Claire R. McDougall was born in Edinburgh and raised primarily on the west coast of Scotland. She earned an M.A. from Edinburgh University and an M.Litt. from Oxford. After an early career as a newspaper columnist, she turned to fiction. Her books include Mrs. McPhealy’s American and Song of the Selkie. Her Veil of Time series includes three time-travel novels—Dunadd, Druid Hill, and Iona—all published by Sibylline Press.

Claire holds a black belt in karate and is a fierce supporter of Scottish independence. For the past thirty years, she has lived with her family in Aspen, Colorado.