Scotland


<p>If <em>Wuthering Heights</em> has got you craving gothic narratives, you&#8217;ll love <em>The Brides</em>. The debut novel from Charlotte Cross takes you back into the shadowy world of Dracula – but this time, the women get to tell their side of the story. We caught up with her for a chat to get the skinny.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross.jpg" alt="Charlotte Cross" class="wp-image-3236" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Charlotte-Cross-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-was-novel-writing-always-the-dream">Was novel writing always the dream?</h3>



<p><em>The Brides</em> is actually my first completed novel. I’ve always been a huge reader – since I was tiny. I’m usually reading two or three books at once. I have an English degree, so literature has always been central to my life, but for a long time writing a novel felt like something other people did.</p>



<p>I tried things like NaNoWriMo a few times, but that intense pace never quite worked for me. I also experimented with a couple of short stories, thinking maybe that was the sensible place to start. But there are some incredible short story writers out there – and I’m not one of them. I wanted the space to really tell a story.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-made-you-put-pen-to-paper">What made you put pen to paper?</h3>



<p>In late 2019, my beloved grandmother passed away. It gave me one of those very clear, jolting moments: if this is something you’ve ever wanted to try, do it. Life is short. The pandemic compounded that feeling. I remember standing in my living room, looking at my bookcase, and thinking, why can’t I aim for that? Why can’t I write something that belongs there?</p>



<p>So I started in October 2019 and worked on <em>The Brides</em> all the way through the pandemic until I began sending it out.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-was-there-a-single-shiver-down-the-spine-moment-when-you-thought-this-is-the-book">Was there a single shiver-down-the-spine moment when you thought: this is the book?</h3>



<p>The spark of the novel came in Oxford. It was a rainy weekend – perfect bookshop weather – so I wandered into <strong><a href="https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blackwell&#8217;s</a></strong> and ended up in the literary theory section. I found a small book of essays about <em>Dracula</em>, and one question leapt out at me: why do the Brides of Dracula speak English?</p>



<p>I went back to my very battered <em>Dracula</em> and started rereading. It was one of those moments where an idea completely possesses you. Who were these women? How did they end up in the castle? Why were they speaking English?</p>



<p>At the time, I was living in Oxford near a former asylum – you could see the water tower from my window. I was reading on a dark October night, the tower looming outside and everything just clicked into place. The atmosphere, the history, the questions. I couldn’t not write it.</p>



<p>I always knew where the story was going. These women would end up in Dracula’s castle; they would become the Brides. But the shape of the book changed a lot over many drafts. I was lucky to have wonderful friends who read early versions and nudged me in better directions.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-deep-did-you-go-down-the-research-rabbit-hole">How deep did you go down the research rabbit hole?</h3>



<p>I’ve always loved 19th-century literature, so I had a strong sense of the tone of the period. But I did a huge amount of research to make the world feel authentic.</p>



<p>In Victorian novels, authors don’t necessarily describe clothing in detail because readers at the time simply knew what everyone was wearing. Modern readers don’t. So I found myself researching surprisingly specific things – like whether women wore gloves indoors or outdoors, because it mattered for a particular scene.</p>



<p>I also looked into trains, hypnosis and, more challengingly, Victorian approaches to mental health at the turn of the century. Some institutions were still using brutal methods, while others were pushing forward into more progressive treatments. It was fascinating and, at times, sobering.</p>



<p>When you’re asking readers to believe in the supernatural, you have to earn their trust in the real world first. If the historical setting feels solid, they’ll follow you into the darker, stranger elements.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-tempted-you-north-of-the-border">What tempted you north of the border?</h3>



<p>After the pandemic, my partner and I decided to make a lifestyle change and move to Scotland – something he’d always wanted to do. His industry is much bigger here, and we both had friends in the area, so it felt like a natural step.</p>



<p>We didn’t want to be too far from the Central Belt, so we’re close enough to <strong>Edinburgh</strong> and <strong>Glasgow</strong> for culture, travel and seeing friends, but we live in <strong>Kincardine</strong>, one of those beautiful little coastal villages that looks like it belongs on a postcard. It feels peaceful and tucked away, even though we’re well connected.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Wee-Bookshop-Dollar.jpg" alt="Wee Bookshop Dollar" class="wp-image-3237" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Wee-Bookshop-Dollar.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Wee-Bookshop-Dollar-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Wee-Bookshop-Dollar-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Wee-Bookshop-Dollar-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>When we first moved north, we spent a year in <strong>Dollar</strong> in Clackmannanshire. I said, slightly dramatically, “I need a bookshop!” And then, after we left, one opened. <a href="https://www.weebookshop.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>The Wee Bookshop</strong></a> in Dollar is now one of my favourite places – it has a café, sofas, a fire and the most gorgeous cakes from a local bakery. It’s exactly what you want a village bookshop to be.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-your-go-to-local-spots-when-you-re-off-the-clock">What are your go-to local spots when you’re off the clock?</h3>



<p>I feel incredibly lucky with what we have on our doorstep. One of my favourite things to do is walk down to the shore and look out across the Forth – the light changes constantly and it never looks the same twice. It’s the perfect place to clear your head if you’ve been stuck at a desk.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard.jpg" alt="Fork and Mustard" class="wp-image-3238" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/Fork-and-Mustard-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>If I’m meeting friends, we often head into <strong>Falkirk</strong> – there are some brilliant cafés there, including <strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/forkandmustardand4coowynd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fork and Mustard</a></strong> which has great vegan options (even though I’m not vegan myself). It’s relaxed, friendly and easy.</p>



<p>And being this close to <strong>Edinburgh</strong> and <strong>Glasgow</strong> is such a luxury. You can dip into city life – exhibitions, book events, theatre – and then come home to sea air and quiet streets. It really does feel like the best of both worlds.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-a-typical-writing-day-look-like">What does a typical writing day look like?</h3>



<p>I work part-time in science publishing and spend the rest of the week writing, which I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do.</p>



<p>When I was working full-time, I wrote between 7am and 7.25am every morning. I thought I was a morning writer. It turns out, I’m not. Now, I like a slower start – tea, a book, yoga, playing with my cats, chatting with my partner. Then I head into my home library (our former dining room, repurposed) and start properly in the late morning.</p>



<p>If I’m stuck, I’ll go for a walk down to the shore and look out across the Forth. It’s such a reset. Writing is cognitively demanding in a way that’s very different from office work. If something really isn’t working, I’ll even have a short nap. It sounds indulgent, but it genuinely helps.</p>



<p>I try not to write late into the evening. If I do, I can’t sleep – my brain won’t switch off – and the work I produce at that time isn’t as good anyway.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-you-working-on-next">What are you working on next?</h3>



<p>I’m currently working on my second novel. I can’t say too much, but in very broad terms it involves cursed archaeology, Vikings and female rage. It’s been great fun to dive into something new while still exploring the darker corners of history.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finally-your-best-advice-for-aspiring-writers">Finally – your best advice for aspiring writers?</h3>



<p>If there’s one thing I’d say to aspiring writers, it’s this: get your hopes up.</p>



<p>There’s a tendency to say, “Don’t get your hopes up,” as a form of self-protection. But I would never have managed this if I hadn’t let myself hope – really hope. If your goal is to be published, take it seriously. Work on your craft. Be open to criticism without taking knockbacks as a verdict on your worth. And allow yourself to believe it might happen.</p>



<p>There’s nothing wrong with writing as a hobby. But if you want more than that, dare to aim high. I stood in my living room and looked at my bookcase and thought, why not me? That moment of hope changed everything.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1529" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/The-Brides.jpg" alt="The Brides" class="wp-image-3240" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/The-Brides.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/The-Brides-196x300.jpg 196w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/The-Brides-670x1024.jpg 670w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/The-Brides-768x1174.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p><strong><em><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brides-Dracula-prequel-monstrous-ambition/dp/1035059266" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Brides</a></em>, published by Tor Nightfire is out in hardback on 19 March 2026,  £22.00</strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/muddy-meets-banjo-and-ro-beale/">Muddy Meets: Banjo and Ro</a></li>



<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat/whats-cooking-sarah-rankin/">What’s cooking: Sarah Rankin, chef and cookbook author</a></li>



<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/arts-culture/on-stage-this-month/">Curtain up! What’s on stage across Scotland this month</a></li>
</ul>


Muddy meets: Kincardine-based author Charlotte Cross

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