Dear Reader,
Croeso! Welcome to this secret little section of my website. Please allow me to introduce you to the world of Tylluan, Mina’s fictional North Wales hometown. A place where the uncanny is normal, where both the priest and the local witch (Mina’s mum) protect the village—one with prayer, the other with ancient spell craft.
Below are some of the real places that inspired the village. Did you know that “tylluan” means “owl”? Scroll down to learn about the real inspiration behind this strange little village…
1. Cysgod Castle
Cysgod Castle was directly inspired by Gwrych Castle and Harlech Castle. Gwrych castle (meaning “hedged castle"), which is actually a Grade 1 listed country house, has recently found a little fame in being the filming location of “I’m a Celebrity… Get me Out of Here” season two. It’s sprawling site is ancient, but the “castle” itself was built in the 19th and 20th centuries, so is actually rather new. Harlech Castle is a gorgeous fortified castle build onto a rocky crag overlooking the Irish Sea. It was built in the 1200’s and has a long anf rich history. Both of these castles were instrumental in inspiring the location of the finale for THE MADNESS.
2. Tylluan Beach and Promenade
Tylluan’s beach and promenade was inspired by combination of Rhyl and Llandudno’s beach and promenade as well as Llanddwyn beach. I particularly loved writing some of the romantic encounters between Mina and her ex—now a delicious, brooding man who hasn’t quite forgiven her for leaving all those years ago and who carries scars she never expected. When you get to the skip-burning scene, know that it was inspired by a real bonfire in a real yellow skip — on bonfire night circa 2019.
“I’d been fifteen at the time. Jonathan, at seventeen, was loud, confident, the leader of the lads. He was rich off the farmland his tad owned, but didn’t rub it in anyone’s face. Instead, he’d forked out for hot chips from the beach café, bringing cones of them over to us where we’d loitered near the skip in which the bonfire blazed. One of his mates, Lee, carried a bag of Cokes, and the two of them had doled them out casually like it was nothing. On a frigid beach night, though, it was what made the gathering feel safe and prosperous. He’d made the gatherings feel safe and prosperous. In a village of nothing and nowhere, he’d made Tylluan beach feel like our secret. Our clubhouse, sans house.”
~ THE MADNESS by Dawn Kurtagich
3. The Club with No Name
The Club with No Name takes it’s name from a nightclub I went to with friends when I was sixteen (it was an underage admission night) in the Cambridgeshire city I went to school in. The club popped up briefly and was called… The Club with No Name. It had a very sad quasi mosh-pit, played death metal and pop songs, and is associated, for me, with memories of being hounded by a group of men on my way home. This is not an uncommon experience for young women, and Mina herself has found purpose in her career in helping women who have experienced trauma. I very much enjoyed giving Mina agency and self-empowerment in this novel—and I very much enjoyed exploring some of the oldest parts of London!
I hope you enjoyed getting a little peek into the world of THE MADNESS! The novel is released on August 27th and is available to pre-order now. The first edition of the book has stunning custom end-papers, so I recommend getting in there early. Also! If you do pre-order, keep those receipts… I’m cooking up a fun pre-order gift!
With love,
