Galashiels financial services worker turns author with her debut novel

Time wasn’t on Rachael Dytor’s side when the Galashiels mum set about writing her first novel.
Galashiels author Rachael Dytor. (Photo: BILL McBURNIE)Galashiels author Rachael Dytor. (Photo: BILL McBURNIE)
Galashiels author Rachael Dytor. (Photo: BILL McBURNIE)

Rachael was home-schooling her ten-year-old daughter Lucy, working in financial services with Lowland Financial in Galashiels and had just taken on a new puppy.But such was her determination she set aside time in the morning, before family stirred, to complete ‘It’s Time’, a dark mystery novel set on the Isle of Skye.

The work was inspired by a visit to the largest island in the Inner Hebrides.

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Rachael said: “It was before lockdown when we went on a family holiday to the Isle of Skye and I fell in love with the area. The theme of the book is quite dark but the actual place is quite dramatic and that combination inspired me and I really didn’t want to leave. A while afterwards I thought I’d like to do some writing and I decided to base it to the places I had been in Skye, although the Borders features in the book too because the main character lives in Galashiels.”

That main character, Thomas Taylor, is a man troubled by unresolved issues from his past, particularly an incident when he was 14 years-old on Skye. Someone from the past comes back into his life and he goes back to Skye to face his demons.

Rachael said: “There are quite a lot of mental health issues flagged up along the way as he comes to terms with problems he has had mentally. There’s quite a lot of twists and turns along the way. Things come out between the central characters that you wouldn’t expect. I have started working on a sequel from where I have left it. I did leave it on a cliff hanger for a follow-up.”

She added: “I have no background in writing. It was something I always wanted to do. I kept thinking there is never going to be a right time to do this and so I wrote the book when I was still working and home-schooling my daughter and we had just taken on a new puppy. Because I was really enjoying the process I just got into it and would set aside time first thing in the morning, before anyone got up in the house.”

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Rachael, 42, lives with husband Paul, daughter Lucy and stepchildren Kyle and Lauren. She added: “At the moment it is just a hobby but if the book takes off I would absolutely consider making it my career.” For more information go to rachaeldytor.com