Angela MacRae Shanks

Angela MacRae Shanks was born in Garmouth, a village near the mouth of the River Spey in northeast Scotland, and still lives near here. Her mother and grandmother belong to Strathavon, a real place, and this remote glen is very dear to Angela's heart. Here she first heard tales of the dramatic history of the area, its people and their struggles, becoming fascinated by it. Growing up in Moray, a beautiful part of Scotland known as ‘malt whisky country’, an interest in the area's illicit past took hold, particularly the smuggling of whisky and the reasons behind it. Her fascination with the natural world and the folklore of the Highlands, combined with her training in natural therapies, spawned a need to weave herbal lore into her tales. Those who healed using plants and the wisdom of nature, usually women, were often branded witches. She felt the need to explore this injustice, hence The Strathavon Saga was born.