Highlands scribe connects the dots between Nova Scotia and Scotland

Angus MacDonald will be hosting a special book launch and reading of his new novel, ‘The Secret of Ardnish’ at the Royal Canadian Legion on Hillcrest Street on June 29

CITYnews halifax \ Steve Gow

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Angus MacDonald has more than just his birth name in common with Nova Scotia.

In addition to coincidentally sharing his name with the former premier honoured in title to Halifax’s Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, the bestselling Scottish author discovered another deep personal connection with the province.

More than three decades ago, MacDonald’s father uncovered surprising ancestral connections to former family members who moved to Nova Scotia as early as the late 1800s.

Ever since, the one-time army officer-turned-author and entrepreneur has been fascinated with the ties between Nova Scotia and his home in the Scottish Highlands.

“I wanted to capture the oral history of the Highlands from my father because basically as computers and TV have taken over, these stories are in danger of getting lost,” says MacDonald, who credits his father with largely keeping the family history from being lost.

“I think there’s a very strong connection between the Highlands and the Maritimes, and I think they share a lot of the same character traits of (being) compassionate, and warm, and welcoming people.”

Inspired by his Nova Scotian ancestors, MacDonald began taking down notes and designing narratives based on the tales he would hear about his family’s connections to the past. Eventually, he realized he had the makings of a bestselling book.

“It became clear that the best way of preserving these stories and getting them out there was through a novel and coming up with fictional characters,” says MacDonald. “(And) the stories come out there.”

Centred around several generations of the Gillies’ fictional family, MacDonald has created a popular quartet of books entitled the Ardnish series.

Tied together by the Ardnish peninsula in the West Highlands of Scotland — near where MacDonald lives with his wife and four sons — the books’ poignantly portrayed narratives delve deep into historic and cultural accuracy, while delivering adventure and romance through their carefully crafted plotlines.

In his latest novel, The Secret of Ardnish, the story picks up in 2016 when protagonist Peter Angus Gillies receives a small inheritance along with a letter from his grandfather — a simple gesture that kickstarts a journey that takes him from his native Nova Scotia to Ardnish, the land of his forebears.

Once in the family’s former homeland, Gillies begins to explore the long-abandoned places where his ancestors planted their roots, and soon learns of a long lost, hidden treasure. With the assistance of a beautiful local girl, he sets out to uncover the fortune.

“As any reader of my book will know, there can’t be many people who are as interested in the heritage or shared heritage as I am,” says MacDonald about crafting narratives around the close connection between Nova Scotia and Scottish Highlands.

As noted in the book’s press release, “many of those who emigrated from the Arisaig area of Lochaber went to settle in Arisaig, Nova Scotia, (and) the folk from Brae Roy went to Inverness County, Cape Breton, taking their courteous ways, music and Gaelic language with them.”

MacDonald’s interest in preserving culture and heritage does not end with his familial ancestors either. Following a successful career building companies in publishing, renewable energy and education, the Ardnish author also recently opened a book shop and The Highland Cinema, which is built on the former site of a town hall and preserves traditional style Highland architecture.

“I opened the cinema 15 months ago,” notes MacDonald, adding that he was motivated after reading an article about how to revitalize market towns as retail begins to vacate. “It has a hundred-seat restaurant inside and a two-screen cinema and it is absolutely stunning (and) it’s really made a big difference in the town.”

Now taking a break from other entrepreneurial adventures, MacDonald will be coming to Nova Scotia for a special book launch and reading of The Secret of Ardnish on June 29 in Halifax.

People are invited to attend the free event at the Royal Canadian Legion on Hillcrest Street at 6:30 p.m., where MacDonald will present his latest addition to the Ardnish series.

“All of them are very different,” explains MacDonald about what to expect at the book launch. “I do read a section or two of the book but it’s mainly to give (people) a good time, and let them have a bit of a laugh, and to give them a bit of colour about the area which I’m from.”

For more information about The Secret of Ardnish, visit Angus MacDonald’s website.