A MEMBER of Musselburgh Art Club has turned her talents to writing to pen her first book.

Wendi Davidson is celebrating the publication of historical romance A Borders Ballad, which is described as “an epic tale set in the Border country between Scotland and England at the time of the Reivers”.

She explained: “[It is] woven into the turbulent saga are real historical events and characters. In the aftermath of the 1513 Battle of Flodden, Richard, a Scottish nobleman, is sent to Northumberland as a hostage to the peace negotiations while Alina goes to London to the court of the young Henry VIII.

“They fall in love but both are betrayed. When their fates eventually entwine they find themselves held hostage – to love.”

Wendi said: “The story isn’t simply a romance. There is a great deal of action in it, including betrayals, a tournament, two pursuits of Reivers, a kidnapping and a duel.

“I have also tried to give vivid descriptions of King Henry VIII’s court, Tudor buildings and life in general, as well as the way of life in the Anglo-Scottish Borders.

“While the main characters and their castles are fictional, many of the family connections and the other characters, places and events are historically real.”

Wendi, who lives near Pathhead, added: “There actually appear to be few romances set in this time and location. The majority of Scottish romances seem to be set in the Highlands and Border stories are more usually set in Elizabethan times, as that is infinitely easier to research.

“Stories set immediately after the Battle of Flodden are often more grim and dark than mine. Well, it was a difficult and brutal time and area in which to live. However, I have set out to make my story lighter and more entertaining.”

She added: “I think that this book would appeal, in particular, to the descendants of Scottish Border and Northumbrian immigrants in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.”

Wendi graduated in botany from the University of St Andrews and later studied botanical painting at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.

“I became fascinated in the history and culture of the Scottish Borders while working there as a tourism officer,” she said.

An avid reader, she added: “While working in the publicity department of The Scotsman in Edinburgh, I was involved in the launching of the Edinburgh Book Festival and the Edinburgh Folk Festival.”