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EXTRACT 1 from Ghost Dog of the Solway by Mary S. Moffat.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS. THE PRESENT TIME

Mr. Laidlaw The owner of the Kettleby Holiday Village.

Richard His eighteen year old son.

Jenny Pringle A widow who lives in a little cottage on the Solway shore. She has many friends and many interests. She is secretary of the local history society and she has joined the Golden Oldies Club at the new Kettleby Leisure Centre where she does swimming and aerobics. But she does wish that her London grandchildren would visit her, if only occasionally.

Kirsty Farquarson. Thirteen years old. Lives in Glasgow and spends an extended Christmas holiday with Jenny. Serious and studious. Hates living in a city. Her main interest in life is her little Yorkshire terrier, Filey.

Sylvia Bembridge Jenny's fourteen-year-old step granddaughter. A dancer and keep fit fanatic. Lives in London and loves city life. Comes to spend Christmas with Jenny and Kirsty. Is slightly apprehensive about a holiday in the country. Does not understand or know much about dogs, but little Filey soon does something about that.

Morna Morrison Lives alone in an old coastguard lookout station with six cats. Interested in physic phenomena and the paranormal. Also ghosts and UFO'S. Owns a very powerful telescope and observes the moon through it every clear night, hence her nickname Moonstruck Morna." Phones the police every now and then to tell them that a UFO has landed nearby. To help her in her study of local ghosts, she has become quite an accomplished amateur local historian.

Filey Kirsty's miniature Yorkshire terrier. Officially Filey Bay - but just called Filey for short. Since he is a YORKSHIRE terrier Kirsty decided she must have a Yorkshire name for him. Filey is a little mass of energy and character. Kirsty takes him to the local dog training class and is very proud of the fact that,although the smallest dog there, he is also the best.

VIKING TIMES

Ketil Woodchips Not a fighter or a warrior. A Norse farmer and trader. A woodcarver - hence his nickname - Woodchips.

Thora Ketil's adventurous little daughter. She would much rather be running along the beach looking for the ships than learning how to spin and weave.

Helga Ketil's wife. Very often cross with her little daughter. Likes early summer best. That is the time when Ketil, and most of the men in the community, sail south in the large trading knorr, leaving Helga in charge. Helga likes being in charge and being able to give all the orders.

Astrid the Wise One An old woman with a special reputation. She is said to have magical powers - a soothsayer.

Ragnar Quick Temper The leader of a band of outlaws.

Shield. A big, black dog. He was originally Ketil's hunting dog. He was then called Arrowspeed. When he became too old to hunt Ketil gave him a new task - and a new name - Thora's Shield, or just Shield for short. His new task was to stay with Thora and protect her. Shield is a dog with many talents - hunting dog, guardian dog and herding dog.

The Christian priest.

End of character notes.

Published by Castle of Dreams, 1997. Copyright Mary S. Moffat, 1997.

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