Latest News
Event Date: March 22, 2026
Come help me celebrate Women’s History Month with a Tea Party at Wanderlust Book Lounge in Bothell, WA! Sunday, March 22, 2026 | 3-5pm | Tickets: $10 each.
February 1, 2026
For the month of February 2026 only, the ebook of Smoke on the Wind is reduced to only $1.99. Download your copy now before the price goes back up!
October 30, 2025
I had a fun conversation with Sarah at Golden State Media Concepts Book Review Podcast, which is out now! We chatted about my book, Smoke on the Wind, and so much more. Listen HERE (Podcast). Watch and Listen HERE (YouTube).
September 30, 2025
Podcast lovers—I was a guest on History, Books & Wine! “Echoes Across the Highlands: Talking Smoke on the Wind with Kelli Estes” is out now! I had the absolute pleasure of joining Eliza Knight on her History, Books & Wine Podcast. We chatted about my book, Smoke on the Wind. Check it out HERE!
New Event Added in Nordland, WA!
Event Date: November 8, 2025
See my Events Page for details. Join me for a discussion and signing of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk at the Nordland General Store on Marrowstone Island, WA. 2pm. Hope to see you there!
New Event Added in Kirkland, WA!
Event Date: November 9, 2025
See my Events Page for details. Bespoke tea flight and book signing with me and my good friend, author Hope White. 12-3pm. Hope to see you there!
New Event Added in Chelan, WA!
Event Date: October 4, 2025
See my Events Page for details. 9am book signing followed by a discussion at 10am. Hope to see you there!
September 11, 2025
Huge thanks to my friend, Christina Boyd, for this lovely review! Read it here.
August 26, 2025
This was a fun interview with Megan of Cantina Book Club Podcast. Listen to it HERE!
August 15, 2025
This is a fantastic list of books that fans of Outlander would enjoy, and I’m thrilled to be included! Check it out at SheReads.com HERE!
August 4, 2025
The Historical Novel Society says about Smoke on the Wind: “The narrative is so vivid in its descriptions of the landscapes of today and yesterday that readers can almost see the switchbacks and steep incline of Devil’s Staircase or feel the burn of a broken foot blister. Readers also share the women’s deep emotions—regret over past wrongs and fears of an uncertain future…the journey is deeply moving as the women find their own way by helping one another.” – Historical Novels Society. Read the full review HERE.
July 25, 2025
Check out this recipe for Fish Finger Sandwiches inspired by Smoke on the Wind and created by CJ at A Well-Read Tart! Yum!
July 22, 2025
This is one of my favorite reviews of Smoke on the Wind. The reader, CJ from A Well-Read Tart, truly connected with many aspects of the story and recommends the book which, of course, makes my day! Read the full review HERE. Stay tuned for a recipe inspired by the book to be posted soon!
July 20, 2025
Many thanks to the Cantina Book Review for this lovely review of Smoke on the Wind. Read the full review HERE.
July 10, 2025
As is clear to readers, my current obsession is Scotland and the Scottish Gaelic language. While writing Smoke on the Wind, I worried that I was overdoing it and readers would be either overwhelmed or bored by all that I was cramming into the story. In this article posted on She Writes, I talk about finding the right balance. Read the article HERE.
July 8, 2025
I had the honor of being interviewed by Rita Vanacore with Planet Seniors at Radio Kingston (NY) about my books, how I became a writer, how long it took to get published, and more. It was a fun interview. Watch a video of the interview here, or Listen to the interview here.
July 2, 2025
Chick Lit Central had this to say about Smoke on the Wind: “The amount of love and emotion that Estes tells these two stories with is unmatched. I find myself still thinking about their journeys and know that I will for some time. This is a beautiful book, and you will be grateful for having had the honor of reading it.” Read the full review here.
July 1, 2025
The Italian edition of my first novel, The Girl Who Wrote in Silk is published today! Isn’t the cover gorgeous?! Find it at Italian bookstores, on Amazon.IT (Italian Amazon) here, or Amazon.com here.
June 30, 2025
In this article on Women Writers, Women’s Books, I “interview” my character Keaka Denney as we “walk” together on the West Highland Way. I hope you enjoy reading this because it was a lot of fun to write! Read the full article here.
June 27, 2025
This was a fun Q&A with author, editor, and blogger Deborah Kalb We discussed, among other things, what surprised me in the research. You can read the interview here.
June 26, 2025
This article for Fresh Fiction was so fun to write! I stepped into the point-of-view of my present-day storyline’s protagonist, Keaka Denney, and wrote a scene as though we bumped into her on day four of her hike. Keaka tells us all about the trail, what they’ve seen and what she’s looking forward to in coming days, with photos! Read the article here.
June 26, 2025
I was thrilled to be invited to share the inspiration behind Smoke on the Wind with the Scalzi Whatever Blog. I dug into the slightly-paranormal aspects of the connections between the two timelines. I hope you enjoy this peek into my process! You can read the article here.
June 24, 2025
It’s no secret that I love books and I love walking so there’s nothing I love more than books about walking! In this article for BookTrib., I share five of the books that made me fall in love with walking and that influenced my novel Smoke on the Wind. Please read the article here, and check out these amazing books!
June 24, 2025
The Smoke on the Wind audiobook has two amazing narrators. The historical storyline (Sorcha’s story) is narrated by the talented Linda MacLeod. In Gaelic her name is Linda NicLeòid. Linda is from North Uist, although she’s now been living in Glasgow for just as many years. Gaelic was her first language, and she graduated from the University of Glasgow many years ago with an MA honours degree in Gaelic & then an MPhil in Gaelic too. Today Linda works part-time as a presenter on CBeebies ALBA and the rest of her freelance work is divided between different Gaelic projects. On a personal note, I got the honor of meeting Linda at Fèis Seattle 2024. She is such a delight and I know you’ll love her voice. You can learn more about her on her YouTube page here or on her Instagram page here.
June 24, 2025
The Smoke on the Wind audiobook has two amazing narrators. The present-day storyline (Keaka’s story) is narrated by the talented Finlay Stevenson. Finlay is a classically trained actor/singer and a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and the Actors Equity Association, with more than 20 years of professional experience from Shakespeare and Shaw to Stoppard and Sondheim. Learn more about Finlay here.
June 24, 2025
June 24, 2025
This was a fun Q&A with Writer’s Digest where I talk about the writing of Smoke on the Wind. Click here to read the article.
June 17, 2025
Read my article on Scotland’s West Highland Way at Trip Fiction where I talk about the long-distance hiking trail that is the setting of Smoke on the Wind. There are also photos from the Way, including one of my son and I at Dun Deardail. Click here to read the article.
June 8, 2025
I had a lot of fun chatting about Smoke on the Wind with host Colin Mustful at History Through Fiction and three other authors about their latest historical novels. Those authors included Susan Wiggs (Wayward Girls), Kristina McMorris (The Girls of Good Fortune), and Hazel Gaynor (Before Dorothy). You can watch this discussion now on YouTube.
June 6, 2025
The Nerd Daily website has shared an excerpt from Smoke on the Wind. Find it here.
June 1, 2025
Here’s what the Midwest Book Review thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you!
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author Kelley McNeil thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Kelley!
“Poignant and beautifully crafted, Smoke on the Wind shimmers with the misty allure of the Scottish Highlands and the invisible threads that bind us across time. With rich emotional texture and a haunting sense of place, this evocative novel captures both the tender ache and quiet strength of motherhood with stunning clarity and deep heart.” – Kelley McNeil, author of A Day Like This and Mayluna
June 1, 2025
Here’s what hiking-based travel expert and author Cassandra Overby thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Cass!
“When preparing to walk a multi-day trail, there’s nothing more enjoyable than immersing yourself in a good story about it. “Smoke on the Wind” is just that for Scotland’s West Highland Way. Through the interweaving stories of two families that hike it centuries apart—and the mystery that connects them—you gain not only an appreciation of the culture and history of the Highlands, you come to anticipate your own experience on the trail that much more.”– Cassandra Overby, hiking-based travel expert and author of Explore Europe on Foot
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author Elizabeth Boyle thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Elizabeth!
“Kelli Estes breathes life and wonder into her stories of loss and redemption. Beautifully evocative, Smoke on the Wind is a love letter to mothers across time, a journey both emotional and touching.” – Elizabeth Boyle, NY Times bestselling author of O Little Town of Bethlehem
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author and screenwriter Pat White thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Pat!
“Suspenseful and beautifully written, I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see how these determined women would navigate their challenging circumstances and find peace within their own hearts.” – Pat White, award-winning author and screenwriter.
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author Carla Crujido thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Carla!
“Estes is a masterful researcher and storyteller andSmoke on the Wind is a beautiful marriage of her talents. The reader will come away with a keen understanding of the historic Highland Clearances and will feel like they, too, are on the trail with Estes’s characters, both past and present. Smoke on the Wind is a must read for those who love Scotland, historical fiction, and novels about mothers and sons.” – Carla Crujido, author of The Strange Beautiful
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author Laurie London thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Laurie!
“Heart-wrenching, heart-pounding and utterly engaging, Kelli Estes’s novel Smoke on the Wind tells the story of two women of indomitable spirit, separated by centuries, who share a similar journey of love, loss, rediscovery, forgiveness, and what it means to be a mother. I absolutely loved it! A perfect book club pick!” – Laurie London, bestselling author of the Sweetblood and Iron Portal series
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author Julie Carrick Dalton thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Julie!
“In Smoke on the Wind, Kelli Estes weaves a powerful story about two mothers emboldened by bone-deep love who travel the same road centuries apart only to find each other, impossibly, in their hours of need. Leaning into the sweeping Scottish landscape, Estes calls on the stone and fields and heather to conjure the mysticism of love and determination in their purest forms in this beautifully rendered, breathlessly propulsive novel.” – Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper.
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author Susan Wiggs thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Susan!
“A captivating time-slip novel that masterfully intertwines two mothers’ journeys across centuries in Scotland’s breathtaking highlands. Kelli Estes creates richly drawn characters whose maternal devotion transcends time itself. With its balance of historical detail, supernatural elements, and emotional depth, this unputdownable story explores the extraordinary lengths mothers will go to protect their children. A haunting, beautiful read that lingers long after the final page.” – Susan Wiggs, NY Times bestselling author of The Wayward Girls.
June 1, 2025
Here’s what author Ashley Sweeney Author thought about SMOKE ON THE WIND. Thank you, Ashley!
“In this compelling dual narrative set two centuries apart along the West Highland Way in Scotland, award-winning author Kelli Estes bends reality to create a believable connection between two female protagonists as they protect their sons from past trauma and share the searing pain of letting them go. Readers are left wondering how thin the scrim between past and present might be — and reminds us to look both for signs from the past and from the natural world to propel us toward the future. A well-researched and highly immersive read from an accomplished author of historical fiction.” – Ashley E. Sweeney, author of The Irish Girl
Saturday, June 28, 2025: 6-8pm (PST)
14200 NE 145th St, Unit C, Woodinville, WA 98072
You are invited to the Smoke on the Wind book launch party at Long Shadows Winery in Woodinville, WA. Delicious wine (Kelli’s favorite) and snacks will be available for purchase, Brick & Mortar Books in Redmond will be on hand selling books, Kelli will be signing and talking about the inspiration behind the book. There will be games, giveaways, fun, and the best part…Scottish fiddle and bagpipes! Get your tickets at the following link – they are FREE! More info and tickets HERE: https://longshadows.com/events/smoke-on-the-wind-launch-party
March 16, 2025
June 2025: Kelli Estes, Smoke on the Wind, Lake Union (present day and 1801; in the Scottish Highlands, two devoted mothers separated by centuries discover a haunting connection)
Website Redesign Launched!
March 9, 2025
Help me celebrate the redesign of my website! If you notice any broken links or other issues, please let me know right away.
New novel: Smoke on the Wind
March 2, 2025
My newest novel will hit shelves on June 24, 2025. Pre-order today so it hits your mailbox or Kindle on pub day!
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