Beth Trissel's Blog, page 14

Herbal Lore and the Blackthorn Tree

From The Scots Herbal by Tess Darwin:

Blackthorn grows wild throughout Scotland. Sloe or blackthorn berry, might be classified as a food rather than a medicine, but has a bitter, acrid taste (perhaps more familiar to us today in sloe gin than in the fruit) and was eaten from prehistoric times for its vitamin and mineral content. It has occasionally been found in ancient graves.

[image error]

blackthorn branch

Long associated with dark forces and sometimes used in rites of black witches. The hard, strong wood and shape of blackthorn made it ideal for walking sticks and weapons and may have led to the belief that, like other prickly plants (which would catch and hold malevolent spirits), the tree had protective powers against evil. It was planted around fields as much for this as for the thorns, and the protection more pleasantly absorbed through drinking sloe gin, also a remedy for diarrhea. A slightly purgative tea made from the leaves, flowers, and bark was used to reduce fever. The berries and bark were also used for dye.

From:  http://www.merciangathering.com/blackthorn.htm

The blackthorn is a widely distributed native tree of Britain, Europe and parts of Asia. It grows abundantly in hedgerows, thickets and on waste ground. It is unpopular with farmers because of its suckers and vicious black thorns which make it impenetrable. It is a small tree which grows to a height of around 13 ft. The black, thorn studded twigs carry alternate winter buds that are oval and purplish- black or reddish in colour. In April the blackthorn produces clouds of white blossom which are followed by the leaves, the first of the hedgerow trees to flower. They are small, pale green and oval shaped on opening but later become longer, narrower and dull green. The small, round fruits, known as sloes, ripen slowly throughout the year and only sweeten after the first frosts. It is the ancestor of the cultivated damson and plum. The bark is black and on old trees it becomes broken to form small square plates.

The white flowers can be collected during April and the sloes in autumn. They should not be collected until after the first frosts. It is considered unlucky to bring Blackthorn indoors while in blossom.

[image error]

November 11th is recognized in Ireland as the day of the blackthorn sprites, the lunantishees, Otherworldly beings who guard the sacred blackthorn from any human foolhardy enough to profane the sacred tree by cutting the wood now. The blackthorn has an ominous image. The thorns of the blackthorn were used for pricking wax images for cursing. Witches were thought to carry black rods of blackthorn which could cause miscarriages. When witches were burned blackthorn sticks were thrown onto the fire. The sorcerer Major Weir was burned at the stake in 1670 with a blackthorn rod, which was described as the chief agent of his magic. Some traditions say that Christ’s crown of thorns was made from blackthorn. The shillelagh, or Irish club is made from the dense, heavy blackthorn. The usher of the house of lords and the Order of the Garter is called Blackrod because he knocks on the doors of the house of parliament with a blackthorn rod to demand its opening.

On the other hand, the sloe could sometimes be an instrument of blessing. In the north of England people would make a blackthorn globe and gather round a bonfire to chant “Auld cider” to bless the apple trees on January 1st. On New Year’s morning a crown of blackthorn and mistletoe was hung up for luck. Also at New Year in Worcestershire a baked crown of blackthorn was scattered on the fields to bless them.

The blossoming of the blackthorn marks the time for sowing barley. In Scotland it is said:

‘When the slae tree is white as a sheet

Sow your barley, wither it be drey or wet.’

Which, roughly translated into Gloucestershire, meant:

‘When the blackthorn blossom’s white

Sow your barley day and night.’

For more on the medicinal uses of Blackthorn visit:  http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_blackthorn.htm

Filed under: herbal lore Tagged: black magic, blackthorn, dark forces, defense, herbal lore, sloe gin, Witchcraft

New Release! Holiday Time Travel Romance–The White Lady

It’s just one week before Christmas, but Avery Dunham cannot change Ignus Burke’s mind. They absolutely must travel back in time and rescue the White Lady in the painting in his living room.~

[image error]

In the ghostly White Lady lore I’ve read, the tales don’t usually portray her as vindictive—usually. And that’s the catch with my ghostly, magical, adventure through time. Oh yes, and there’s romance.~

Blurb from The White Lady:

Avery Dunham has always been ready to follow her friend, time-traveling wizard, Ignus Burke, on incredible adventures. This time, though, she has serious misgivings. It’s just one week before Christmas, but she cannot get him to change his mind. The usually cool and collected magic-wielding leader is wholly obsessed by the portrait of the White Lady whom he is bent on rescuing.

Almost as soon as they begin their journey, it becomes clear their mission is a trap.

Avery was right: this adventure is not going to be like any other.~

[image error]Excerpt:

Avery had a few queries on the tip of her tongue, like, “Are you out of your freaking skull?”

If she didn’t ask, Stan probably would. They’d graduated from high school this past June and worked part-time ‘nothing’ jobs, taking a break before college while finding their way, as Avery’s mother put it. Mostly, they were drawn to Ignus like moths to a flame, especially Avery. Not that he noticed.

If only he’d look at her the way he did the white lady. More and more, the portrait seemed to dominate his thoughts. How could a petite, okay short, girl in a sparkly pink sweater and unicorn leggings compete with this tantalizing beauty?

[image error]Avery wasn’t plain, some even referred to her as cute, but exotic didn’t describe her. Quirky, sure. She wouldn’t term her brown eyes deeply affecting, and her face wouldn’t compel men through centuries to her side. The best she could do was plead with him.

“Ignus, be reasonable. Please.”

 No reply. He wore his stubborn look. Crossing his arms over a lean chest, he tilted his head to better view the femme fatale on the wall above them.

The tousled brown hair covering his ears and forehead needed a trim. In his red Zombie Preparedness hoodie with a white rescue logo, gray dress pants, and white high-topped sneakers, he was the quintessential nerd. Most importantly, he was a wizard and time traveler with a passion for rescuing lost souls. His fervor for this particular lady was alarming.~

[image error]The White Lady is available in eBook from all online booksellers.

In Kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/White-Lady-Ladies-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B075XBTY1J/

Filed under: Time travel romance Tagged: adventure, fantasy romance, ghostly, historical, holiday romance, New release, Paranormal, Time travel romance, Victorian Christmas

A Moving Furbaby Friday with Author Daphne Dubois

I am welcoming fellow Wild Rose Press Author Daphne Dubois to Furbaby Friday to share and remember her wonderful rescue dog, Cody. She is also sharing her debut contemporary romance, The Right Fit.

Daphne: Cody, our lovable and loyal cocker spaniel, died yesterday. He was twelve. We adopted Cody two and half years ago through Litters N’ Critters, a non-profit animal rescue organization.

He slipped into our family like he’d always been here. And although we were the ones who chose him, it was clear from the beginning that he owned us. And wherever we went, whether it was to the cottage or a walk in the park or the annual Father’s Day Run, he came too and it made those events more endearing.

As a senior dog, Cody wasn’t jumping over fences, but he could suddenly be full of energy whenever a neighborhood cat dared to come into the yard. He enjoyed good health until a few months ago. His last visit to the vet determined his liver was failing and he was anemic. With the help of Dr. Croft, we decided to treat him with palliative care to keep him comfortable as long as we could. 

Cody loved to nap, loved to eat, and was known for his lack of speed, so the ability to see whether or not he was unwell was a little hazy most days. Yesterday though, it became clear that the time to say goodbye had come.

Other than adopting him, it was the most important decision we could make on his behalf. Dr. Croft and the rest of the staff at Halifax Veterinary Hospital were gentle and kind. The entire process was very peaceful. We said goodbye to Cody as a family, staying with him to the end.

I’m crying as I write this and feeling a little strange as well because there are so many human tragedies in the world that deserve tears and grief. However, anyone who’s ever loved a dog can tell you it’s a special kind of loss. And Cody was a very special kind of dog. 

I want to tell you a little bit about him…  His favourite pastime was napping.

Anywhere,

Anytime,

And on anyone.

He loved to eat. His favourites were apples, carrots, peppers, and as a treat, bacon! He would stand in front of the fridge, just staring, hoping it would open on its own.

He was exceptionally good at helping me proofread.

He had a great sense of humour.

He loved eating all the fruits and vegetables in the garden.

He loved playing in newly fallen snow.

Easter was his favourite time of year.

He loved the beach.

He loved visiting my parents at their home in Chester. 

Adam loved him.

Ruth loved him.

And Ken and I loved him. A whole bunch.

But no matter how much love we gave Cody, it always felt like he loved us back more. Even though we only had him in our lives for a few years we have so many wonderful memories of Cody that we’ll remember forever. We miss him and are sad that he’s gone, but we are also happy that he is at peace now.~

Beth: I’m so so sorry for your loss. Cody was the perfect dog. What wonderful memories and images. I hope you will rescue another dog someday who will help comfort you and your family.

About Daphne’s exciting new romance, The Right Fit.

[image error]

Blurb: When Maxine Nicholls discovers her fiancé is cheating, she turns to fast food and nighttime soap operas, but her sister has a plan—unbridled rebound sex with a stranger. 

As one of Toronto’s hottest players, Antony Laurent tallies scores on and off the ice, but when the chiseled defense man hits a slump, rumors of a trade to the minor league send him to ambush a managers meeting at a posh club.

That night a chance encounter ends up as an unforgettable evening of passion. But Maxine and Antony are about to discover a game of casual hook ups can lead to something neither one of them thought they deserved—the right fit.

Get The Right Fit in Kindle at:  https://www.amazon.com/Right-Fit-Daphne-Dubois-ebook/dp/B06WRQWLJ4

[image error]Author Bio: 

Daphne Dubois writes contemporary romance and believes the right book at the right time can make all the difference. When she’s not putting her characters in compromising positions (ahem), she works as a registered nurse. A member of the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia, she lives in Eastern Canada, the most romantic place in the world. You can also find her writing for teens as B.R. Myers.

Contacts: Website // Amazon // Goodreads // FB Author Page // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Daphne a comment.

[image error]

 

Filed under: Furbaby Friday Tagged: author companion, Cocker Spaniel, Contemporary romance, coping with grief, Daphne Dubois, pet loss, rescue dog, Sport's Romance, The Right Fit

Book Review: Somewhere My Lady (Ladies in Time Book 1) by Beth Trissel

Super Review for Somewhere My Lady!

Jessica Jesinghaus

Of all the seasons, autumn offers the most to man and requires the least of him. ~Hal Borland

Autumn color has been slower to arrive this year, but stunning when it finally came. These are some pics of the wooded hills behind our farm.

“Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, a torch flung to the trees.” ~Faith Baldwin, American Family

[image error]

“The bright summer had passed away, and gorgeous autumn was flinging its rainbow-tints of beauty on hill and dale.” ~Cornelia L. Tuthill, “Virginia Dare: Or, the Colony of Roanoke,” 1840

“It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life. The rich colours of grass and earth were intensified by the mellow light of a sun almost warm enough for spring…” ~P.D. James, A Taste for Death

[image error]

“Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love — that makes life and nature harmonize. The birds are consulting about their migrations, the trees are putting on the hectic or the pallid hues of decay, and begin to strew the ground, that one’s very footsteps may not disturb the repose of earth and air, while they give us a scent that is a perfect anodyne to the restless spirit. Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ~George Eliot, letter to Miss Lewis, 1st October

“Autumn repays the earth the leaves which summer lent it.” ~Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–1799), translated by Norman Alliston, 1908

“No spring nor summer’s beauty hath such grace

As I have seen in one Autumnal face…”

~John Donne, “Elegy IX: The Autumnal”

[image error]

falling leaves

hide the path

so quietly

~John Bailey, “Autumn,” a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com

“Pale amber sunlight falls across

The reddening October trees….

Are we not better and at home

In dreamful Autumn, we who deem

No harvest joy is worth a dream?

A little while and night shall come,

A little while, then, let us dream…”

~Ernest Dowson (1867–1900), “Autumnal”

“The days may not be so bright and balmy—yet the quiet and melancholy that linger around them is fraught with glory. Over everything connected with autumn there lingers some golden spell—some unseen influence that penetrates the soul with its mysterious power.” ~Northern Advocate

Filed under: autumn beauty, Autumn pics Tagged: autumn foliage, autumn quotes, country life, fall in the country, fall on the farm, The Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

Furbaby Friday with Author Dee Gatrell

I am happy to welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Dee Gatrell, to Furbaby Friday to share her wonderful dogs and humorous romantic fiction novel, Sweet Sunset.

[image error]
 (Icarus)

Dee: Icarus was a 12-year-old, schnauzer. We had him since he was 6 months old from a breeder going out of business. He was an alpha male, and had the eyes that drew  you in. He got along with dogs outside, but wasn’t crazy about them being in the house. After they were here a while he adjusted and just belly growled.

My one daughter had a deaf white boxer. It ticked him off because the dog couldn’t hear him, but sometimes she could feel his growl and get nasty back. Then when that dog died, daughter got a pitbull she named Fireball. Icarus would sit on my husband’s lap doing his Elvis imitation of the lip curl. Fireball laid on the floor in front of them. When Icarus would growl, she’d pick up her head, and toss it back and forth with a big grin. Ticked him off that the pitbull didn’t get angry at him.

A month or so ago we noticed Icarus  had days when he didn’t feel good, but by afternoon he was better. The day came when we noticed him shivering and he pooped black. And two days later he couldn’t get up. Alarmed, I called the vet, and we took him in. She said she expected it to be Zeus, not Icarus. She did x-rays and blood work. His spine had deteriorated and his blood work was off. She said  he was in pain. We made the heartbreaking decision to put him down. We held him and kissed him goodbye. Our vet cried with me. My husband saved his tears until he was home and we didn’t see him.

My husband has cancer, and Icarus was a comfort dog, sitting and sleeping on his lap or stomach. We had him cremated and have his ashes on the bookshelf in a pretty box. My husband admits to talking to him at times, or saying a prayer over him.

[image error]
 (Zeus and Icarus)

We know Zeus won’t be with us for long. He falls a lot and isn’t eating as well. But he’s still our sweet boy.

I recently decided to get another dog, a rescue. I applied for a dog named JoJo from a rescue shelter. I didn’t really think I’d get him as he had a lot of applications wanting him. He was at a shelter about 40 miles from us. He’s a Maltese and only 10 lbs.

I said I wanted a dog between 1 and 3 years old. They say he’s four. He was found on the street. He has no voice, just makes little noises, and thinks he’s barking at our rescue lab mix. And he has issues with food. They said he was starving when they got him, so now he has anger issue when he sees other dogs with food. We’re working on that, too. But he is sweet. Zeus is nice to him, and that’s good. Poor guy falls down in the house on tile floor, but  he can run in the yard.

[image error](JoJo)

Zeus takes long naps these days. He likes to be with me in the office sleeping on the pillow beside me, where Icarus used to lay, or Ellie. They have lots of pillows, but always want the same ones.

The first two days Icarus was gone, Zeus wouldn’t sleep in the bedroom. I’d find him in the kitchen sleeping on the rug in front of the refrigerator. Now he’s back to the bedroom at night, but not on Icarus’s pillow.

Zeus usually has a happy face. Well, except for this time when he got groomed. I don’t think he was happy with the results. Generally, when I go to pick him up from the vets he’s happy to see me. I swear he snubbed me. At home, it took him a while to warm up to me. OK so he reminds me of my dear Aunt Mildred with the round body and skinny legs. Shhh, if she’s listening from above, she won’t like that description.

[image error](Zeus after his haircut)

When I wrote Sweet Sunset the editor kept saying I had too many folks whose name started with whatever letter. So I changed the main man in the story over and over. Finally I named him Zack. Hey, no one else’s name started with a Z. Then I realized I had Zeus in the story. I decided no one would mix up the man and the dog.

Beth: I love hearing about your dogs, Dee. They are such characters. I’m very sorry about your loss of Icarus. Sweet Sunset sounds great.

Blurb for Sweet Sunset: Myrtle Sue Henderson, widowed, didn’t count on her mother-in-law moving in with her when her husband passed over. But Myrtle Sue’s loopy in-law troubles aren’t her only family baggage-she’s ailed with three adult children who use her like a pair of Depends. With a daughter and two grandchildren attempting to escape an abusive husband, a second daughter who is pregnant with twins, and a son who refuses to grow up, she’s at her wits end.

Myrtle Sue didn’t figure she’d ever meet another man she’d care for, until she went to church to get away from her troubles, only to find more when her mother-in-law causes chaos and hits an elderly man with her cane and helps herself to money out of the collection plate. That’s how she meets Zack. She figures once he meets her dysfunctional family, he’ll run as fast as he can-away from them.

[image error]

Favorite passage from book:

June finished her food, and pushed her plate away. She gave Hazel a look of pity. “Ya know somethin’, Hazel? You’re full of shit.”

“Huh! You’re just jealous.”

Norma had been pretty quiet, when suddenly it was like she became possessed. Her hands began shaking and her drink sloshed onto the table. She leaned on the table and hissed at Hazel. “Evil, evil! You are soooo evil!”

“Who you calling evil?” Hazel said.

“You are eeeeeevvilllllll!”

“Mother, hush!”

I glanced at Lynn. She glared at her mother. I thought for a minute she was going to stuff her napkin into her mother’s mouth.

Something about my book:

There was a day when I thought only my relatives were dysfunctional, until later when I realized most of us have dysfunctional families. After many years of listening to people talk about their families, Sweet Sunset was born.

I was asked to move my mother from a senior apartment complex. They feared she would burn the place down. She caught her food on fire, exploded cans in the microwave and her doctor suggested I put her into an assisted living facility.

As I grew older, I took a closer look at my own children and friends. Presley was married to a man who broke her eye socket, Sonja is kind and an enabler, Terry looks for love in all the wrong faces. Hmm. Yep, I realized we all have dysfunctional families.

My mom wasn’t Hazel, but she did and said a lot of what Hazel says, like talking about her dead father and how he visited her. How she broke handles off glass cups. To this day none of us can figure out how she did it. June did tell us about her neighbor’s cheap jewelry party and the pole. She was funny.

All writers know we only need to look around us and we’ll find stories everywhere.

I do hope you enjoy Myrtle Sue and her family and friends. Come sit a spell and eat some of the good food they imbibe in.

***Get Sweet Sunset in Kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Sunset-Dee-Gatrell-ebook/dp/B01M3QJT75

Twitter: Twitter@deegat41

Blog link: http://deesnews.blogspot.com/

Website link: http://dgatrell.wix.com/author

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Dee a comment.

[image error]

Filed under: Furbaby Friday Tagged: animal therapy, author animal companions, Dee Gatrell, dog rescue, family life, romantic comedy, women's fiction

My Time Travel Series–Make that Two

Fascination with time travel led to my Somewhere in Time Series and my new Ladies in Time Series. Time travel intrigues me and I love history. Visiting bygone eras is a big part of my stories, and I often include a ghost or two, and other paranormal elements. My time travels are also ‘Time Slips’ as the characters venture back and forth in time. I’m a fan of mystery and often have mystery in the story. And Romance, of course.

In both series, the story opens in an old Virginia home, (I love old homes and my beloved Virginia), and then transports the main character, or characters, back in time, either in the same house or another place entirely, such as the Scottish Highlands. The first time travel I wrote is Somewhere My Love.

[image error]

Somewhere My Love 

Fated lovers have a rare chance to reclaim the love cruelly denied them in the past, but can they grasp this brief window in time before it’s too late?

Blurb: Two hundred years ago Captain Cole Wentworth, the master of an elegant Virginian home, was murdered in his chamber where his portrait still hangs. Presently the estate is a family owned museum run by Will Wentworth, a man so uncannily identical to his ancestor that spirit-sensitive tour guide Julia Morrow has trouble recognizing Cole and Will as separate.

As Julia begins to remember the events of Cole’s death, she must convince Will that history is repeating, and this time he has the starring role in the tragedy. The blade is about to fall.

“As I read Somewhere My Love, I recalled the feelings I experienced the first time I read Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca long ago.

Using the same deliciously eerie elements similar to that gothic romance, Beth Trissel has captured the haunting dangers, thrilling suspense and innocent passions that evoke the same tingly anticipation and heartfelt romance I so enjoyed then, and still do now.” ~joysann for Publisher’s Weekly

“A beautiful love story with plenty of suspense and mystery. With a murderer on the loose and a house haunted by the ghosts of the past, can William and Julia figure everything out and survive? Visit Foxleigh Hall and find out.” ~Night Owl Romance, a Night Owl Top Pick



Somewhere My Lass In Somewhere My Lass, I journeyed back to 1602 Scotland and more deeply explored my Scottish roots.

An an cient relic, a medieval crypt, a mad Highlander at their throats and time fast running out. Mystery, suspense, romance, Somewhere My Lass

Blurb: Will Mora and Neil be too late to save a love that began centuries before?

‘‘The MacDonald comes’ warns Mora Campbell when Neil MacKenzie finds the young Scotswoman lying unconscious at the top of his stairs after he discovers his murdered housekeeper slumped at the bottom.

Mora’s claim that she’s his fiancé from 1602 and was chased to the future by clan chieftain, Red MacDonald, through ‘the door to nowhere’ seems utter nonsense. Neil thinks she’s addled from the blow to her head until his life spirals into chaos and the avenging Highlander shows up wanting blood. Mora knows the Neil of the future is truly her beloved Niall who disappeared from the past, but he must also remember. And fast.

Although Niall’s kinsmen believe he’s dead, and Mora is now destined to marry his brother, she’s convinced that if she and Neil return to the past, all will be right. The balance of the present and future are in peril if she marries another, and the Neil of the present will cease to exist. The only problem is how to get back to 1602. An ancient relic, the ultimate geek friend, and a little Celtic magic help pave the way back to the enormous challenge that awaits them. If they’re in time.

Reviewed by: Silvermage of Night Owl Reviews ~’Somewhere My Lass was a wonderful time-travel romance. I enjoyed that the time-travel went from the past to 2009 and not the other way.”

“Somewhere My Lass presents a convoluted time-twisting conundrum which becomes more intriguing as it goes along. I found the romance of it touching, the enigma baffling, and the resolution unexpected. A light, interesting blend of contemporary and historical fiction.” ~joysann, Publisher’s Weekly

Somewhere in the Highlands 

Sequel to Somewhere My Lass

Blurb: The MacDonalds are coming! When Elizabeth MacDonald (a.k.a Beezus Mac) thrusts a sealed gold box at Angus Fergus amid panicked requests for him to hide the stolen artifact, she has no idea the ancient cloth it contains bestows unearthly powers. Red MacDonald knows and he’s hell-bent on traveling 400 years into the future to claim the charmed relic, even kill for it.

Protecting Beezus from his old nemesis is only one of Fergus’s problems. Before they can stop him, Morley MacDonald, descendant of Red MacDonald, snatches the prize and leaps through the time portal to head the MacDonald clan and kill Fergus’s MacKenzie ancestor. If he succeeds, Fergus will cease to exist.

Danger grows in the feud between the MacDonalds and the MacKenzies as the pair, along with an ingenious friend and high tech inventions, returns to 1604 Scotland to face these brawny Highlanders and reunite with kin. Will Fergus overcome his mistrust of Beezus and fan the growing spark between them before they battle Morley? If he waits, it may be too late.~

So many readers were taken by the strong, quirky character, Fergus, in Somewhere My Lass (as was I) that I decided to write Fergus’s story. Yes, I have plans to write yet another story in this continuing saga–part of my Somewhere in Time series. Plotting is underway for that book. In the tone of Somewhere My Lass, Somewhere in the Highlands is an unusual twist on the time travel theme, with high-tech gadgets, sci-fi lingo, and action packed. And a fun dash of romance, of course.

“I absolutely loved Fergus’s story! Fergus is the perfect geek hero, smart, funny, thinks on his feet, and cute! I love Beth’s stories, she has a wonderful way of writing so that you are right there in story with the characters. I thoroughly enjoy the tone of her stories and her settings, Beth’s stories are wonderful and definitely worth the read.” Amazon Review

SOMEWHERE THE BELLS RING: (Christmas) Now in Audio!



Wonderful old homes are a major part of my Somewhere in Time series. The image below is of the old Virginia family home place that lies at the heart of many of my stories and is the setting for my ghostly Christmas romance novella, Somewhere the Bells Ring.

(Photograph of the old Virginia family homeplace)

Nostalgia about the late 1960’s and an earlier era, WWI, coupled with a vivid dream inspired this vintage American Christmas ghost story. 



‘Although Somewhere the Bells Ring has a holiday theme, it’s an anytime read for Romance Lovers.’

Blurb: Caught with pot in her dorm room, Bailey Randolph is exiled to a relative’s ancestral home in Virginia to straighten herself out. Banishment to Maple Hill is dismal, until a ghost appears requesting her help. Bailey is frightened but intrigued. Then her girlhood crush, Eric Burke, arrives and suddenly Maple Hill isn’t so bad.

To Eric, wounded in Vietnam, his military career shattered, this homecoming feels no less like exile. But when he finds Bailey at Maple Hill, her fairy-like beauty gives him reason to hope–until she tells him about the ghost haunting the house. Then he wonders if her one experiment with pot has made her crazy.

As Bailey and Eric draw closer, he agrees to help her find a long-forgotten Christmas gift the ghost wants. But will the magic of Christmas be enough to make Eric believe–in Bailey and the ghost–before the Christmas bells ring?

For Somewhere the Bells Ring:

“Ms. Trissel captivates her reader from the moment you start reading the first page. She has written a compelling love story that spans some fifty plus years and keeps you entertained every step of the way with the story within a story…I fell in love with Ms. Trissel’s characters and look forward to the next delightful story ready with Kleenex box in hand. A must read for every romance fan.” ~Reviewed by Robin for Romancing the Book

****My talented daughter Elise Trissel did all the Somewhere in Time covers except for Somewhere the Bells Ring.



LADIES IN TIME SERIES 



Somewhere My Lady is the first book in my exciting new Ladies in Time series. A ghostly time travel romance with a deadly mystery unfolds in a wonderful old house on the James River in Virginia. Can you solve the mystery? Took me a while.

[image error]

Blurb: Lorna Randolph is hired for the summer at Harrison Hall in Virginia, where Revolutionary-War reenactors provide guided tours of the elegant old home. She doesn’t expect to receive a note and a kiss from a handsome young man who then vanishes into mist.

Harrison Hall itself has plans for Lorna – and for Hart Harrison, her momentary suitor and its 18th century heir. Past and present are bound by pledges of love, and modern science melds with old skills and history as Harrison Hall takes Lorna and Hart through time in a race to solve a mystery and save Hart’s life before the Midsummer Ball.

“Quite simply, one of the best paranormal, time slip stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to read,” ~Splashes Into Books

‘Somewhere My Lady is a fun supernatural romance that will have you slipping in and out of the past and future as if you were a spirit yourself.’’ ~Colleen’s Book Reviews

“Written with the style of a classic – fitting for the modern world…The warmth of the story and the sweet romance, mixed perfectly with the mysterious plot interwoven into Lorna and Hart’s adventure. While I didn’t want it to end, the story wrapped up beautifully. I will definitely be rereading this book in the future, and would recommend it to anyone.” 

***This book is dedicated to my dear little dog, Sadie–the last story she saw me through.

The White Lady, (Book 2 the Ladies in Time series), is out on November 10th, and available in pre-order now. The story was inspired by the ghostly white woman lore I’m familiar with from the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains. One such account speaks of a young woman dressed in white observed walking along the riverbank by the children of a valley family. When asked, their father told them she was the spirit of a brokenhearted woman who had died years before, that they would likely see her again, and to leave her alone. They did and kept their distance.

After researching these haunting tales, I discovered this lore is widespread in America and the UK and dates back centuries. It’s a paranormal ‘thing,’ or should I say she is?

The white woman is described as a sad solitary figure deep in mourning, having been jilted in love, possibly left at the altar, maybe pregnant. Desperate, she generally kills herself or fades from illness and then lingers as a mournful restless ghost. While creepy, she’s not usually vindictive. Usually.…

In addition to research into ghostly white woman lore, I had one of my waking visions. I was walking around our meadow with the cows when I saw a young couple in my mind. He was fixated on the beautiful portrait of a mysterious lady while the girl endeavored to get his attention. She called him Ignus–a name I’ve never heard before–and warned him of the inherent dangers she sensed in this ghostly woman. He wouldn’t listen. Guys never do. But there was something exceptional about Ignus, and then there’s her best friend Stan…

This paranormal time travel romance takes place in a Victorian house in Staunton, Virginia at Christmas with flashes back to the Civil War and the end of WWI.

Blurb: Avery Dunham has always been ready to follow her friend, time-traveling wizard, Ignus Burke, on incredible adventures. This time, though, she has serious misgivings. It’s just one week before Christmas, but she cannot get him to change his mind. The usually cool and collected magic-wielding leader is wholly obsessed by the portrait of the White Lady whom he is bent on rescuing.

Almost as soon as they begin their journey, it becomes clear their mission is a trap. Avery was right: this adventure is not going to be like any other.~

***Neither The Somewhere in Time or The Ladies in Time stories need to be read in order, except that Somewhere in the Highlands is the sequel to Somewhere My Lass.

****Follow my Amazon Author Page and keep up with my releases: https://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6/

Filed under: Time travel romance Tagged: ghostly love story, Historical Romance, paranormal romance, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, the Scottish highlands, time travel, time travel romance series, Virginia

Furbaby Friday with Author Patty Koontz!

You are in for a treat! My good friend, Patty Koontz, is here to share her wonderful menagerie, especially her beloved Samoyeds, and her charming new children’s book Wee Darby Visits The North Pole.

[image error](Samoyed Puppies)

Patty: I wish to thank my dear friend, Beth, for inviting me here today!  I’m thrilled for this opportunity to share a wee bit about a few of my loveable “fur-babies”, which I consider my “children”.

One brisk morning, when I was a wee lass, and to my Mum’s horror, she caught me outside sharing a tasty snack with my new best friend, “kitty”, the SKUNK!  My parents immediately bought me a stuffed pink bunny, “bun-bun”, to help distract me from searching for my pet kitty.  My dream in life was to become a zoologist and work with wolves. My parents, of course, didn’t encourage that pursuit. I truly think that’s why they kept me away from the zoo.  So, since then, I’ve raised rabbits, quail, fish, goats, sheep, and alpacas; helped my Daddy raise and train hunting dogs, and rescued several cats and dogs. Most importantly, I made sure I married a man who loves animals as much as I do!

After several miscarriages and finding out we were unable to have any children of our own, our pets became my priority and our babies. I’ll always remember the day we spotted our very first “Samoyed” – and it was love at first sight!  I’m honored and feel very blessed to have been owned and loved by this magical breed, and my own beloved “pack”, for over 25 years. I also had the opportunity to educate people about how magnificent the Samoyed breed really is, besides discovering just how close their instinctive habits are related to the wolf.

[image error](Show dog, Wolf, enjoying posing for the camera)

Their good-natured personalities, love, and companionship made a huge impact in my life. Not only did they help me through the tragic loss of my father – but one in particular (her name was Magick), actually saved my husband’s life and alerted me when he went into a coma.  They continued to stand by me and work their loving magic by getting me through the heartbreaking loss of my best friend in the world – my beloved Irish Mum. These wonderful babies were my saving grace and nurtured me through the most difficult trials. Sadly, and most heart wrenching, my last Samoyed, Panda, closed her eyes and went to join the rest of the pack five years ago.

Even though my beloved babies are not with me anymore, fond memories of my Sammies will always fill my heart and soul – and one day, I pray, we’ll meet again when they cross back over Rainbow Bridge . . . and they come running to meet my open arms.

[image error](Wolf–not happy about sharing the limelight)

It breaks my heart that I’m unable to have another Samoyed right now, (but I’m not giving up). To try and help fill that painful void, we soon adopted a rescue puppy named Patches, that was getting ready to be put down at a shelter. He was “supposed” to be a smaller dog, but has ended up being an 80 lb. lap (hunting dog) that doesn’t leave my husband’s side. I’m thankful for the companionship he gives him while I’m gone at work. I also have a lovable, furry Ragdoll cat named Samson, who believes he’s a dog.

A few interesting facts about Samoyeds:

[image error](Thunder, Rusty Autumn, Snowbear)

These double coated dogs love the cold – they love to herd reindeer, (chase squirrels), pull sleds, (dig holes), do weight pulls, (howl like wolves at the sound of ambulances and fire engines). Their thick coats repel dirt and they have no “doggy smell”.  In fact, I collected bags of rich, “blown undercoat” and spun it into yarn. I knitted gloves, scarves, hats and sweaters –people thought it was angora!  Another point most people don’t realize is that the true color of Samoyed’s eyes are brown – not blue.  I could go on, and on, and on . . . but I know there’s only so much blog space room.

Giving My Herbal Lore Workshop In November!

If you missed my other workshops, or want to catch the updated version, I’m giving my Herbal Lore and the Historic Medicinal Uses of Herbs Workshop in November for Hearts Through History Romance Writers. Nonmembers are welcome to join in. To register follow this link to their lovely site:

https://www.heartsthroughhistory.com/workshops/workshop-on-herbal-lore-and-the-historic-medicinal-uses-of-herbs/

[image error](Dill and heirloom poppies from Monticello in our garden)

This workshop spans centuries of herbs and their lore from the ancients, through the British Isles, Colonial America, Native Americans, the Granny Women and the Mountain People of the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies (general Appalachia). Mountains are all around us here in the Shenandoah Valley. Participants will receive the eBook of my herbal, Plants for A Medieval Herb Garden in the British (also available in print if anyone’s interested).

[image error]

There’s so much fascinating stuff to cover, I encourage participants to download and save files for later. I also welcome discussion and questions. My aim is for my workshop to be both informative and fun.

Filed under: herbal lore Tagged: colonial American herbs, Hearts Through History Romance Writers, herbal lore, historic medicinal use of herbs, medieval, Native American, November, physic garden, workshop

Furbaby Friday With Author Claire Marti!

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press Author Claire Marti, here to share the beloved furbabies in her life and her newly released contemporary romance,  At Last in Laguna (Finding Forever in Laguna Book 2)

(Oreo)

Claire: So many amazing creatures, who to select? Growing up, we always had cats and I can’t imagine life without at least a few cats and a dog. I’ve volunteered with cat rescues for decades and I was Managing Director for a non-profit animal rescue in Los Angeles.

Currently, we have two hilarious, eccentric cats, Lola and Beau and a giant mutt named Josie. All three are rescues and fill me with love and joy on a daily basis.

I’d like to write a tribute to a cat named Oreo, who I rescued back in 2001. Oreo was a handsome tuxedo with a unique habit of head butting you right in the forehead when he was happy. He loved to sit on your lap for petting sessions and he’d lean his forehead against yours, and then gently or not so gently, bonk your head. He immediately became best friends with my shy big black kitty Jake.

[image error](Oreo and Jake)

In January 2010, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer and embarked on an unpleasant journey of two surgeries, six rounds of chemotherapy, and radiation. Suddenly, I was home most of the day and taking naps each afternoon. Jake and Oreo were thrilled to have convinced their mom of the wisdom of daily naps. Their sweet warmth and cuddling comforted me immensely.

In a devastating twist of fate, Oreo was diagnosed with lymphoma in April. The vet gave him three months and we treated him with a series of steroids. Having more time to spend with him, regardless of the circumstances, was a blessing.

[image error]

I completed treatment in October 2010, and Oreo still valiantly battled his disease. He made it until March 2011, when he let me know one afternoon that he was ready to leave me. I know he waited those extra months to ensure I didn’t need his support any longer.

All of my furry children were and are special and unique, but Oreo and I shared solidarity in battling cancer together. I know he’s in cat heaven, basking in the sunshine and head-butting everyone he meets.~

Beth: What a moving story and a wonderful cat, Claire. I’m sure you will touch all who read this.

Blurb from Claire’s new release At Last in Laguna:

Alyssa Morgan has secretly been in love with her older brother Nick’s best friend, Brandt Dempsey, since she was an awkward, lonely teenager. When she catches the bouquet at Nick’s wedding, she throws caution to the wind and propositions Brandt to a two-week fling. He’s tried to ignore how Alyssa has blossomed into a strong, talented, gorgeous woman because as his best friend’s baby sister, she’s off limits.

After they share a mind-blowing kiss, Brandt struggles to fight their undeniable chemistry. His tragic childhood scarred him, but he pushes it deep inside, only allowing the world to see a wealthy, carefree entrepreneur. Forced to work together on Brandt’s latest charitable venture, Brandt and Alyssa’s passion cannot be denied. Alyssa knows he’s the one. Can she convince him they belong together?

[image error]

Excerpt:

What was his deal this morning?

She’d give him the cold shoulder if it killed her.

And it just might.

He’d rejected her, so why was he opening doors, hovering, and acting like a pest? Practically breathing down her neck. She could swear he’d sniffed her. Sniffed her. He couldn’t conceal his awareness. If he were so attracted to her, he would’ve agreed to her proposition, right? Since he’d shot her down in flames, he could at least have the decency to ignore her today. Rude, infuriating man.

Inhaling a deep cleansing breath, she forced herself to concentrate on the center. Sunlight streamed through the abundance of windows and along with the high ceilings imparted a feeling of freedom and space, perfect for the planned occupants. Because they’d decided to wait to obtain her input for the more specific room layout, the building’s interior remained a shell. She’d add to her brother’s amazing design and ensure Tearmann House’s beauty and serenity.

Serenity. What a concept. Ha.

***At Last in Laguna is out in kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Laguna-Finding-Forever-Book-ebook/dp/B075CDMRDJ/

Claire’s Social Links:

Follow Claire’s Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Claire-Marti/e/B01N9VOWLL/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Website:  www.clairemarti.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ClaireMartiAuthor/

 Twitter:  @clairepmarti

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8203678.Claire_Marti

  Author Bio for  Claire Marti:

 Claire Marti started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress.

Finally, Claire followed her heart and now focuses on two of her true passions: writing romance and teaching yoga. At Last in Laguna is the second book in her Finding Forever in Laguna series from The Wild Rose Press.

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Claire a message.

[image error]

Filed under: contemporary romance, Furbaby Friday Tagged: author companion, cancer kitty, cat rescue, Contemporary romance, dog rescue, pet therapy, women's fiction, writing companion