In a windswept Scottish village in 1815, a Romani storyteller faces a deadly curse and a hostile community. Can she save herself and her love from a genie’s wrath and the villagers’ hate?

Mairead has always longed for a home and a family. But when she marries Lachlan, a Scottish fisherman, she is met with suspicion and scorn by the people of Auchenmeall, who despise her Gypsy heritage and her stories. Her life becomes even more perilous when her husband pulls a bottle from the sea that contains a genie, who gives Mairead a year to choose her own death. As the genie’s curse looms over her, Mairead must also deal with accusations of witchcraft, betrayal, and murder, as well as the secrets and lies that threaten to tear her family apart.

A Gypsy’s Curse is a historical fiction novel with a twist of fairy tale and fantasy. It is inspired by the Scottish folktale The Fisherman and the Genie, and explores the themes of identity, prejudice, and destiny. If you enjoy stories of magic, romance, and mystery, you will love this book.

Emma won the silver medal in the Just Imagine Short Story Competition, for the Traveller’s Daughter (aka ‘casting a story to steal a husband’) an extract from this novel, during which local author Ethyl Smith said ‘it’s a tale full of whimsy and vivid description.’

Don’t miss this captivating and emotive story. Click the Read Now or Buy Now button to find out what happens to Mairead.

Reader recommendations:

‘I find your writing style rather unique and special, I’ve never really read anything like it. I also like the amount of vivid details you use since they helped me visualize your world. I really loved your world building and character-building skills, especially with Lisbeth and Abigail. This was a really good way to cover social issues such as women’s role in society. I think you try to cover slavery a little bit, but I’d like that to be touched on more. I commend you for making this seem like a realistic 1810s book with how society was back then.’
— Beta-reader @everything_writing Instagram

‘I like how you drew the fisherfolk village, it’s really vivid. I really like her voice. I like how she’s her own person, and that she’s not a pale imitation of a fantasied woman who only thinks about love and her man. […] ‘tis all the labels that bind women to roles and tiny boxes we want them to fit in. All the thing we have to go through, accept, and leave when we walk our path. Though none of them define us women, it’s the tools we have to navigate the world.’
— Beta-reader Jeanne ML, Goodreads

‘A re-imagining of the Scottish Folktale The Fisherman and the Genie is a remarkable achievement. Not only have you woven an intriguing story, but you’ve also told it in a “muddled up” language that rather than detracting from the narrative made it all the more authentic. Right from the beginning, I liked the voice and the feisty character of the protagonist was appealing.’
— Beta-reader Rod Raglin (author of The Rocker and the Bird Girl), Goodreads