Warrior of My Own

by Knightley, Diana

  Leveling: Book One of Luna’s Story

  Under: Book Two of Luna’s Story

  Deep: Book Three of Luna’s Story

  This is a work of fiction. Although its form is first person, and the author grew up on Amelia Island, it is not a True Thing That Happened. Space and time have been rearranged. And though the places might seem familiar, as far as the author knows a time traveler has never stepped foot on the Island. We can all dream though.

  With the exception of public figures, Queen Elizabeth I, for instance, any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental. There are a lot of characters living in Fernandina Beach, none of them have been portrayed in this book. If similarities occur it is in no way intended. The opinions expressed are those of the characters and should not be confused with the author’s.

  Some thoughts and research…

  Some Scottish and Gaelic words that appear within the books:

  Turadh - a break in the clouds between showers

  Solasta - luminous shining (possible nickname)

  Splang - flash, spark, sparkle

  Dreich - dull and miserable weather

  Mo reul-iuil - my North Star (nickname)

  Bidh thu a ‘faileadh mar ghaisgeach - you have the scent of a breeze.

  Osna - a sigh

  Rionnag - star

  Sollier - bright

  Ghrian - the sun

  Mo ghradh - my own love

  Tha thu breagha - you are beautiful

  Mo chroi - my heart

  Corrachag-cagail - dancing and flickering ember flames

  Mo reul-iuil, is ann leatsa abhios mo chridhe gubrath - My North Star, my heart belongs to you forever

  Dinna ken - didn’t know

  Tha I fuar an-diugh. (*It is cold today)

  Gum bi thu, a naoinein bhig, fallain, ionraic, sona air feadh do bheatha gu leir — May you, little baby, be healthy, upright and happy throughout your whole life

  * * *

  Characters:

  Kaitlyn Maude Sheffield

  Magnus Archibald Caelhin Campbell

  Lady Mairead (Campbell) Delapointe

  John Sheffield (Kaitlyn’s father)

  Paige Sheffield (Kaitlyn’s Mother)

  James Cook

  Quentin Peters

  Zach Greene

  Emma Garcia

  Michael Greene

  Hayley Sherman

  The Earl of Breadalbane

  Uncle Archibald (Baldie) Campbell

  * * *

  Locations:

  Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida, 2017-2018

  Magnus’s castle - Balloch. Built in 1552. In early 1800s it was rebuilt as Taymouth Castle. Situated on the south bank of the River Tay, in the heart of the Grampian Mountains

  Acknowledgments

  My Facebook page was kicking it for a while there. My friends and family weighed in on questions like, “What should my Highlander’s name be?” And “What would James call the Scottish National Football Team?” And “Which restaurant in downtown Fernandina Beach should I destroy?” Then we took the conversation over to Kaitlyn and the Highlander, my FB group and they answered even more questions for me, like “Were kilts too cold for a Scottish winter?”

  There are too many people to thank, but thank you to Nipuna Devi Dasi for her input on using rendered goose fat on clothes for warmth (needed in book three!)

  And to the friends who weighed in on how much our Magnus would know about menstruation, thank you for your thoughts. Ann McKeown for so much great information, Denise Sumpter for assuring me that Magnus wouldn’t be a virgin on his wedding night. Anna Yori for the history of periods article, Anne LeMar for her ideas, and Kristen Schoenmann De Haan for her input.

  And thank you to David Sutton for weighing in on many things from Scottish customs (housing in the eighteenth century really helped with book 3) to what Magnus would find entrancing in the family planning aisle of the drug store.

  And to David Sutton, Kristen Schoenmann De Haan, Heather Hawkes, Nipuna Devi Dasi, Catie Lane, Stacey Hirt, Amie Conrad, and Dru Mitchell for adding to Kaitlyn’s list of places she wants to take Magnus. The list is so long there will need to be many more books.

  There are so many other reasons to thank so many people. I am grateful for all the loving guidance I received. And to Heather Hawkes, Kristen Schoenmann De Haan, and David Sutton for being fabulous beta readers, you guys are awesome.

  Thank you to Kevin Dowdee for being my support, my guidance, and my inspiration for these stories. I appreciate you so much. And thank you for revisiting Scotland with me on our honeymoon. That was awesome.

  Thank you to my kids, Ean, Gwynnie, Fiona, and Isobel, for listening to me go on and on about these characters and accepting them as real parts of our lives. When I asked, “Guess what Magnus’s favorite flavor of ice cream is?” They answered, “Vanilla,” without blinking an eye. Also, when I asked, “What is Magnus’s favorite band?” They answered, “Foo Fighters.” (necessary in book 2) So yeah, thank you for thinking of my book characters like a part of our family.

  About me, Diana Knightley

  I live in Los Angeles where we have a lot of apocalyptic tendencies that we overcome by wishful thinking. Also great beaches. I maintain a lot of people in a small house, too many pets, and a to-do list that is longer than it should be, because my main rule is: Art, play, fun, before housework. My kids say I am a cool mom because I try to be kind. I’m married to a guy who is like a water god, he surfs, he paddle boards, he built a boat. I’m a huge fan.

  I write about heroes and tragedies and magical whisperings and always forever happily ever afters. I love that scene where the two are desperate to be together but can’t because of war or apocalyptic-stuff or (scientifically sound!) time-jumping and he is begging the universe with a plead in his heart and she is distraught (yet still strong) and somehow, through kisses and steamy more and hope and heaps and piles of true love, they manage to come out on the other side.

  I like a man in a kilt, especially if he looks like a Hemsworth, doesn’t matter, Liam or Chris.

  My couples so far include Beckett and Luna (from the trilogy, Luna’s Story). Who battle their fear to find each other during an apocalypse of rising waters. And, coming soon, Magnus and Kaitlyn (from the series Kaitlyn and the Highlander). Who find themselves traveling through time and space to be together.

  I write under two pen names, this one here, Diana Knightley, and another one, H. D. Knightley, where I write books for Young Adults. (They are still romantic and fun and sometimes steamy though, because love is grand at any age.)

  DianaKnightley.com

  Diana@dianaknightley.com

  Also by H. D. Knightley (My YA pen name)

  Bright (Book One of The Estelle Series)

  Beyond (Book Two of The Estelle Series)

  Belief (Book Three of The Estelle Series)

  Fly; The Light Princess Retold

  Violet’s Mountain

  Sid and Teddy