When I finally sat down to write the story, Torcuil just sort of flowed into place, fully formed. If you and other readers were affected by him, then I am most humbly grateful. My sixth grade teacher was the first person to tell me about silkies, and they caught my imagination then. I've read about them since, in books of Irish and Scottish legends and fairy tales. By the time I received the book in the mail, I'd already sent a proposal to my editor and she'd approved it.
Verity is a guide, but even guides have problems of their own.
She's very much grounded in the realities of her time and place. Indeed, the harsh reality of the ton's response when someone breaks the rules her mother has been forced on her. That loss and betrayal has led her to discover that if she is practical and efficient, people will need her. Being needed gives her a sense of stability and security, and satisfies her strong need to nurture. These are very powerful rewards.