A SCOTTISH storyteller will be performing her novel, The Witches of Culross, this weekend for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival.

Rowan Morrison, a renowned Scottish Storyteller who gives voice to the accused witches of Scotland through her visceral tales of the burning times has written her latest novel based on the true story of a mother and daughter from Culross who were executed for witchcraft.

She said: "In Scotland, around four thousand people were accused of witchcraft during the Scottish witch trials.

"It is estimated that two-thirds of them were executed. Eighty-four per cent were women.

"Their stories of injustice were all but forgotten and remained the shame of our nation until Nicola Sturgeon made an apology on behalf of the Scottish government.

"In time, I hope there will be a historic legal pardon made in recognition of the legal killing for a crime that they did not commit.

"In terms of the Scottish witchcraft trials, there is little more than the ashes of bones recorded in dry academic textbooks and difficult-to-decipher records.

"Facts that allow the reader to keep the horrors of the persecution of women at arm's length. As a storyteller, I believe stories live on in hearts and minds.

"This was my rationale for the weaving of fact and fiction to create my book, which was inspired by the true story of a mother and daughter from Culross who were both executed for witchcraft in 17th Century Scotland."

The basis for her novel came from researching a sell-out collaborative performance at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival last year with the visual artist Karen Strang. 

She continued: "Turning the written, oral performance into a book required a leap of faith, but I believe that this true story of intergenerational witch persecution deserved to reach a wider audience.

"I made a promise to these daughters and sons of Scotland a long time ago that I would tell their stories. To me, this is the greatest act of remembrance."

Now, a year after the sell-out show that made this book possible, Rowan and Karen will come together once again for their show 'The Witches of Culross, Merk o' the De'il'. 

The show will detail the history of witches, their persecution and Culross. Due to the harrowing nature of the witch trials, this will be an adult-only performance.

The event will take place at The Stables in Culross from 2.30pm to 3.30pm on Sunday, October 29. 

For more information on Rowan and her storytelling, visit her website. 

Witches of Culross is available to purchase on Amazon.