Beth Trissel's Blog, page 25

Think Colonial Frontier and The Last of the Mohicans–my Native American Warrior Series

Years ago, while researching family genealogy, I gained the courage to take the leap from penning non-fiction essays about country life and plunge into historical romance novels set in early America. That first story, Red Bird’s Song, written and rewritten more than any other, is the book of my heart, and heads up my NATIVE AMERICAN WARRIOR SERIES.




RED BIRD’S SONG was purchased from The Wild Rose Press by Amazon for republication under their Encore line on 8-25-2015. eBook rights belong to Amazon. Look for it there in kindle and print.

“This book touched my soul even as it provided a thrilling fictional escape into a period of history I have always found fascinating.” ~ Laurie-J Reviewer for Red Bird’s Song at Night Owl Romance



Red Bird’s Song is a 2012 Double Epic Award Finalist!



My fascination with Colonial America, particularly stirring tales of the frontier and the Shawnee Indians, is an early and abiding one. My English, Scot-Irish ancestors had interactions with this tribe, including family members taken captive. In Red Bird’s Song, I honed in on my early American roots in a story featuring the Scots-Irish and an Indian attack that happened to my ancestors.



My award-winning Native American themed historical romance novel Through the Fire is also based on research into my colonial forebears and the French and Indian War.  Although written to stand alone, historical romance novel Kira Daughter of the Moon, is the sequel to Through the Fire. These three novels, along with The Bearwalker’s Daughter comprise my Native American Warrior Series.



(Image of old family musket, hunting pouch, and powder horn and the Alleghenies pictured below by my mom, Pat Churchman)






Red Bird’s Song (Native American Warrior Series):

Blurb: Taken captive by a Shawnee war party wasn’t how Charity Edmondson hoped to escape an unwanted marriage. Nor did Shawnee warrior Wicomechee expect to find the treasure promised by his grandfather’s vision in the unpredictable red-headed girl.

George III’s English Red-Coats, unprincipled colonial militia, prejudice and jealousy are not the only enemies Charity and Wicomechee will face before they can hope for a peaceful life. The greatest obstacle to happiness is in their own hearts. As they struggle through bleak mountains and cold weather, facing wild nature and wilder men, Wicomechee and Charity must learn to trust each other.~





“With “Red Bird’s Song”, Beth Trissel has painted an unforgettable portrait of a daring and defiant love brought to life in the wild and vivid era of Colonial America. Highly recommended for lovers of American history and romance lovers alike!” ~Review by Virginia Campbell



Through the Fire (Native American Warrior Series)  is an adventure romance with a The Last of the Mohicans flavor and a mystical weave. Some of the most unusual aspects of this story are based on individuals who really lived. A passionate love story set during the French and Indian War.



Blurb:  Will love inflame these two natural-born enemies in fiery destruction?

Passions run deep in the raging battle to possess a continent, its wealth and furs. Both the French and English count powerful Indian tribes as their allies. 



English lady Rebecca Elliot, having eloped to America with a British captain, finds herself a widow. When she ventures into the colonial frontier with the militia to seek her uncle, she unwittingly enters a dangerous world of rugged mountains, wild animals, and even wilder men. The rules are different here and she doesn’t know them, especially those of the savagely handsome warrior who captures her body and her heart.



Half-Shawnee, half-French warrior Shoka, former guide for English traders, is the hawk, swift, sure, and silent as the moon. He knows all about survival in this untamed land and how deadly distraction can be. His intent is to sell Rebecca to the French before she draws him under her spell, but if he lets her go he can no longer protect her. If he holds onto her, can he safeguard his heart? With battle looming and an enemy warrior bent on vengeance, Shoka and Rebecca must decide whether to fight together or be destroyed.



“Through the Fire is full of interesting characters, beautifully described scenery, and vivid action sequences. It is a must read for any fan of historical romance.” ~Poinsettia, Long and Short Reviews



The French and Indian War, a Shawnee warrior, an English lady, blood vengeance, deadly pursuit, primal, powerful, passionate …THROUGH THE FIRE.



“Ms Trissel spins a very fine yarn with Through the Fire. Her vivid imagery takes you right back into the action. The colours, scents and views tickle the senses. The deep description of scenery and historical setting gave me just the right idea of what Rebecca went through, both physically and emotionally. Ms Trissel knows how to tell a wonderful tale.



A beautifully written love story, with enough dangers lurking to keep us on our toes. Perfect reading material.” ~ Historicals Reviewed
 





THE BEARWALKER’S DAUGHTER (Native American Warrior Series)

Historical paranormal romance novel, The Bearwalker’s Daughter, follows on the heels of the American Revolution and takes place in the ruggedly beautiful Alleghenies.



A Handsome frontiersman, Mysterious Scots-Irish Woman, Bearwalking Shawnee Warrior, Dark Secret, Pulsing Romance…The Bearwalker’s Daughter



Blurb: Karin McNeal hasn’t grasped who she really is or her fierce birthright. A tragic secret from the past haunts the young Scots-Irish woman longing to learn more of her mother’s death and the mysterious father no one will name. The elusive voices she hears in the wind hint at the dramatic changes soon to unfold in the mist-shrouded Alleghenies in Autumn, 1784.


Jack McCray, the wounded stranger who staggers through the door on the eve of her twentieth birthday and anniversary of her mother’s death, holds the key to unlock the past. Will Karin let this handsome frontiersman lead her to the truth and into his arms, or seek the shelter of her fiercely possessive kinsmen? Is it only her imagination or does someone, or something, wait beyond the brooding ridges—for her?





(The Bearwalker’s Daughter is a revised version of my award-winning romance novel Daughter of the Wind)

Publisher’s Weekly BHB Reader’s Choice Best Books of 2009 


“Ms. Trissel’s alluring style of writing invites the reader into a world of fantasy and makes it so believable it is spellbinding.” ~Camellia, Long and Short Reviews

KIRA, DAUGHTER OF THE MOON (Native American Warrior Series) was purchased from The Wild Rose Press by Amazon for republication under their Encore line on 9-22-2015. eBook rights belong to Amazon. Look for it in kindle and print!


‘A beautiful Scots-Irish healer in the rugged Alleghenies finds herself accused of witchcraft. With the terror of the French and Indian War fresh in her mind, can Kira love a white warrior?’

I have a growing selection of historical romance featuring those Celts settled in the rugged Alleghenies and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and the Native Americans they encountered.



‘The Rugged Alleghenies, A White Warrior, Beautiful Scots-Irish Healer, Unrequited Love—Requited, Charges of Witchcraft, Vindictive Ghost, Lost Treasure, Murderous Thieves, Deadly Pursuit, Hangman’s Noose Waiting…Kira, Daughter of the Moon’



Set among the superstitious Scots in the rugged Alleghenies, the story is an adventurous romance with a blend of Celtic and Native American flavors. Although written to stand alone, Kira, Daughter of the Moon is the long-awaited sequel to my award-winning historical romance novel, Through the Fire.


Blurb: Logan McCutcheon returns to colonial Virginia after seven years in the hands of Shawnee Indians. But was he really a captive, as everybody thinks? He looks and fights like a warrior, and seems eager to return to those he calls friends and family.



Kira McClure has waited for Logan all those years, passing herself off as odd to keep suitors at bay–and anyone else from getting too close. Now that he’s back, he seems to be the only person capable of protecting her from the advances of Josiah Campbell and accusations of witchcraft. And to defend the settlers against a well-organized band of murderous thieves.~



(Logan, the ‘white warrior’ from Kira, Daughter of the Moon. One of my all time favorite heroes.)



“This is one pageturner you might read in record speed. Except when you get near the end. If it’s read slower the story will last longer. That’s when it’s time to savor the story for a while and when the story is really good it almost seems a shame to begin another book with the memory of the current book still fresh in your mind.” ~Martha Decker for Examiner.com

Five Stars For Kira, Daughter of the Moon!



From Poinsettia for Long and Short Reviews:



“One of the things I enjoy most about Ms. Trissel’s writing is her amazing ability to transport readers directly into her stories. Her mastery of descriptive language never ceases to amaze me. “Green-gold light streamed through the rippling leaves while high overhead a yellow warbler trilled sweet, sweet, sweet and the warmth of hay-scented fern wafted on the mild breeze.” 



After reading this first sentence, I already felt as if I were standing next to Kira in the woods. I could see, hear, and smell everything she did. Completely immersed in the story, I eagerly dove into the pages that followed…”



***The Bearwalker’s Daughter, Red Bird’s Song, Through the Fire and Kira, Daughter of the Moon are part of my Native American Warrior Series. Short story, The Lady and the Warrior, also fits this line and may someday be a full novel. All are available on my Amazon Author Page.






Filed under: Historical romance novel Tagged: Award-winning historical romance author, Historical Romance, historical with paranormal, Native American Romance, The Allegeny Mountains, The Colonial Frontier, The French and Indian War, The Last of the Mohicans, The Scots-Irish in colonial America

Where the Past Meets the Present–My Somewhere in Time Series

I love time travel, thus my SOMEWHERE IN TIME SERIES. I’m also fascinated by time travel conundrums, and a big fan of Doctor Who, thanks to daughter Elise. I’ve shared the titles in my series at a meaningful glance. Yes, I’m at work on a new story.

Concept behind my Somewhere in Time Series: the story opens in an old home, (I love old homes!) so far 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.

Oh, and did I mention ghosts? They play a role in some of the stories.



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



“Beth Trissel has written a captivating ghost story entwining a contemporary love story with the mystery of a murder from the nineteenth century. The wonderful characters and evocative historical details caught my attention from the first page.” ~Author Helen Scott Taylor for paranormal romance Somewhere my Love

Somewhere My Lass 



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



An ancient 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)

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.





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 covers except for Somewhere the Bells Ring.

Filed under: 'Somewhere' series Tagged: fantasy, ghostly, gothic, historical, Paranormal, reincarnation, romance, Scottish highlands, time travel, Victorian home, Virginia Plantation home

The Panther Moon (#YA #Paranormal #Sci-Fi #Urban #Fantasy #Romance)

Book 3, The Secret Warrior Series, is out in pre-order. The Panther Moon was a joy to write. I grieved when I finished. The series was enormous fun, challenging me as an author.

Will I write another in the series, you may ask? Maybe. I have ideas, but I was signed for three books and have completed the full moon circle. If the series does well, then you can expect more.

Help spread the word by reviewing  The Hunter’s Moon , Curse of the Moon, and/or The Panther Moon. Leave a comment or Contact bctrissel@yahoo.com

A bit about The Panther Moon: Wolf shifter, Morgan Daniel, faces formidable odds, along with hot alpha leader, Jackson, her genius brother, Jimmy, and their inventive pack. Together, this unconventional band rocks. But will they be strong enough to battle Armageddon? If they’re not, evil grows. And how. It will take everything Morgan, Jackson, and their pack have, and MORE, to prevail.

If you like a kick-ass heroine, Morgan is for you. She also has a tender side, vital in a shifter with her growing powers. And alpha leader Jackson is sizzling.

Story Blurb for The Panther Moon: Being the seventh Morcant has its perks: Morgan is learning to fly and wield magical blue fire.

But the coyote shifters are growing bolder. Mateo and his panthers seem impossible to defeat. And vampires aren’t real – are they?

When the elusive and enigmatic Chief Okema disappears and the wards protecting the Wapicoli territory falter, Morgan and Jackson are forced into the role of leaders. Badly outnumbered and outgunned, do they have time to search for the secret of the Divining Tree, and will it help them in the final battle?

Pre-order The Panther Moon in kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Panther-Moon-Secret-Warrior-ebook/dp/B01JXZG1SC

Official release date is 9-30. The story will also be out in print at Amazon. All  online booksellers will carry the eBook of The Panther Moon and have the series.

Filed under: YA fantasy romance series, young adult Tagged: Contemporary, fantasy, New release, Paranormal, romance, Science Fiction, shifter series, Teen & Young Adult, The Secret Warrior Series, urban

Exploring the Fascinating Culture of the Romany (Gypsies)

I’m happy to have my friend Author Josie Riviera here to share about Romany (Gypsy) culture and her new release, Seeking Patience.

“Gadje Gadjensa, Rom Romensa.”

This is a Romany (Gypsy) saying that means “Gadje with Gadje, Rom with Rom.”

So what is a gadje? A gadje in the Romany language means “not one of us.” Many Rom prefer to not allow outsiders (us) into their lives. It’s no coincidence that in my hours, days, and months of researching the Romany for Seeking Patience, little information was available. Odd, because the Rom have lived in many places throughout the world for centuries. They’re a widely-traveled people. Yet there is little written history regarding their origins, although recent evidence points to an emigration from India 1500 years ago.

I believe the reason there is little information available is because the Rom simply prefer it that way. They are a proud people who keep to themselves. And they are nomads, forever on the move, traveling by horse and wagon in caravans.

It is no secret that the Rom have suffered persecution, prejudice, exclusion, and discrimination for centuries. The “Gypsy” stereotype includes a criminal, fortune-teller, blacksmith, thief, and musician, a dark-complexioned, shadowy figure. But why do so many of us harbor this unfair prejudice? Perhaps because of the Rom’s nomadic existence, lack of a solid religious belief, and exotic clothes and lifestyle. Their dialect is distinct and related to Sanskrit. Their tradition is oral, for they didn’t have the luxury of building libraries.

One belief shared by all Rom is cleanliness. Mahrime means unclean or polluted. To avoid mahrime, clothes covering the top half of their body are washed separately from clothes on the bottom. Certain parts of the female body are considered unclean, and doctors are sometimes avoided because they deal with illness. And, a Rom can become polluted by being too close to a gadje.

Blurb for SEEKING PATIENCE:

Do people prove their worth by strength, or by character?

Half-Romany, half-English lord, he lives a perilous Gypsy life … until a sweet English rose saves his life, and perhaps his soul. Widowed by a cruel husband, she’s given up all hope of love. Brought together in peril, they dare to reach for a brighter future together.

Luca Boldor, Romany leader, lives a nomad’s life in Regency England with his Gypsy caravan. Believing his noble father abandoned him at birth, he refuses to acknowledge his English blood, or live a settled life. But when a vicious attack by a rival leaves him bleeding on an English lady’s doorstep, he has no choice but to accept her help. Her gentle faith stirs his heart in a way he has long denied.

Lady Patience Blakwell, widowed countess, lives in near poverty. Her husband’s heir uses threats to keep her from demanding her rightful inheritance. With a few faithful servants, she exists quietly in the country, only her faith keeping her strong … until the day a bold, handsome Gypsy collapses in her hall. He’s unlike any man she’s ever known, and she’ll confront any subterfuge to keep him safe.

But when a secret from Lady Patience’s past emerges, Luca must face his own past, or lose her and all hope of love. Will this strong man humble himself to open his heart for his lady?

Travel back to Regency England for this sweet, inspirational romance—get your copy of Seeking Patience today!

The buy links for SEEKING PATIENCE:

Amazon: https://amzn.com/B01H42QM5I

 Itunes/Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1125089890

 Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seeking-patience-josie-riviera/1115240264;jsessionid=0F911C520B3A98646A5007DFD11DE200.prodny_store01-atgap10?ean=2940152793109

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/seeking-patience-1

Author bio:

Best-selling author Josie Riviera writes Historical, Inspirational, and Sweet Romances. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband.They share their empty nest with an adorable Shih Tzu who constantly needs grooming and an old house forever needing renovations.

 “Like” her Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Josie.Riviera

Connect with her on Facebook:

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Sign up for her blog and subscribe to her newsletter on her website to receive a FREE EBOOK: josieriviera.wordpress.com

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Follow her on twitter: @josieriviera

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Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Gypsy Culture, Josie Riviera, New release, Regency romance, Romany

Geese I know #Countrylife

(‘Here’s looking at you, kid.’)

With my new photography craze, I’ve taken to stalking the barnyard geese, aka Pilgrim geese (an old breed). They’re squawky, easily spooked, and difficult to capture on film. I creep around corners, freeze when they spot me, and attempt to hang out with the gaggle to win their trust. Not gonna happen. When I toss grain their way, they fear I’m throwing stuff at them and flee. Not overly bright, but fun to watch. I’ve gotten a few good pics and many of their retreating backs.

             (‘I think we’re alone now. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around.’)

These geese have been on our farm for decades. They began as two pairs. The breed is so long-lived, I suspect we still have the originals. If they were better parents, we’d be overrun, but they’re absentminded and forget where they left the goslings. We’ve retrieved distressed peepers and restored them to the gaggle, but only a few reach adulthood out of those successfully hatched. A lot of them don’t even make it out of the egg. After four plus decades, we have about two dozen in the flock.

(Geese counting cows, only they don’t count very well.)

They roam all over the farm, frequent the pond, the meadow, the barnyard, shady grassy spots when the sun’s too hot, and of course, the barn itself. They keep company with the cows and dislike dogs. Cats are ignored. ***Note, these are not attack geese. They fuss and carry on, but will take off when threatened unless defending their nest. Don’t get too near nesting geese of any breed.

“Ego: The fallacy whereby a goose thinks he’s a swan.”

***Images taken by me in July.

Filed under: country life, country living, Uncategorized Tagged: country life, Farm, geese, Goose, The Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

Wild Rose Press Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop (July 22-30)

Welcome to my stop on the hop. My summer treat? Gardens.  I especially love old ones, and summer is the height of their glory. Below is the garden scene from my award-winning Revolutionary War romance novel, Enemy of the King, book 1 in my Traitor’s Legacy Series. For reads, I’m giving away the three book series (or your choice of titles) in Kindle or PDF to someone, maybe more than one person, who leaves me a comment saying they would like to read it and why.

Enjoy the garden tour and be sure to visit other blogs on the hop and enter the rafflecopter. Links below.

Into the Garden with Meriwether and Jeremiah:

Stone lions the size of wolfhounds sat on either side of the imposing front door as if to devour unwanted guests. Perhaps Jeremiah enjoyed their significance.

He seldom entertained and seemed happier seated astride a horse than in the company of most ladies and gentlemen. He turned the marble knob and led Meriwether out onto the crescent-shaped balcony.

He leaned momentarily on the iron railing. “Feel that breeze.”

“Delightful.”

The cool wind fanned her hot cheeks. Lifting her skirts, she walked arm in arm with him down the brick steps of the gracious Georgian-style home.

Pleasant Grove had been built by his grandfather on a bluff above the Santee River and fashioned after the manor in Kent that Lord Jordan had been forced to flee in 1647 after fighting with Charles I, who lost his kingdom and his head. Fortunately Jeremiah’s Royalist ancestor had fared better than the ill-fated king and escaped to America with his young wife and her jewels. But his near capture by Cromwell and the loss of everything else had given him a wariness he’d passed to his descendants.

Was Jeremiah secretly opposing a different king?

She cocked her head at him a little apprehensively. “Is there anywhere in particular you’re taking me?”

He smiled as if to reassure her. “Just farther in.”

“As you wish.” Being out here alone with him was like being in a glistening Eden. A thrush warbled from high above them in the live oak. Green-gray moss hung from its far-reaching branches and blew in the breeze, reminding her of the McChesney, her father’s largest ship, its sails billowing.

Jeremiah held her back, the warmth of his hand radiating through her sleeve.  “You’ll spoil those fine shoes.”

He led her around the sprawling puddle she hadn’t noticed and onto the green mat creeping over the path.

The fragrant thyme scented the air as they trod on the tiny leaves and wound deeper into the garden. Newly washed hollyhocks, rosy balsam, and wine-red salvia gleamed. The glowing colors, heady fragrances, her arm tingling at his touch…stirred a pulsing awareness in Meriwether that she’d never felt in the house. There was so much she wanted to say, to ask, but couldn’t, and she darted glances at him.

He caught her eye. “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing of consequence,” she almost stuttered.

He quirked his left eyebrow at her; the narrow scar gave it a slightly crooked rise. “And earlier in the parlor?”

She glanced away from his searching gaze and focused on the toe of his boot. “Just chatter.”

“Are you truly worried?”

“Only as much as anyone these days.” Still evading his scrutiny, she bent and plucked a sweetly-scented nicotiana blossom.

He took the white flower from her hand as she straightened, setting her skin afire, and tucked it behind her ear. “I sense there’s much left unsaid. Why won’t you speak?”

Still battling the near irresistible draw of those blue eyes, she stared at his open neckline. “I prefer to listen.”

“Yet I would know what fills your fair head.”

“Perhaps you already do,” she said, hastily shifting her inspection from his bronzed chest back to the snowy blossoms.

His voice lowered even further. “No. You are not so easily read.”

Jeremiah grew silent and led her into the avenue, as he called it, strolling with her between rows of English boxwood that reached up over their heads. The clipped shrubs exuded the warm Old World scent Meriwether remembered from childhood.

“Stay a moment,” he said, stopping beside the fish pool.

The statue of his father’s favorite spaniel sat on the pebble path beside the water, a whimsical touch. The brown stone was flecked with moss, as was anything that sat out-of-doors too long, but the cocker seemed as if he really were intent on the water.

She patted his granite ears and sighed. How could she confide her deepest longing and her fears?

“Such a weighty sigh. Has our walk overtaxed you?”

She lifted her gaze to his, bracing herself under the force of his study. “No. I’m much stronger now.”

“Good. You seem so. You were as weak as a newborn kitten when I first found you.”

“I only remember that you brought me here in your boat.”

He scooped up a pebble, tossing it into the pool. Goldfish scattered, and a little green frog plopped in among the lilies. “Charles Town is a graveyard. Thank God yours has not swelled the family plot.”

The intensity in his voice took her by surprise.

“Are you content at Pleasant Grove, Miss Steele?”

“Yes,” she answered in growing confusion.

“Entirely?”

She shied away from his inquiry and watched goldfish rippling through the water like orange silk. “Why doubt me?”

“I must know.”

His earnestness made her stomach churn. “For my part,

I am content. I trust you don’t find my presence burdensome?”

“Not yet,” he said gravely.

Her eyes startled back to his. “Do you think I will become so?”

“Quite possibly.”~

****

1780 South Carolina, spies and intrigue, a vindictive ghost,  the battle of King’s Mountain, Patriots and Tories, pounding adventure, pulsing romance…ENEMY OF THE KING.

‘Enemy of the King is an amazing and vibrant look into the American Revolutionary War and tells the story through the eyes of a remarkable woman. While Jeremiah Jordan himself is a strong soldier and heroic patriot, it is Meriwether Steele who makes such a great impression in this epic novel. Her dedication to the man she loves, the lengths she must go to defend herself and others, and the unstoppable force that she is makes Meriwether one heck of a heroine.

Ms. Trissel brings the countryside and its people alive with her fascinating and at times gory details. This sexy historical book is a must read!’

~ Danielle, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More~

Colonial American Romance Novel ENEMY OF THE KING, a fast-paced Adventure Romance, is my version of THE PATRIOT.  The novel is available in print and eBook  at:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers~

“I love historical romances. They are one of my favorites and anymore when I think of a historical I think of Beth Trissel. She is an author who has proved herself over time. She is a beautiful storyteller. Ms. Trissel can take a story line and make it a work of art. And she did just that with Enemy of the King.” ~Bella Wolfe, You Gotta Read

The 2009 Publisher’s Weekly BHB Reader’s Choice Best Books 

***The other two novels in the series are: Traitor’s Legacy and Traitor’s Curse.

***For the other super participating blogs on the tour, please visit: http://judyanndavis.blogspot.com/p/summer-treats-2016.html

And be sure to enter the rafflecopter for a Kindle Fire!

***Some images of our garden by daughter Elise Trissel. Giant oak from North Carolina by my mom.  Images of colonial Williamsburg and other old gardens.

Filed under: Historial romance novel Tagged: award winning romance, Blog Hop, Colonial America, Gardens, historic gardens, Historical Romance, Summer Treats, The American Revolution, Wild Rose Press

The poetry of the earth is never dead. ~John Keats

We’ve had a lovely garden season this year with rains enough not to need the sprinkler. This may change, as higher temps are in the forecast and no imminent showers, but weather can turn around overnight, so we shall see. Meanwhile, we’ve been blessed and I’m sharing July pics of the farm and garden with you.

(A parade of poppies by daughter Elise)

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir (1838–1914)

I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. ~e.e. cummings  (Cone flowers by Elise)

Good heavens, of what uncostly material is our earthly happiness composed… if we only knew it. What incomes have we not had from a flower, and how unfailing are the dividends of the seasons. ~James Russell Lowell

I know the thrill of the grasses when the rain pours over them.

I know the trembling of the leaves when the winds sweep through them.

I know what the white clover felt as it held a drop of dew pressed close in its beauteousness.

I know the quivering of the fragrant petals at the touch of the pollen-legged bees.

I know what the stream said to the dipping willows, and what the moon said to the sweet lavender.

I know what the stars said when they came stealthily down and crept fondly into the tops of the trees. ~Muriel Strode, “Creation Songs”

(Poppies, sweet alyssum, and bachelor’s buttons by Elise)

(Grazing cows in the meadow taken by Beth)

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. ~Rachel Carson

Happiness flutters in the air whilst we rest among the breaths of nature. ~Kelly Sheaffer

                                              (Barn against sunset by Beth)

If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere. ~Vincent Van Gogh

All I want is to stand in a field

and to smell green,

to taste air,

to feel the earth want me,

Without all this concrete

hating me.

~Phillip Pulfrey, from Love, Abstraction and other Speculations, http://www.originals.net

I can still smell the green of the grass crushed beneath me. Feel the damp of the dew on my elbows. Hear the birdsong. ~Kristina Turner, The Self-Healing Cookbook, 2002, originally published 1987

(our garden by Elise)

God’s handiwork is all about me,

As I sit on the porch and gaze

At the far-off peaks of the mountains

That are touched with the sun’s bright rays.

~Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, “In the Mountains” (1940s)

(Our meadow with pond and hills beyond by Beth)

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. ~John Burroughs

A setting sun still whispers a promise for tomorrow. ~Jeb Dickerson, jebdickerson.com

Come forth into the light of things,

Let Nature be your teacher.

~William Wordsworth

(Coreopsis Tinctoria and Queen Anne’s Lace by Elise)

There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough to pay attention to the story. ~Linda Hogan

Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain. ~Henry David Thoreau

(Bee Balm, white Phlox and other flowers in front garden by Beth)

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Bee Balm, coreopsis, country life, cows, farm meadow, farm pond, Gardening, geese, poppies, Queen Anne's Lace, summer garden, The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, White Phlox

New Release, Haunted Souls, by Kathryn Knight

My talented friend, Author Kathryn Knight, has a thrilling and haunting new romance, Haunted Souls. Take a look.

Story Blurb:

Four years ago, Emily Shea and Staff Sergeant Brett Leeds agreed to part with no strings attached. Sparks flew during their brief affair, but fate intervened, sending Brett overseas. When an unexpected pregnancy derailed Emily’s own plans, her attempts to locate Brett were soon overwhelmed by the challenges of single motherhood. Now, Brett has returned home, and Emily is forced to share her secret.

Despite feeling betrayed, Brett is determined to forge a relationship with their son, Tyler. As the former lovers battle both their inner demons and their mutual desire, another presence enters their lives—Tyler’s imaginary friend.

Soon, however, the chilling evidence points to a different conclusion: a ghost has formed a dangerous connection with their son. Emily’s attempts to help both a lost soul and a friend in need spiral toward a deadly confrontation, and Brett must race to save Emily before he loses her again—forever.

Kindle link: https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Souls-Kathryn-Knight-ebook/dp/B01EZLQX9G?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc

Nook link:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/haunted-souls-kathryn-knight/1123684427?ean=2940158295799

Author bio: Kathryn Knight spends a great deal of time in her fictional world, where mundane chores don’t exist and daily life involves steamy romance, dangerous secrets, and spooky suspense.  Kathryn writes contemporary romance spiked with mysterious hauntings as well as YA paranormal romance filled with forbidden love.

Her novels are award-winning #1 Amazon Bestsellers and RomCon Reader Rated picks.  When she’s not reading or writing, Kathryn spends her time catching up on those mundane chores, driving kids around, and teaching writing classes. Two of her ghost story/romance titles, Gull Harbor and Haunted Souls, are set on beautiful Cape Cod, where she lives with her husband, their two sons, and a number of rescued pets.  Please visit her at Kathryn Knight books on Facebook, @k_knightbooks on Twitter, or at www.kathrynknightbooks.blogspot.com.

Author links:

http://kathrynknightbooks.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KathrynKnightbooks/

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Contemporary romance, Ghost Mystery, Kathryn Knight, Military Romance, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense

All Things Bright and Beautiful

The Shenandoah Valley is one of the loveliest places in the world. I call it ‘the Shire’, for good reason. Given the darkness spreading in America, my aim is to share the simple goodness and beauty that still exists in my green valley.

“God made the country, and man made the town.”  ~William Cowper, The Task

(Image of our farm pond by daughter Elise)

“To a brain wearied by the din of the city, the clatter of wheels, the jingle of street cars, the discord of bells, the cries of venders, the ear-splitting whistles of factory and shop, how refreshing is the heavenly stillness of the country!” ~Olive Thorne Miller, 1895

“I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand.” ~Leonardo da Vinci

(image by Beth of old red barn that’s now white with cosmos and sunflowers)

(Daylily and larkspur wet with rain by Beth)

“Anybody can be good in the country.”  ~Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

“It is not easy to walk alone in the country without musing upon something.” ~Charles Dickens

(Silver Checkerspot Butterfly in Garden by Elise)

“The sunrise and sunset of each Summer’s day,

The song of the birds and the flowers, so fair,

And all the beauties of Nature everywhere.” ~~Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, “A Leaf from Memories’ Book” (1940s)

“As much as I converse with sages and heroes, they have very little of my love and admiration.  I long for rural and domestic scene, for the warbling of birds and the prattling of my children.”  ~John Adams

(Elise herding geese–image by Beth)

(Geese in my front yard–image by Beth out the second story window)

“Nor rural sights alone, but rural sounds,

Exhilarate the spirit, and restore

The tone of languid nature.”

~William Cowper

“The city, no matter how small, is corrupt and unrepentant, while the sun shines brighter in the country, making people more wholesome.”

― Lori Lansens, The Girls

(Bright garden nook by Beth)

(Ferney asparagus and flowers covered with rain in the early morning by Beth)

“Let yourself fall in love with something that simply makes you happy. If there’s a place for it in your heart, there’s a place for it in your home.” ~Mary Randolf Carter

“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

(Garden, yard, and old barn)

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: country life, farm pond, Gardening, geese, old barn, The Shenandoah Valley

Fantasy, Mystery, Time Travel, Ghosts, and Romance–Somewhere in Time Series

Open the door. You never know where it may take you. Who likes time travel? Maybe a ghost or two? Highlanders? A mystery to solve? Love stories?

The idea behind my ‘Somewhere in Time series’ is that the story opens in an old Virginia home (I love old homes!), ranging from stately plantation manors to Victorian beauties, and then transports the main character, or characters, back in time either in the same house or to another place entirely, such as the Scottish Highlands. And each story has The door.

Moreover, I’m intrigued by ghost stories, and Virginia has more tales than any other state. I find myself asking if the folk who’ve gone before us are truly gone, or do some still have unfinished business in this realm? And what of the young lovers whose time was tragically cut short, do they somehow find a way? This is the theme behind my award-winning paranormal, murder mystery, ghostly, time travel romance novel, Somewhere My Love.

Somewhere My Love (Book 1, Somewhere in Time):

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.

“A beautiful love story with plenty of suspense and mystery. The story will draw a reader in and will not let go until the very last page. It is a novel that will live in the hearts of its readers for a very long time.”  ~Reviewed by Hitherandthee for Night Owl Romance

Scottish Time Travel Romance with a Twist

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

‘An ancient 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.”

Sci-fi, Fantasy, Time Travel Romance

Somewhere in the Highlands (Somewhere in Time)

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. Now, I plan to write yet another story in this continuing saga–part of my Somewhere in Time series. But first, I need to finish the time travel I am currently at work on.

“Beth Trissel is a master at weaving Scottish lore with the modern day without it seeming forced or implausible all while weaving a beautifully-crafted tale of romance and adventure. There’d better be more Fergus coming. I mean it!”~ Born with a Book

The Somewhere in Time Series; where the past meets the present.

Speaking of wonderful old homes, (a major part of this 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.

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

Hauntingly beautiful Christmas Romance

The story opens in 1968 and flashes back to 1918 and the end of WWI.

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

I am currently at work on a new ‘Somewhere’ themed romance. Maybe two.

Time Travel, Ghosts, Fantasy, Mystery, and above all Romance may lie on the other side of the door.

My Somewhere in Time Series is available on my Author Page at Amazon.

Filed under: paranormal romance Tagged: fantasy, ghostly romance, haunting love story, Highlanders, mystery, paranormal romance, Sacred relics, Somewhere in Time series, the Scottish highlands, time travel