Welcome back to book news today, I have another interview this one is with character Catriona from Remember My Royalty we discuss life in Scottland, living during the Texas Revolution and about her life.
[Start of image description for image above: a white rectangle at the top with the words “Interview with Remember My Royalty character Catriona McGregor”. Underneath is another white rectangle with the words “book news”. The photo is of a red and green tartan folded with the book Remember My Royalty at the back with a Scottish flag next to it and a model of a cannon and the Almo. At the front is two swords. End of image description.]
Arjaye-Rose: What was life like in Scotland?
Catronia: We were quite busy with our small farm. My brother tended the fields, and I kept the house. My sister helped me when she could, but as she is an invalid, she is not able to do much. When I had the housework finished, sometimes I would help my brother in the fields. I also tended our garden and went to market.
Arjaye-Rose: The farm sounds lovely, I also grew up on a farm. Why did your family have to leave Scotland?
Catronia: Many of the poorer folk are having to leave their homes right now for different reasons, and we were one of those families who had to leave. We thought outside of Scotland would be easier for us to live since we did not want to go to one of the cities like Perth or Edinburgh. We are not accustomed to city life, and farming is all we know.
Catronia: We were quite busy with our small farm. My brother tended the fields, and I kept the house. My sister helped me when she could, but as she is an invalid, she is not able to do much. When I had the housework finished, sometimes I would help my brother in the fields. I also tended our garden and went to market.
Arjaye-Rose: The farm sounds lovely, I also grew up on a farm. Why did your family have to leave Scotland?
Catronia: Many of the poorer folk are having to leave their homes right now for different reasons, and we were one of those families who had to leave. We thought outside of Scotland would be easier for us to live since we did not want to go to one of the cities like Perth or Edinburgh. We are not accustomed to city life, and farming is all we know.
Arjaye-Rose: I’m sorry to hear that many had to leave. Living in the city sure is different than farm life. One of your quotes is "my actions have brought more shame to the Mc Gregor name than his ever did", what do you feel you did that bought shame to your family?
Catronia: This is something I do not like talking about because I was very wrong in what I did and I hurt someone so very deeply. I was unwilling to forgive someone for what he had done, and I said many hurtful things to him.
Arjaye-Rose: I understand, we all make mistakes but can learn so much from them. Why did your family decide to move to Texas?
Catriona: Father’s brother had emigrated to America a few years before and had gone from there to Texas, so when we had to leave our home, we decided to join him.
Arjaye-Rose: That’s really good you could join him in Texas, I imagine it was quite hard. What was it like leaving the highlands of Scotland and moving to Texas?
Catronia: It was very hard leaving our home and the hills of the highlands. It was all we had ever known. And we had to leave behind the graves of our dear parents and baby brother. The sea voyage was also quite hard. I was seasick, and the food onboard ship was not good. When we arrived in Texas, I felt quite lonely knowing no one and being unsure how to find our uncle. But finally we did find him, and then it was as though we had a small part of home again. I did not know that frontier life would be so harsh, or that the way of living would be so primitive.
Catronia: It was very hard leaving our home and the hills of the highlands. It was all we had ever known. And we had to leave behind the graves of our dear parents and baby brother. The sea voyage was also quite hard. I was seasick, and the food onboard ship was not good. When we arrived in Texas, I felt quite lonely knowing no one and being unsure how to find our uncle. But finally we did find him, and then it was as though we had a small part of home again. I did not know that frontier life would be so harsh, or that the way of living would be so primitive.
[Start of image description: a photo of the book of Remember My Royalty standing at the back next to a cream jug with a band of stars and outlying of the Texas state. On the other side of the jug is a book called Scottish Higlanders and a Scottish flag next to it. In front of it is a red and green tartan a few badges and sword with its cover off and behind it. End of image description.]
Arjaye-Rose: I’m sorry to hear you lost your parents and had to leave their graves behind. Sea sickness is the worst, I hate it. What is your favourite part of nature or being outside?
Catronia: I enjoy working outdoors in the garden and listening to the cheery bird songs while I work. I now know most of the birds in these parts, but there are still a few that I am learning.
Arjaye-Rose: It’s so nice hearing the birds sing in the garden and also knowing their names. Do you enjoy your job as a housekeeper?
Catronia: I do. I have been keeping house since I was quite young, and I enjoy keeping things neat and tidy.
Arjaye-Rose: That’s really good you enjoy it and keeping things in order. What hobbies do you enjoy? Any handcrafts?
Catronia: I enjoy knitting and sewing as well as spinning wool into yarn on my drop spindle.
Arjaye-Rose: I also enjoy knitting, spinning sounds interesting, I’d like to give it a go sometime. What songs do you like to sing?
Catronia: I enjoy singings all the songs from the old country. Some of my favorites are “Will Ye No’ Come Back Again” and “All the Blue Bonnets Are Over the Border.”
Arjaye-Rose: Those songs sound really lovely. What is Texas like? I've never been there or to the USA.
Catronia: Texas is a very diverse place. Where we live is thickly wooded with pines, and it reminds me of our homeland. But farther west ’tis very different with cactus and mesquite and oaks that stay green in the winter. But every part of Texas I have been too has been quite hot, much hotter than it is back in Scotland.
Arjaye-Rose: Wow that sure is diverse, I’m glad the wooded pines remind you of home. What was it like living in/through the Texas Revolution?
Catronia: It was a very difficult and unsettled time. There was much fear and heartbreak since so many of our men were killed in the war. It was hard watching the men go off to fight, wondering if they would ever return. So many of them did not. But there were also joyous times, such as when we formally declared our independence from Mexico and when our army defeated the Mexican army at San Jacinto.
[Start of image description: a photo of the Almo in the background with the words “We are fighting for freedom, and men who fight for freedom will fight to the last. Remember My Royalty Hannah E. Griggs. At the bottom right corner is the book Remember My Royalty by Hannah E.Griggs. End of image description.]
Arjaye-Rose: It sounds very difficult and would have been hard seeing the men go off to war. What kinds of things did you do during the Texas Revolution?
Catronia: My sister and I were staying with a family during the war, which was difficult at times. I helped them with household tasks, as well as doing my own sewing and mending. We had some nice times as well, such as when my sister would read aloud to us while we worked.
Arjaye-Rose: Listening to your sister read while working sounds really good. What part of the story are you most excited for readers to read?
Catronia: I am most excited for them to get to read about my brother Hamish’s adventures during the war. He had a lot happen to him, and though he does not like talking about some of it, the stories need to be told.
Arjaye-Rose: I look forward to reading his story, wars are often hard for soldiers to talk about. Do you and your siblings have a close relationship?
Arjaye-Rose: It sounds very difficult and would have been hard seeing the men go off to war. What kinds of things did you do during the Texas Revolution?
Catronia: My sister and I were staying with a family during the war, which was difficult at times. I helped them with household tasks, as well as doing my own sewing and mending. We had some nice times as well, such as when my sister would read aloud to us while we worked.
Arjaye-Rose: Listening to your sister read while working sounds really good. What part of the story are you most excited for readers to read?
Catronia: I am most excited for them to get to read about my brother Hamish’s adventures during the war. He had a lot happen to him, and though he does not like talking about some of it, the stories need to be told.
Arjaye-Rose: I look forward to reading his story, wars are often hard for soldiers to talk about. Do you and your siblings have a close relationship?
Catronia: We do. It has been just the three of us for some time, so we have become quite close.
[Start of image description: a photo of the Almo which is a stone building with a stone path in front of it. End of image description.]
Arjaye-Rose: That is so good you are all close, Is it hard being the middle child?
Catronia: It is not particularly hard. I enjoy having Hamish to help make the important decisions, and I am always glad to look after my younger sister Ealasaid.
Arjaye-Rose: That’s really good Hamish helps you to make important decisions and I’m sure Ealasaid feels thankful that you help her. What is one thing most people don't know about you?
Catronia: I care deeply about things. But I am not very comfortable showing my feelings before others outside of my family.
Arjaye-Rose: That is quite interesting, thanks for sharing that with us. What is the most important thing to you?
Catronia: The most important thing to me is that I live my life in such a way that I do not tarnish the name that I bear and my father and mother’s memory. I do not always do this perfectly, but it is what I strive for.
[Start of image description: a pink and turquoise tartan background with the words “My race is royal. Moto of the Clan McGregor. But ye are a chosen generations, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9. Remember the people from whom you come. Scottish Proverb”. With the book Remember My Royalty at the bottom right corner. End of image description.]
Arjaye-Rose: That is such an important thing to live by and to hold dear to the memories of your parents. Is there anything else about you you'd like readers to know?
Catronia: I do not think so. This has been quite an interesting experience. Thank you for interviewing me!
Arjaye-Rose: That is such an important thing to live by and to hold dear to the memories of your parents. Is there anything else about you you'd like readers to know?
Catronia: I do not think so. This has been quite an interesting experience. Thank you for interviewing me!
Arjaye-Rose: Thanks for letting me interview you, I’ve enjoyed learning more about you and your life our chat today.
[Start of image description: a dark blue background with a white square with a dark blue border inside it is a black star at the top. Underneath is the book Remember My Royalty and the words “come and take it” underneath. At the bottom is the words “Now available for purchase! Hardback and paperback copies: Amazon dot com. Ebooks available on most Ebook websites. End of image description.]
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Thanks for reading our latest book news, keep a lookout for another interview coming soon with character Catriona from Remember My Royalty. Don’t forget to check out the book spotlight for Remember My Royalty and to order your copy.
[Start of image description: Arjaye-Rose’s signature with a blue feather floating in the air. Below is a meadow with yellow flowers with a log, on one of the branches is an owl below it is a hedgehog going into the log. Next to the log is basket of white yarn with a dandelion next to it. In the middle is a dandelion, two toadstools and a black cat running through the grass. End of image description.]
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