E.V. Sparrow's Blog, page 9

Ireland’s Treasures Part 2 of 5

The Castle holds a modern encounter with its 800-years of drama, the sieges of 1642, 1651, and 1690/1691, and the ensuing warfare. The Castle towers grant you a 365 degree visual of Limerick and surrounding areas. (See the featured photo).

View of the River Shannon and King John’s Castle below: The Normans arrived in Ireland in 1169, and made Limerick a Royal city, then started to build this castle. They put it under the direct rule of King John of England, Lord of Ireland.

The bridge over the Shannon, crossing over to the castle, below:

For more information on the Reformation’s effect on the Catholic Church, King Henry VIII’s choices, and Elizabeth I suppression of the Irish, visit the Castle’s website. For more information and history visit https://kingjohncastle.ie

The Twin Towered Gatehouse built in 1212, and the oldest surviving feature below:

Inside the castle below:

Armoring up below:

View from the towers, below:

The Siege of 1690/1691 occurred in Europe’s battle between Protestant King William III, and Catholic King James for the English crown when it reached Ireland. The castle eventually surrendered under the Treaty of Limerick after their defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

June’s Multi-author Book Giveaway!

Hello Readers!

Summer is here, kids are out of school, and the beach is calling! No better time to pick up your favorite book to read in the lounge chair! To help you build up that summer TBR pile, I have partnered with Celebrate Lit for a giveaway just for you.

Here is your chance to win over 40 books or a $500 Amazon card to buy a ton of books for yourself in Celebrate Lit’s Summer Kick Off Giveaway. My gift is Heartland Treasures which includes the short story that inspired my historical fiction novel series and my current eBook, Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling: A Novella.

Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/25563/2023-summer-kick-off The giveaway is going on now through June 18

Ireland’s Jewels Series #1 of 5

For research on my novel, we toured the Heritage Award Winner, Kerry Bog Village in Killarney for the authentic Irish village and cottages. On my last trip in 2002 we toured Bunratty Folk Park. 

Photos are a terrific research tool, but I value firsthand experience even more. Getting the scope of things in their setting helps me envision scenes and chapters better. Entering the various homes in this village put me inside it with the sounds, aromas, and natural lighting.

In the photos here, I showcased the turf cutter’s dwelling. The roof consists of river reed thatch from riverbanks and wetlands. 

Bog scraw is used to insulate the ceiling, and turf, peat, was used to heat the cottage. 

The uneven flooring is flagstone. In the 18th and 19th centuries, large families lived in small dwellings.

Cradle view

They shared a single bed or slept on folding beds. 

#2 is next week.

Mick Muldoon’s Quote From Chapter 5

Do you agree with Mick’s thoughts about being in a church service, but having trouble focusing because of how someone present has sinned against you or someone you love? In this chapter, the townsmen must deal with an offender in their community. It’s uncomfortable.

A Quote From Chapter 4 of Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling: a Novella

It was difficult choosing between an eBook or print because the poll of my readers was near 50/50. I opted for an eBook. Since it’s a novella, I can use it for promotional material and giveaways to introduce my three future books in Those Resilient Muldoon Series.

In Chapter 4, Cassandra McGann is skeptical of her seventeen year-old daughter’s interest in Mick. In the township, there aren’t many choices for the young women. Shauna is headstrong, Cassandra is uneasy, and what can Mick do right beneath Cassandra’s magnifying glass?

I’m Away to Ireland for Research!

This is my third trip, and I’m in love with the Emerald Isle. These are my people. As an American, there are other nationalities mixed in, but enough Irish to feel it. You may know that I was raised in an Irish-American culture of Roman Catholicism. It’s where I heard the Gaelic accent I write in my stories from the surrounding priests in my childhood .

My critique partners wanted the accent simplified. Then, articles I read online prompted me to alter priest’s Irish accents, which I recalled in my mind for the way I wrote the dialogue. I did so out of respect for the Irish culture’s wishes and easier reading.

Here’s a photo I took at Blarney Castle from up above on my last trip in April 2002.

Blarney Castle view

Multi-author Mother’s Day Book Giveaway!

I’m delighted to participate in our Facebook group’s giveaway of eleven eBooks and print books with a Mother’s Day topic! Enter at: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bfce54d324/?

They include novels, short stories, or Christian non-fiction books about relationships with mothers, mother figures, and female friendships.

The promotion will run from May 10-May 17th and the winner will be chosen from a random generator. Diana Leagh Matthews will contact the winner to confirm information. Hope one of my peeps wins! Mine is Short and Sweet Takes the Fifth, with a short story about two young mothers of preschoolers at the park. A terrifying event occurs, but is there anyone who can help? #mothersdaystories #mothersanddaughters #mothersandsons #multiauthorgiveaways

P.S. I am away to Ireland tomorrow and will be there until the 27th! I’m checking on some details for my first novel, and doing research for my second one. I’ll share photos after my return.

Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling: a Novella, the eBook Cover

Creating a cover is much more complicated than anything I imagined. My hubby and I designed the background. Then, we found a woman of the era, but her outfit for her station in life didn’t match up. We found this young lady, and still adjusted her bonnet and colors of the woods.

We sent our version to the cover artist/formatter for more input, and she created two titles to choose from. I’m saving the post of the final product for when the eBook is uploaded for purchase on many distribution channels.

I hope you enjoy the depiction of Shauna McGann and her innocent but spunky demeanor.

Edited in Prisma app with Gothic

Chapter 3, Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling

While my eBook novella is getting finalized for publication, I’m sharing pull quotes from it for you readers to introduce you to Mick Muldoon. At this point in the story, farming in Minnesota is touted as the best place to buy cheaper land. Once there, Mick discovers he’s the object of a young woman’s attraction. Has he finally found the perfect new life and love he dreamed of when he left the Old Country? #novella #historicalfiction #christianhistoricalfictionbook

Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling, Coming Very Soon…

Heard from my publisher, EA Books today, and the novella might be out in the public on Thursday, 5/4! Keep watch for updates. I can’t wait for you to read it, and get to know Mick Muldoon by the time his novel releases on 12/5/23. #novellas #historicalfiction #newbook