Sharon Wray's Blog, page 68

The Legend of Scarecrows

The familiar scarecrow we see in fields and fall home decor has a long, interesting history that dates back over 3,000 years to Egypt and Greee. But the scarecrow we know now came into its own about 500 years ago in Europe, specifically in Britain and Ireland. (Why does that not surprise me?)

In ancient Egypt, farmers covered their wheat crops with netting draped over sticks. This protected the wheat from quail. And, when the nets caught the quail, the Egyptians would collect the birds and eat them. At the same time, in Ancient Greece, farmers hung tunics over sticks to represent the god Priapus (the son of Dionysus and Aphrodite who was supposedly really ugly ) with the hope that these stand-ins would scare off birds from the vineyards and other crops. These versions were painted purple and one hand held a bat (to hurt the birds) while the other held a scythe (in hopes of a good harvest).

In Japan, farmers would stuff old, smelly rags with straw, hang bells on them, and then burn them in the fields in late September. The smoke and stench supposedly kept the birds away while the farmers brought in the harvest. There are even stories of the earliest Native Americans screaming at the birds to keep them away from crops.

As time passed and Europe became more populated, the trend of scaring birds out of fields continued. Since the early European settlers were agrarian, protecting crops was off paramount importance. It was truly a matter of life or death. The earliest scarecrows were meant to keep away birds as well as small children who might pick food, even before it was ripe, because of hunger. So keeping kids away was meant to protect the yield as well as prevent the children from getting sick on unripe food.

Later on, during the Middle Ages, children were encouraged to run through the fields while clapping their hands and throwing stones to scare away the birds. They were known as “scare-crowers”. But after the plague hit, and so many children died, the farmers had to come up with a new plan. Hence the resurgence of the stuffed scarecrow. But while it wasn’t hard to stuff clothes with straw and mount it on a pole in a field, making a “realistic” head was a problem. So they used carved turnips and various gourds for the head.

At this same time, a dark ages practice in Ireland appeared in Europe. This ancient practice was known as the Jack-o-Lantern. The Jack-o-Lantern came from old Irish and British stories about a trickster who was doomed to wander, ind death, between Heaven and Hell. To make his way, he carried a lantern made out of a carved pumpkin or turnip that held a candle. On Samhain (Halloween), the veil between heaven and earth is at its thinnest. And the stories say that that night was the time that Jack-o-lantern thought he had the best chance to cross over into the next world. Anyway, as this practice moved to Europe, the farmers took Jack’s lantern and used it to top the head of their scarecrow.

Eventually, the idea of the scarecrow moved to the New World (along with the stories of Jack-o-Lantern) and up until WWII, scarecrows were a common scene in family farms around the country. Now that pesticides are used, scarecrows have been relegated to backyard gardens and Halloween displays. But there are still scarecrow festivals, scarecrow haunted trails, and even scarecrow movies to keep the legend alive.

Welcome to Sharon Wray’s Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

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Published on September 19, 2021 03:30

Nutting Day Deserves a Cake

Did you know that today is Nutting Day? It’s also my dear sister-in-law’s birthday so it must be a lucky day!

Actually no one really knows when Nutting Day is. According to the Celtic, British, and American calendars, Nutting Day falls anytime between Sept 14 and Sept 21 (between the Fall Ember Days and the Autumn Equinox).

So what exactly is Nutting Day and why does it deserve a cake? Nutting Day is the day that hazelnuts are harvested. I am not kidding. According to Celtic tradition and poetry, the Hazel Tree is the tree found in the underworld as well as the tree at the World’s End. According to these Celtic stories, nine Hazel trees protect and cover the sacred Well of Wisdom. As the nuts mature, they drop into the water where the nuts are eaten by the magical Salmon of Wisdom. (stories about the Salmon of Wisdom are found in the Fenian Cycle of Poetry)

Apparently those who eat hazelnuts or the Salmon of Wisdom, will be able to tell the future and speak prophecies. Many of these tales, especially those about Fionn Mac Cumhaill, speak of a strong hero who battles his way to the World’s End in order to grab a nut before it falls into the well and the Salmon’s mouth.

According to these ancient poems, you can find the rare Hazel trees hidden within apple orchards that are surrounded by Hawthorn trees. When you find these three trees together, you know you are near the borders of the world where magical things are supposed to occur. The Hazel Tree’s etymology is Coll, Colyrus, C. Coll or C is the ninth letter in the Ogham (Ancient Celtic) alphabet and represents the ninth month of the year–September. At one time it was considered such a serious crime to cut down a Hazel tree that the punishment was death.

In the Greek and Roman myths, the Hazel tree is associated with Hermes and Mercury, both of whom who represent intelligence and wisdom. Hermes’ wooden staff was made of Hazel wood, and it’s recently been suggested by historians that ancient Druid priests preferred Hazel staffs over traditional oaks. For centuries, Hazel staffs were seen as sign of authority and wisdom. The Old English word for Hazel was “haesl” which means “baton of authority” and landowners would hold their baton while they heard the grievances of their serfs.

As centuries passed in Britain, the Hazel tree became associated with love and fertility. Hazelnuts became such a symbol of love and fertility that brides would be “showered” with hazelnuts which were then gathered up and eaten. Up until WWII, some even believed that if a new couples’ Hazel tree offered a lot of hazel catkins (the tree’s male flowers), the couple would have large family.

So because of all of that history behind the Hazel tree, the simple hazelnut gets it’s own day. And what better way to celebrate than with an Apple Hazelnut Cake!

PrintApple Hazelnut CakeThis hazelnut apple cake recipe has been adapted from one my 4-H leader used to make during our fall festivals. It's loaded with shredded apples and ground hazelnuts and is served with a warm toffee sauce. Although no one would complain if you added vanilla ice cream and lightly-sweetened whipped cream. Course DessertKeyword Apple Cake, HazelnutsPrep Time 30 minutesCook Time 1 hour 10 minutesResting time 25 minutesServings 10 peopleCalories 500kcalIngredientsCake1 cup salted butter room temperature1 1/4 cups brown sugar3 large eggs1/2 cup ground hazelnuts1 1/2 cups flour1 Tablespoon baking powder1 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon nutmeg2 cups shredded Granny Smith or Macoun apples about 3-4 applesTopping2 Tablespoons brown sugar1 Tablespoon ground hazelnutsToffee Sauce1/4 cup salted butter5 Tablespoons brown sugar6 Tablespoons whipping cream1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractInstructionsCakePreheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a round 8-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set the round pan on on a baking sheet, also lined with parchment paper, and set aside.In a large electric mixing bowl, cream the room temperature butter along with the brown sugar. When the mixture is smooth, add the eggs, one at a taime. Blend the eggs until well mixed, but do not over beat.In another large bowl, whisk together the ground hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg. Once the dry ingredients are blended, slowly add the dry mixture to the butter/egg batter. Combine well without overbeating. With a spoon, fold in the shredded apples.Pour batter in the prepared pan. Top with the brown sugar and ground hazelnuts, making sure it's evenly distributed. Keeping the pan on the baking sheet, place the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 65-80 minutes. Watch for the cake to turn a gold color and for the sides to begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. It's done when a toothpick pushed into the center of the cake comes out clean. (time differential is determined by the amount of moisture in the apples)Remove from oven and set the baking sheet, with the pan, on a baking rack to rest for 5 minutes. After five minutes, run a sharp knife around the inside edge of the pan and remove the outer ring. Let cool for another 10-20 minutes for the cake to set.Toffee SauceFor the toffee sauce, set up a double boiler. Over medium heat, melt the brown sugar and butter and whipping cream. Stir with a wooden spoon until melted and well blended. Stir in vanilla and remove from heat. Serve immediately over the cake. The cake can be either warm or room temperature. But make sure you let the cake rest before you cut it or else it will crumble. The sauce will also keep in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave when needed.NotesTo grind hazelnuts, first toast the nuts on a lined baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes–but watch them so they don’t burn!)While warm, place the nuts in a dish towel and rub the nuts together to remove the skin. Place the skinned nuts into a nut grinder or a food processor and pulse/chop the nuts until they resemble a very coarse corn meal. Do not over process as the nuts will turn into flour.

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Published on September 17, 2021 10:28

Ember Days & September Pie

Yesterday we entered a period of time, right before the Fall Equinox, known as Ember Days. During the Fall, the Ember Days always fall on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after September 14th (the Feast of the Holy Cross in the Catholic tradition), so this year (2021) they fall on September 15th, 17th, and 18th.

The name “Ember Days” is derived from the Latin quattuor tempora, which means “Four Times” or “Four Seasons.” And they always occur before the Fall and Spring Equinoxes (where days are equal length) and the Winter and Summer Solstices (where night and day are the longest and shortest of the year). In the Christian church, these three days were set aside, four times a year, as way to celebrate the passing of each season with fasting, prayer, and time spent with family. The specific days of Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday refer to the days Jesus was betrayed, crucified, and entombed.

When I was a child in northern New Jersey, near the Ramapo Mountains, we celebrated the Fall Ember Days with the first of the fall festivals. And one of these festivals included a school trip to Tarrytown, NY where Washington Irving set his classic story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I’ve written before how much fun it was to visit Tarrytown with the bonfires, ghost stories, and pub meals reminiscent of the Van Tassel feast that the protagonist, Ichabod Crane, describes in the book. But there was another tradition in that part of the Hudson River Valley held in the early fall that everyone loved. Those Fall Ember Days were when the grapes that grew in the region were harvested to make local wine. While most of the grapes were pressed, some were reserved for baking pies and tarts as well as for preserving jams and jellies for the long winter ahead.

While I do love wine, one of my favorite foods found at the fall festivals in NY State are grape pies, also known as September Pies. The recipe below is one of my favorites because it’s loaded with grapes, apples, orange zest, and the best of the autumn spices. I also use my favorite Butter Pie Crust, but you’ll need to double the recipe for this pie.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and in case you’re interested, the next Ember Days will fall on December 15th, 17th, and 18th. Another holiday to plan for!

Sharon Wray

Yields 1 pie

Serves 8 servings

0September Pie

This wonderful grape pie is adapted from a Maida Heatter cookbook that my grandmother used to have. But my grandmother changed up the spices and added the orange zest. Over the years, I've adjusted the type of apples to suit where I'm living. Ideally, the best apple to use for this pie are Macoun apples, but they're really, really hard to find outside of the northern edge of New Jersey along the New York State border and the Hudson River. If you can't find Macoun apples, Granny Smiths make a great substitute.

1 hr, 30 Prep Time

1 hr, 25 Cook Time

2 hr, 55 Total Time

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Ingredients

2 disks favorite pie dough4-5 Macoun or Granny Smith apples (2 lbs), peeled, cored, cut into 1/8" - 1/4" slices3 cups seedless red grape (about 1.3 lbs)1 medium orange, zested & juiced3/4 cup sugar2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoons ground ginger1/2 teaspoon ground cloves2 tablespoons cornstarch2 tablespoons cold butter cut into 1/4" cubes1 eggTurbinado sugarWhipped cream

Instructions

If the dough is chilled, remove the dough disks from refrigerator. Allow them to warm up for 10-15 minutes on the counter.On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first disk into a 11" round about 1/8" thick.Transfer the rolled dough into a 9" pan, leaving a 1"-2" overhang around the plate. Trim the edges of the dough.Wrap the dough scraps in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.Tuck the dough around the edge of the pie plate. Place the pie shell on a lined baking sheet in the fridge. Chill.Roll the second dough disk into a round shape, about 1/4" thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1" - 1 1/2" wide strips. Place the strips onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.With leftover dough, cut out leaf shapes and place on the backing sheet with the strips. Chill.If at any time the dough gets too soft, return to the refrigerator for ten minutes.In a large mixing bowl, toss the apple slices, grapes, orange zest, orange juice, sugar and spices. Set the bowl aside for 15 minutes.In a smaller bowl, stir the cornstarch with a few Tablespoons of the fruit juices to form a slurry. This will help thicken the filling that prevents a soggy bottom. Stir the slurry into the fruit.Gently pour the fruit into the pie shell. Mound the fruit in the center and dot the top with the 1/2" butter cubes.Crisscross and weave the dough strips over the pie. Trim the edges and tuck them underneath the edge of the pie dish.Flute the dough edge with your fingers. Decorate with dough leaves.Freeze the pie for 1 hour.Preheat the oven to 400° F.Place the pie on a lined baking sheet.Whisk the egg and gently brush it over the top and edges of the pie. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top.Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350° and bake for another 30-45 minutes. Make sure to rotate the pan halfway through. Check the filling. If necessary, depending on how cold the freezer was, it may take another 10-25 minutes to bake.Bake until the pie is bubbly and the crust turns golden. Watch the pie carefully and cover it with tinfoil if you think it's over-browning.Test the pie with a toothpick. When the apples are soft, it's ready to come out.Cool on a rack for 2 hours.Serve with whipped cream.7.8.1.2171https://sharonwray.com/writers-life/ember-days-september-pie/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/writers-life\/ember-days-september-pie\/" ],"name" : "September Pie","description" : "This wonderful grape pie is adapted from a Maida Heatter cookbook that my grandmother used to have. But my grandmother changed up the spices and added the orange zest. Over the years, I've adjusted the type of apples to suit where I'm living. 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Trim the edges of the dough." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Wrap the dough scraps in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Tuck the dough around the edge of the pie plate. Place the pie shell on a lined baking sheet in the fridge. Chill. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Roll the second dough disk into a round shape, about 1\/4\" thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1\" - 1 1\/2\" wide strips. Place the strips onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "With leftover dough, cut out leaf shapes and place on the backing sheet with the strips. Chill." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "If at any time the dough gets too soft, return to the refrigerator for ten minutes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large mixing bowl, toss the apple slices, grapes, orange zest, orange juice, sugar and spices. Set the bowl aside for 15 minutes." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a smaller bowl, stir the cornstarch with a few Tablespoons of the fruit juices to form a slurry. This will help thicken the filling that prevents a soggy bottom. Stir the slurry into the fruit. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Gently pour the fruit into the pie shell. Mound the fruit in the center and dot the top with the 1\/2\" butter cubes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Crisscross and weave the dough strips over the pie. Trim the edges and tuck them underneath the edge of the pie dish. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Flute the dough edge with your fingers. Decorate with dough leaves. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Freeze the pie for 1 hour." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Preheat the oven to 400\u00b0 F." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Place the pie on a lined baking sheet. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Whisk the egg and gently brush it over the top and edges of the pie. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bake at 400\u00b0 for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350\u00b0 and bake for another 30-45 minutes. Make sure to rotate the pan halfway through. Check the filling. If necessary, depending on how cold the freezer was, it may take another 10-25 minutes to bake." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bake until the pie is bubbly and the crust turns golden. Watch the pie carefully and cover it with tinfoil if you think it's over-browning. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Test the pie with a toothpick. When the apples are soft, it's ready to come out. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Cool on a rack for 2 hours." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve with whipped cream." }],"keywords" : "September Pie","recipeIngredient" : ["2 disks favorite pie dough","4-5 Macoun or Granny Smith apples (2 lbs), peeled, cored, cut into 1\/8\" - 1\/4\" slices","3 cups seedless red grape (about 1.3 lbs)","1 medium orange, zested & juiced","3\/4 cup sugar","2 teaspoons ground cinnamon","1 teaspoons ground ginger","1\/2 teaspoon ground cloves","2 tablespoons cornstarch","2 tablespoons cold butter cut into 1\/4\" cubes","1 egg","Turbinado sugar","Whipped cream"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/0kmpoedqkje.jpg" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "8 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"} A random note: According to folklore, and the Farmer’s Almanac, the weather we have during the four Embertide periods will foretell the weather conditions for the next three months. So I’m grateful the weather this week has been warm and dry.

Welcome to Sharon Wray’s Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

View more on Sharon Wray's website »

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Published on September 16, 2021 12:56

2021 Mid-Summer Middle Grade & Young Adult Book List

Yes, this list is late this year. I’ve been traveling for months and have had back to back deadlines. But it’s still brutally hot out, and the leaves haven’t changed yet, so I’m still posting the 2021 Mid-Summer Middle Grade & Young Adult Book List (even though it’s early fall!).

As I’ve mentioned before, this is NOT a best-seller or new release list. This is an ongoing, cumulative list of books the kids in my reading army have read that is updated twice a year.

We’ve all worked hard during the pandemic to read new-to-us authors and to search for books outside our comfort zones. With so many books being published–both traditionally and independently–it’s hard to keep up. So I want to thank my preteen & teen readers for their help and suggestions, as well as my blog readers who’ve made this list such a popular download. The 2021 Mid-Winter List hit over 13,000 downloads, and this newest list is over 50 pages long. You are all so awesome!

2021 Mid-Summer Middle Grade & Young Adult Book List

Thank you to Amazon for embed links and blurbs.

Sharon Wray's 2021 Mid-Summer Middle Grade and Young Adult is now out! Perfect if you have reluctant preteen and teen readers. There's something for everyone!

This bi-annual compilation offers a good cross-section of genres for teens and tweens. A lot of new YA Fantasy and Sci-Fi Fiction books were recently released and we’ve also added some new Middle Grade Relationship and Non-Fiction books. There are books on the list for all readers to get them through the fall!

Below are a few highlights in no particular order. For the entire printable list, click here: 2021 Mid-Summer MG/YA Book List.

Young Adult Fiction

When the heroes have fallen, who will take up the sword?

A strange darkness grows in Allward.

Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea. She soon discovers the truth: She is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won’t be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions:

A squire, forced to choose between home and honor.An immortal, avenging a broken promise.An assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty.An ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight.A forger with a secret past.A bounty hunter with a score to settle.

Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.

Explosive action and swoon-worthy suspense collide in Steelstriker, the riveting conclusion to the Skyhunter duet from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu.

As a Striker, Talin was taught loyalty is life. Loyalty to the Shield who watches your back, to the Strikers who risk their lives on the battlefield, and most of all, to Mara, which was once the last nation free from the Karensa Federation’s tyranny. But Mara has fallen. And its destruction has unleashed Talin’s worst nightmare.

With her friends scattered by combat and her mother held captive by the Premier, Talin is forced to betray her fellow Strikers and her adopted homeland. She has no choice but to become the Federation’s most deadly war machine as their newest Skyhunter. Red is no stranger to the cruelty of the Federation or the torture within its Skyhunter labs, but he knows this isn’t the end for Mara – or Talin. The link between them may be weak, but it could be Talin and Red’s only hope to salvage their past and safeguard their future.

While the fate of a broken world hangs in the balance, Talin and Red must reunite the Strikers and find their way back to each other in this smoldering sequel to Marie Lu’s Skyhunter.

Dustin Bridges has always had two things he could count on—his fearless instincts behind the wheel and the support of his two best friends, Tommy and Hannah Judge.

Dustin brought the speed. Tommy, the brains. And Hannah . . . she was the glue that held everyone together. Together, they were unstoppable.

From the dirt tracks of their youth to the late-night drag races under a desert moon as teens, the Judge siblings pushed and watched in awe as their friend edged closer to his dream. Always racing, always running. That was Dustin’s gift and curse. And while his life at home was unbearable, his world with the Judges always seemed perfect.

Growing up with people makes for a special bond. But sometimes life has a way of testing just how strong a relationship is. And falling in love with one of your best friends, not to mention your other best friend’s sister? Well, that can be the toughest test of all.

Heartbreak doesn’t know what it’s up against, though, because when there is a prize to be won, nobody bets against Dustin Bridges.

THE LAST THING SHE WANTED WAS TO GET BACK INTO THE HERO GAME

THE VILLAIN: The Dark One—probably not fun at parties, definitely cool with murder—was running around North America engulfing whole cities in supernatural chaos and destruction.

THE HEROES: Five Chosen Ones—ordinary strangers with nothing in common—were recruited by the government because they fit the narrow criteria of a prophecy made by [redacted]. You know the rest…heroes fought villain, heroes defeated villain, and everything went back to normal. Only…not so much.

Now, it’s ten years later, and Sloane Andrews, recovering Chosen One, has discovered that all the fame, gratitude, and parade floats in the world can’t erase what she endured—what she had to do—to take down the Dark One. All she wants now is to be left alone, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

As it turns out, that plan for annihilation set in motion by the Dark One? It’s not finished yet. Last time, Sloane saved the day with a magical needle and a can-do attitude. This time, she’s fresh out of both.

Seventeen-year-old Willow Zimmerman has something to say. When she’s not on the streets advocating for her community, she’s volunteering at the local pet shelter. She seeks to help all those in need, even the stray dog she’s named Lebowitz that follows her around. But as much as she does for the world around her, she struggles closer to home-taking care of her mother, recently diagnosed with cancer. In desperation, she reconnects with her estranged “uncle” Edward, and he opens the door to an easier life.

Through simple jobs, such as hosting his private poker nights with Gotham City’s elites, she is able to keep her family afloat-and afford critical medical treatments for her mother. Then one night, Willow and Lebowitz collide with the monstrous Killer Croc and get injured, waking up able to understand each other. But when Willow discovers that Edward and his friends are actually some of Gotham’s most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who kept her family together, or use her new powers to be a voice for her community.

It’s been three months since the Patriarche was beheaded, leaving behind no known heir. Now, the planet of Laterre is unrecognizable. General Bonnefaçon has cleaned up the streets, fed the hungry, and restored peace while the next leader is decided upon. From the outside, Laterre seems to be flourishing. But dangerous rifts threaten to shatter the planet from within.

The Red Scar has been killing off anyone with a legitimate claim to the Regime, while the Vangarde are preparing for the return of their infamous leader. Then, it’s revealed that the Patriarche had a daughter who is still alive. A missing Paresse heir…Alouette has been locked in a secret facility for months, interrogated on the whereabouts of the General’s renegade grandson.

Marcellus is desperately searching for Alouette, knowing she’s the key to the Vangarde’s plan to overthrow the corrupt Regime, but unaware that he, himself, is being hunted by a new cyborg tasked with tracking down the planet’s most wanted criminals. Meanwhile Chatine is growing restless, living underground with a rebel group she doesn’t fit into. Until an old friend solicits her help to save the Défecteur community from a mysterious, new threat. A threat that will tie them all together.

When the general makes an explosive play for power, allegiances will shift, rebels will become leaders, barricades will rise, and the tinderbox of Laterre will finally ignite, launching a revolution five hundred years in the making.

In the realm of Jinn, enchantments and magical abilities are conceived and often exploited. At 17-years-old, Jezebel has developed a powerful shape-shifting Gift—and she’s determined to keep it a secret.

When her friends find a portal to the human world, she reluctantly follows. There, she’s tempted to embrace her Gift. After all, no one but the humans will see. Unfortunately, one of her friends witnesses her secret, and he won’t let it go. He pushes her to explore the full extent of her ability, no matter the cost.

But Jezebel hits her breaking point when he crosses a line. She has to decide if she’ll continue letting others use her like she’s always feared, or find a way to shift her future in a new direction.

A deadly contest. A vaulting ambition. How far will one cyren go to win?

Mighty cyrens have ruled the ancient lair of Saddoriel for centuries. A cavernous fortress, a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and levels, powered by magic and music…

From the moment she was born, Roh, the daughter of an infamous criminal, has been despised by her own kind. Restricted to the Lower Sector and forced to work as a common bone cleaner, she has always believed she belongs above: where lies adventure… and power.

Opportunity arises in the form of the Queen’s Tournament, a treacherous set of trials that could see the victor crowned ruler of the entire lair. Up against the most cunning, dangerous cyrens in all the realms, does Roh stand a chance?

Before the Blight, becoming an adult was something teenagers looked forward to. But now, turning eighteen means certain death.

Unless you prove yourself worthy of the Cure.

On her seventeenth birthday, Ashen Spencer is blindfolded and escorted to the massive, mysterious building known as the Arc to begin her year of training and testing in hopes that she can earn the Cure—a powerful drug given only to those deemed worthy to survive beyond their eighteenth birthday.
Ashen has a chance to rise up from her former life of squalor and be granted a place in society, if the Panel—the mysterious group of powerful men and women in charge of the Arc—deems her year a success. She’s assigned to work for twelve months as a servant for a wealthy family whose son is the most alluring young man she’s ever met. At first, Ashen is grateful for the opportunity to earn her place in a society she’s always dreamed of inhabiting.

But as time passes and she begins to learn the truth about the people she admires so much and the home she left behind, she realizes she has a choice: Be part of the disease…Or be part of the Cure.

TV ADAPTATION “THE PLAYERS’ TABLE” STARRING HALSEY AND EUPHORIA’S SYDNEY SWEENEY COMING TO HBO MAX

In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.

Freshman year Jill’s best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.

Now, it’s Jill’s senior year and she’s determined to make it her best yet. After all, she’s a senior and a Player–a member of Gold Coast Prep’s exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill’s year. She’s sure of it.

But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham’s innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn’t kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.

Middle Grade Fiction & Non-Fiction

When twelve-year-old Zinnia Manning’s older brother Gabriel is diagnosed with a mental illness, the family’s world is turned upside down. Mom and Dad want Zinny, her sixteen-year-old sister, Scarlett, and her eight-year-old brother, Aiden, to keep Gabriel’s condition “private”—and to Zinny that sounds the same as “secret.” Which means she can’t talk about it to her two best friends, who don’t understand why Zinny keeps pushing them away, turning everything into a joke.

It also means she can’t talk about it during Lunch Club, a group run by the school guidance counselor. How did Zinny get stuck in this weird club, anyway? She certainly doesn’t have anything in common with these kids—and even if she did, she’d never betray her family’s secret.

The only good thing about school is science class, where cool teacher Ms. Molina has them doing experiments on crayfish. And when Zinny has the chance to attend a dream marine biology camp for the summer, she doesn’t know what to do. How can Zinny move forward when Gabriel—and, really, her whole family—still needs her help?

Winner of the 2020 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award.
Instead of giving him lunch money, Rex’s mom has signed him up for free meals. As a poor kid in a wealthy school district, better-off kids crowd impatiently behind him as he tries to explain to the cashier that he’s on the free meal program. The lunch lady is hard of hearing, so Rex has to shout.

Free Lunch is the story of Rex’s efforts to navigate his first semester of sixth grade—who to sit with, not being able to join the football team, Halloween in a handmade costume, classmates and a teacher who take one look at him and decide he’s trouble—all while wearing secondhand clothes and being hungry. His mom and her boyfriend are out of work, and life at home is punctuated by outbursts of violence. Halfway through the semester, his family is evicted and ends up in government-subsidized housing in view of the school. Rex lingers at the end of last period every day until the buses have left, so no one will see where he lives.

The Dark Rangers threaten the survival of Rangers and the kingdom.
Will our friends be able to unmask their leader and stop them before the conspiracy is completed?

An appeal has been made to convene The Great Council. The Ranger leaders will meet to study the threat of the dark secretfaction and find a way to end the threat.
The Snow Panthers will be immersed in theconspiracy and will play a critical role in its resolution. They will also continue their investigations todiscover who is trying to end the lives of Lasgol and Egil, and therelationship between the attempts.

Will they manage to catch the leader of the Dark Rangers? Will they stop the conspiracy that threatens them and the throne? Willthey find out who is behind the attempts on their lives?
Find out while you live fascinating adventureswith a group of unique characters that will make you fall in love with them.

Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award!

Inspired by the author’s childhood experience as a refugee—fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama—this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child’s-eye view of family and immigration.

Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.

This moving story of one girl’s year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it “enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny.”

An author’s note explains how and why Thanhha Lai translated her personal experiences into Hà’s story. This updated digital edition also includes an interview with the author, an activity you can do with your family, tips on writing poetry, and discussion questions.

This new ebook compiles Lucy Maud Montgomery’s complete ‘Anne of Green Gables’ novels, including “Anne of Green Gables”, “Anne of Windy Poplars”, “Anne of Ingleside” and “Rainbow Valley”.

This edition has been professionally formatted and contains several tables of contents. The first table of contents (at the very beginning of the ebook) lists the titles of all novels included in this volume. By clicking on one of those titles you will be redirected to the beginning of that work, where you’ll find a new TOC that lists all the chapters and sub-chapters of that specific work.

As soon as Anne Shirley arrived at the snug, white farmhouse called Green Gables, she knew she wanted to stay forever… but would the Cuthberts send her back to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected — a skinny girl with decidedly red hair and a temper to match. If only she could convince them to let her stay, she’d try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes or blurt out the very first thing she had to say. Anne was not like anybody else, everyone at Green Gables agreed; she was special — a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreamed of the day when she could call herself Anne of Green Gables.

Chase Cooper here with another crazy week at my school!

Gavin is back for fun and Christopher Moss is back for revenge in what might be the most stressful week of my life! A mystery kid named Anonymoose has started posting pictures of ninjas all over the place and promises to reveal the identity of their leader – ME – on Friday at a school dance that Zoe’s been planning! Everybody, including Brody Valentine, wants to help me stop Anonymoose, but I’m pretty sure I can handle it myself. Well, at least, I HOPE I can handle it myself.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...

What if you could give your son all the excitement of screen time but also spark his love for reading and history?

Now you can—with Great Battles for Boys, the #1 bestselling history series written especially for boys who struggle with reading.

Each book in the series focuses on the battles, leaders, tactics, and weapons that won (or lost) history’s most significant military clashes. Filled with historic photos and written in an engaging conversational style by a middle school history teacher, Great Battles for Boys brings history to life. These true tales of courage will excite even the most reluctant readers.

In this seventh book in the series, boys learn about The Korean War (1950-53) also known as the “The Forgotten War.” Despite more than 2 million casualties, most people—young and old—can not fully explain this international conflict or why the United States sacrificed so much treasure to fight it. But your son will learn about stunning modern warfare—ensuring history is anything but “forgotten.”

Disclaimer: Some of these books are (or once were) controversial. Some older YAs have closed-door or open-door adult situations, and others (YA & MG) deal with harsh issues such as suicide, bullying, war, poverty, and loss of a parent. As a librarian, reader’s advisor, and mother, I’ve learned that tweens and teens tend to read within their comfort zone, both emotionally and reading-level wise. All of these books offer a chance for parents and kids to discuss which topics are appropriate now and which books are best left for another time. But I hope you all find books that will give your family new adventures and imaginary friends.

See you in February for the 2022 Mid-Winter Young Adult and Middle Grade Book List!

*The books listed in this blog post are in no particular order.

Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning .

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Published on September 11, 2021 07:14

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Carrot Soup

shallow focus photography of Golden retriever puppy

It’s been a wonderful, crazy busy summer with trips to Croatia and Chicago and Charleston. We also bounced between Brevard, NC and Bucks County, PA. But now that I’m home, and back under two writing deadlines, I’m so happy it’s fall. While the days are still a bit too hot, and the leaves haven’t turned yet, I’m drinking pumpkin lattes and reading my favorite fall books! To celebrate the change of seasons, tonight I’m making my favorite carrot soup. If you haven’t had carrot soup, it’s a perfect blend of sweet and savory and salty.

I serve this soup with fresh sourdough bread and a green salad. A glass of wine would make pair nicely!

Sharon Wray

Serves 6 servings

0The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Carrot Soup

This recipe has been adapted from an old Better Homes and Garden Cookbook from the early 1970s. It's best served the day you make it, but it also freezes well for up to two weeks. I serve this with a loaf of homemade sourdough bread and a green salad.

15 minPrep Time

1 hr, 10 Cook Time

1 hr, 25 Total Time

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Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil1 cup chopped Vidalia onions3 garlic cloves, minced2 heaping cups peeled and shredded carrots1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (with Mother)4 cups chicken brothSea salt and white pepper, to tasteSalted, roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Instructions

In a large stock pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Once it begins to heat, add the onions with a dash of sea salt and white pepper. Stir until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.Add the minced garlic and the shredded carrots to the onions and stir for two minutes.Stir in the ginger and the apple cider vinegar. Cook for about five minutes.Stir in the chicken broth.Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for thirty minutes, or until the carrots are tender.Season with salt and pepper to taste.Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add maple syrup, if desired.Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk and/or a dollop of pesto, if desired.Top with roasted, salted pumpkin seeds.7.8.1.2169https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-carrot-soup/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-carrot-soup\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Carrot Soup","description" : "This recipe has been adapted from an old Better Homes and Garden Cookbook from the early 1970s. It's best served the day you make it, but it also freezes well for up to two weeks. I serve this with a loaf of homemade sourdough bread and a green salad. ","prepTime" : "PT15M","cookTime" : "PT1H10M","datePublished" : "2021-02-04 12:42:46","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large stock pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Once it begins to heat, add the onions with a dash of sea salt and white pepper. Stir until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Add the minced garlic and the shredded carrots to the onions and stir for two minutes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir in the ginger and the apple cider vinegar. Cook for about five minutes." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir in the chicken broth." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for thirty minutes, or until the carrots are tender. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Season with salt and pepper to taste." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add maple syrup, if desired." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk and\/or a dollop of pesto, if desired." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Top with roasted, salted pumpkin seeds." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Carrot Soup","recipeIngredient" : ["1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ","1 cup chopped Vidalia onions","3 garlic cloves, minced","2 heaping cups peeled and shredded carrots","1\u00bd teaspoons grated fresh ginger","1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (with Mother)","4 cups chicken broth","Sea salt and white pepper, to taste","Salted, roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Vaccine-Card-7.png" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "6 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"}

Welcome to Sharon Wray’s Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

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Published on September 10, 2021 12:13

Sarah Munro’s Dandelion Root-Infused Honey

Fall is the perfect time to harvest dandelion roots. This recipe for dandelion-infused honey dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries and comes from Sarah Munro’s collection of updated herbal remedies. (For those of you new to this blog, Sarah Munro is the heroine in ONE DARK WISH, book 2 of the Amazon Bestselling Deadly Force series.)

Dandelion roots have long been used to help flush toxins from the body and to help strengthen the liver. It has diuretic properties and has also been said to clear up your skin and work as a digestive aid. This time of year is the best time to dig up the dandelion’s tap root because it’s bitterness holds the most medicinal benefits. It’s not easy to get the entire root out in tact so I recommend waiting until after a hard rainfall when the ground is softer. That’s especially important when dealing with the hard red clay here in Virginia. Once you dig up as much of the roots as possible, wash them well and cut off the greens. The roots can be used both fresh or dried. Add the extras to homemade bone broth.

I use this infused honey to sweeten any herbal teas. The honey and dandelion’s detoxifying qualities even help kick a cold faster.

Sarah Munro’s Dandelion-Infused HoneyINGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS:

Wash the roots (however many you could dig up!) and cut off the greens.

Slice the roots 1/4″ thick and add them to a sterilized, glass jar.

Fill the jar with raw honey, making sure to leave 1/2″ headspace.

With a plastic stirring stick, stir the honey and roots in the jar until all of the air bubbles are gone.

Bring a saucepan with water to a low boil. Lower the temp until the water is simmering and place the open jar of honey into the saucepan. Be careful not to get water into the honey jar. Do not let the water boil and keep the temp low so the honey doesn’t foam. With the temp steady, warm the honey for two hours. Add warm water to saucepan as necessary.

After the honey has been warmed and infused for two hours, strain the roots out of the honey using cheesecloth. Strain the honey into another sterilized glass jar and seal tightly with a two-part canning lid.

Store in a cool, dark cabinet.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ABOUT WILD PLANTS, FORAGING , AND MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES:

I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).

It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.

If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.

Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.

Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.

Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.

Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.

I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!

Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning .

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Published on September 07, 2021 15:55

Anne Bradstreet: Puritan Poetess and America’s First Published Author

TO MY DEAR AND LOVING HUSBAND

(Anne Bradstreet 1612-1672)

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye woman, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the east doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor aught but love from thee, give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so perservere
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

Even though Valentine’s Day is still months away, I wanted to share this love poem written by my favorite poet Anne Bradstreet.

Anne Bradstreet was born in England in 1612 and raised on the estate of the Earl of Lincoln where her father was the steward. She learned to read and had an opportunity to study the classics. She married Simon Bradstreet, her father’s assistant, in 1628. In 1630, Anne emigrated to the New World with her parents and husband. After surviving the difficult journey, the Puritan men of the Arabella formed the new government of the fledgling Boston Settlement. John Winthrop became Governor, her father Thomas Dudley became Deputy-Governor, and her husband Simon was appointed Chief Administrator. While the men enlarged the Massachusetts Bay Colony and went on to found Harvard University, Anne struggled with basic daily survival for her growing family. The lack of food, the harsh climate, and poor living conditions took their toll on her health, already weakened from a bout of smallpox.

Yet Anne’s faith held her steadfast and filled her heart with hope. As the days turned to years and she struggled with the hardships of colony living, she sought solace through writing poetry.

When her husband became a diplomat for the growing colony, she found herself raising her children alone in the wilderness. Despite her hard life, Anne was a passionate woman who adored her seven children and was deeply in love with her husband. She was imaginative, quick-witted, and highly intuitive. But since Anne was also a contemporary of Anne Hutchison who, in 1637, was exiled by Governor John Winthrop to Rhode Island because of her outspoken views on religion and women, Anne Bradstreet learned the dangers of open dissent. Especially by a woman.

Then, unbeknownst to Anne, her brother-in-law Rev. John Woodbridge took her poems back to England and published them without her consent. In 1650, her first book The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America was published. Four hundred pages long, its publication made her the first published author and poet of the New World. But her brother-in-law’s action did not pass without comment from Anne in a later poem titled The Author to her Book. The first stanzas express her subdued irritation beautifully.

Thou ill-form’d offspring of my feeble brain,

Who after birth did’st by my side remain,

Till snatcht from thence by friends, less wise than true,

Who thee abroad expos’d to public view

Even though Anne lived a Puritan life, she used her writing to subtly fight the biases against women. When her first book came out, her brother-in-law had to stress it was written by a virtuous woman. He even signed the authors line with the words “written by a Gentle Woman of Those Parts.” Then came the criticism that she’d given up time tending her duties to her children and God in order to write. She was expected to prove she’d given up hours of sleep instead of time with her family to complete the manuscript. Her response to this criticism came in a later poem The Prologue.

I am obnoxious to each carping tongue
Who says my hand a needle better fits;
A poet’s pen all scorn I should thus wrong,
For such despite they cast on female wits.
If what I do prove well, it won’t advance;
They’ll say it’s stol’n, or else it was by chance.

Her first poems were well received, but were considered nice “imitations” of the male literary works of the Elizabethan era, such as John Milton and Edmund Spenser. It wasn’t until she harnessed her passion and tapped into her scathing wit that her later works were met with even more acclaim. The poems of her older (more confident) years are considered her best work–emotionally authentic, true to her voice, with a simple style of writing. The following stanzas from the poem In Honour of that High and Mighty Princess, Queen Elizabeth is my favorite example.

Now say, have women worth, or have they none?
Or had they some, but with our Queen is’t gone?
Nay Masculines, you have thus tax’d us long,
But she, though dead, will vindicate our wrong.
Let such as say our sex is void of reason
Know ’tis a slander now, but once was treason.

But I don’t just love Anne Bradstreet because of her poetry. We all have daily annoyances as well as life sufferings, yet nothing I do in the twenty-first century is as hard as a single day Anne lived in the seventeenth. Despite all the hardships, caring for and home-schooling eight children, dealing with a traveling husband, she still found time to write. So whenever I come up with reasons to not sit in front of my laptop, I think of Anne Bradstreet. After all, if a humble woman of unremarkable means living in the wilderness can become the first published author of a new country, what’s my excuse? And what’s yours?

Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning .

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Published on September 05, 2021 16:45

Jane Aiken Hodge’s Gothic Romances: More Than Just A Girl And Her Castle

In 1971, Time Magazine Arts Editor Martha Duffy made an observation about the increasing sales of romantic fiction. “What sells is the author’s name on the jacket and that illustration showing a girl and a castle.” The key part is the date. 1971

As I read that quote, a flood of memories rushed through me, transporting me back to middle school. It’s there, in between braces, scoliosis checks, and Latin declensions, that I discovered Mary Stewart, Eleanor Hibbert (aka Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, and Philippa Carr), Anya Seton, and Phyllis Whitney. Like my daughter whodevours YA paranormal romances and dystopian stories, I was once addicted to romantic suspense and gothic romances.

It’s possible my honestly-acquired addiction to suspense and gothics came from reading Daphne Du Maurier and the Bronte sisters at too young an age, but by the time I was fourteen I had gone through all of the books these women had written up until then and I was desperate. Unfortunately, in the late seventies and early eighties most of the romance novels were too adult for my tastes. I had no interest in the man actually doing anything with the heroine. I was happy if the hero stayed in the creepy castle, acting broody and threatening.

As my daughter says, “The heroine can think about the boy, see the boy infrequently, and yearn for the boy. She can even talk about the boy with her girlfriends while trying on shoes. But the boy must STAY in the castle in the woods.” And at that age, not only was I desperate for something to read, I had the same need to keep the boy in the woods. So bodice-rippers were out.

One day, after another not-so-great math test, I hid in the library. The librarian, who knew me by name, came over. After a few minutes of moaning about stupid math and nothing to read, she took my test and wrote down four names on the back.

Jane Aiken Hodge

Jill Tattersall

Dorothy Eden

Barbara Michaels

I went on to read every book these women wrote and fell in love with romantic suspense all over again. One of these prolific romantic suspense authors is Jane Aiken Hodge.

The daughter of the poet Conrad Aiken and sister to the children’s novelist Joan Aiken, Jane Aiken was born in the U.S., raised in the U.K, read English at Oxford and received a master’s degree from Radcliffe College, Harvard University. She went on to marry twice, but it was her second husband, the poet and journalist Alan Hodge, who encouraged her to write novels.

In 1948, as a young mother, she read film scripts for Warner Brothers and started writing romances. But it wasn’t until her two children were in school that she began seeking publication. After years of rejections, she published her first novel Camilla in 1961 in Ladie’s Home Journal in installments. That serialized story late eventually became the novel Marry in Haste. In 1963, she published her first book Maulever Hall. Maulever Hal l is a testament to her admiration of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer.

Known for her historical and contemporary romantic suspense stories, contemporary thrillers, and non-fiction work, Jane Aiken Hodge wrote over 40 books between 1961 and 2003. Her novels bore her trademarked pacing and unique mixture of suspense, mystery, and gothic elements. Throughout her career, she wrote books set in what she called the borderland–that line between mystery and romance novel. In her last novels, her mysteries became thrillers. This invisible line–this borderland–made her “gothic romantic suspense” voice unique. Even though she died in 2008 at the age of 92, her contemporaries, historicals, and non-fiction works are still available.

But the two things which made Ms. Hodge stand out in the realm of romance fiction were her heroines and where she set her stories. In an age of weak, retiring beauties, her heroines took charge of the their situation and tried to change it. Although our standards for kick-butt women have changed, almost impossibly so, fans considered Jane Aiken Hodge a “feminist writer” for her time. Her settings were also different. Instead of castles in Cornwall, she wrote about Savannah, GA during the Revolutionary War (Judas Flowering, Savannah Purchase), Russia during the Napoleonic Era (The Adventurers), and modern-day Portugal (The Winding Stair).

Jane Aiken Hodge is also known for her three highly-acclaimed non-fiction books about Jane Austen (Only a Novel: The Double Life of Jane Austen), Georgette Heyer (The Private World of Georgette Heyer), and the plight of the Regency Woman (Passion and Principle: Loves and Lives of Regency Women). All three are still in print and if you have any interest in Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, or the Regency, I highly recommend them. But as teenagers grow, so do their tastes. And by the time I was in high school, my love affair with sweet gothics ended. Why is this, you ask? Because when I was sixteen my Aunt Eileen gave me a book for my birthday. Shanna. By Kathleen Woodiwiss. From that moment, the boy came out of the woods and all was lost.

Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning .

View more on Sharon Wray's website »

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Published on September 02, 2021 02:30

Nine Coaches Waiting . . . for Mary Stewart, Mother of Romantic Suspense

When I was in eighth grade, the Vice Principal called me to his office. Apparently, I had lost track of time during study hall in the school library and missed all of my afternoon classes. I’d never been in trouble before and didn’t know how to get to the Vice Principal’s office. So the librarian had to walk me down. And there I stood, trembling, with a book pressed against my chest.

painting of woman in white long-sleeved dress

The Vice Principal stood over me with a black beard and a scowl, like a dark storm cloud. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” I answered, praying he wouldn’t call my parents. “But it wasn’t my fault. I know it.” I was, after all, a straight A honor student and secretary of the Latin Club (which is probably why I didn’t have any dates until my Junior year in High School).

“What were you doing?” he asked.

Wanting to throw up, I held out my book and said, “I found this in the stacks and sat on the floor to read the first chapter to see if I liked it. And before I knew it, the last bell rang.” Then, much to my horror, I burst into tears.

The Vice Principal, a father of five girls, took the book out of my hands. “Ahh, Nine Coaches Waiting. Did you finish it?” To read more, please join me today at Kiss and Thrill, or click here:

Finish it? I’d DEVOURED it. But I didn’t say that. I just snuffled and nodded.

Then with a wave of his hand, he dismissed me, saying, “Next time, don’t open any book by Mary Stewart until you know you have hours of free time ahead of you.”

So relieved, I ran from the office and left school. My dad usually picked me up at the public library across the street, but that day he was late and I had to wait an hour. That hour changed my life. Hidden deep in the fiction shelves, I found a world belonging to Mary Stewart, an author I’ve since learned is the “Mother of Classic Romantic Suspense”. With gothic overtones, bad boy heroes, and stories set in exotic places, I fell in love with a genre I had never heard of before. And the most wonderful thing about Mary Stewart was the number of her books on the shelf. That day, I checked out seven. And I found out the Vice Principal was right. In less than a week, I read them all and went back for more.

Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow was born in England on September 17, 1916. After receiving a B.A. and a M.A. in English, and working as an elementary school teacher during WWII, she married Frederick Henry Stewart in 1945. Although she continued teaching part-time, her husband encouraged her to start writing. In 1953, at the urging of her husband, she sent a manuscript for Madam, Will You Talk? which was accepted for publication by Hodder and Stoughton. The book, published in 1954, received wonderful reviews. From 1955 until 1980, she published one book a year, every one a bestseller. Since 1954, her books have never been out of print and a few were made into movies.

The element that drove her success–the same element that captured me during a school day and made me miss my classes–was her ability to craft a suspenseful mystery with a love story. This blending is so masterful, that neither the love story nor the mystery can stand on its own. One drives the other in a breathless pace of action, adventure, and romance. In a time when there were few women authors writing commercial fiction, she quickly became one of the most important twentieth-century female authors, rivaling Daphne Du Maurier and Victoria Holt (Eleanor Hibbert). She was an author ahead of her time, not just with her romantic suspense novels, but with her best-selling Arthurian Fantasy series where she broke all the rules and made Merlin–not Arthur–the protagonist.

Pam Regis writes in a A Natural History of the Romance Novel, “Stewart’s influence extends to every writer of romantic suspense, for Stewart understood and perfected this hybrid of romance and mystery and used it as a structure for books so beautifully written that they have endured to become part of the canon of the twentieth-century romance novel.” (Ch. 14 (pgs. 143-154)–Courtship and Suspense: Mary Stewart)

Her influence can still be seen today. In 2006, when Nine Coaches Waiting was reissued, Sandra Brown (one of my favorite authors) wrote the forward, stating, “With its cast of fascinating characters, its ominous setting, and its captivating plot, this story of suspense and romance entertains today, as it did half a century ago. Generations of readers have adored it. It’s the kind of haunting novel that one rereads every year or so. Other writers, this one included, have been inspired by Ms. Stewart’s style, but her incredible us of language can never be duplicated.” (Nine Coaches Waiting, Forward by Sandra Brown, Chicago Review Press, 2006, pp. iii – iv)

And the book that got me in so much trouble? I just bought a reprint for my daughter. But after she turned up her nose saying she doesn’t like historicals (i.e. stories that take place in the twentieth century), I took an afternoon last week, curled up with a cup of tea, and reread it. By the time I put it down, I discovered my husband and kids had fed themselves dinner and gone to bed. Without notice, I’d read from 2 PM until 11:30 PM. The afternoon and most of the night were gone, and I’d finished the book. Again.

For those readers interested, here is the back cover blurb from the William Morrow edition of Nine Coaches Waiting, 1959.

“The Chateau Valmy, rising in foursquare classical dignity from a wooded plateau in the Haute-Savoie, seemed like a dream come true to Linda Martin. Young, lovely, she had had little in her life to spark a genuine gift for love and laughter, but now, as English governess to nine-year-old Comte Philippe de Valmy, it would be easy to forget the tragedy of her father and mother, the drab orphanage years, the dreary school where she had taught. But tension was in the very air–at first negligible, then building to an unbearable degree, as does a gathering storm.

At its center was the young count’s uncle, Leon de Valmy, dynamic, arrogant, yet the epitome of charm, whose paralysis seemed little hindrance as he moved noiselessly in his wheelchair from room to room–supervising, ordering, dominating everyone in sight, including his beautiful but unaccountably abstracted wife and his small, silent nephew and ward. Only his son Raoul, a handsome, sardonic young man who drove himself and his car with equal abandon, seemed able to stand up to him. To Linda, Raoul was an enigma. Though physically attracted to him, she sensed some dark twist in his nature…

And then one day deep in the woods there occurred a frightening, unaccountable incident–the first ripple to mar the calm, serene surface of an idyllic existence.”

And for those who just have to read the first line before you buy a book (which would be me), how can you not want to read a story that starts like this:

“I was thankful that nobody was there to meet me at the airport.” (Nine Coaches Waiting, Chapter 1, p. 3)

Now I’d love to know I’m not the only one who has lost time while lost in a novel. Has it ever happened to you? Which story was it?”

Welcome to Sharon Wray’s Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

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Published on August 30, 2021 03:00

The Pre-teen, the Pop Princess, and the Green Beret

. . . and what they taught me about courage. (A repost from the archives)

I’ve always beena slow learner. I have no idea why. Or how to fix it. But I have to do things three times to remember them. In college I would read through the notes/textbook, rewrite the facts onto index cards, then read them aloud. If I put in the time, I got an A. If I didn’t, I failed. Over the years I’ve come to realize that this discipline was also a way to deal with the knot of anxiety that lives in the deepest pit of my stomach–aka FEAR.

So when I saw Bob Mayer’s book “Warrior Writer: From Writer to Published Author” at this year’s RWA National Conference in NYC, I bought it. Since he’s a West Point graduate and a Green Beret, I count on his no-nonsense approach to facing–and overcoming–fear. But what I didn’t expect was his chapter on Courage. On page 110 Mr. Mayer writes, “Courage is . . . the strength in the face of pain or grief.” Knowing I was going home to a difficult situation, I wrote this quotation down and slipped it into my wallet.

Like me, my eleven-year old daughter has scoliosis. A few days after I got home from New York, she was strapped into a Boston Back Brace which she has to wear 23 hours a day for 2-4 years. If this brace doesn’t correct the curvature in her spine, she’s facing surgery where they put metal rods in her back. As a child, I lived in fear of that surgery. And it broke my heart to see my daughter facing about the same thing. So, to cheer her up, I bought tickets to the Miranda Cosgrove “Dancing Crazy” concert for her and her best friend. For those who don’t have pre-teen daughters, Miranda Cosgrove has a TV show on Nickelodeon called iCarly. She plays a teenager with her own internet web program . . . who also attends high school.

For an entire month, my daughter counted down the days while dancing around the house to the iCarly theme song, much to her twin brother’s disgust, until the time arrived. The theater brimmed with girls ranging in age from 5-12 years in pink glittery T-shirts. And unlike concerts in the olden days ( like last year), photographs, texts, tweets were encouraged, with hashtags flashed up on jumbo screens over the stage. Despite the triple-digit heat index, the high-pitch squeal factor was enough to bring down the International Space Station.

But I didn’t care because my daughter, for the first time in weeks, danced down the aisle to our seats in her familiar, confident way. A way I hadn’t seen since the brace had become part of our family. I realized then that heaviness in my heart wasn’t just sadness on my daughter’s behalf, but grief on my own. Without the girls noticing, I pulled out the tiny slip of paper and rewrote Mr. Mayer’s words into my purse-sized moleskin notebook.

Courage is the strength in the face of pain or grief. I needed to remember this.

Then the show started, and Ms. Cosgrove shattered my cynical expectations of Pop Princesses. Ms. Cosgrove, barely 18 years old herself, came out on stage in a flurry of lights and sequins. With un-swavering confidence, she stated her single goal. She was here to be with her girls.

There was no pretense of being a Hollywood actress, a rising singing star, or a model. Her dresses–which she changed frequently to the delight of her girls–were modest and glittery. Her lyrics were sweet and clean. And her attention was solely on what her girls wanted–the songs, the music videos, and personal stories about her life. But what struck me most was she not only knew what her girls wanted, but what her girls needed. She knew that the 5-6 year olds would need frequent breaks and worked them into the show, and that the older girls needed to hear they were strong, smart and beautiful–by someone other than their moms. Most of all, she knew her girls needed her to respect them. You see, 13-17 year old girls think Miranda Cosgrove is for babies.

For weeks before the concert, my daughter had been teased by her older friends. Although it broke my heart that girls she’d had known since Kindergarten were acting this way, I was powerless to stop it. But I was proud of how well she ignored their jabs. I honestly don’t remember if I had her confidence at that age.

Suddenly, my daughter gave me a hug and screamed, “I’m so glad I came!”

I, being the ever-worried mother, said, “Even if you’re going to be teased?”

With her serious frown, she pulled my head down to yell in my ear, “Mom, if Miranda Cosgrove can believe in me, then denying that I love her music makes me a coward. And I can’t do that to her. Even if the teasing hurts.” Then, as if she’d said nothing at all, she closed her eyes and went back to “Dancing Crazy”.

While I, being the ever-worried-but-hopefully-wiser-mother whispered, Courage is the strength in the face of pain or grief. Three times. It always takes me three times to remember. But even if I forget, at least now I have my daughter, her Pop Princess, and a Green Beret to remind me. So, are you a slow learner too? Or am I the only one?

Welcome to Sharon Wray’s Amazon bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.