Jacqueline

Francine Toon tells Wake Young about her awardwinning debut novel

“Pine tells the story of Niall and his 10-year-old daughter Lauren who take in a strange young woman they find standing at a passing place one Halloween night,” says Francine Toon, about the book which won her the Mcilvanney Prize in 2020.

Set in the fictional village of Clavanmore and the fictional town of Strath Horne, Francine describes it as “a darker reimagining of the lovely town of Dornoch”.

“The forest in Pine was inspired by the forest near my house, where I played as a child, like Lauren in the novel,” she adds.

Francine lived in Sutherland from age nine, then moved to Fife a few years later. She now lives in London and works in publishing.

So where did the idea for Pine come from? “Living near a large forest and all the local ghost stories that were told definitely played a part. I had an image of the wild landscape in Sutherland and a woman in a white dressing gown walking into it, having escaped from somewhere. I then wanted to write a mystery about who she was and why she was there.

“I have always written in one way or another. I remember when I was 10 being asked to go and read my stories to the primary ones, which I loved.

“At university in Edinburgh I was drawn to writing for my student paper. I submitted poems to magazines when I was in my mid-twenties. At every stage of the way, I lacked confidence about sharing my writing, which I think a lot of people feel. So my advice would be to go for it anyway – who knows where you’ll end up!”

Sound advice from someone who ended up winning the Mcilvanney Prize with her debut novel.

That, she says “felt absolutely incredible, emotional and completely unexpected”.

“So much of Pine is rooted in my general experience of growing up in Scotland. It felt amazing to be

acknowledged by such a prestigious prize specifically for Scottish writing.”

Francine wrote Pine over several years, while also having a full-time job.

She says: “It was a challenge, but I was determined to do it. When I first started writing, I was in a flat share and would spend late nights and weekends writing with my laptop balanced on my knees.

“Listening to music that made me think of the setting helped me get in the right headspace. I listened to everyone from Julie Fowlis to Runrig, to Idlewild to the Nine Inch Nails. My favourite album is Nirvana’s Unplugged In New York, and the song Where Did You Sleep Last Night? definitely inspired Pine.

“I also visited my old neighbours in the village in Sutherland to remind myself of the setting.

“I am currently working on another novel, that will also be set in Scotland and full of mystery and suspense, but this time inspired by the Fife coast, centred around a girl who has just finished high school.”

Pine is published by Black Swan Ireland, paperback priced £8.99, and is on audiobook at Amazon.

Francine Toon used Dornoch as her inspiration.