angles. Aedan grew up around the River Forth, his younger years shrouded in mystery. What fascinated me most about Aedan mac Gabrain was that he supposedly fathered a king of the Picts, yet there are recorded battles between him and the Picts. Did he fight against his own son, or did he help his son? Also, in the Welsh poems he is called “Aedan the Treacherous” for invading King Riderch’s stronghold, but it doesn’t explain what led to this behavior.

Another thing that fascinated me about Aedan was that in a time when people died young, he lived to be at least 74. And he was present on the battlefield at 70. There is no record of his death, only that after his final battle and defeat at Degsastan, he was no longer king. The clan Gabrain has another notable legacy—Kenneth MacAlpin, the first recorded king of Scotland, is believed to be descended from this clan.

How could I resist such a fascinating historical figure?

For my hero, I saw Aedan as a shrewd, formidable man, two important requirements for a successful king in a time of shifting alliances, betrayal, and determined enemies. In my mind, his mate would have to be strong-minded to match his wit and strength. I decided to make her a pagan, which would be the cause of much conflict between them.

And much to my delight I was still able to write a story with the Picts since Aedan had a connection to them.

Ancient Scotland is a mystical place, and I wanted to incorporate this into my series.

“The Cailleach” is believed to be a pre-Celtic earth goddess. She is one of the oldest and most powerful goddesses who personifies the cutting winds and harshness of the northern winter. The ancient Celts worshiped her as a winter goddess and a goddess of sovereignty. Her name means “veiled one” and she ruled the winter months. In some stories Cailleach is the Crone. I chose her because she is a Celtic goddess known in Ireland and Scotland, which corresponded with the settings of my story. She is usually an old hag, but there are Irish myths that show her as a beautiful young maiden. In legends, she appears to the hero as a hideous old woman in her aspect of Sovereignty to test his heart for kingship. The one who kisses or mates with the old hag is rewarded—she changes into a beautiful maiden and bestows sovereignty on him. Only a true king is not fooled by appearances and can see beyond into one’s heart.

Cat's curse
Score: 4.50-Reviewer Top Pick! This
amazing story is very refreshing in the
current romance genre. The storyline had
a bunch of twists and turns that kept my
attention and intrigued me with
anticipation. I so wanted to know the
outcome of this unlikely romance. Many
interesting characters and love triangles
make for a refreshing story that is not as
neatly tied up as most romance novels of
today, but has managed to make me a fan
of the author's style. I am eagerly looking
forward to reading the next book
(Beltaine's Song), Book Two in the Dark
Goddess Trilogy, as I have become
addicted to the strength, courage and
real human facets of the characters in
this saga.

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Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly romance
Captivating...Sensual...Evocative

New Series: Dark Goddess Trilogy

This series must be read in order.

Cat's Curse

Dark Goddess 1

Beltaine's Song

Dark Goddess 2

Winter's Requiem

Dark Goddess 3

The Story Behind Dark Goddess:
A mysterious Dark Age Irish king

meet The dark goddess

Beltaine's Song
4 Cups! This story is a remarkable one on
so many levels. The theme spoke to my
soul and touched my heart. The warrior
women made this story sing for me…I
adored the way Ms. Heckart tangled
religion and politics into a tale that held
my interest to the very end.

Cat's Curse
5 stars! Heckart weaves in actual history
about the warlord Aedan mac Gabrain
and the clash between the old Goddess
religion and the new Christ religion. The
storyline is engaging enough to keep me
turning the pages to find out the
answers to the mysteries.

Cat's Curse
Heckart is a multi-talented
anything is possible. She brings
her book to life and lets our
imaginations soar!

All my books are available in Kindle Unlimited. Click on any buy link for this option. Happy Reading!

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