The Lark Journals

25th January 2012

2012-01-26T06:14:00.002-05:00

This is a special day. It's Robert Burns' birthday. All over the world people celebrate this wonderful poet with a special supper. The menu always has haggis, and there is a toast to this simple but delicious dish. Its wonderful when someone reads "An Address to the Haggis" in a rip roaring Scottish accent. There are lots of other things to eat too and last but not least, there is the Immortal Memory, where someone will talk about Robert Burns.
This is my first year without a Burns supper to go to. Last year I went up to Scotland and stayed at a lovely hotel and enjoyed a Burns Supper and dance with lots of like-minded souls. It was wonderful. When John was here we used to have our own Burns Supper We had regular guests who came every year and we also invited two new people. These people only came once but it made each Burns Night different and special. I know that everyone enjoyed it.In our little house there was no room for "the dance" but there was lots of good, Scottish music and the food was wonderful, all prepared by John.
It was John's idea to have a Burns supper many, many years ago. He maintained that things went flat after Christmas. He loved Scottish dancing and used to be good at it too. His dad was in The Black Watch Scottish regiment, hence his love of all things Scottish. I had a closer connection to Scotland coming from a long line of MacLennan and MacDonald and McKechnie.
Burns deserves this remembrance, he was a brilliant poet, who can forget his wonderful poem A Man's a Man for All that which has such relevance today. He was a handsome devil too and a man for the lassies too. I visited his family home in Alloa what a tiny cottage it was and yet it is full of atmosphere. If you are ever visiting Scotland this is a place you should visit.
So for the sake of Auld Lang Syne have a toast to Rabbie Burns.He deserves his place in literature.

Review at Amazon

2012-01-12T08:26:00.003-05:00

I am conscious that I have not been keeping up with this blog.However, I was in Florida for Christmas and that is my good excuse. Basking in the warmth of that lovely Florida sun, but importantly, basking in the company of my family. The latter always the very best thing about my trip.

While I was away I was contacted by a reader who had read A Sprig of Broom and who had also been kind enough to put up a review on Amazon. Such a treat and one for which I am very grateful to AC and especially for the five stars. I thought I would share the review with you here.

In the meantime please let me with you all a very Happy New Year.

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE VERY BEST IN THAT GENRE !!!, December 29, 2011
By
AC - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Sprig Of Broom (Kindle Edition)
One more time Margaret Blake delivers a powerful tale full of danger at every corner. The action takes place at the end of the civil war between two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York; one of them won. Now is a time of reckoning, there will be no mercy for traitors. In these very uncertain times the life of a man means nothing, and the life of a woman even less.

This is the story of a noble young woman, Lady Cecily Hadfield, courageous, strong but also willful; who like many other women at that time is only a little pawn on a big chessboard, where no matter what happens, men always win. Power and greed is their creed. Caught in the world of political ambition and intrigue she tries desperately to navigate on troubled water.

The new king "gives" her to a Welsh barbarian, Thomas Cadwallader, and she can do nothing about it. She is utterly powerless and quite alone, no one will come to her rescue. The only thing she can do is to stay true to herself no matter what. She will have to be the wife of that man, there is no way out of it. He will own her body but he will never own her mind and her soul, never! She sees this new king and her new husband as murderers and usurpers, nothing more, nothing less.

Cecily and Thomas clash at first and this is an understatement. She taunted him each and every day tirelessly. I was not sure at the beginning if I was going to like her or not, but on the other hand I could understand why she acted this way. All I can say is that Thomas's tolerance to his wife was pretty high but only up to a point! Behind his cold demeanor Thomas is a good person but his pride is often a hindrance.

Page after page something happens, there is no rest. Each time Cecily says something outrageous to her husband, he reacts of course and it is an unending spiral opened to anything. Tension is very high!

Cecily will learn the hard way that willfulness is never a solution, on the contrary it can be extremely dangerous.

Margaret Blake created captivating characters. She has become an expert at mixing fiction with history, each time craftily balanced. This book is an action-packed plot full of twists and turns. What a wonderful book.

A Sprig of Broom

2011-12-01T05:38:00.002-05:00

I am happy to tell you that A Sprig of Broom is published today. Initially in e book form at www.whiskeycreekpress.com

I should be quaffing champagne or at the very least doing something really exciting, yet no, I am off to Pilates. I have to come back home later and do some cleaning, check if my laundry is dry enough to put away and, oh you know all those mundane tasks that we mortals have to do. I think I would rather be Cecily Hadfield, my heroine in A Sprig of Broom, she has the mercurial Lord of Llanaber to tame, or is it he that must tame her? To find the answer get hold of a copy of A Sprig of Broom, it will certainly while away a chilly December afternoon!

Guest Blogger Today - Welcome Pauline Holyoak

2011-11-23T05:04:00.003-05:00

Award – Winning, Canadian Author Pauline Holyoak
Merryweathger Lodge – Malevolent Spirit. Book 2 . A trilogy inspired by the authors own experiences at a remote little cottage near Stonehenge.

“This author paints each page with fantasy, colorful characters, and haunting events that would light up a movie screen.”

Thank you for inviting me to your blog, Margaret.

I grew in Southeast England, in a coal mining village lovingly nicknamed, “The place that time forgot.” Go to my website, click on ‘Articles’ and find out why. I immigrated to Canada when I was 21 in search of adventure and a new life. I currently live in Alberta with my sports crazy husband, adorable sheltie dog and cantankerous ginger cat. I am the proud mother of two grown children.
The first book in my Merryweather Lodge trilogy Merryweather Lodge – Ancient Revenge, was the Readers Favorite 2011 Silver Award Winner for paranormal fiction. I have also written two children’s books and had twenty five articles published.
I often get asked. “What inspired you to write this trilogy?”…
Every summer, when I was a child, we would visit my aunt and uncle at their quaint little cottage on Salisbury Plain. It was called Scotland Lodge and was situated not far from the historical Stonehenge. My uncle worked as a farm hand for the local squire. My aunt tended the manor house. It was there as I roamed free, deep within the English countryside, that I experienced joy, enchantment and some very strange and frightening occurrences. It was like a fairytale kingdom with a sinister twist. The memories of my summers at Scotland Lodge stayed with me, as a sort of nagging unsolved mystery all my life. A few years ago I revisited my childhood wonderland (the old place still emanates a strange and eerie essence) and was lead by some mysterious force into concocting this story and writing this trilogy. It is from my mystifying experiences at Scotland Lodge that this story has emerged.

Blurb: It’s Christmastime at Merryweather Lodge. Emily has returned to the old cottage from her home in Canada; after the untimely death of someone she loved. Will she be able to celebrate a traditional English Christmas in her aunts enchanting little cottage or will she be tormented by the hideous creature, again? Was Emily’s attempt to banish her unearthly adversary successful? Will her aunt disclose the secrets she has been concealing for so many years? What will happen when Emily’s best friend comes to visit her? What secrets will she reveal? Will Emily ever get to make love to the man of her dreams? A chilling tale of love, passion, sorcery and sacrifice; laced with mystery and tied with humor.

Excerpt: I could hear the shrill sound of my mother’s disapproval as I closed my eyes, wrapped in the warm arms and sensual body of my very best friend.
Suddenly, I woke up to a strange sound, and darkness, total darkness. I listened intently, my gaze scouring the inky void, my heart picking up pace. It was a ghostly child’s voice, a repetitive menacing echo from far away. The voice came closer, its ominous words penetrating the darkness, ringing in my ears, pounding in my head; “Emily, Emily two by four. I saw you at the cellar door. I pushed you on the dirty floor and cut you with a chainsaw.” I recognized the unearthly voice.

Merryweather Lodge – A quaint little cottage, steeped in history, shrouded in secrets, its aura a paradoxical essence of heaven and hell. Come with me to the West Country in England and experience my protagonist’s strange and eerie journey there.
Merryweather Lodge – Ancient Revenge and Merryweather Lodge – Malevolent Spirit
Available at www.whiskeycreekpress.com – www.amazon.com – www.amazon.co.uk
Visit Pauline at her website www.paulineholyoak.com

Introducing Cara Cooper

2011-11-10T03:31:00.005-05:00

Welcome to Cara Cooper

Hi Cara, I remember when we first met at a pink castle in Scotland; both of us were attending a writing course. It proved to be a lot of fun, did you gain anything useful from it? That castle was SO romantic and the food delicious.

Hi I did gain lots from that course. As you recall it was about writing for Mills and Boon. Although I haven’t been successful with them yet, they really know how to give their readers what they want. Above all, that course explained to me how internal conflict which is the baggage that we carry around from our own personal histories helps to prevent us forming relationships sometimes with people who are perfect for us, our own personal heroes! Working through that baggage is the life blood of many romances.

Cara you explained internal conflict perfectly.
You write Pocket Novels, for those in the States who might not know what these are, could you tell us a little about them?

They are novellas, around half the size of a mainstream book so you can happily sit down and polish one in an afternoon over a cup of coffee and cake and get an instant romance fix. Some have elements of suspense – maybe a crime that has to be solved. Some are historical – the Regencies are very popular. They are sweet romances, stopping at the bedroom door but they still have passionate moments and the contemporary ones are about today’s women. In ‘Leaving Home,’ my heroine faced the challenge of planning a new life in New York but had to deal with the sudden arrival of her estranged sister’s baby as well as choose between two men vying for her affections. In ‘Tango at Midnight’, another heroine with her own cupcake company has a dark secret hidden for years which the hero threatens to uncover. Pocket novels are always feel good stories that give the reader an instant lift and which you could happily share with your mother, grandmother or teenage daughter. What’s more, they fit very nicely in a handbag for that long journey or morning at the beach. Many are now being published as e-books.

Writing Pocket Novels you have to be strict on the word count, do you plan your story within the time frame or do you have to cut, and then cut some more?

I think I’ve got it down to a fine art now having written six and with a seventh in the pipeline. I tend to be very strict with myself and keep the word count way down so that I can add if necessary. Adding I always find easier than taking elements away!

Funnily enough it is the reverse with me. I hate adding, much prefer taking away.
I know you sometimes write historical romance. Regency is very popular, why do you think that is? I write Medieval but the Regency period surpasses any other period in popularity.

You’re so right Margaret. I often visit relatives in Hampshire, very close to Jane Austen’s house. Even the buildings with their red brick and beautiful gardens ooze the charm of the Regency period. I think the popularity stems from the notion that it was a gentler time, a slower time but where people faced considerable challenges – women to make their mark in a male dominated world and men to fight for what they considered to be right. There is endless fascination too in thinking what a world would be like without cars, planes and computers – all the stresses and strains of the modern world can be lost in the fantasy of historical novels.

You are so right about stresses and strains. I find the mobile phone is something to struggle with in contemporary suspense novels. Makes it far harder than when writing an historical.
When did you first start to write – what was your inspiration to be a writer?

Gosh I don’t know, I just always have written. I think it really stems from a love of books and reading in general. I am never without a book in my handbag or a notebook to write down ideas, character traits or descriptions of settings. I was in St James’s Street the other day visiting the Carlton Club, a genuine gentleman’s club in the heart of London. The best bit though was the shops around it which were perfect for a historical setting. There was William Evans, ‘purveyors of country clothing, gun and rifle maker’ established in 1883, the club itself with its bootscraper at the door and even a man smoking a cigar on the pavement. I’d only have had to close my eyes and I would have been back in the past. I guess, to answer your question, London is a huge inspiration it’s so full of life and people there’s always something to write about.

You have such a busy life, a career, a husband and daughter, you are a prolific writer, how do you fit it all in?

I wait until they’ve all gone off to work and school and make sure I have nothing to do for an hour each day but write. Little and often is better than huge dollops of writing every now and then. You have to be disciplined and the writing muscle is one that has to be exercised regularly.

I do know that you met your husband while learning the tango. I think that SO romantic, was it really romantic? The Tango is the dance of love, meeting like this is straight out of a romantic novel, was it like that?

Amazingly, yes! Some of the music is wonderful and we have actually tango’d across St Mark’s Square in Venice in the rain - very badly, we’re not terribly good but the music was drifting out of a nearby hotel and we couldn’t resist it

How wonderful, that is real romance, Cara, you lucky lady.
I believe you are setting up a blog, perhaps you would like to give details here.

Yes, I have recently got together with other Pocket Novel writers to set up thepocketeers.blogspot.com we welcome all visitors and comments and have posted about anything from our favourite romantic heroes to where we get our ideas from.

What have you going at the moment?

At the moment I am busy with the third installment of a serial for the magazine People’s Friend set in Sorrento in Italy and am doing edits for a pocket novel with a desert island setting. It’s no surprise that it’s cold and rainy in London at the moment so I guess I am escaping to the sun! Thank you so much Margaret for the opportunity to appear here at the Lark Journals, it’s been a real privilege and I hope to welcome you to the Pocketeers blog soon.

Ah wonderful Sorrento, I went there too, such a romantic city. Thank you so much for being here today, have really enjoyed talking with you and wish you lots of luck with all your writing ventures.

www.caracoopers.blogspot.com

Charmed

2011-10-28T08:41:00.002-04:00

Are you like me, charmed by clouds? I can't ever walk anywhere without looking toward the sky. I'll admit, I don't always "see something" but I look. My sweet husband could always find something interesting in the sky. Me? I usually see clouds. Occasionally something more, but that happens so infrequently I don't have any high expectations.

Yesterday I saw a heart. I don't need to tell you how thrilled I was by the sight of it overhead. I just made my day!

What about you? See anything interesting in the clouds?

Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

A Sprig of Broom

2011-10-27T09:30:00.003-04:00

I just received a copy of the cover of my next book - it isn't out until December, but I could not resist sharing it. So beautiful and more than appropriate.

Jazzed

2011-10-21T08:22:00.005-04:00

Got an email last week from someone who read my latest short story available from The Wild Rose Press. Reservation Required is a short historical and I was tickled to hear this reader enjoyed it. I love hearing from readers, especially when they feel satisfied after reading something I have written.

Reservation Required is available here. I loved writing it, and I'm so glad it's getting a positive response!

Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

Romance...Everywhere

2011-10-14T07:04:00.000-04:00

Love is all around us. Even in the M&M bag. Yes, it's true. And I've got the evidence!

I hope you have a lovely, loving day. And a peaceful weekend!

Inspiration

2011-10-13T05:05:00.006-04:00

I was responding to an interview the other day. One of the questions asked whether any of my heroes was based on a famous person. Difficult

The only one I truly know is "Eden's Child" I did not actually knowingly base Nevis, my hero, on Hugh Jackman, but he shines through. If ever they did make a movie or tv drama he would be perfect.

Generally though my heroes live in my head. They are my perfect fantasy. They are never too good looking. I like my historical heroes to have flaws. Just as they have flaws in their personalities so they have flaws in their physical appearance. A tiny something just makes them less than perfect. Are there exceptions? Well yes two I can think of. One is Job Tepi in Breaking the Clouds, who is half Maori and terribly, breathtakingly handsome. The other is Ned, in my latest novel A Fatal Flaw. Ned is gorgeous. It would be very difficult to cast someone to play either to my entire satisfaction but I would take the money and run! (Well wouldn't you?).

2011-10-06T05:01:00.002-04:00

This is a picture of Glen Coe in Scotland. I guarantee that if you pass through this valley between these brooding hills you will feel something. No one can travel the Glen without experiencing a feeling of trepidation. Why? Of course it does have a beauty all its own but it is because of the tragedy that took place here. The ghosts of the victims still linger, even today.
I confess to having never been here till last week. I just thought I would find it incredibly sad, and I did. My great, great Grandmother was a MacDonald, why should that matter you ask, well let me tell you.

To reach Glen Coe you travel through the wilderness that is Rannoch Moor, beautiful but inhospitable. In 1692 the MacDonalds were lords of Glen Coe. In the aftermath of the "Glorious Revolution" when King William of Holland took the throne all Clansmen were ordered to take an oath of allegience to the new "foreign" king. MacDonald, unfortunately, was too late to take the oath.

Later a group of soldiers arrived at the Glen and were offered hospitality. On a snowy night they repaid the hospitality by slaughtering all they could. Men, women and children. Some fled only to die of exposure in the treacherous weather. Many blame the Clan Campbell and they were involved, but others were to. It is well worth googling The Massacre of Glen Coe to read all the details. I am sure you will be moved.

You experience, as you travel through the Glen this tremendous feeling of sadness.I can remember my Granny often telling me all about it. Now I have actually been there, I am not sure if I will go again...

From the Farm

2011-09-30T08:51:00.002-04:00

The last hoorah. That's what's happening with trees and flowers here in the northeast. Everything is vibrant. Colorful. Gorgeous. They all know we're at the corner between warm and chilly. They're giving their all, putting on a show and giving one last magical display before they settle in for a rest.

I'm inspired by this party. It reminds me that seasons change. Things flourish. Then rest. Then, without a doubt, they flourish again. Yes, I'm inspired. And grateful.

I hope your weekend is peaceful. And inspiring. And touched by a lovely flourish.

Change for Change Sake

2011-09-22T05:18:00.004-04:00

Do you notice how this happens. Facebook for instance has changed and everyone is up in arms about it, we were happy with what we had so why change it. I used to love my video, now that won't work because over here in England we have gone digital. It's supposed to work but it doesn't. Again change. And I am sorry but how efficient was video as opposed to dvd's where it's a devil of a job (for me anyway) to stop and get back to the place I was at before!

Some changes are good but only if they have a purpose. Take writing a book, you change quite a lot. You edit, you take out you put somewhere else. Like me you probably fell in love with someone and then decided you didn't like him at all! If you don't love him then you can't expect the reader to, that's my mantra. That's why I have a picture of A Saxon Tapestry, this was an old novel that I wrote years ago, it has been re-issued, there are some changes to update it but that's all. It was more tweaking than anything else. That to me is purposeful change, it's mucking about with stuff that is okay that really winds me up.

My washing machine has served me really well for more years than I care to remember. I dread it breaking down. I know I will have to get a new one, and friends tell me they just do not last like the old ones did. Gulp, replacing something after only five years (perhaps it's my age) but I hate that.

It's like favourite books, they go on forever don't they, they don't need changing, we want them just as we remember. I guess that's why I really liked the new Jane Eyre film. It fitted my imagine of the books. And don't get me started on the new Tinker, Tailor film because I could rave for weeks on how marvellous that is.

Change for change sake - that is the real problem. Are you listening you whizz kids at Facebook. Somehow I doubt it.

Visitor

2011-09-09T10:18:00.002-04:00

I have a lovely Japanese student staying with me at the moment. It is such fun learning from someone from a different culture. It had me thinking I have never written a novel with a setting in an Asian country. New Zealand, Australia, USA, Spain, Cyprus and Italy, are as far as I have gone. Odd too that when we watched some tv the words my guest recognised were those of cars and hi-fi's, like Nissen and Mitabushi! Anyway, I am having a really good time showing my guest around Fleetwood. I have to confess she is settling in far better than I would ever settle in a country so different from mine.

Of course it is so easy in the Antipodes and the USA because we have a common language (you notice I don't say we speak the same language, ha ha, sometimes it is possible to cause offence with different meanings for some English words!). France and Italy are different of course, but with enough familiar things for me to feel at home. I can manage a wee bit of French and Italian, although it is impossible for me to have a conversation in either language. Yet here is my guest, knowing some English, managing to make herself understood and with a little change of words here and there understanding me. What can I say? Vive la difference? Or should that be le?

Need to Know

2011-09-02T07:43:00.002-04:00

I'm going to admit something here. I'm one of those inquisitive people who, when confronted by something interesting but unknown, will research until I learn enough to satisfy my curiosity.

Every once in a while, though, I buck my instinctual trend. Every now and then...what, how and why don't matter. Not one bit.

See these amazing leaves? My sweet Vito planted a couple of these trees. I'm sure somewhere amongst his gardening notes, I'll find the name of the tree that produces such huge, beautiful leaves. But you know what? My usual inquisitiveness is hiding. For now, I'm just going to simply enjoy this beauty. I don't much care what it's called. How it grows. Why the leaves are so unusual. Forgive me, but I just don't give a fig.

Now, I'm enjoying. I thought you might, too.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend!

Tea with Irene

2011-08-26T07:30:00.003-04:00

Here on the east coast, we're scrambling to get set to host hurricane Irene. I'm pretty much set, so I think I'll do some baking. Just in case we lose power, you know? We've got a generator here at the farm but I won't use it for cooking or baking, so I figured I'd get busy in the kitchen this morning. If the hurricane blows over, I'll eat well. And if she comes to visit, I'll eat well. All good, right?

So, what's on your Friday to-do list?

Me? Baking bread. And soup. And canning tomatoes. And, making applesauce. Yes, it's busy at the farm.

Wishing you a peaceful day!

Applesauce Walnut Bread

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
3 T. milk
2 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
½ cup chopped walnuts

Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, sugar, vegetable oil, egg whites and milk. Mix until combined. Add remaining ingredients and mix, reserving the nuts for last. When the batter is thoroughly mixed, spread it evenly in the loaf pan.

Place pan in a pre-heated 350-degree oven and bake for 60-75 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center of loaf will come out clean when bread is done. Cool before cutting.

Eden's Child

2011-08-25T04:55:00.003-04:00

Last week I was writing about my Florida novels. This week it's the turn of Australia.

Eden's Child is set in Queensland but you also get a chance to visit the South of France. These are two of my favourite places. Writing can be such fun, you can sit in your study and imagine you are there! Wonderful.

I still like Eden's Child, I remember being so excited because I had been inspired to write about one of my favourite countries. I also like Maddie, my heroine, and let's face it Nevis, my hero, is to die for!

Maddie has lost her memory, she was attacked in London. When her identity is discovered, she finds she is married to a man who loathes her. She just can't reconcile being the selfish, spiteful girl she was. Who is this loathsome girl? Why was she so horrid to her husband, Nevis, when all the time she was in love with him? Who is at fault?

Happy reading!

Eden's Child,

No. 1 best seller available at:

Whiskey Creek Press, available in print, e-book and on kindle.

Midnight Reading

2011-08-19T07:23:00.006-04:00

Here on the farm, the days are jam-packed. Canning, freezing, harvesting, mowing, weeding, working on a new book... The hours fly by. Really. Jam-packed.

You'd think I'd fall into blissful, deep sleep at night, wouldn't you? It would be great if that was happening, but this journey I'm on has different plans for me. I twist. I turn. I'm aggravated by this new found insomnia.

Then, I rise. It's just past midnight, but rolling around alone in our bed just annoys me.

Insomnia has been my companion for months now. Every few nights I am just so bone-weary that I actually sleep. Until then, I've just got to deal with this.

But, the silver lining to last night's sleeplessness? It's got me smiling this morning, so rather than grump about tossing and turning, I'm going to share something lovely with you.

A few weeks ago, I was the lucky winner of a fabulous book at the Avalon authors blog. I left a comment and--lucky me!--won a copy of Sandra Carey Cody's new release, Left at Oz. I was tickled, and put the book on the coffee table in our family room.

Just past midnight, I picked it up. And, two cups of hot chocolate and a half-bag of cookies later, I closed the book. Just before sunrise. And, I'm still smiling because my sleepless night was a good one! Finally!

Left at Oz is part of Sandy's Jennie Connors Mystery Series. I haven't read any of the other books but it didn't matter at all that I hadn't "met" Jennie before. This book is so well written that it's great as a stand-alone.

I liked Jennie Connors from the first page. She amuses me because I can see myself doing some of the things she does! For instance, the book opens with a search for her stolen car. She's gotten a mysterious phone message and, like so many of us might do, she enlists the help of a good friend to follow the few clues she has. When her friend asks how Jennie's husband reacted to the news her car's missing, Jennie admits she didn't tell him. Don't you just love that? So real, because honestly, I'm not sure I'd be so quick to let on that my car turned up missing. You?

Left at Oz is a solid mystery, with enough clues to keep the reader turning the pages and such heart that it's almost impossible not to fall in love with the characters. I confess, I didn't solve the mystery. I had suspicions but when the truth came out I loved the twist. It, like the rest of the book, was a perfect fit.

So, my sleepless night turned out to be wonderfully entertaining. I hate it that I'm plagued by this insomnia, but I'm very grateful that there are authors who write books like Left at Oz--books that can capture my attention, soothe my heart and entertain me even in the long, dark hours when everyone else is soundly sleeping. Thanks, Sandy!

What about you? Have you read any fabulous books lately? I'm looking for a couple of new books to set on our coffee table. Any ideas?

Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

2011-08-18T04:51:00.002-04:00

Why do you write about Florida? That's what someone asked me the other day. They went on to say that I didn't live there so therefore could not know that much about it. Why do you write about anywhere, they could ask that too, couldn't they? Write about what you know, that's the mantra. But what does it mean?

It doesn't mean you can't write about somewhere you have never lived, what it does mean is make sure you know about the place. I don't confess to knowing all about Florida, but I know quite a lot about the area I visit. (Gulf coast for interested observers).

I've been there every season, spring, summer, fall and winter, so there! That's good because I know it can be cold first thing on a crisp, Christmas morning but it can heat up later in the day. Not to the soaring temperatures of mid-summer but certainly a lot more pleasant than England in darkest December. I know the food available as well as the restaurants. The flora and fauna my daughter in law taught me all about. And, if that is not enough, well I just love it and I like to think that comes through in my writing.
So, Missy, with your question, spoken I might add in a rather bossy tone, that's why I write about Florida. I just love Florida. But of course I was a lot more polite than that, or was I? Oops have I lost a reader?

2011-08-12T10:03:00.003-04:00

This week I have been oh so busy. Tuesday saw me go on a coach trip to the farthest reaches of the Yorkshire Dales, we visited a beautiful town called Bedale and went on a day trip to a stately home. Thorp Perrow. Doesn't the house look like it's stepped out of a Jane Austen novel. The delight was watching a Falconer at work, seeing Meerkats for the first time, and of course wandering in the beautiful grounds. The trees were magnificent, I wish I had taken more pictures.

Perhaps it was the day out but I was suddenly inspired to write a novel set in the North Country, I started with a tremulous heart but it's coming along nicely. I am not sure it will work out but I do hope it does. Meanwhile, I shall enjoy looking at the lovely house (it's not the one in my novel by the way) and gaining inspiration.

Wildness

2011-08-12T07:24:00.002-04:00

Welcome, friends! I hope this week's been good to you.

It's been a wild week in the world, hasn't it? I don't ususally discuss what's going on in the news but this week it seems impossible to ignore the craziness. Market madness, fleeing fugitives, cities burning... What gives? It all makes my head spin. What about you?

All I know for sure is I'm glad to be tucked away in the middle of nowhere. Peaceful. Quiet. And, the only chaos is what I create in my books. I like it that way.

The new book? Currently our sweet heroine is whipping up a batch of yummy goodness while the go-to guy contemplates his past. Neither is going to be on their own much longer. In a few pages sticky fingers will do some walking and the past will be put aside, the present much more insistently deserving attention...

How are you? Is all well in your corner of the world? I hope it is. And I hope you have a peaceful weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Good News

2011-08-09T08:54:00.003-04:00

Exciting news!

My Avalon Regency romance, The Christmas Bargain, is going to be released in large print by Thorndike Press. They're the world's leading publisher of large print books.

The large print volume has a different cover. I saw it for the first time yesterday. Honestly, I'm really thrilled by this turn of events. What a great surprise!

The link is here if you want to take a peek. So nice to get happy news.

Wishing you a peaceful day.

From the Garden

2011-08-05T06:57:00.003-04:00

Good morning from the farm. Oh my goodness, I've got a full day.

The gardens are popping. I've got peaches and tomatoes to can, pepper relish and pickles to make and the blueberries and blackberries just keep coming. It's fun, but the bumper crops are keeping me very busy.

So, I'll leave you with a few garden shots. I'm off to the kitchen.

Hope you have a peaceful day!

Then Came You

2011-08-01T08:05:00.000-04:00

Had my first outing yesterday in nearly ten weeks. After being sick for so long the energy envelope is slim so had to decide whether to go to the grocery or the library.

It was close but the need for food won out. But I happily discovered you can buy books at the grocery. Bought Jennifer Weiner's new book Then Came You. I generally get books from the library but this book was worth every penny -- a heart-warming book that spoke to our common humanity and expanded the sense of family.

Next I'm reading The Time Traveller's Wife. What's on your 'to be read' list?

Gardness Goodness

2011-07-29T07:26:00.003-04:00

Oh my goodness...the crops are coming in here on the farm. There are blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, potatoes, onions, peppers, tomatoes... You get the idea. A lot of picking and canning going on now!

We plant extra zucchini plants just so we can get the blossoms. They are abundant now. I've got great recipe to share, just in case they're available in your neighborhood (or backyard!) too.

Hope you enjoy the recipe. And have a peaceful Friday!

A favorite in our house!

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

zucchini blossoms
2 cups whole milk
4 Tablespoons
flour
An egg, lightly beaten
Salt
Olive oil for frying

Trim the stems of the zucchini blossoms, remove flower parts from inside the blossom and wash gently them gently. Pat them dry, using a delicate touch. Combine the milk, flour and egg.

Heat the oil in a deep pan.

Lightly salt the zucchini blossoms then dredge them in batter. Immediately drop them into the oil and fry them until golden. Drain on paper towels, then serve them hot.

Make more than you think you'll need. Believe me. Make more.

Introducing Beth Elliot

2011-07-28T03:43:00.002-04:00

Today I am so happy to introduce you all to Beth Elliott. Beth writes for Robert Hale Limited, London, who has also published some of my novels. Beth writes wonderful Regency novels and these are quite unusual – as you will find out.

Hi Beth, welcome to Larks Journals blogspot, would you like to tell us a little about yourself

Hello Margaret and thank you for inviting me. I like reading Larks Journals blogspot and am delighted to be your guest today. I was always fascinated by languages [my mother's mother spoke Welsh as her first language ] and I became a teacher of French and Italian. Working in France, I met my Turkish husband [who also spoke French and Italian]. We lived in Turkey for some years, so that was another language I had to learn.
We both liked writing stories and completed a historical tale together. That one never got anywhere but I was determined to get published, and suddenly thought up a Regency set adventure story, The Wild Card.

Beth, I am so amazed, and very impressed. As someone who struggles with learning a new language I am in awe of someone who speaks three!
You have written Regency novels with a Turkish setting, how did you research these novels?

We lived in the east of Turkey for five years. Life was more traditional there and my husband explained all the customs I found strange. For example, when you are introduced to an older person, you must kiss their hand and then place it against your forehead. And when a female relative got married, you bought her a gold bracelet. I loved the jeweller's shop windows with their glittering displays. In fact I enjoyed living there and still go for long holidays each year. Turkey has leapt into the modern world, so many old customs are disappearing fast. But I'm glad to say they maintain their delicious cuisine.

That s fascinating. I have never been to Turkey but I have seen the pictures you post, it looks so beautiful.
Why do you choose to write about the Regency, what is so fascinating about this period of history?

I loved Jane Austen from the first time I opened Pride and Prejudice. I used to imagine being one of the Bennett sisters. Then I discovered Georgette Heyer and the Regency world seemed so glamorous and full of possibilities for adventures. It's wonderful to write my own tales set in that era. And after setting stories in London, Bath and Brighton, I set one in Constantinople [Istanbul] and London. I got the idea after reading that Lord Byron visited Constantinople in 1810.

When did you first start writing, Beth?

As soon as I learnt to write! And it was nearly always about the distant past. I suppose my first stories were more or less copies of books I'd enjoyed. But I always won the prizes for essay writing at school, so there must have been a few original ideas in there.

How did you find your publisher?

Thanks to the Romantic Novelists Association. To join, you must send in a novel within a year. I completed The Wild Card and sent it to them for a critique. It came back with a note to send it to Robert Hale. Mr Hale took it at once and I'm very happy to say he has just published my fourth Regency tale, The Rake's Challenge.

Would you like to write about a “real” historical person and if so who?

I like to put real people in my stories - the Prince Regent appears in The Rake's Challenge and Sir Stratford Canning and Lady Hester Stanhope have big roles in the novel I'm currently writing. It adds some weight to the story to bring in real people but at the same time it's a challenge to keep them authentic. It would mean a change of era but I would like to portray King Charles II in a tale. He had such a difficult life and he showed so much tolerance. I admire him for that.

I rather like Charles the Second too, he is a fascinating, many faceted character.
When you are not writing what do you like to do

I read a lot and I love travelling. I also do metallic embroidery - stitching threads and beads to create pictures, and sometimes I sketch.

You obviously are very artistic. If you could be paid to go to any part of the world to write a novel, where would this be

I would love to travel the Silk Road and I'm sure I could think up a historical adventure to write using that setting.

I’m sure you could write a really good novel about the Silk Road,.What is your latest novel and what are you working on now?

The Rake's Challenge, set in Brighton, is just out. This is about a rake who is forced to become guardian to a young lady running away from home. I plan a sequel to it, as there are four friends, all devoted to Lord Byron's poetry. They need their tales as well. But currently I'm working on another story set in Constantinople in 1811. It has to be that year because that's when Lady Hester Stanhope stayed there - and quarrelled bitterly with Sir Stratford Canning. My hero is a diplomat, related to the Sultan. My heroine has ruined herself in English society and the hero assumes she is his for the taking. But from a very stormy beginning, they gradually learn to understand and respect each other. There are plenty of exotic episodes in this novel.

Thank you so much for being with us, Beth. It has been such an interesting visit and I do wish you well with all your books. I am sure you have many ideas bubbling away.

You can buy Beth’s books at :
www.halebooks.com
www.amazon.co.uk
www.amazon.com
www.waterstones.com

Never satisfied

2011-07-20T04:57:00.002-04:00

I am looking out on a grey gloomy day. We have had rain since Saturday. It's been chilly too. This is July! Yet on Wednesday I was out with one of my walking groups and the weather was perfect. Sunny, pleasantly warm, indeed a perfect day.

Just under a month ago I was in Florida where the temperature was 93/95. It was far too hot. You couldn't venture out (or rather I couldn't) after about 11.00 a.m. The sun was too intense. I don't know how people work outside in that heat but they do. Yet it was perfect at the beach, I could lie beneath an umberella and when the mood took me, dive into the warm, loving waters of the Gulf. Now sitting in a fleece I am making do. I guess that's what we do, make the best of it.

All this then has had me wondering if I am a whinger, too chilly here, too hot in the Florida. But then perhaps I am a perfectionist, wanting everything to be the best. No, looking at the dust on my filing cabinet, I guess I am not that either.

However, I can escape - I can dive into my new book - it's set on an island in Greece in the Spring. Perfect. I think I will go there, smell the flowers, and wander in a perfect garden beneath a benign sun.

Catch you later.

From the Farm

2011-07-15T07:40:00.003-04:00

Life here at Villa Leone is quiet. All about writing, reading, gardening, taking long walks, mowing, picking flowers, adjusting and staying connected with friends and family.

But there's something new going on, too. I'm cooking. Baking, too. Really. I'm starting to eat more than frozen dinners, which is a real big step forward.

When I was in Florida, my aunt (also a widow) gave me a few hints on cooking for one. She's a smart woman and I've taken her comments to heart. I think I needed someone to take me in their kitchen, fill me in on what works for her and what doesn't. She's been at this new lifestyle much longer than I have and, truly, she was a huge help.

Thanks, Aunt Maria!

I baked cookies last night. Not the ones above, because I dumped all of the cookies into the cookie jar (minus two--okay, four--"test" cookies) before taking a picture. So, they look like the cookies in the photo but they're not those. Confusing, I know, but very tasty!

Have I mentioned that there's a 20% off sale on everything in my Etsy shop? I'm starting to think about holiday stock so I'm trying to find new homes for what's there now. I hope you'll take a peek. Also, if you've got any holiday requests, please let me know. I've already got one order for Christmas ornaments, something that seems strange to contemplate while the weather is scorching. The order is welcome, for many reasons, but mostly because it helps keep my hands busy and my mind occupied. All good.

So, what's new with you? What's going on in your corner of the world?

I hope you have a peaceful weekend!

Welcome to Kathy Reinhart

2011-07-07T06:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome Kathy, I am so happy you agreed to be here today, tell me when did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t think I realized I ‘wanted’ to be a writer as much as one day I realized I ‘could’ be a writer. It was after reading a book by a very successful author whose style I don’t particularly care for. While reading it I remember thinking of the different ways I would have done it if I had been the one to write it. That doesn’t happen often, I usually enjoy a book as is, but that was how that particular book affected me. Shortly afterward I began submitting articles to Ezines and then wrote my first book, ‘Pretty Lies’, which I never submitted to anyone.

Your latest book sounds exciting where did you get the ideas?

Well, ‘Lily White Lies’ is about a woman of a certain age. She reaches a place in her life and suddenly finds herself looking back. She realizes that she’s been complacent in her life, afraid to ask questions when things around her didn’t seem right, ignoring the subtle signs of relationship in trouble and realizing that the only way to catch her dreams was to chase them. When I wrote it, I was in Meg’s shoes. I think I drew a lot from my own life experiences. Like Meg, I had to figure out if who I was, was who I wanted to be.

I think many women will identify with this theme. Your book Missouri in a Suitcase has a very different feel to it, you write about the relationship between a brother and a sister, how difficult was that?

Writing about the relationship between a brother and sister was different from what I have written in the past, but not necessarily difficult. What was challenging was the fact that ten-year-old Tommy doesn’t speak for three quarters of the book. Lizabeth, his sister, suddenly finds herself his legal guardian after tragedy strikes and reading the book takes you through her frustrations, the emotional ride that Tommy’s challenges take her on and ultimately, the bond between them that eventually brings him out of his hiding place. The interaction between them is quite emotional at times.

Do you do a lot of research?

I do now. I am going to admit a huge faux pas on my part and tell you that when I first began writing, it was mostly for online enthusiast publications, and mostly about horses and the like. That was how I got my feet wet and when I turned my hand over to novel writing, I paid little attention to the mechanics believing that all I had to do was put the story in my head on paper, spell it all correctly and make sure I used punctuation. That might be a little exaggerated, but at that time, I believed fiction covered ALL aspects of writing, not just the people, places and events. When I wrote ‘Missouri in a Suitcase’ I did not research the ‘police scenes’, the legal aspects of the story, relying more on what I had heard in the past or seen on t.v. Although people to this day tell me how much they love it, I think I could have made it better had I researched that area more. I don’t think it would have changed the overall feel of the story but it would have given a little more authenticity to that part, however small it was.

I think sometimes we can “over” research. I know I used to do that. If the story flows that is what is important, unless there is a silly mistake. If your readers believe it realistic then it is. What kind of things do you like to do when you are not wearing your writer’s hat?

Nick and I are big on day (long weekend) trips. We also have horses but due to the demands on our time recently, we don’t ride nearly as often as we once did. I love to cook, antique and relax by any body of water. There are a few big changes coming for us in the very near future so we’ll see where they take us.

Ah, you are going to keep us waiting to find out what those big changes are! You also advise writers – what was the best advice you had?

The advice I usually offer is to never stop learning. I don’t think it matters how successful you become, there is still room to learn. Trends change, reader’s expectations change and we all know how much the industry itself has changed and will continue to do so. I believe you have to stay ahead of it, know what is expected and what you can do to stay competitive in a very subjective market.

Kathy, you conduct a weekly interview blog called Ink Drop Interviews. What made you decide to do that and how has it been received?

I began Ink Drop Interviews about eight weeks ago. I guess my decision to do it was brought about by the ever-changing industry. There was a time when you wrote your book and once you signed your contract, the publisher did ‘most’ of the legwork -the marketing and promoting. Not to say that authors didn’t have obligation in it, but not the way they do now. To be a writer now is similar to a plate and stick-balancing act, spending time almost equally between writing and promoting, building a platform, networking and such. I know my blog only reaches a small audience, but it is my humble attempt to pay back what has been given to me. I discriminate against no one, I believe everyone has the right to be heard and that it is ultimately the reader who will decide whether they want to hear more from a particular author.

That sounds like a very useful blog. Thank you so much for being here; it’s been such a treat talking with you.

Lily White Lies on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lily-White-Lies-Kathy-Reinhart/dp/0971327882/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1309893698&sr=1-1

Lily White Lies for eReader on Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70125

Bossed

2011-07-01T05:38:00.002-04:00

I've never been a big television person. Really, I'm just not into it. Give me a good book or sweet movie any day of the week. But television shows? Nope.

But...

Lately I've found an exception to my no-tv rule.

It's one of those things that call to me, drawing me close and reeling me in hook, line and sinker.

What is it, this television show that's got me so captivated? Cake Boss. Really, I'm charmed by a show where a guy bakes cakes. Go figure!

Have you seen it?

What show, if any, makes your must-watch list? I'm open for new ideas.

Hope you have a peaceful Friday. Thanks for stopping by!

Progress

2011-06-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

I hope you're having a peaceful week. Here at Casa Leone, there's lots going on. Mowing, weeding, wood stacking, writing and even--surprise!--cooking. I know, I know, cooking doesn't seem like a big deal but believe me, my getting back into the kitchen is a huge accomplishment. My husband and I cooked together all the time, and now that he's gone the kitchen is just a sad place.

But it seems that with each passing day, the sadness dims a bit. Which is really good, considering I've been living on frozen dinners for weeks!

So, I ventured in with the pots and pans yesterday. The result? A comfort food dish. Nothing extraordinary. Just plain, old mac and cheese.

It was great! Who knows? Eating from-scratch food just might grow on me.

What about you? Any fun in the kitchen you'd care to share? Recipes? I'm open to suggestions!

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Bee-ing Busy

2011-06-10T19:31:00.003-04:00

Sharing some summer sweetness with you. I put a jar in my Etsy shop today, just to see how it goes. Maybe I'll get a nibble. Get it? A nibble?

Sorry! Bad jokes aside, I hope you've had a peaceful Friday.

Me? Busy here on the farm. Weeds to pull, jam to preserve, laundry to fold. Nothing earth-shattering or newsworthy, but enough to keep me moving. I did linger in the orchard, watching the bees buzzing amongst the fruit trees. Amazing!

Now I'm off to find a bowl of ice cream. A big bowl. Really big. With sprinkles, maybe. And whipped cream, definitely.

Wishing you a happy evening!

Sunny Florida

2011-06-09T07:52:00.002-04:00

I am basking in the sun here in sunny Florida. Florida has inspired two of my novels and might yet inspire even more!
We writers do know that all writing is eighty percent perspiration and twenty inspiration - or do we? Sometimes its hard to write a single word but you press on. At least that is my experience.
Inspiration plays a large part though, especially a location. But do you have to know it? Well you have to know how things work, what the climate is like.
I have written a couple of novels set in Spain, I've never been to Spain. That's going to remedied this year. However, I am worried will real Spain (which is where I'm going rather than coastal Spain) be a step into reality too far? Will I be disappointed. It can happen. I am just a tad afraid that what I will see will spoil my romantic view, ah well we will see.
But back to Florida - coming here every year I am quite at home. I know and love the countryside. I love the wildness. Not wild you say? Well no, not if you are visiting Orlando, but slip onto a back road, you will see wildness aplenty. Deer, foxes, wonderful birds. Oh yes, they are all here just a step or two away. Even where my son lives the deer creep out of the woods at night and eat the sweet grass on his lawn. They drink from the lake too, watchful of the alligator that lives there...oh yes, Florida has an abundance of wildlife. I might not have known this had I not been given the opportunity to come many times. Perhaps Spain will throw up some surprises too - I hope so!

From the Farm

2011-06-07T06:42:00.002-04:00

Busy days here on the farm. Canning. Flower planting. Watering. Weeding. Mowing. Weed pulling.

Also, butterfly watching.

What about you? What's going on in your corner of the world?

Strawberry Dreaming

2011-05-28T09:15:00.002-04:00

It's strawberry time here. The strawberry beds are filled with plump berries and I'm picking them faster than I can eat 'em.

I've decided to do what we have done in years past with this berry abundance. I'm going to make jam. My husband I and I always made jam together and while I know it won't be the same now I'm going to give it a go.

My feeling is the jam will be bittersweet this year. Still, I'm getting out my canning pots and sterilizing the jars. Move over berries, I'm coming in!

So, that's the plan for my Saturday. What about you? Anything up your sleeve?

Wecome to John Lindermuth

2011-05-26T04:43:00.002-04:00

I visisted with my friend and fellow writer, John Lindermuth, and he has an exciting new book out at the moment. It is a book that is different from his normal excellent thriller/historicals so I invited him to tell us all about it.

As the 19th century winds to a close, Sheriff Sylvester Tilghman of the small Pennsylvania town of Arahpot ponders his biggest problems: finding a new deputy and convincing his true love, Lydia, to marry him. But an early autumn day finds Arahpot’s usual tranquility shaken when a stranger is fatally stabbed.

Upon seeing the victim, Tilghman recalls witnessing a strained encounter between him and Valentine Deibert, an obese man with a wife half his age who had recently moved to Arahpot. The sheriff questions Deibert who denies knowing the victim.

Tilghman is unconvinced, but lacks a connection until the widow arrives in Arahpot. Suddenly Sylvester is plunged into investigating two murders. As he works through an abundance of motivated suspects, Tilghman finds himself in danger. And worse -- Lydia is pushing her obnoxious cousin as a candidate for deputy.

Review: (Use as much or little as you see fit, but please credit Doug)
***** J. R. Lindermuth’s Best Book Yet. Highly Recommended. Review by Douglas Quinn, The Webb Sawyer Mysteries, The Ellis Family Thrillers, Cornelius The Orphan, Historical Fiction/Adventure, and Children’s Chapter Books.http://www.douglasquinn.com).“I was weaned on the great fin de siécle 19th century mysteries of Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. Then Caleb Carr gave me the moody and exciting The Alienist and its sequel Angel of Darkness. All of these (even accounting for Sherlock Holmes forays into the moors and English countryside) were urban based. In contrast to the frenetic time-is-of-the-essence rush by these author’s protagonists to solve the crime, in Fallen From Grace, Lindermuth offers up a delicious, slow-paced murder mystery set in a small, rural Pennsylvania town called Arahpot.

“When the sheriff declares that the telegraph is the greatest invention ever for a sheriff, this gives you an idea of the pacing of the story. But this is a good thing, because it allows Lindermuth to spend time developing all of the interesting characters in this interesting and intriguing tale. What I enjoy about Lindermuth’s writing style is that he feels no need to spend time with detailed physical descriptions. Instead, as the characters are introduced and progress through the story, I had a perfect image in my mind of their physical appearance, who they were and what they were all about. This is the mark of an expert writer and I applaud Lindermuth for this skill.

“Sylvester Tilghman, Syl to his friends, is a bachelor who doesn’t do so well in the cooking-for-himself department and is always on the lookout for an invitation to a meal, be it breakfast lunch or dinner. His favorite targets are his girlfriend, Lydia, and her parents, and his neighbors, Dr. Mariner and his family. “That brings me to the other thing I like about Lindermuth’s writing, that being all the little side stories and character interactions he weaves throughout the tale, the most interesting being the relationship between Sylvester and Lydia. Lydia, who Sylvester wants to marry, clearly cares for him. However, she has been putting off his request for some time. The reader is left to speculate her reasons and, at the end of the book, while other town romances resolve themselves, he isn’t able to solve his dilemma with Lydia. During it all, Lydia is foisting her annoying cousin, Cyrus, upon Sylvester to fill a deputy sheriff’s position. There are other distractions, some related to the crimes, some not, that occupy Sylvester’s attention. These diversions add richness to the setting, the characters and the story.”

Buy links:
http://www.oaktreebooks.com/Shop%20OTP.htm

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161009011X/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0S00MQ9KF41Q6E6XHF25&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Fallen-from-Grace/John-Lindermuth/e/9781610090117/?itm=3&USRI=lindermuth
-----------------------------------------------------------
Fallen From Grace (March 2011), Wild Oak
Being Someone Else (July 2010), Whiskey Creek Press
http://jrlindermuth.com

Author Central

2011-05-25T09:28:00.002-04:00

I've been procrastinating on creating an author page at Amazon. But finally I did it and it was embarassingly easy.

Just go to Amazon Author Central and log in. You can use your existing password and then select the books that are yours and add a profile. Bingo it's done. I have a name that's not distinctive so it was good to pull my books together. Once I spoke at a workshop and the gentleman who introduced me read off all the books he thought I'd written -- a book on economics, a biography of a German philosopher. All books by Kathleen O'Connor but they aren't mine.

Here is my page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KCTKEO Have you created yours?

Sailing Away

2011-05-20T08:51:00.003-04:00

Says a lot, doesn't it? And believe me, these boots have gotten a workout this past month. By this afternoon they'll be sloshing through the yard again.

But yesterday...oh, yesterday...

Gorgeous. Sunny. Warm. A day to get outdoors and tramp around the property. A day to mow. To weed. To brush mow. A day so fabulous the only reason to come indoors was for bathroom breaks and quick fridge raids.

I don't know about you, but the lousy, wet weather has a rotten effect on my mood. Day after day of dark, dank, rainy hours. Blech! I know we can't have a rainbow without rain, but there's got to be a break somewhere.

Yesterday we got the break and I am so very grateful. I feel somewhat comforted by the blue sky and warm breezes. Hope comes on warm breezes, I think. And while today is forecast for afternoon rain, with more to come for the next six days, that glimmer of warmth and hope still lifts me up.

What about you? Does the weather bring you down? And, please, tell me how you manage to overcome the feeling. I'm in for another stretch of showers and storms and open to any suggestions for weathering the storm.

Hope you have a lovely weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Two Wolves Story

2011-05-18T08:11:00.002-04:00

I'm reading two books right now -- one a novel by Elizabeth Berg and the other an inspirational book by Rabbi Kushner. Both cite the famous two wolves story. So thought I'd share this Native-American parable.

A Cherokee Elder was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me... it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride and superiority.

The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old man simply replied, "The one you feed."

Smellavision

2011-05-15T09:07:00.004-04:00

Evidently Blogger had issues on Friday so I was, like countless others, unable to post or comment. Very frustrating!

Just thought I'd pop in on this rainy Sunday morning to share this sweet bunch of grape hyacinths with you. How I wish you could catch a whiff! They were amazing!

I hope you have a peaceful Sunday. Me? I'm going to do some weeding. Yes, in the rain. The weeds just pull right out when the soil is wet. Besides, it's only water and, believe me, I'm not so sweet I'll melt!

Thanks for stopping by!

Life was going so Well!

2011-05-12T08:41:00.000-04:00

Just when I thought life was almost perfect...

I finished my two outstanding novels. One a romantic suspense and the other a contemporary romance. Sent them off to the publisher, had them accepted. Already ideas were buzzing for another romance. As I said life was almost perfect...
Knowing I am prone to do silly things, tripping up a major thing I seem to be doing lately, I decided to have my bathroom re-jigged. A shower instead of a bath, you know the kind of thing.
The man came to start, I had forgotten the problems with going to the "comfort station!" Not being in the USA I have only the one. Got around that problem, I have great neighbours, phew that was a relief, in more ways than one. I hadn't realised how much I would actually miss my shower as well. Hadn't even considered the dust and muck (I wonder how much someone would charge to come clean my house after the plumber has gone?). But again a friend came up trumps offering me her shower whenever I want.
Ah well, as my mother would say, these things are sent to try us. I am getting there right, er wrong. Remember what I said about "tripping? and I don't mean tripping the light fantastic I mean tripping up and falling. Bang, down I went like a ton of spuds. Over on my ankle, which immediately came up like it was being inflated by a bike pump. The next day - ugh - forget it, ugly and painful. My friend's husband kindly took me to the hospital for an x-ray. The biggest fear was of course that just the day before I had booked my flight to the USA. Broken ankle, no way, and I hadn't even time to take out insurance.
I confess I could have cried (perhaps that really was me sniffling). The nurse said she thought it broken. How could this keep happening to me. I felt sorry for myself, don't mind admitting that.
But no, again as my Mother would have said, "God is good" just a painful, horrid sprain.
I can't think of tap dancing around my kitchen yet, or going for a long, lonesome walk at the beach, but I do know that, accidents, calamities, house falling down, me falling down again, I shall be taking the big bird to sunny Florida. I will be sitting at my computer till then working on my story and one day sooner than I hope, will be taking a long, hot shower in my super new bathroom, the decor of which will be so perfect, I think I will take up residence!
Thanks for listening!

Happy Wednesday

2011-05-11T09:25:00.003-04:00

Today I am tackling my mid-week 'to do' list. I need to create an author page at Amazon. I've needed to do this for awhile but a lovely review at www.readersfavorite.com got me motivated. Here is what they said about my novel, A Private Matter. "This book is filled with twists and turns, and is a very enjoyable classic suspense story."

So this encouragement has me tackling a job I've avoided for months. What's on your mid-week 'to do' list?

Week In Review

2011-05-06T08:24:00.003-04:00

Whew! We made it to Friday, didn't we? I've got to say, some weeks that feels like a huge accomplishment.

This has been one jam-packed week. A few highlights...

One day spent dodging raindrops while running errands. You'd be surprised by how drenched a body can get just going in and out of the car. But, banking, grocery shopping, posting, etc. all accomplished.

Spent all day yesterday doing yardwork. Wrangled with the pushmower for a bit, but the stubborn thing finally started so I mowed in the tight spots I can't possibly reach with the lawn tractor. Love it that things look less shaggy now!

Actually cooked a few times. Progress there, and I've got enough red rice and beans, beer bread and cranberry-chocolate clusters left over that I won't have to cook again for at least a day. Maybe two. No complaints there.

Am creeping along on the writing front. Really, creeping, trying to find my way in that part of my life. It feels different now but I'm working on getting used to it. On the whole, I'm pleased with the story I'm writing so that's an encouragement to keep going. Really, I want to see how it ends.

My biggie for this week? I learned how to change the oil in the lawn tractors! Yes, I did! I gave them a tip-to-ah, it's not toe, is it?-tail servicing and now know how the tractors operate. There's much more to it than just turning the key. Who knew?

So, what about you? How has your week gone? And have you any plans for today?

I'll be out in the yard again today. Working on weeding and mulching the blueberries. As I work, I write in my head so hopefully I'll get that story moving along.

I hope you have a peaceful day! Thanks for stopping by!

Certain Slant of Light

2011-05-04T08:39:00.002-04:00

A few months ago the winter sun cast this golden glow in my kitchen. I tried to capture the light with my new digital camera, but as you can see my efforts fell flat.

The whole experience reminded me of writing. There is the perfect novel in your mind and then there is the novel you actually write. The trick is rewriting and rewriting until you know the story is the best that it can be, but also accepting that it can't be perfect. I know a perfectionist who has been working on the same book for 23 years and I've read some big name writers (really big) who slap books out prematurely (they needed more work). The rest of us have to find that middle road.

This and That

2011-04-29T06:53:00.001-04:00

Between raindrops, I've been exploring the grounds. We missed last spring, so roaming around and rediscovering this and that warms my heart. I thought I'd share some of what's here with you. Ready?

I love daffodils. They make me smile, bobbing in the breeze.

They make me smile in the kitchen, too.

I wish you could smell these hyacinths. Heavenly!

A few weeks ago I cleaned all the birdhouses.

We have nesting going on in every one!

Pussywillows are attractive even after they've put their best face forward. And the tree grew so much since last year. It's huge!

This week when I'm not tramping about, I've been working on a new story. It feels good to write, especially surrounded by so many beautiful sights.

So tell me, what's going on with you?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a peaceful weekend.

Eden's Child

2011-04-28T05:28:00.003-04:00

I thought I would re-visit Eden's Child, which was a No. 1 best seller at Whiskey Creek Press.

This book was inspired by a back-packing trip that I took around Australia.

I always have had a thing for Australia, from being a little girl I wanted to go there. I read countless books about the country/Continent, and was enraptured. In fact whenever anyone wanted to know anything about Australia, friends would refer them to me. "She knows all about it," they would say.

Going there was a big thing. I hadn't flown for years and had developed a fear of flying but not being a multi-millionaire, I couldn't take the boat. Also I was going on my own, so that only added to my fear.

By the time I had boarded the plane from Singapore, having changed planes twice already, my fear of flying had disappeared. Flying around Australia also helped to show me I had nothing to be afraid about.

And the country of my dreams? Well it lived up to my expectations. It was everything I had thought about and dreamed about. I adored it. If I were younger I think I would go for it and live there but unfortunately I am too old now. Life works out in strange ways but you know what, Australia gave me the will to write again. I do believe that Eden's Child really shows my love for the country and its people. I hope you agree.

"Maddy has lost her memory, the more she finds out about herself the more she loathes herself. Her husband Nevis, handsome and wealthy, lets her know in no uncertain terms that he hates her - she can't blame him, yet she can't stem the feelings she as for him.
How could she have been so despicable to this man when all she longs for is to be in his arms.
Confused by who and what she she is, sometimes she thinks it would be better if she never remembered the past."

The novel is set in wonderful, magical North Queensland.

available from www. whiskeycreekpress and www.amazon and lots of other outlets.

Release Day

2011-04-25T08:22:00.003-04:00

Actually it's a re-release. Random House has re-released my 1989 novel, The Way it Happens in Novels. That year Publisher's Weekly called this book, "a romance leavened with wisdom." And over all these years I've continued to get fan mail so hope it has a new life on the Kindle and Nook.

HAPPY EASTER

2011-04-24T07:24:00.002-04:00

George

2011-04-22T09:46:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I spent some time with friends. One of the residents of the household is George, pictured above. He is adorable. You're probably wondering why I'm talking about a cat, aren't you? Stay with me, please. I do have a point.

George is adored by all, especially Aidan who technically "owns" George. If you ask him, he'll tell you George is "his" but I'm pretty convinced that George is all his own. He just lets the young man believe there's an ownership issue.

So why is George such a popular figure in this large family? How can such a small being hold such an esteemed place of honor?

It's easy to understand when you think about it. George has all the qualities we aspire to in ourselves and look to find in those we care about.

He's loyal. Ask Aidan, who finds George snuggling him in the night, keeping his "owner" safe, secure and warm.

George is smart. See the photo? The patch of sunlight was tempting but even more so when Maegan placed her computer case there. George hopped right onto it, recognizing he'd be both sunned and comfortably padded. Brilliant!

The furry one's greatest asset is his ability to love. He enthusiastically displays his affection--for everyone, not just Aidan. George loves, and is loved.

I could go on, but you get the idea. When I sat down to write this blog post I wondered what to share with you today. Then, it hit me. I'd share George. Why not spread the love around?

Spring in Florida

2011-04-21T11:11:00.005-04:00

We don't have daffodils or tulips, but here in Florida we have lots of blooms. Below is is the oleander bush in our front yard, and above some petunias that require constant watering.

And while Sarita shovels snow and Margaret hikes in cool weather, It's 90 and higher every day here -- way warmer than normal. Wouldn't it be nice to meet in the middle (some 70's perhaps)?

Taking a Plunge

2011-04-19T07:39:00.002-04:00

If you read this blog regularly, you'll know that I've been absent from The Lark Journals for over a year now. Thank goodness, Kathy and Margaret are still blogging regularly and have kept the journal alive while I was away. I am so grateful they did, very appreciative of their kindness and dedication. Also, for their unending support. You see, I have needed all of those items, things these amazing ladies have given so freely.

My brave husband recently lost his battle with a monstrous disease. He was courageous, valiant and loving throughout the ordeal but in the end we didn't have the outcome we all prayed so hard for. I hate it that such a good, kind, brilliant man has had his life cut horribly short. He was my best friend, the joy in my world, and I miss him more than I can begin to say.

So, now you know where I've been. But thanks to my fellow Larks, I've got a warm "nest" to return to, so I'm back. I won't try to pull the wool over your eyes. There have been moments these past weeks when I can barely think and am certain I have nothing to say to anyone. Still, there are hours, more as time passes, actually, when I feel somewhat like myself. So, a blogging I will go.

Thank you, Kathy and Margaret, for having me back. Thank you for keeping this place alive. Mostly, thank you for your friendship and support. I don't know what I'd do without you. You are the best.

It's beginning to look like spring here--finally!--on the farm. Vito's bees are waking up, there are buds on the fruit trees and the vineyard will soon begin to unfurl its slumbering leaves. Flowers will be blooming, baby birds will be taking their first tentative flights and warm breezes will caress my cheeks as I watch dragonflies' reflections on the pond. There will be peace.

I'm praying I will heal. I'm on this journey so unexpectedly it's difficult to know how the path will unfold. All I know is that I'm going to keep putting one foot before the other, and if you'd like to see how this goes I'm willing to share it with you. Honestly? I need the companionship, so please check back now and again. I'll give glimpses of life on this beautiful farm with you and perhaps we'll all be enriched by the experience. That's my hope, anyway.

Thank you for stopping by. Have a peaceful day. I know that's what I'm going to strive for!

Comfort Box

2011-04-16T07:21:00.002-04:00

When the blues strike, Sarah Ban Breathnach in Simple Abundance advises readers to have a comfort box tucked away. She suggested having good-quality chocolates, a paper back by your favorite author and some luxury soap or bubble bath tucked in it.

That wouldn't work for me. I would eat the chocolates immediately and tuck into the book at once. I might save the soap. So I have to think of some other cheering items. I like magazines and those I can save. A box of hot chocolate might last for awhile. I have movies that I am waiting to watch. But my favorite item is a brand new floral journal that I'll keep on hand with a pretty floral pen. When I need them, out they come to be used as a gratitude jourmal or a diary.

What would be in your comfort box?

His Other Wife

2011-04-14T05:41:00.004-04:00

It's amazing how things come around. A friend e-mailed to tell me that my novel His Other Wife, published in 2008, had snook into my publishers best seller list for April. I have no idea why, unless some wonderful people saw it at one of my talks and decided to purchase. Whatever happened, I am grateful and pleased. How wonderful.

I confess to actually liking this book myself. There is something about Saul that really turns me on! He has everything!

I am including a short extract - why not. Someone other than me likes this book, time to celebrate.

Extract from His Other Wife

Saul parked outside the house. It was a single storey home, detached with a small driveway. Neither small nor big but fairly average. The street had about ten houses of a similar size and structure but in the way of houses in New Zealand they were all slightly different.
The short driveway needed some attention. There was a mail box at the entrance, it was slightly askew but the name had long since become obscured. He went up the drive, then realised that there were two houses on the same plot, one behind the other. There was no number on either but the front lot had a small porch. A large Maori man was sitting in a rocker staring at Saul with more curiosity than suspicion. In the still quiet air he heard a hammer being taken to something, the resounding clang was followed by a mild curse. He decided to follow that sound rather than make enquiries from the man on the porch.
A battered looking car was on the drive; the drive was in a similar state of disrepair as the neighbouring one. A pair of feet in the grubbiest trainers he had ever seen were sticking out from underneath the vehicle. A voice—female he thought—said. “Got you!” He turned around and then realised it came from under the vehicle and was obviously being addressed to something mechanical rather than physical.
“Hello,” Saul said. There was a moments silence and then amid groans and scuffles, the dirty trainers pushed against the gravel, legs began to be revealed, along with a torso clad in grubby men’s blue overalls. The head when it emerged was topped by a baseball cap, the peak pulled low over the face so that the features were hard to make out.
“Yes?” It was a female voice. She quickly scrambled to her feet, her oil stained hand clutching a monkey wrench.
“I’m looking for Roxanne Rawson.”
There was a moments silence and then. “Oh yes? And who can I say wants her?”
“Well I think I would rather tell her that,” Saul answered smoothly.
“Sorry no can do. Roxie never sees anyone without she knows who exactly is doing the calling,” the accent was English. Security was his business; he was very good on accent and nuance.
“I’m not a debt collector.”
“Well we don’t have debt,” the girl said. She appeared to be a girl rather than a woman. “So there wouldn’t be anything to collect. Do I know you?” she asked. “You seem familiar.”
“I don’t think we’ve ever met, but of course I can’t be sure, seeing as I don’t know who I’m speaking to.”
Her mouth opened almost as if she would say something but then she pulled back, she smiled, a knowing smile.
“Nice one,” she said. She lifted her hand; there was a thin strapped watch on her wrist “Look I have to go somewhere…”
“I really need to see Miss Rawson. I have some important news, it might even be good news, well some of it…” His eyes travelled the house; there was a distinct lack of paint and repair. Ten thousand pounds would come in handy. The exchange rate would mean a comfortable sum of money for her.

Blurb

His Other Wife

Roxie does not want Saul to discover her secret past. She knows she should have nothing to do with him but she cannot stop herself from being attracted to him. There is Josh to consider too…he needs a strong man in his life and Saul Hetherington is that kind of man. Perhaps her secret will never be revealed…if she is very careful.

Published in e book and printed book and available from
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.fictionwise.com/

Friends

2011-04-06T09:22:00.003-04:00

Today I'm celebrating friends. I'm blessed with so many wonderful friends who inspire me, guide me and keep me on the straight and narrow.

New Contract

2011-03-24T05:50:00.002-04:00

I have signed a new contract with Whiskey Creek Press. This will be my twelfth book with them. If you are counting you will say "Hold on I make it ten" but I have two books coming out with them, so there is nothing the matter with my math!

The first is an historical romance called A Sprig of Broom. This was the first book I ever had published and the original publisher was Robert Hale Limited. I decided to dust it up and edit it again. It is set in my favourite medieval period, again just after King Richard the Third has been killed. Once more I look at Richard with fresh eyes and set out to prove that he was not the monster as shown by Shakespeare. Now it will come out as an e-book first and of course on Kindle. It might also go out in paperback which would be thrilling. I wish I could share with you the original cover, I thought it magical. Perhaps there will be someway I can do that...one day.

My second new book is a romantic suspense set in a fictional town in England and also in Cornwall. Here we have a woman trying to hide from an abusive man who has threatened revenge on her. It took some time to write this book, my head was not always in a good place. I don't know how, but suddenly I was inspired and I took off like a steam train. It's called The Longest Passion, it took a long time to find a title but when I did, well I think it is perfect but only you, the reader can judge.

It's great to be back in the saddle. I am now working on a modern romance. Life has endless possibilities, and I must be up for the challenge.

Breaking the Clouds

2011-03-03T09:01:00.004-05:00

A couple of years ago I published a novel set in New Zealand. This is a hardback novel, but tells the story of Bron whose husband goes missing. She is finding out all kinds of things about her husband and she suspects that the handsome Job Tepi, knows more than he is letting on.

I had the opportunity to visit New Zealand quite a few years ago. I toured North and South Island and loved it. I was devastated to read of the earthquake which attacked Christchurch. This was and is a beautiful city. The square where the Cathederal once stood was magnificent.
The people of New Zealand are lovely and they are also very brave.

Napier is a glorious art deco town that was similarly devastated by an earthquake many years ago. The art deco town that is now there is a result of that. Let us hope and pray that Christchurch too will rise out of the ashes.

Breaking the Clouds is available from the author.

Extract Breaking the Clouds

His body felt hard, his shoulders broad and strong. Her lips unused for so long responded and cajoled and when he deepened the kiss she was ready opening herself up to him, letting her breasts crush against his chest, delighted as his hands at her back drew her closer. One hand curled at the nape of her neck, brushing aside her hair, a thumb manipulating the warm flesh.

She had been cold and lonely for so long, her arms empty, her body aching for fulfillment, longing to feel the warmth of someone close to her, now she was a flower opening up to the sun………..

Welcome to John Lindermuth

2011-02-24T04:41:00.003-05:00

One of Whiskey Creek Press's proflific authors, John Lindermuth, has dropped by today to tell us about "Being Somone Else"his new fantastic thriller. I have read this book and was on the edge of my seat! John has written many books, historical
and thrillers. A one time journalist, you can be sure his style is well honed. Enjoy!

Blurb:

Some believe violence is foreign to our nature. Dan ‘Sticks’ Hetrick, retired chief and consultant to the Swatara Creek police department, knows better. We put a lid on our natural tendency to violence when we started living in groups, devising moral codes to hold it in check and allow us to live in harmony with others. But, deep down in the id, there’s always that tendency to violence.

When an out-of-state reporter is found murdered at a disreputable bar the tendency to violence spirals in the rural Pennsylvania community, and the investigative trail keeps bringing Hetrick and his team back to the family of a wealthy doctor who has retired to his hometown.

Hetrick and his protégé Officer Flora Vastine are joined by a friend from his State Police days as they unravel old secrets and mysteries in a tale with as many shocking twists as a country road.

Reviews:

“The complex mystery elements of the plot here are layered in nicely and then brought to a satisfactory conclusion. But, as always, the real treat in reading this series is Lindermuth's use of locale and the colorful cast of characters --- each given distinct and memorable features, even when they are only "on stage" a brief amount of time. Anchoring all of this, of course, is the cast of recurring characters we have been introduced to in the previous books.” Wayne D. Dundee, author of the Joe Hannibal mysteries

“This is Lindermuth's fourth Daniel "Sticks" Hetrick mystery/crime novel and the best one yet. As I have, you will become emotionally involved with Lindermuth's ensemble cast who, over the course of these "Sticks" Hetrick novels, have become like an extended family for the reader.” Douglas Quinn, author of The Webb Sawyer Mysteries, The Ellis Family Thrillers, Cornelius The Orphan (Historical Fiction/Adventure), and s Children's Chapter Book Mystery Series.

“This Swatara Creek story has an intricate plot that makes for eager reading to get it figured out. Although it is part of the "Sticks" series, Hetrick didn't play as much a part in solving this mystery as I would have liked, but the complimentary characters of detective Flora Vastine and police chief Aaron Brubaker were compelling.” Kae Cheatham, author, speaker, photographer

Buy link: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=816

---------------------------------------------------

Being Someone Else (July 2010), Whiskey Creek Press

Watch The Hour (April 2009), Whiskey Creek Press

http://jrlindermuth.com

A Fatal Flaw - Reviews

2011-02-03T06:33:00.004-05:00

Hi I thought I would share a couple of reviews of my romantic suspense A Fatal Flaw. Happy reading!

A FATAL FLAW reached out and grabbed me from the first page and kept me interested
with its twists and turns. Suspense is the name of the game in this mystery and
this tale is fraught with unanswered questions and possibilities. Kerensa is a woman with spunk if not a little innocence, her sheltered life and trusting attitude is a definite change. Ned is everything you expect in a hero, strong yet sensitive and of course smoking hot. The mystery is the main focus of the story but there is also the added bonus of the slow growing romance between Kerensa and Ned. I truly enjoyed this story and didn’t stop reading until I finished it. Applause goes to Margaret Blake on creating a story with interesting characters and an enthralling plot. Angela - Romance Junkies

Kerensa Mawgan's mother dies after a long battle with cancer leaving in her daughter's hands a secret that has been hidden since before she was born. She travels from Cornwall to the USA to try to unravel the mystery of her birth and the death of the man who may have been her father. Ned Rochester has been injured in the line of duty as a policeman and has time on his hands. What better way to fill it than to do what he does best, solve a possible crime?
Margaret Blake pens a tale that shows a great contrast between people who have everything and those who make something of their lives the hard way. The Logan family may have everything money can buy but Kerensa, Ned, and others show grit and courage money can't buy. The good guys grow on us even with their quirks and idiosyncrasies. The villain is as despicable as they come, sometimes being vicious just because he can.
Throughout the book Ms. Blake weaves a sweet love story with the suspense even though it's probably doomed from the start. Ned and Kerensa are from two different worlds an ocean apart. That doesn't stop them from developing feeling for one another no matter how hard they fight it. Ned's Dad is a great contrast to Campbell Logan's father. He may be flawed but we keep hoping he may grow through it. I like this author's style. It seems like she's writing about real people in situations that could happen. Scenarios come alive as do the people with her use of dialogue and situations that help us know them better. This is well worth reading.
Dee Dailey - The Romance Studio

There’s enough suspense and romance to please readers of either genre, and Blake’s engaging characters and intriguing plot are sure to send you in search of her other titles. John Lindermuth, Writer

Excerpt day today - enjoy

2011-01-13T04:21:00.003-05:00

The chocolate-colored Mercedes made short work of the journey to London. Andreas had a chauffeur now; nevertheless, he chose to sit in the passenger seat in the front going through some papers.

Alone in the back, Helena looked out of the window and sometimes at the back of Andreas’ head. She saw the familiar, and yet at the same time, foreign, tiny curls of dark blond hair that grew down his neck; the exposed flesh was tanned and smooth and the collar of his white silk shirt fit snugly, disappearing under the rich material of his navy jacket.
He was the only man she had ever known intimately. The thought created a stirring in her lower stomach, causing her to move restlessly against the cream-colored upholstery.
“Don’t do this to me,” she silently implored her traitorous memory. It was warm in the car, it was teasing out the scent of the shaving lotion Andreas used, a familiar one that she remembered he liked. If only she could talk to him …. It would take her mind of these sensual memories, but she could think of nothing to say and so she moved along the seat, trying to stem the heated thrusts of her body. Only in her dreams had she had these erotic stirrings. Andreas had been a skillful and unforgettable lover. Looking at him now, she could remember vividly their sensual moments. It was horrible, she told herself and tried to drive the thoughts away but they would not go; they stayed a long time and she fidgeted through most of the journey, the only consolation being that at least he was not sitting next to her.

Fortune's Folly Published by Whiskey Creekk Press.
Available from www.whiskeycreekpress. www.amazon.com www.fictionwise.com
www.barnes and noble, in various formats as well as
print.

New Year

2010-12-30T09:37:00.004-05:00

As the New Year approaches, people and me included, often reflect on the year that has gone by. Mine has been quite traumatic but that has been the case for many, especially the families of those serving overseas. These young men dying is terribly tragic. Let us hope the New Year brings a resolution but I am not optimistic.

On the positive side I had three books out this year. Not that I had written three, as two were re-working, but nevertheless a lot of work was involved, especially in the promotion side.

A Fatal Flaw was a completely new book and I so enjoyed writing it. It is set in my favorite Florida - I love Florida, my family are here and they are close to my heart. A friend who read the novel said I had captured Florida and that was the best compliment I have ever had.It was a different novel for me too, as it did not have spicy bits. Somehow for this novel, a romantic suspense,I did not think it appropriate. I do wonder what my readers thought - whether they were disappointed or not. Ah well, I guess I will never know the answer to that one.

I will be sharing New Year with my family before I return to England, I hope that 2011 will be a better year. I also hope to get back to writing properly instead of just playing around on the computer!

I want to take this chance now to wish you all a very happy New Year, may all your dreams come true and your ambitions be realized.

Blessings.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-22T07:56:00.002-05:00

I love this season. The decorations are spectacular here in Florida. My neighbor's homes are lighted and festive and evening walks no longer require a flashlight. What I especially like are the holiday cards and hearing from old and new friends. I have all the cards displayed on the window seat in my kitchen.

I also like the shopping and wrapping but didn't do it this year. As a family we decided to skip giving each other presents and donate the money to charity. I selected a local mission that aids the children of migrant workers. I'll do that donation next year too but I might go back to giving presents as well. I kind of missed standing in line at the post office and all the holiday hustle and bustle. So the week after Christmas I'm going to start shopping for next year.

Have a great holiday!

Free Promo Opportunity

2010-12-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! I've been thinking about this for a while now and finally took the time to do it. I've created a new blog called Sex Between the Covers, where romance authors of all genres can showcase their beautiful book covers only. You can include a one line teaser, and one link for readers to check out if their interest is peaked.

SPREAD THE WORD!
Authors - send me a request to become a member so you can post book covers any time. There's also a FREE Author Spotlight twice a month if you're interested, sign up.
Publishers - send me your links and I'll post them
Promo/Review sites - send me your links and I'll post them

It's a new baby so don't expect too much right now. Please check it out, become a follower if you'd like, and let me know what you think.

email me - tory.richards@yahoo.com

Bear Cat

2010-12-11T09:02:00.000-05:00

I alternate back and forth between living with my hubby and living with my daughter and her family. Since I tend to spend more time at my daughter's I brought my babies with me. That left hubby alone and miserable. So this past weekend I took him to the humane society to get him a cat.

The goal was simple. He wanted a kitten. But when I walked in a little black cat with gold eyes called out to me. He was so pretty, and starved for attention. I mean, he rubbed up against the cage and reached out for me, taking care not to catch me with his claws. He let me hold him and cried out when I walked away from his cage. It broke my heart and I knew immediately he was the one.

He wasn't a kitten.

Hubby waited in the car because he said if he went in and saw them he couldn't take it, he'd want them all. This is the man who hated cats when we first met. But Woofy, Gin Gin and Jezzie took care of that, and it wasn't long before he was hooked. You know what they say about giving the elderly a pet for companionship, something to occupy their time? It's absolutely true!

Now, before you think I'm the meanest woman in the world, I did offer to leave Gin Gin when I left, but he was adamant the cats not be broken up. So here we are at the humane society. It didn't take him long to come walking in. I called him over to Bear Cat's cage. At that point I'd taken him out and was cuddling with him. He was so friendly! I looked Earl right in the eye and said, "This is the one for you."

Bear Cat is almost a year old and has lived in the humane society since he was brought in with his litter mates, as a kitten. It broke my heart to hear that he'd been living in that cage for all that time. Why had no one adopted him? Because he was black I learned. What?! Then I was informed that black cats are hard to find homes for because no one wants them.

Bear Cat looks exactly like my little Jezzie, except that he has a smudge of white on his ear. I fell in love with him so we took him home. He's already adapted to his new surroundings, and has made himself right to home. He comes to us when we call to him. I know hubby is going to spoil the hell out of him. Because he spoiled our other three.

Bear Cat is going to spoil Earl, too.

2010-12-02T05:39:00.001-05:00

One – Bitter Betrayal by Margaret Blake

There was no one at the reception desk. Michael believed there should always be a clerk ready to greet customers. It looked like you didn’t care if there was no one there. He rang the bell; it seemed to echo out along the corridor. He checked his watch, almost ten thirty… there should have been some guests checking out, or a clerk making up bills, something happening, not this feeling of emptiness. The atmosphere was so desolate that he wondered if he was off his head to contemplate buying this hotel. After all, he owned a chain of exclusive hotels and Blooms was hardly in that league, far from it.
He was just about to slam his palm on the bell again when a door opposite the desk that he knew let in onto the office, opened. A tall, slim person wearing a sweatshirt and grubby jeans stood there. There was a baseball cap pulled low on her head, for it was a she. The curves at her chest showed that clearly enough.
“Hi,” he said, trying to stem the faint feeling of revulsion washing over him. What was Bloom thinking about having someone like that as a hotel receptionist? No wonder no one wanted to stay at his damn hotel. “I’m here to see Charles Bloom.”
“Charley Bloom is here,” she said, “Mr Hernandez, you’d better come through.”
That was one strike up for her; she knew who he was. She opened the little gate and raised the counter so he could step behind reception, then led the way into the office.
The office was in a real mess, with papers and files littering the desks and most of the area of floor space. There was a filing cabinet, one of the drawers open, files piled high on their holders instead of sitting snugly inside.
“Take a seat,” she said, indicating the only chair that did not have files on it. He refused to sit. She shrugged and went behind the desk, but the chair was also cluttered so she perched on the edge of the desk. He wished she would not keep looking down; he hated it when people refused to make eye contact.
“So where is Charles Bloom?” he asked as politely as he could muster. He didn’t have all day and his limited patience was fast evaporating.
“What do you want? You had to have heard we weren’t selling,” she answered in a rather impudent tone of voice.
He had not heard. “We weren’t? Who’s the we?”
“My dad and me.”
“Your dad?” He thought he got it. “I didn’t know there was a me and my dad.”
“There wasn’t when you first spoke to my dad, but there is now.”
“Oh, yeah? Look, Miss Bloom, I don’t have all day. I want a definite yes or no from Mr Bloom. Is he selling or not?”
“He isn’t selling and neither am I, Michael…”
He threw her a sharp look at her use of his Christian name. She raised her chin, then her hand and pulled off the grubby baseball cap. Long nut-brown hair spilled out, falling in wanton waves over her slender shoulders. She met his stare; her eyes were so familiar, very pale tawny coloured round eyes that were shaded by long thick lashes.
“My God!” The words exploded from him. “Charlotte?”

Published by Wings Press Limited
And available as e book and print.
~ * ~
“

2010-11-23T05:15:00.000-05:00

TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,
I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.

THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -
THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION
WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.

TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.

I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....
HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.

MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,
MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.
MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

A Fatal Flaw

2010-11-18T06:33:00.002-05:00

Today I am posting an extract from A Fatal Flaw - enjoy!

Prologue
She was standing by the window, her arm hanging down at her side, a gun held limply in her right hand. The still hot handle of the gun burned into her palm like a branding iron. Irrationally she thought of the cliché, a smoking gun in her hand
Through the huge plate glass window she watched the rain beating against the pane beading – saw it pouring water, like tiny waterfalls, down the glass. Furiously it bashed the colourful plants and dripped from the pine tree.
In the distance she heard the wail of sirens. The police. Tucking the gun in her waist band she took from her pocket a remote control, activated it and the plate glass window slid open. Stealthily she slipped through it, pausing only to zap it closed behind her. The cops would not be able to activate the window without the remote. It would give her more time.
The ground was boggy, her feet slid in up to her ankles; wading through the mess she reached the edge of the lake, it was the only way to leave. Swim the lake, get to the other side. The streets would be too risky, she could be seen by neighbours, or even run into the police. The lake seemed the best bet though she knew an alligator rested in its murky depths. She remembered it as a small one – still it could do her damage and who was to say another had not moved in.
Alligator, police? It was no contest. She waded into the water, shocked at how chilly it felt against her bare legs. When it was deep enough she struck out and started to swim.
Somehow the blood was pounding through her, a charge of adrenalin combined with fear, giving her the ability to cut through the water; she was swimming like she was Esther Williams. Now and again something slimy slid between her legs, or snaked down her legs, only fear motivated her to keep moving. If it was slimy and not hard it was not going to be a huge reptile with a gigantic appetite.
Reaching the other side, she slid up the muddy bank, almost sliding back down the thick oozing mud and into the water. Gripping the thick glutinous stuff, she dragged herself on her belly, not even getting up when she reached soggy grass. She crawled and slithered like a snake until she reached the dense wood, then rolled into its welcoming cover.
The woods were thick with ground cover as well as tall trees; wild prickly plants tore at her legs. A warm wetness started to drip down to the inside of her trainer. Touching her leg she realized she had cuts and the dripping wetness was blood. As she stood a spiteful, thorn covered branch tore into her long hair.
It was so dark in the wood, she doubted she would find her way; there were swamps to be avoided and the rain and starless sky did not help. Looking back, peering through the trees she saw a shaft of light. The cops had reached the house; they had gone in and turned on all the lights. It was the impetus she needed. Florida still had the death penalty. She had to get away; there was no turning back…ever!

The Nature of Friendship

2010-11-04T04:43:00.004-04:00

Do you have "friends" in your novels, are they good friends? I know the essence of the romance is the love story but you can include friends as well, just so long as they don't take over the whole story. The stubborn Elizabeth Mary in The Substitute Bride, would be lost without her companion. Yes, the girl is her maid, but she is also Elizabeth's best friend and Elizabeth knows it. Kate in Dangerous Enchantment has an unusual good friend, and that is the male character's mother. Those who have read A Saxon Tapestry know that Alfled would really suffer had it not been for her friend and maid, Hild.

Thinking about this subject had me reflecting on my friendships I am very lucky in my friends they are wonderful people, and their friendship has recently been tested to the limit. But there are other friends too - friends you don't often see, or come to that friends you have never seen!

Fifty years ago I started a correspondence with a young man who was serving in the US Amy in Germany. I confess to being a bit giddy in those years, but George was the one person with whom I could be serious. By that I mean exchanging views on literature and the arts. He was the only person I could be that way with and we exchanged many letters over the years. We lost touch, as you do, but recently I found George on facebook. This was amazing. My inspiration for seeking him out was a stack of letters I found when clearing out the bottom of my filing cabinet (you don't want to go in there believe me). I found him right away. Amazing.

I think it proves that you don't have to meet someone to be a friend and you don't have to see them regularly. Frienship comes from sharing ideas, liking similar things and most of all being able to express your thoughts and feelings. Wonderful.

Release Day -- Coming Soon

2010-10-26T07:56:00.003-04:00

Random House is re-releasing my novel, The Way It Happens in Novels, as an e-book.
Got the contract yesterday. And yesterday I also got a letter from a woman in California who had found this book in a used book store and found it especially relevant to her life.

Lovely surprises at a time in my life when it's hard to find time to write. I'm back to doing The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron which always sustains me.

Two October Releases!

2010-10-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Thought I would do a little promoting today. All the Right Moves came out on the 8th, Breathless Surrender came out on the 14th!

Ellora's Cave

The Wild Rose Press

Tory Richards

Welcome Tina Donahue

2010-10-20T15:52:00.002-04:00

I am happy to give my spot over to the celebrated writer, Tina Donohue, so please enjoy.

Tempt Me, Tease Me, Thrill Me

As a romance writer – and reader – that’s what I want a story to do. It has to draw me in, tantalize me with the conflict, then provide an HEA that has me sighing, grinning, crying – preferably all three.

It’s what makes for a great story – the holy trifecta of romance, beginning with the first T:

Tempt Me: It starts with the hook, otherwise known as the blurb on the back cover. Those short paragraphs give the reader an idea of what to expect, the story’s tone (light, dark, somewhere in between), and the first glimpse of its characters.

For example: In my latest erotic romance, In His Arms, the blurb reads in part:

Owned by one man, loved by another. . .

Abducted and delivered into sexual slavery, Lori has surrendered her will in order to survive. For more than a decade, she’s been known as Summer, a lovely submissive, her owner’s possession until he gives her to his newest lieutenant, a mysterious man called RJ. Commanding and virile, RJ dominates without cruelty and possesses without threat, engendering a mixture of safety and passion. In his strong arms, Summer enjoys carnal pleasure she’s never known and tenderness she’s craved.

Immediately, the reader knows this is a dark novel, filled with suspense and very hot romance.

For one of my more playful works, Adored, the blurb reads in part:

A shameless fantasy come true…
When tall, dark and delicious Adam Farrell crosses Danni’s radar at a trade show in Vegas, it’s not lust at first sight. He’s been the star of her wicked fantasies for a while, pleasuring her in acts of domination and submission that leave her breathless. Aching for his masterful touch, believing she’ll never have it, Danni indulges in a public sex act Adam alone witnesses. What follows is a night of wild and unrestrained passion in his powerful arms. It’s only the beginning.

Once the hook’s in place, the hard part begins—the conflict. It must be there from page one, building continuously in order to draw a reader through the characters’ worlds and their stories. And that brings us to the second T:

Tease Me: Doesn’t it drive you crazy, but don’t you just love it when you want the characters to do something and they simply won’t cooperate? You’re aching to have the hero tell the heroine that he loves her, but he just can’t. Through each scene, you’re on the edge of your seat whispering, then shouting, “Tell her, dammit!”

That’s the effect I strove for in my erotic romance Lush Velvet Nights. It’s clear that Nathan loves Adriana. She knows it. So, does he. But because of an incident in his past, he’s fearful of committing. He comes close, then draws away. It’s that back and forth that keeps readers turning the pages, wanting, wishing, praying for the correct resolution.

And that brings us to the final T…

Thrill Me: Ah, endings. To me, they’re the most difficult to write. They not only have to be satisfying, they must be memorable. I recall the first time I read Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. I wept at the end. For days, the conclusion haunted me. That’s the mark of a great story. For my own endings, I want readers to smile and to cry, because finally the characters have made it. Whatever they desired in the story, they’ve achieved.

As an example: In my erotic romance Deep Dark Delicious, Eden has had a difficult time believing that Rafe could genuinely love her. Because of past disappointments, she hasn’t trusted love. But Rafe wouldn’t give up on her…an Alpha male to his core, he pursued Eden in a way every woman dreams of. At the darkest moment of the novel, when he thought he’d lost her, Eden came to him and what she did wasn’t a surprise only to Rafe, but to my fans and readers. And yes, there was laughter and tears.

Be tempted, be teased, be thrilled…it’s what romance is all about.

My latest release, In His Arms, is available now. Here’s the full blurb and buy link.

Blurb:

Owned by one man, loved by another. . .

Abducted and delivered into sexual slavery, Lori has surrendered her will in order to survive. For more than a decade, she’s been known as Summer, a lovely submissive, her owner’s possession until he gives her to his newest lieutenant, a mysterious man called RJ. Commanding and virile, RJ dominates without cruelty and possesses without threat, engendering a mixture of safety and passion. In his strong arms, Summer enjoys carnal pleasure she’s never known and tenderness she’s craved. In his heated gaze, she experiences a sense of recognition she doesn’t immediately understand until it proves dangerous in a way she could never have imagined. Bound by desire and their growing love, RJ traverses the shadowy world of human trafficking, risking all for Summer’s freedom only to learn she harbors a fateful secret that threatens to tear her from him, leading to an irrevocable event that risks both their lives.

Buy link: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8593-50-in-his-arms.aspx

My Bio (‘cause sometimes you just have to know about a writer) 

I’m a multi–published novelist in contemporary, historical and erotic romance. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised my work. I have reached finals and /or placed in numerous RWA–sponsored contests. Before becoming a novelist, I was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.

Email: tina@tinadonahue.com
Website/blog: www.tinadonahue.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097

And finally, what you’ve all been waiting for – a CONTEST!!! Yay!! To celebrate the release of In His Arms one lucky commenter on today’s blog will have her choice of one of my following books**:

1. Lush Velvet Nights – ebook
2. Adored – ebook
3. Deep, Dark, Delicious – ebook
4. Close to Perfect – mass market paperback
5. Bad Boys with Red Roses – trade paperback
6. Take My Breath Away – trade paperback

** Winner chosen at random. Winner in continental US has her choice of one of the six. Winner outside continental US has her choice of one of the ebooks.

A Fatal Flaw

2010-10-14T04:57:00.002-04:00

I have blogged myself to death this week. Everything seemed to come at once - so I am having a day off, thought I might just post A Fatal Flaw back cover which is as gorgeous as the front one.

It's Out!

2010-10-11T06:00:00.003-04:00

Ebook or print, All the Right Moves has arrived and you can find it at The Wild Rose Press!

Men in Uniform Series

After discovering one of her patients dead in her office, Doctor Annie McCall finds herself on the run for her life. Detective Marshall Thomas isn't afraid to break the rules and offers her refuge. The only problem is who'll protect Annie from him?

Marshall hadn't counted on his primary suspect creating such a dilemma in his life. But once he discovers someone wants her dead, he is determined to keep his mind on the job in order to find the killer and to keep her safe.

As they struggle to stay one step ahead of the killer, their attraction for each other spirals out of control. And soon the only danger Annie's facing is the heat between them.

(Pages 236) Spicy
ISBN: 1-60154-824-9
Tory Richards

Review for A Fatal Flaw

2010-10-07T05:07:00.002-04:00

From RomanceJunkies.com

Suspense/Intrigue
A Fatal Flaw
By Angel Brewer
Oct 2, 2010 - 9:36:26 PM

A FATAL FLAW reached out and grabbed me from the first page and kept me interested with its twists and turns. Suspense is the name of the game in this mystery and this tale is fraught with unanswered questions and possibilities. Kerensa is a woman with spunk if not a little innocence, her sheltered life and trusting attitude is a definite change. Ned is everything you expect in a hero, strong yet sensitive and of course smoking hot. The mystery is the main focus of the story but there is also the added bonus of the slow growing romance between Kerensa and Ned. I truly enjoyed this story and didn’t stop reading until I finished it. Applause goes to Margaret Blake on creating a story with interesting characters and an enthralling plot.

© Copyright 2003 by RomanceJunkies.com

Welcome Pauline Holyoak

2010-09-30T05:55:00.003-04:00

Welcome, Pauline Holyoak, a Whiskey Creek Press author. Hi, Pauline, please tell us a little about yourself.

Pauline: I grew up in southeast England; in a mining village my husband calls “The place that
time forgot.” I came to Canada when I was 21, in search of adventure and a new life. I live in Spruce Grove, Alberta with my hockey crazy husband, a lazy cat named Sam and an adorable Sheltie named Maggie Mae. We have two young adult children. They are the gems in my treasure chest.

Tell us a little about your latest book Merryweather Lodge

Pauline: Ancient Revenge is a paranormal suspense and the first of a trilogy…Every summer when I was a child we would visit my aunt and uncle at their quaint little cottage on Salisbury Plain. It was called Scotland Lodge and was situated not far from the historical Stonehenge. It was there as I roamed free, deep within the English countryside, that I experienced joy, enchantment, and some very odd and frightening occurrences. It was like a fairytale kingdom with a sinister twist. It is from my mystifying experiences at Scotland Lodge that this book has emerged.

I know what you mean about the Stonehenge area, very atmospheric. I think now that Stonehenge has the wire fencing, it’s not as wonderful. Somehow it detracts from the spirituality of the area, but that’s just my opinion. What do you think?

Pauline: Yes, I agree with you. When I was a child, there were no fences or fees, and not many tourists. We would take a picnic lunch and eat amongst the great monoliths. My sister thought they were cold and scary but I saw them as majestic and magical!

Do you have a favourite genre – also is there a genre you would not consider writing?

Pauline: I read across genres. I like suspense, horror, mystery and stories with colorful characters. Recently I was introduced to a new genre, historical romance. And I really enjoyed it. Thank you for ‘Saxon Tapestry’ Margaret. I could never write erotica.

Why thank you, Pauline. I am so glad you enjoyed my book. I couldn’t write science fiction or erotica. Would you like to add a blurb for your book, I am sure readers would like read a little more…

Emily couldn’t wait to visit her aunt and uncle in their quaint and mysterious little cottage near Stonehenge. But it doesn’t take her long to realize that her fairytale kingdom has a sinister twist. One night in her attic bedroom she is confronted by an entity that will
haunt her for the rest of her stay and long after that. Who is this hideous creature and what does she want? When Emily meets the gorgeous Jonathan McArthur she is infatuated, consumed with lust and an odd familiarity, as if they had met before. Will he be coxed by the peculiar old gypsy, to enter the dreaded wood-lot? Can the bloody ancient curse be removed before its too late?... A chilling tale of love, passion, sorcery and sacrifice; laced with mystery and tied with humor.

I know you said that the Wiltshire area of England inspired you, are there any other things that inspire, and have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

Pauline:People with great spiritual depth inspire me. And the countryside, especially the English countryside. It’s like a smorgasbord for descriptive writers. Don’t you agree? Yes, I have suffered from writers bloke but I make myself pick up the pen and write something- anything, to brake through the silence.

Pauline, I do agree about the English countryside, I love your description as it being like
smorgasbord!

Do you have any advice for budding writers?

Pauline: Perseverance, patience, and bold determination! Believe in yourself and your work. Don’t get hung up on rejections. And, never, ever, give up!

Sound advice, Pauline and it might have come from me!
How did you go about finding a publisher for your novel

Pauline:I sent my manuscript to anyone who would read it; agents, publishers, on line critics, other authors, I just kept sending it out. After a million and one (well, maybe not quite that many) rejections, I found someone who wanted to publish it. Yay!

It is very difficult to find a publisher in these straightened times, and I know that many writers just give up, but you have to keep batting.

What are you working on at the moment?

Pauline: The second book of my trilogy, Merryweather Lodge – The Malevolent Spirit and two children’s books.

Thank you, Pauline, it’s been fantastic talking to you.

Pauline:Thank you Margaret. Here is my website…www.paulineholyoak.com

2010-09-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

Everyone once in a while I come across a picture that just melts my heart. It's so sweet, that it makes you wonder how the photographer got so lucky. I mean, it's not as if he or she asked the two fawns to pose, though it clearly looks like a pose. How cool to come across a scene like this!

A FATAL FLAW

2010-09-23T05:03:00.004-04:00

Last time I blogged I was bemoaning the fact that I hadn't received the cover for my latest book. The next week test copies arrived and now I have the "real" thing. I am so delighted with this as I feel it catches the essence of the novel.

This romantic thriller set in Cornwall and Florida was one of those books that it was fun to write. You all know the cliche "it wrote itself" and this novel did. From the moment I started to the very end it galloped away from me. I tried my hand at humour too, never easy and such a personal thing, what makes one person laugh makes another say "what's funny about that" anyway I shall just have to wait and see if the reader gets it!

Meanwhile enjoy the cover and blurb...October isn't too long to wait, is it?

A Fatal Flaw
Published by Whiskey Creek Press.

Healthy Day Diet

2010-09-15T09:29:00.001-04:00

My editor sent me this diet. Doesn't it sound fun?

Breakfast

1 grapefruit
1 slice whole wheat toast
1 cup
skim milk

Lunch

1 small portion lean, steamed chicken
1 cup
spinach
1 cup herbal tea
1 Hershey's kiss

Afternoon Tea

1 The rest of the Hershey Kisses in the bag
1 tub of Hagen-Daaz ice cream with chocolate chips

Dinner

4 glasses of wine (red or white)
2 loaves garlic bread
1 family size supreme pizza
3 Snickers Bars

Late
Night Snack

1 whole Sarah Lee cheesecake (eaten directly from thefreezer)

Remember:
Stressed spelled backward is desserts.

Covers and Cornish Idyll

2010-09-09T03:47:00.004-04:00

I'm waiting to see the cover for my new book A Fatal Flaw - let's say I'm waiting anxiously, as the novel is out in October!

Now you can't tell a book by its cover, we all know that, but you can't sell a book without a cover either. I can't post it here or anywhere else, since I don't have it!
Annoying because I'm anxious to do some publicity on this novel.It's a romantic thriller but with a light touch too, and I really enjoyed writing it. I hope that comes across to the reader.

It's also set in two of my favourite places, Cornwall and Florida. Both are places which have only happy memories for me. When we lived in Cornwall thirty odd years ago (my gosh was it really that long ago) John and I had a lot of good times. We were on the folk scene then and right away we made friends. Once we and the gang at the folk club were invited on a ship, after the pub closed, to entertain the crew. That was a night to remember. When we went on board the gangway was lying flat, when we came off at something like 4.00 a.m. the gangway was like a 4.5 hill!

I remember when the Bosun and his crew came in the folk club, they took up the front row and looked formidible, no smiles or bonhomie, but they must have enjoyed it as they provided us with food and drink and like I said, invited us onto their ship. Actually they took to John, who sang sea shanties, I guess that was the appeal. The Bosun insisted that he, John, had to come along.

Now I have strayed away from my original point - waiting for my cover "but my blog, my choice!" (Gosh I hate that advertisement). However, I think it was the joy we had in Cornwall and the lovely Cornish people, that made the book, although a suspense, a happy book to write.All my memories of that period in my life are golden and I think that shines through my character, Kerensa. Ah, well you will have to wait and see, just as I am waiting...now when will that darn cover arrive?

Birthday Week

2010-09-07T06:58:00.002-04:00

Whip up the cake batter and get ready to sing because it's Margaret's birthday this week. She is a talented, adventuress and witty lady and am wishing her all the best.

Cupid's Arrow

2010-08-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

I've been so busy lately, sorry that I didn't post last week. Between moving, construction work at my house, relocating three terrified cats and a busy month at work...well, need I say more? I'm glad to put August behind me and hope September will be a calmer month.

So, on that note, I'm going to take a page out of Margaret's book and post an excerpt of my first contemporary romance. Cupid's Arrow was on the Whiskey Creek Press best sellers list for two consecutive months and is a sweet romance.

I can still remember how excited I was when I received the book cover. Mike and Emma had come to life, and the artist did a great job of depicting a scene right out of the book. There are some things you never forget and that is one for me. Enjoy the excerpt.

The bathroom wasn't all that big and when Mike stepped further into the room it shrunk even smaller. "Sorry if I frightened you." As he spoke his eyes moved around the room, searching for a good place for her to sit. There was only one place high enough. "Up." He patted the vanity top.

"Up? I don't think..." Before she could brace herself Mike's hands went to her waist, hoisting her up without any trouble. She caught her breath when her legs came in contact with the cold marble surface.

"You were saying?" He took in her pretty blush, noticing she couldn't meet his eyes.

"Do you always get your way?" There was a slight tremor in her voice, which didn't go unnoticed by Mike. He couldn't help wondering if she was as effected as he was by their close proximity. He began questioning his common sense. Her sitting on the vanity brought them almost at eye level.

"When it matters," he responded with amusement He lowered his gaze, taking in the blood soaking her costume before opening the kit to see what it offered. Not much, but at least it had bandages and antibiotic ointment. He set it aside, reaching for Emma's leg.

She stiffened immediately.

"Ouch."

His eyes shot up to hers. "I haven't even touched you yet."

"I'm practicing," she said with sass, the light in her eyes catching Mike's interest and turning him warm inside.

For a second he wanted to do something crazy, like kiss that soft mouth. He wanted to know if it taste as sweet as it looked. He wondered if kissing her would erase the humor that always seemed present in her eyes, replacing it with something else. Something hot and needy. When he realized he was staring at her mouth he literally shook his head, swearing beneath his breath.

"Are you okay?" There was nothing at all innocent about her question. Not when she used that low, seductive tone and was looking at him like something she wanted to lap up.

Was he okay? Hell, he hadn't been okay since the first time he looked into her large, brown eyes. He managed to find enough strength to ignore her comment, bending to the task at hand. His hands reached for the fabric covering her thigh, gently parting it where it was torn.

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves and stop the shaking of his hands, he carefully inspected the wound. His fingers and knuckles grazed Emma's soft skin and he clenched his teeth to ignore the rush of heat exploding through him. He couldn't recall the last time he'd touched anything so satiny.

He gently probed the area, searching for any remaining glass. Emma caught her breath, stiffening, her hands falling upon his shoulders as though to push him away. Mike slowly raised his eyes to hers, losing himself in the sensual pools. His hands faltered. The glare of the bathroom light emphasized the situation between them making it more intimate than it should be.

"It's not deep, you won't need stitches. But if it heals up with glass inside it could become infected."

"I know you're not hurting me on purpose, Mike. Maybe I need a bullet to bite on or something." The soft look in her eyes told him she trusted him. "Do what you need to do."

What he needed to do and what he wanted to do was the same thing. If Emma only knew what she was inviting, he thought to himself. He was standing between her glorious thighs, touching her, his gaze dropped to her breasts noticing the peaks were crowned. They rose and fell softly with her every breath, teasing him, almost begging him for attention. If he made it out of there without making a complete fool of himself it would be a miracle.

As if sensing the direction of his thoughts Emma suddenly removed her hands from his shoulders. Lord, he thought, just let him finish up and get the hell out of there while he could still walk.

The Days of Wine and Roses

2010-08-26T03:29:00.004-04:00

As I shortly shift into a new decade age-wise, I was thinking about "The Days of Wine and Roses," not the excellent film but the poem by Ernest Dowson. Convincing myself I think, that these are my days of wine and roses.When I moved into the dreaded 60 decade, I took myself off to Australia and New Zealand. I did things I had never done before - traveling extensively on my own and staying at Youth Hostels part of the time. The latter, although frightening at first, was wonderful. I met many people older than even me, and made friendship with people of all nationalities, which was interesting and rewarding.

For some time I wondered what I should do this time and because of my circumstances now, being recently and sadly widowed, I can't get up the impetus to think where I should go and what I should do.

The beautiful picture shows Loch Awe in bonnie Scotland, and for those that have never been to Scotland, let me tell you it truly is bonnie, beautiful in fact, as you can see. This is where I am going next week. John and I were there same time last year, and it was lovely. We had booked a return trip and I've decided to go on my own. It was such a happy time that I know I won't be sad. I will remember the many laughs we shared on this particular holiday.

A week later I am off to West Wales - again a beautiful place - to stay with my cousin and his wife. John and I went there on a camping trip and we both really loved Wales.

Neither of these trips are as exciting at the one I took for my 60th, but never mind...these are my days of wine and roses and they aren't over yet...perhaps another adventure is waiting in the wings and if not...there is always Paris!

Cheers.

Excerpt - Beloved Deceiver

2010-08-19T05:50:00.002-04:00

I am not lazy, truly I am not, but my mojo is still not working, so please bear with me as I post another excerpt from one of my contemporary romances. I enjoyed writing this book, I was able to have scenes in the Yorkshire Dales, a favourite area of mine.
Hope you enjoy.

Beloved Deceiver, published by www.whiskeyycreekpress.com

“I have something to ask you and I’m being perfectly serious,” Flora said, then, after taking a deep breath, plunged on, the words colliding. “I would like you to marry me!”
Marsden Collingwood had guessed at a variety of requests, but not this one. This one momentarily knocked the breath from his body. It was a good job he was sitting or he thought he might have fallen backwards. It was just as if she had struck him in the solar plexus. It was incredible!
He looked up the length of the girl standing before him and practically burst out laughing. The gall of it, the sheer damned cheek! She was a chit of a thing, a girl who barely reached his chest; her russet-coloured hair was a riot of tipsy curls and had not pretence of style about it. She was wearing scruffy jeans and a baggy t-shirt that bore the name of some American university, and she asked him to marry her!
“I know what you’re thinking,” she said brightly, smiling up at him.
“That you’re insane?” he murmured, in a more mellow tone than he believed she deserved. “Well, that has been said to me before, but I thought you might have been polite and said that the idea is insane. I am quite sane, as you’ll discover if you listen to me.” His intense scrutiny caused her to blush, but she made herself hold his gaze.
Of course he was surprised. He had to be really. He was considered quite a catch. Tall, well built…thick tobacco-coloured hair that curled at his neck and, in spite of his attempt to tame it, fell across his brow. His eyes were almost the same colour of gold with green speckles on the iris, unusual eyes that at that moment were sparkling with amusement. At least he wasn’t angry.
“I don’t mean a marriage proper,” she went on. “I mean a pretend marriage.”
“I see,” he said, mockingly. “I just let people think I’ve lost my mind and married you.”
“You could do worse!” she said, not offended. She could understand his feelings. After all she was no catch, and she knew that. He went out with really stunning women. She had seen his photo in the society magazines many times, squiring some goddess or other.
“We’d have to do it properly to have it legal, but it would be a marriage on paper and not one that’s in the…in the…”
“In the bedroom? How disappointing, and here I was thinking you were after my body.” His voice dripped sarcasm.
“I don’t want your body. I just want to be married...to someone.”
“Flora, I’m sure there are plenty of young men who’d be delighted to marry you.”
“But I want you…you wouldn’t be intimidated by my father…and that is why it’s so perfect for you, Mars. You’d be able to get one over on him…and you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Her smile was crafty.
“I must confess the idea of, as you so sweetly put it, getting one over on your father would be a real pleasure, but I’m not so desperate I’d marry his daughter!”
She sighed loudly, then sank into the folds of the sofa opposite the white armchair where he lounged.
Her legs stretched out; her grubby trainers attracted his eye. She had very small feet, but the trainers made them seem enormous. She was an urchin and a rather scruffy one at that. Her most redeeming feature was her lapis lazuli-coloured eyes; they were large, round and full of a charming innocence. However, any appeal they may have for him was soon obliterated by her snub nose that was smattered with freckles, her slightly protruding teeth, and her shapeless body.
“I look better when I try,” she said, as if reading his mind.
“I’m sure you do,” he said, “but now, Flora, if you’ll excuse me, I’m rather busy.” He checked his watch meaningfully. It was a ruse, of course, because he had nothing to do but laze around the villa until evening.
“Aren’t you curious why I am asking you?” she persisted.
“Not really. I think perhaps the sun has caused something to happen to your brain. When you get back to England, it’ll sort itself out. You’ll see how ridiculous you’ve been.”
“Ouch!” she said. “You don’t have to be cruel as well!”
“My dear…”
“Ooh, don’t do that either!”
“Do what?”
“Patronise me. I am not your dear, and have no intention of ever being your dear. I am talking business, Mars.”
“Ah, now that is interesting…business is a much better thing to discuss than marriage.”
She pulled herself up, shoving her small hands into the pockets of her jeans. He wondered why she had chosen him. Was it because of how they had met? Did she imagine him as her knight in shining armour?

Renovations are underway!

2010-08-16T05:05:00.000-04:00

We're having the double car garage made into a room. Ever done any remodeling? My vision of turning it into a room was cut and dried. All we had to do was cut out a square in the wall and add a window. Then put up two walls, one with an interior door. Finally paint and add carpet. Short and easy and, ah, how much can that cost? Not much. Yeah...right!

The labor is far cheaper than the materials. I discovered that today when I added up the three receipts from Lowes. I never gave a thought to insulation, screws, nails, mud, and the materials it takes to build the frame before you hang the drywall. Then there's the electrical stuff like boxes, wiring and breakers. And a lot of other stuff that means absolutely nothing to me.

We spent half the day just gathering up supplies, it was exhausting. I kept thinking about the syfy I was missing. I know I'm spoiled when it comes to my Saturday ritual but it's the only day of the week I try to keep for myself. The day before my work week begins again. But I have to admit I'm glad the work has begun and by the end of the month I'll have a beautiful addition to the house.

Happy Monday everyone!

Technically Challenged

2010-08-10T09:14:00.002-04:00

It's the last week to enter the Eppie Contest for e-books. It shouldn't be that hard to enter a contest? It took me hours and I'm still not sure I did it right.

Also there is Facebook where I don't know how to send a message. So I'm going to curl up with a good old fashioned book and try to forget how technically challenged I am.

A Little Romance

2010-08-05T04:57:00.003-04:00

I thought we would do something different today - I am going back to the very first romantic novel I hd published with Whiskey Creek Press. Fortune's Folly is set in England and the romantic island of Cyprus. It tells the story of a couple who divorced but when Andreas comes back into her life, Helena finds he is just as irresistable as he ever was! Hope you enjoy.

FORTUNE’S FOLLY BY Margaret Blake
Published by Whiskey Creek Press.

The chocolate-colored Mercedes made short work of the journey to London. Andreas had a chauffeur now; nevertheless, he chose to sit in the passenger seat in the front going through some papers.

Alone in the back, Helena looked out of the window and sometimes at the back of Andreas’ head. She saw the familiar, and yet at the same time, foreign, tiny curls of dark blond hair that grew down his neck; the exposed flesh was tanned and smooth and the collar of his white silk shirt fit snugly, disappearing under the rich material of his navy jacket.
He was the only man she had ever known intimately. The thought created a stirring in her lower stomach, causing her to move restlessly against the cream-colored upholstery.
“Don’t do this to me,” she silently implored her traitorous memory. It was warm in the car, it was teasing out the scent of the shaving lotion Andreas used, a familiar one that she remembered he liked. If only she could talk to him …. It would take her mind of these sensual memories, but she could think of nothing to say and so she moved along the seat, trying to stem the heated thrusts of her body. Only in her dreams had she had these erotic stirrings. Andreas had been a skillful and unforgettable lover. Looking at him now, she could remember vividly their sensual moments. It was horrible, she told herself and tried to drive the thoughts away but they would not go; they stayed a long time and she fidgeted through most of the journey, the only consolation being that at least he was not sitting next to her.

Comfort over Fashion

2010-08-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

I met the sweetest couple in Walmart the other day, where I was doing my weekly grocery shopping. We were standing at the deli. They were getting their order, and I was waiting for my turn. The man was doing the ordering. His wife was just standing there, waiting patiently, looking around. We made eye contact a half a dozen times and just smiled at each other. After a while she came over and paid me a wonderful compliment!

She said every time she looked at me she couldn't help notice how pretty my skin was. I thanked her and said I would be fifty-five this year. She informed me she was eighty-nine. And then went on to say she wished her skin looked as nice, and mentioned she wasn't wearing any makeup. For an 89 year old woman she looked great, and I told her so. She mentioned she'd recently had cancer surgery on her face, and seemed to be very self conscious over it. I looked closer at her, and finally noticed the three little bandages on her cheek.

I hadn't even noticed them before, they were so close to the color of her skin. She seemed so relieved when I told her that. It was then I noticed how well dressed she was, her tasteful jewelry, and perfect hair. Her husband appeared just as well groomed. It was clear they'd had a good, prosperous life together.

Before she left she told me her husband was ninety-six, and that he still drove. I was amazed at how young they appeared, how they moved without canes or walkers. How they took care of their appearance. Not that the elderly turn into slobs, or anything. But some do tend to fall into the comfortable routine of wearing moo moos, shorts and socks. You know it's true. Nothing wrong with that either. I'll be one of them because comfort, over fashion, is everything to me:)

Skipping

2010-07-30T08:02:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or is the summer skipping by? I can't believe we're in the last days of July, yet the calendar says it's so. How did that happen? Are the days zooming by more quickly than they used to?

When I was a child, my mother always said that when I got older I'd see the difference in time. Back then, when the minutes during history and geography seemed endless, I brushed off her observations. Now, though, I know she was right. The older one gets, the faster time seems to slip by. At least that's how it feels here.

What about you? Did you ever receive a bit of information that, as time passed, seemed truer?

Hope you're having a happy Friday. Enjoy every moment of it!

Dangerous Enchantment -

2010-07-29T05:40:00.002-04:00

She sat by the brazier, wondering what she would do. Should they steal horses and try to escape? It was ludicrous. She had no idea where to catch a boat from that would take them to Burgundy and who on the roads would be their friends? Everyone would be afraid. Miserably she looked at the burning wood. Hearing a movement she turned. The lord stood in the doorway.
Quickly she left her chair, standing to face him, trying to stop her chin from tilting and her hands from going to her waist. She had to endeavor to stop her foot from tapping. She did not like the way he looked at her. He allowed his eyes to explore every part of her, from her bound head to her velvet slippers and delayed far too long on the way between them both. He stepped deeper into the room. She said nothing. He went to the adjacent chamber and looked inside. Seeing it empty he came back.
“Where is the boy?” he asked at last.
“I do not know,” she lied. Unsure of how vulnerable Richard was feeling, Kate did not want him to have to confront Caradoc just yet.
“You will no longer be served food here. You will come to table in the hall.”
“Will I?” she asked.
“You will. If you do not, then you can starve. It is nothing to me.”
“I am sure that would be very convenient for you — to have Richard and me starve to death. You would then be able to feel comfortable in your role here, happy in these lands without seeing Richard, who will be a daily reminder that you have stolen these from him.”
He smiled the smile that was not quite a smile. “I have stolen nothing, but if that is what you think, so be it, I care not for your opinion. I do not canvas your support or your favour. You are nothing to me. But while you are under my roof…”
“Your roof?” She could not stop the words.
“My roof, lady, and do not forget it. While you are my guest you will be treated as all other guests. You will dine in the hall, or you will not dine at all.”
“Your guests are whores and I do not treat with whores,” she said, matching his insolent gaze.
“Whores earn their keep. They are not parasites.”
“Are you calling me a parasite, sir?” she demanded, unable to stop her hands going to her waist, her elbows akimbo. She was unable either to stop her foot from tapping.
“I do not see you earning your keep…unless…” He strode across the room and before she could prevent him, he had moved to pull her hands from her waist and to fasten them behind her back. Slowly he bent her backwards and leaned over her. She could feel the intimate curves of his body pressing against her skirt. She moved, conscious of fear creeping up inside her. Her movement seemed to excite him; she felt the hardness more definitely. Somehow she dredged up her courage to meet his eyes. There was something in their gleam, something that was no longer cold, but a glint that told her of his intention to… She stopped moving.
“Do you rape as well as plunder?” she asked chillingly. For a moment he met her gaze, then, with a coarse word, he flung her to one side.
“Lady,” he spat, “you would not be worth my energy. I prefer my meat hot to cold.”
Then he turned on his heel and stormed out. Weakly Kate fell into her bed, the trembling began in her legs and soon her whole body was shaking. She had to be very careful in her treating with him. He was a dangerous adversary and she, she was beginning to learn, could be a fool.

2010-07-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

Seems we all have new releases coming out in October. I haven't bragged about my next full length novel lately but now seems as good a time as any. All the Right Moves is my first release with The Wild Rose Press Crimson line. It's smack full of on the edge of your seat suspense, humor and sizzling romance!

It will be offered as an ebook and in print!

Annie McCall finds a patient dead in her office, and now she's on the run for her life. Detective Marshall Thomas is willing to break the rules to protect the beautiful doctor, but who will protect her from him? It isn't long before the only danger Annie's facing is the sizzling heat between the sheets.

The Christmas Bargain

2010-07-23T07:17:00.001-04:00

The cover for my October release with Avalon Books. Isn't it pretty?

Have a great weekend!

A Saxon Tapestry - Excerpt

2010-07-22T03:15:00.003-04:00

A small cage had been constructed, just large enough for the boy to sit in. He could not stand or lay down, but twice a day he was taken out and exercised. Ivo had put a collar about the boy’s neck, and the duty guard would tie a length of rope to the collar and pull the boy about. It always caused a great deal of amusement, but Le Blond somehow could not enjoy the humiliation and left the scene.
Le Blond’s cheeks still bore the scars from the boy’s long nails, and he had ordered his nails to be cut. He didn’t think the guards would have cut the nails gently, but even he was unprepared for the swollen tips of the boy’s fingers as he swung the flaming torch down into the cage and the boy, startled by the sudden furious light, covered his face with his hands.
“I do not understand you,” Le Blond murmured, almost to himself. “You walk to no set pattern. You are either a sniveling coward that no man can respect, or a fool who dares my patience. You change moods as suddenly as a woman at her moon time. I don’t want to treat you like this, but you test me so!”
He poured a measure of wine into a goblet and thrust it through the bars. The swollen fingers seized the goblet, and for a moment he thought the lad was tempted to throw it back in his face, but it was cold and the wine would be warm and whatever else he was, the lad was no fool. He drank greedily, then pushed the goblet back through the bars. Le Blond refilled it with a faint chuckle.
“Come, Alfred, give in, be my companion. God alone knows there is no intelligent company to amuse me.”
“Never. You have no right; you are trespassing on my land.”
Le Blond crouched low on his haunches, peering into the cage at the boy. How thin about the face he had become; gone was that slightly cherubic, innocent roundness, and in its place was an unpleasant wolfish leanness. “I have won by right of battle. I am the victor and this…” He waved a hand. “…is the spoil. Why will you not accept the inevitable? I should put you to the sword, but if you do as I wish, then I will fight to have you pardoned. I swear it.”
“Pardoned from what, pray?”
“For being a Godwineson. You know that the king hates all Harold’s family, yet he lets his sons live. When time has softened his memory, he will pardon you too. I am sure of it. Be sensible, Alfred.”
“You must be uneasy in your ownership, Rolf Le Blond, to let me trouble you so.”
“Perhaps my heart is kind, or maybe looking at you as you look now, my head is soft from too many blows. Think over what I have said. You have until tomorrow to decide. Bend the knee to me; that is all I ask. Promise me you will cause no trouble or do things against us...”
“And if I refuse?”
“There is little point in prolonging your agony. You will be executed at dusk.”
Alfled handed back the goblet. She could feel the wine warming her belly; it stilled her chattering teeth and made her forget her stiff limbs.
“One thing,” she asked. “I am curious, were it my sister left, what fate was to have been hers?”
“She was to be sold into slavery.”
“You would have done that…sold my sister?”
“I cannot say, truly I cannot.”
“It is hardly fair what you ask. You do not offer me the chance to escape?”
“I dare not, boy. It could all fall on my head should you find an army of supporters.”
* * * *
At one time in the night when the temperature was so low she could hardly breathe without pain, when her limbs were so stiff she could not feel them, Alfled felt that death would be a wonderful fate. Le Blond would have her executed swiftly. She knew she would not be tortured to death; perhaps he would hang her, or have a dozen archers shoot their arrows into her body. Maybe he would have her beheaded, but whatever the method, it would be over quickly.
Then as the dawn came, and the hall and its environs came to life, as the cock crowed and the dogs barked, the horses neighed with pleasure and human voices could be heard on the sharp morning air, she knew she would not take a step that might just lead to total blackness.
Part of her believed what the priests had told her, and she could even visualize the great golden gates of Heaven, but so too did she hear her brothers scoffing about it and declaring that there was no such place because if there were, it would be more crowded than Friday night at a London whore shop. No, she was afraid to take the big step voluntarily into the next world. There just might not be a next world, and she was young…so very young.
“The seigneur would have your answer.”
One of the house servants who knew her identity had come to ask the question. He looked at her fearfully; shame for the sorry state she had found herself in caused his cheeks to burn vivid red. There was nothing he could do to protect or save her; he had failed in his duty to the house of Godwine. Alfled read all these things in his face.
“Tell him…tell him…” She began to tremble so violently, speech was impossible.
“For pity’s sake, lady, do as he says,” the man cried.
“Never call me ‘lady,’” she spat. “You fool. I will bow the knee, tell him I will—I swear.”
“Praise be to God,” the servant muttered as he returned to the hall.

Uplifting

2010-07-21T07:59:00.001-04:00

Hallelujah Hugs ~ this is wonderful. Do watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=hN8CKwdosjE

Summertime Eating

2010-07-16T07:53:00.002-04:00

We're usually pretty healthy eaters here at Casa Leone. Lots of fruits, veggies and hardly any processed foods. We typically grow most of our own food, so it's all pesticide-free and lovingly tended.

This year, however, is somewhat different. We did not plant any gardens, so we're not surrounded by fresh produce. While the fruit trees and berry patches are doing well, they're not garnering much interest, either.

The thing that's gotten our attention? Ice cream. That's right, ice cream. You see, we've had a scorcher here in the northeast and while we're sweltering there just doesn't seem any more logical food to eat than ice cream.

We've had cones, sundaes, shakes, floats, pies, parfaits... you name it, if it has ice cream in it, we've probably given it a go! Not a bad diet, if I do say so myself. Not many pots and pans to wash, although there has been a shortage of clean spoons in the flatware drawer.

You know, I could get used to this. I do believe that if we lived in a hot place, like Florida, I might consider not even owning any kitchen items aside from ice cream dishes, scoops and, of course, spoons.

Yes, we're on an ice cream streak. What about you? Any foods have your attention during these hot, sultry months?

And, uh, if you're not using your spoons, feel free to send them our way!

Happy Friday!

2010-07-15T04:44:00.008-04:00

Today I am talking to Kaye Kelly, the New Zealand writer and Kaye
has given this little introduction to herself.

Kaye Kelly says she’s been an off and on writer for the past 17 years (Kaye confesses to having been more off than on at times) and still can’t shake the bug. She continues to head back to the computer on a daily basis even if she does sometimes spend more time gazing out the window than at the computer screen.

1) I think we can all relate to that – I am always drifting off into playing solitaire!
Kaye I know you live in the small town of Blenheim on South Island. I have been to New Zealand and found it breathtakingly beautiful; do you find the country inspiring?
.
Margaret, it’s hard not to find inspiration when I can look out my office window and see the Whangamoa Mountain range in the distance or a half hour drive takes me smack bang into the Marlborough Sounds. )

2) Wonderful I can well imagine how that can work for a writer. When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer?

Even as a tiny kid I used to ‘hear’ a voice in my head telling me I should write a book. Snag was, I didn’t want to write a book and I ignored it thinking it would go away. Instead the thought just got stronger until I finally gave in and wrote a book. Yee ha! I thought as I finished the last page, it’s done! Now I can pack that annoying little monster of a thought off to bed. But as any writer will tell you, it’s nigh on impossible to write just one book and I’ve continued to write ever since.

3) You are published by Random House which is a major publisher, how did you manage to have our novel accepted? Did you use an agent or did you just “go for it”?

For me, trying to find an agent was like trying to find a gold nugget in a supermarket - I couldn’t. Though the price of meat does make me wonder if it’s packed on gold lined trays. So I fired off a book to Random NZ. Six weeks later I received a very nice letter from Harriet Allan at Random declining the novel, but suggesting revisions and saying she would love to see the book again once I’d done them. I did the revisions and Random took me on. And here I have to say what an amazing person Harriet is. Approachable, she’s wonderfully encouraging and if not for her dedication to helping new writers, I wouldn’t have been published.

4) That’s wonderful. So many writers send off novels and just get a blank rejection. Please tell us a little about your novels, Kaye

Both novels are set in the late 1800s on the South Island’s wildly beautiful West Coast. Cross the River to Home is the story of an impossible love between Mai, a part Chinese woman, and Henry, an English immigrant to New Zealand. Against a background of opposing familial ties, a brutal husband, and racial prejudice these two young people struggle to be together.
In a Secret Mind, Mai and Henry’s story carries on, but a new character, Libby Budd, is introduced. Plagued by violent seizures, strange visions and premonitions, Libby
fights a losing battle against her viciously cruel step-father’s plans to have her committed to a lunatic asylum.

Around six months after the first book was published, Harriet emailed me saying two German publishers were bidding for Cross the River to Home. Both books have now been published in hard cover by Der Club Bertelsmann and trade paperback by Random, Germany. You can read more about them on www.kayekelly.co.nz

5) Kaye, how interesting that the German publisher picked you up. It must be very satisfying to realize that your novels have an international flavour. Also I have to say both books are really good. You are wonderful at characterisation as well as story-telling.

Thank you It’s great! Interestingly, the day before I heard the good news about the German bids, I had a nasty fall as I was stepping out the front door (stone cold sober, honest!). So that put paid to the saying, “Pride comes before a fall” because in this instance it was the other way round.

6) That's so you, Kaye to see humour in what must have been painful.Many people want to write today, what advice would you give to any aspiring writer

Don’t give up your day job! Seriously, though, I would advise any new writer to join a local writers’ group if possible, and any other national writers’ association. Writing is all about networking, contacts, friends, critique and polishing, polishing, polishing your work! I can’t stress that enough. You have to learn to harden up and accept critique for what it is. Not an attempt by other cruel nasty writers to hurt your feelings, but a genuine desire to help you make your novel the very best it can be.

7) That is so true. What are you doing now – do you have a book cooking?

Yes, I’m working on a fantasy. A bit of a change from historical novels I grant you, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time and I’m having a ball. But true to my roots, at some stage, Daliah ( pronounced Dar –lee – ah, not Day – lee – ah as she testily informs the friendly neighbourhood vamp) the main character in MoonShroud will travel back in time to the 1800s.

8) Kaye what do you do when you are not writing?

Well, that’s an easy question. I spend a fair amount of time in my garden. And I read, read, and read some more. Though I do get off the backside and go for walks, and sometimes, instead of airing the clothes on the Ab-Track (a nasty machine you lie on then grab a handle attached to the sides and pull yourself up
and down in a vain attempt to flatten the abdomen) I do actually use it.

Oh my goodness, it sounds like some form of torture. Anyway, Kaye thank you for being my guest. It’s been wonderful chatting with you and good luck in the future.

Thanks for having me, Margaret. It’s great to be the Lark Journals Blogspot.

Welcome Caroline Clemmons

2010-07-13T08:17:00.003-04:00

It's so exciting to have a guest blogger today. She is both an excellent writer and a new friend. So Ill let her tell you a little about herself and her new book.

As long as I can remember, I've made up adventures. Okay, I admit the early creative stories featured me riding the range with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and saving the West. What a disappointment to learn that Roy was exclusively committed to Dale! Eventually, my best friend from across the street and I decided to become better detectives than Nancy Drew. We drove our parents and neighbors crazy sticking our pert little noses where they didn't belong. About that time I started writing down my adventures, but mostly I was a reader. Not until I read Nora Roberts' early novels did I decide to create my own romance manuscripts. My road to publishing was a lot slower than Nora's was. No surprise there! I still read Nora's books—as well as those of countless other authors—but now I write full time. Unless life interferes, that is.

My Hero and I live one a small acreage in the ranching and horse country of North Central Texas. Our two daughters are grown, and supportive of my writing. Living with Hero and me now are Webster, our sweet black Shih Tzu, and our two shorthaired cats: Sebastian, a black and white tuxedo who thinks he's our watchcat; and Bailey Erin, a shy apricot tabby. When I'm not writing, I love spending time with family, reading, traveling with Hero, browsing antique malls, and digging into family history and genealogy. I also love garage and estate sales, but have to ration myself—we only have so much room and I think we've filled our home until the walls are bulging. Writing about strong heroes and heroines who overcome amazing obstacles to forge a meaningful life together is my passion. I hope you'll share my stories with me.

Synopsis for OUT OF THE BLUE

Deirdre Dougherty has always been an outsider because of her clairvoyant visions and the fact she uses herbs to heal others. When the local potato crops rot in 1845, the people of her remote Irish village don’t realize the cause is a nation-wide blight. Villagers accuse Deirdre of witchcraft, and she flees for her life. Cut off from escape, she leaps off a cliff into the Atlantic and is propelled through time. She plops down 165 years later in Possum Kingdom Lake in North Central Texas beside the boat of Police Detective Brendan Hunter. He is the man from Deirdre’s visions, and he demands answers she can’t supply. Deirdre only knows that he’s in danger, and she senses an old vibe. Brendan wants answers. Who shot him and killed his partner? Why? And why does Deirdre know details only his late partner knew? The beautiful psycho’s story must be a colossal fabrication. He wants her gone before he becomes even more fascinated with her. Together they must solve the riddle of Deirdre’s displacement, battle a drug scandal, and stay one step ahead of the enemy—without knowing friend from foe.

2010-07-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

If you've ever done remodeling at your house then you can probably relate, and yes sympathize, with what we're going through right now. I had three contractors come out yesterday to look at what we want done and to give estimates. When the first one arrived, three minutes early, my daughter laughed and said, he's a keeper! (The one we had come out last week was supposed to be here at 9:00, at 2:00 he called and said he forgot.) The other two were almost as prompt, but none of them had the same things to say.

We're converting the garage into a room, taking down the garage doors and replacing it with a double set of french doors. A wall will also have to be added to box in the water heater and air conditioner unit. I'll do my own painting and the carpet will be installed last.

There is one outside wall that will need to be insulated, another that only half will need to be done. Two contractors said we needed insulation in that half wall, one said it was already insulated. One said we needed electrical outlets every 6 feet, another said every 8 feet. One mentioned the septic tank might not be big enough and of course I said, there isn't going to be a bathroom in the room. He said it didn't matter, it went by the size of the house. One contractor said he could do the job in one week, another said three days and the third said it would take him three weeks.

This morning when my daughter went to pick up the portable air conditioner unit I bought she asked for the spec sheets on the french doors we bought. She was told there aren't any because the doors aren't hurricane resistant. Now these are outside doors, why in the world would they (a big home builder supply place who will remain nameless) sell outside doors that aren't hurricane resistant, if the county requires it when you're building?

So now I might have to return them for something else because the first contractor said the inspector will require them to be hurricane proof. Or change my plans, which we do have another option.

Later today I will receive their bids. My daughter and I really liked contractor number one so I'm hoping I can work something out with him. Keep your fingers crossed that this project will only cost an arm, and not an arm and a leg:)

Cobwebs

2010-07-09T07:47:00.002-04:00

We were away from home for a time recently. While the house was clean when we left, we found the most amazing additions to the interior landscape when we returned.

Cobwebs.

Can you imagine? In the corners, high above the furniture as well as on lampshades and bookshelves, we had cobwebs. They were pretty, and fairly simple to remove but they were, without a doubt, a surprise.

Who would have thought a house could produce cobwebs in just a matter of weeks?

It's been suggested that I begin writing something--anything!--in the near future. I've been told it will "keep your mind occupied" and "make things seem more normal", all of which is probably true. Still, I hesitate.

You see, I haven't written anything in quite some time. I'm wondering if there might be--you guessed it!--cobwebs in my mind. If there are, I hope they'll be as easy to dispense with as the ones in the house were!

Happy Friday!

Dog on a Diet

2010-07-07T09:47:00.003-04:00

Okay he got chubby. It took him years to train us that he needed a biscuit after we ate. He required sustenance during car rides and the sounds of vacuuming made him irritable and, of course, hungry.

So are skinny little rescue got a bit portly and our Vet has him on a diet. Spencer is annoyed. He has been giving me dark-eyed looks all morning. I have tried to substitute rice cakes for cookies and mash the kibble with green beans but so far the only one losing weight is me. I burn lots of calories as I try to drag him out for a walk. And he is incredulous, "me exercise in this heat."

But I'm staying the course because I want my not so little sweet pee to be healthy. Wish me luck.

A Saxon Tapestry

2010-07-01T04:45:00.004-04:00

Since coming back from beautiful Florida I have been very busy promoting A Saxon Tapestry. It just so happened that many things came together all at once. It wasn't that I was running around arranging things to happen like this, it's just that when an opportnity comes along for you to talk about your latest book, you grab it.

If you have missed my many posts you can read about me at the following, and if you like leave a comment.

www.heroineswithheart.blogspot.com

www.blog.epicauthors.com/p=168

www.romancestudio.com

Also if you would like to read a review of A Saxon Tapestry, this can be found at www.longandshortreviews.blogspot.com

I thought I would give you an example of this review - so here we go. Hope to be chatting with you more generally next week.

"The ingrigues, subterfuge, scheming and conflicts that keep Alfled on the estate make A Saxon Tapestry spellbinding. The twists and turns in the plot tantalize.

The story is filled with cruelty, jealousy and continual battles that Rolf is pulled back into, making lives dark with misery with ony rare times of light, carefree, normal living.

Margaret Blake's captivating style of writing takes your breath away at times. While she shows the horrors of war she also slips in a wonderful love story that reaffirms the resilience of people to overcome hardships and built a life with hope for the future." (Long and Short Reviews).
A Saxon Tapestry published by www.whiskeycreekpress.com

Mirror Lake

2010-06-28T06:30:00.000-04:00

I had to post this beautiful picture today. It's just about perfect, don't you think? Inspiring, peaceful, a place where you might sit and contemplate life. And romantic! I can definitely see a romance blossoming in some cabin in those mountains, or at a lake side picnic. Can't you just imagine the quiet surrounding you? But then, you hear a birds singing, or the grunt of an elk in the distance. This is truly a place where anything can happen.

Just let your imagination go...