Alexandra Kiley
What happens when an American travel consultant meets a charming Scottish local?
So begins Alexandra Kiley's debut novel, Kilt Trip. Based in Colorado, Kiley became a writer not long after becoming a mom.
“When my youngest turned one, I felt that phase of motherhood of wanting to reclaim a previous self or at least have something of my own that didn't revolve around nap schedules and diaper changes,” she shares with Celtic Life International via email.
A trip to Chicago with her own mother ignited a creative spark. The pair saw the stage musical Hamilton and Kiley left the theatre feeling moved. “I don't have the same ambitions to shape a nation or change the world or create an iconic musical, but I was absolutely inspired. I went home and decided ‘I'm going to write a book.'”
And write, she did. Since that initial draft, Kiley has learned “that writing 80,000 words does not a novel make.” The new scribe further explored writing as a craft, through classes and critique groups with her peers. Finding a community is what has helped her most as a blossoming novelist.
“Writing can be such a solitary experience and having people who understand the challenges is crucial. The writing community has been so supportive with many outstanding creators.”
Her stories are now structured in a more meticulous manner, making use of spreadsheets to ensure the plot is moving along. Along with story structure, Kiley explains that character and narrative are major factors in composing a good tale.
“Voice has a big role in the enjoyment of reading for me. I love stories where characters use words in a slightly unique way, or something is described in comparison to something that I would not have expected.”
Kiley's work and dedication has paid off - Kilt Trip was published on March 5. It tells the tale of Addie Macrae, a lonely travel consultant still grappling with the death of her mother a decade after the fact. At the behest of her boss, she travels to Scotland to help the struggling, family-owned tour company Heart of the Highlands. Soon after her arrival, Addie finds herself smitten with Logan Sutherland - only to find out that he is, in fact, the company owner's son. As the pair disagree about how to save Heart of the Highlands, their attraction to one another endures. Suffice to say that things get complicated. But that is only the beginning.
Although Kiley has mainly Irish and German heritage, Scotland is close to her heart. Kilt Trip was inspired by her year abroad at the University of Edinburgh.
“I got to do a lot of traveling while I was there. One of the trips was an overnight bus tour and we stopped at several places that I would never have been able to get to on my own or even known about. I hadn't considered writing a book back then, but the seeds were certainly planted.”
“Many of the places that she visited during that time are reflected in the novel.
Last summer, Kiley returned to Scotland and received proofs for the book's cover just before her trip.
“At the last minute, they had changed the castle on the cover from Edinburgh castle - which is more of a fortress - to Eilean Donan, which is a fairy tale castle, and happens to be the clan seat of the Macrae clan which is my main character's last name. I already had plans to visit, but it was so special to hold my book in front of the castle that is in the story and on the cover.”
So far, the response to Kilt Trip has been incredibly positive.
Kiley says that hearing from readers who have connected with the story is a reward all its own.
“People have been so supportive and generous with sharing their own stories. I love it when I get messages from people telling me how much they loved Addie or think that Logan is a great book boyfriend. The absolute best, however, has been when people say they were moved by Addie's journey through her grief or share stories of their moms or their own travels in Scotland.”
Fortunately for those whose hearts flutter for Scottish adventure, Kiley is currently working on Scot and Bothered, a book about Logan's brother, Jack.
“It is a dual-timeline, second-chance romance, full of adventure and pining…”