Romy Gemmell's Blog, page 7
July 26, 2018
Introducing Philip Paris
A very warm welcome to versatile author Philip Paris on the Reading and Writing Blog today, who shares the inspiration behind his writing and latest novel. Effie’s War is an atmospheric, exciting wartime story set against a backdrop of real-life incidents. First a little about the book.
Effie’s War
In a remote corner of Scotland something momentous is underway. When Effie’s father receives a government notice to quite Kirk Farm, the lives of the Ross family and those of the whole community are utterly disrupted.
But for Effie – irrepressible, beautiful, vital – wartime changes bring her close to Toni, an Italian prisoner of war sent to work on the farm. Before long, the young couple are planning a future together when the war is finally over.
It’s a future that’s under threat from the start, for there are those among them who cannot quite be trusted. Someone is determined to find out what lies behind the upheaval – and to pass those secrets into enemy hands. To stop them will create devastation beyond anything anyone could have imagined.
Based on true events of the Second World War, this evocative novel captures the emotions, dangers and atmosphere of the days when the world faced its darkest hour.
Effie’s War is available from Amazon UKand Amazon US in e-book and print.
Writers and Ideas
I’m fascinated by how writers obtain ideas and how both can be affected by time. Here’s a personal example of what I mean. In the late 1970s I had the idea to write a stage play about domestic abuse where the victim was male. Goodness knows where this came from as it was an era when you simply didn’t read or hear anything about these matters. The timing was poor. At the age of 20 such a drama was way beyond my ability and I doubt that any theatre company would have touched this topic.
Fast forward to 2011; I was made redundant and suddenly found myself with a great deal of spare time. I began to think again of the idea I had back in the seventies and the result was that I used the concept as the basis for a novel. Men Cry Alone was published the following year. So, that idea had a gestation of more than 30 years.
All my books have had completely different ‘beginnings’. My wife, Catherine, told me years ago about how hundreds of people living locally, in the Highlands of Scotland near Tain, had been evicted from the land during WW2. At that point I had a busy day job and was involved in other writing projects, so I tucked away the details in the mental filing cabinet that writers have, without considering doing anything with the information.
Following the publication of my novel Casting Off towards the end of 2016, I had intended to spend the next 12 months attempting to write short stories (not my genre and I didn’t know if I could do it). However, Catherine and I visited the Tarbat Discovery Centre in Portmahomack and I was reminded about the enforced mass evacuation in WW2. On this occasion the timing was right. I was immediately consumed by the desire to use these dramatic, real-life events as the backdrop to a novel. The short stories were returned to the filing cabinet.
So what were these events? On 11thNovember 1943 around 900 people living in the Tarbat peninsula were given four weeks to leave their homes, crofts and farms. They were told that the military wanted the land for battle practice. This wasn’t the full reason – they wanted a stretch of beach to rehearse for the D Day landings, scheduled to take place in Normandy the following year. Of course, this was one of the Allies’ greatest secrets of the war. The farmers in the affected area had little option but to sell all their livestock, which was heartbreaking for many. To help process crops, Italian POWs were bought in from the camp in Kildary about five miles away.
These events provided a fantastic backdrop to Effie’s War, which was published by Black & White Publishing on 6th June to coincide with the anniversary of the D Day landings. It’s a book about love and loyalty, betrayal and, finally, forgiveness, with most of the action taking place within those highly-charged four weeks of November/December 1943.
The characters are entirely fictitious, unlike my WW2 historical fiction The Italian Chapel, where I set out to tell the amazing true story behind the creation of Orkney’s famous Italian chapel and in doing so wrote about the real artists involved. With Effie’s War I wanted complete freedom as regards characters and I have to admit to enjoying the feeling of ‘liberation’. Even so, I had to do a fair amount of research to understand life in the Highlands during the 1940s and this required interviewing many retired folk to get a grasp on subjects as diverse as farming to funerals!
Readers have ranged from a twelve-year-old girl to a ninety-eight-year-old lady. Interestingly, of all the comments made at the many launch events I’ve managed to cram into the diary since the book’s publication, the most perceptive came from that young girl.
Thanks so much for that fascinating post, Philip. Wishing you great success with all your books!
You can find out more about Philip's other books on his website.
Author, playwright and journalist Philip Paris lives in the Highlands of Scotland with his wife, Catherine. He is best known for his books about Orkney’s famous Italian chapel, built by Italian POWs during WW2.
However, his work is diverse, ranging from a contemporary novel about domestic abuse against men to a humorous novel about residents in a Highland care home who, desperately trying to meet rising fees, set up a chat line for men who want to speak to mature women ‘in a particular way’!
Effie’s War
In a remote corner of Scotland something momentous is underway. When Effie’s father receives a government notice to quite Kirk Farm, the lives of the Ross family and those of the whole community are utterly disrupted.
But for Effie – irrepressible, beautiful, vital – wartime changes bring her close to Toni, an Italian prisoner of war sent to work on the farm. Before long, the young couple are planning a future together when the war is finally over.
It’s a future that’s under threat from the start, for there are those among them who cannot quite be trusted. Someone is determined to find out what lies behind the upheaval – and to pass those secrets into enemy hands. To stop them will create devastation beyond anything anyone could have imagined.
Based on true events of the Second World War, this evocative novel captures the emotions, dangers and atmosphere of the days when the world faced its darkest hour.
Effie’s War is available from Amazon UKand Amazon US in e-book and print.
Writers and Ideas
I’m fascinated by how writers obtain ideas and how both can be affected by time. Here’s a personal example of what I mean. In the late 1970s I had the idea to write a stage play about domestic abuse where the victim was male. Goodness knows where this came from as it was an era when you simply didn’t read or hear anything about these matters. The timing was poor. At the age of 20 such a drama was way beyond my ability and I doubt that any theatre company would have touched this topic.
Fast forward to 2011; I was made redundant and suddenly found myself with a great deal of spare time. I began to think again of the idea I had back in the seventies and the result was that I used the concept as the basis for a novel. Men Cry Alone was published the following year. So, that idea had a gestation of more than 30 years.
All my books have had completely different ‘beginnings’. My wife, Catherine, told me years ago about how hundreds of people living locally, in the Highlands of Scotland near Tain, had been evicted from the land during WW2. At that point I had a busy day job and was involved in other writing projects, so I tucked away the details in the mental filing cabinet that writers have, without considering doing anything with the information.
Following the publication of my novel Casting Off towards the end of 2016, I had intended to spend the next 12 months attempting to write short stories (not my genre and I didn’t know if I could do it). However, Catherine and I visited the Tarbat Discovery Centre in Portmahomack and I was reminded about the enforced mass evacuation in WW2. On this occasion the timing was right. I was immediately consumed by the desire to use these dramatic, real-life events as the backdrop to a novel. The short stories were returned to the filing cabinet.
So what were these events? On 11thNovember 1943 around 900 people living in the Tarbat peninsula were given four weeks to leave their homes, crofts and farms. They were told that the military wanted the land for battle practice. This wasn’t the full reason – they wanted a stretch of beach to rehearse for the D Day landings, scheduled to take place in Normandy the following year. Of course, this was one of the Allies’ greatest secrets of the war. The farmers in the affected area had little option but to sell all their livestock, which was heartbreaking for many. To help process crops, Italian POWs were bought in from the camp in Kildary about five miles away.
These events provided a fantastic backdrop to Effie’s War, which was published by Black & White Publishing on 6th June to coincide with the anniversary of the D Day landings. It’s a book about love and loyalty, betrayal and, finally, forgiveness, with most of the action taking place within those highly-charged four weeks of November/December 1943.
The characters are entirely fictitious, unlike my WW2 historical fiction The Italian Chapel, where I set out to tell the amazing true story behind the creation of Orkney’s famous Italian chapel and in doing so wrote about the real artists involved. With Effie’s War I wanted complete freedom as regards characters and I have to admit to enjoying the feeling of ‘liberation’. Even so, I had to do a fair amount of research to understand life in the Highlands during the 1940s and this required interviewing many retired folk to get a grasp on subjects as diverse as farming to funerals!
Readers have ranged from a twelve-year-old girl to a ninety-eight-year-old lady. Interestingly, of all the comments made at the many launch events I’ve managed to cram into the diary since the book’s publication, the most perceptive came from that young girl.
Thanks so much for that fascinating post, Philip. Wishing you great success with all your books!
You can find out more about Philip's other books on his website.
Author, playwright and journalist Philip Paris lives in the Highlands of Scotland with his wife, Catherine. He is best known for his books about Orkney’s famous Italian chapel, built by Italian POWs during WW2.
However, his work is diverse, ranging from a contemporary novel about domestic abuse against men to a humorous novel about residents in a Highland care home who, desperately trying to meet rising fees, set up a chat line for men who want to speak to mature women ‘in a particular way’!
July 21, 2018
Rain and Writing
Please forgive my delight that we had a little relief from the relentless hot weather yesterday! It was wonderful to see the rain and feel the coolness, although it seems to be short-lived. The poor garden and flowers are also suffering and I could almost sense their gratitude when I went out to take a couple of photos.
I always find it more difficult to write during the summer, even without such extreme temperatures, so it was great to see a couple of pieces of writing in print. I can't remember if I mentioned before that one of my poems, Where Kelpies Sing, was published in a recent Wild Musette Journal. They have now published it online so anyone can read it. If you're interested, you can find it by clicking the link on the poem title.
The other published piece was a new article in the latest edition of the US magazine The Highlander. This one is about the Vikings' last battle on Scottish soil and is the second to be published this year. I love this magazine of Scottish heritage and have contributed to it for many years. Some of my previously published articles are in my Scottish Collection of non-fiction.
Now, I'm trying to add more words to my next Scottish novel, as well as various other projects - if only it would become cooler to let me concentrate!
Hope your own summer is going well.
Rosemary
I always find it more difficult to write during the summer, even without such extreme temperatures, so it was great to see a couple of pieces of writing in print. I can't remember if I mentioned before that one of my poems, Where Kelpies Sing, was published in a recent Wild Musette Journal. They have now published it online so anyone can read it. If you're interested, you can find it by clicking the link on the poem title.
The other published piece was a new article in the latest edition of the US magazine The Highlander. This one is about the Vikings' last battle on Scottish soil and is the second to be published this year. I love this magazine of Scottish heritage and have contributed to it for many years. Some of my previously published articles are in my Scottish Collection of non-fiction.
Now, I'm trying to add more words to my next Scottish novel, as well as various other projects - if only it would become cooler to let me concentrate!
Hope your own summer is going well.
Rosemary
July 15, 2018
Introducing Debut Author Fiona Lindsay
A very warm welcome to début Scottish author, Fiona Lindsay, who is paying a first visit to the Reading and Writing blog (or any blog, I believe)! Fiona is the first guest in my new series, introducing new writers or those new to my blog, and she has kindly agreed to share some of the background and inspiration for her writing.
I’ve recently finished reading The Consolation Prize and enjoyed it very much for its wonderful setting and descriptions of the Scottish Highlands, as well as its cast of interesting characters. A feel-good escape for summer! Fiona also used her artistic skills to design the cover and some lovely cards illustrating the Highland scenery.
The Consolation Prize
Londoner Heather McAndrew has a funky flat, a plum job, a glitzy social life, great friends and, best of all, she has ad exec, Aidan.
When Aidan betrays her and returns to his ex, she is heartbroken and takes refuge in her great aunt’s cottage in her second home: the village of Kirklochy in the Scottish Highlands. Heather settles into a tranquil existence, returning to her first love, painting.
But her new home is full of intrigue and tangled relationships. Heather is drawn to two very different men: troubled artist, Sean, and childhood friend, Euan. But Sean is in love with his late wife’s memory and Euan with his stunning, bitchy actress girlfriend. Will Heather find true love, or will she forever be the consolation prize?
Thank you for writing a post for my blog, Fiona. All the very best with your first novel and its successors!
Fiona’s Writing Inspiration
I was lucky enough to grow up in a house full of books. My dad had literally (in the original sense of the word) thousands – he even had a bookcase in our downstairs loo. Sometimes, one or other member of the family would get carried away, having plucked a book from the nearest shelf, and spend a couple of hours in there. My mum was a primary school teacher, and encouraged us to read, so I’ve loved books since childhood, and ended up studying English Literature at university. During this time, I was inspired by some writers whom I particularly enjoyed to try it for myself – I’ve always been drawn to novel writing, rather than short stories or poetry.
The inspiration for my series, The Kirklochy Chronicles, arose from a jokey conversation with a writer friend. We asked ourselves if we had it in us to write a Mills & Boon book (I suspect that the answer to this question is a resounding “no” – and that it is very much harder than it would seem). However, the idea of writing a romance must have appealed to me, as, one Saturday afternoon, I sat down at my PC and typed the first chapter of what would become The Consolation Prize. I was doing it just for enjoyment, and found myself putting in some touches of humour. To my surprised pleasure, my writer's group liked it, even the men, I think because it was light hearted and good fun. Much lighter, and it could float away on a strong breeze.
The story is about a heartbroken young woman, Heather, who runs away from London to the Highland village of Kirklochy (which, unfortunately, is fictional, but, if it existed, would be near to Ullapool). Heather had spent all her summer holidays there as a child, with her dad’s family, and sees it as a place of refuge. This was inspired by my own father, whose family was from Tarbert Loch Fyne and who loved the Highlands – so we would go there every year as children. The setting is important as Heather finds it soothing and healing and begins to enjoy a simpler lifestyle.
After I had finished the first book, a friend suggested that I write a sequel, again based in Kirklochy, and this became Do Not Disturb, which is set in a hotel, and brought in some new characters while retaining some of the original cast. My rule is that, once someone has met Mr (or Ms) Right, his or her story is told, and it is another character’s time to find love.
This second book ends with Lewis, who has been something of a bad boy, leaving the village for London in disgrace. I get my own back on him in the third book of the trilogy, A New Flame, and he goes on an emotional as well as a physical journey, where he falls deeply in love and must become the man whom his beloved wants and deserves.
Look forward to reading the next two in the series, Fiona!
The Consolation Prize is available in e-book on Amazon UK and Amazon US at an introductory price of 99p (99c) just now.
Fiona has been an avid reader since childhood and studied English Literature at the University of Glasgow. She is an active member of a local writer's group and has had work included in two anthologies. Her job, in HR in social work services, provided much inspiration: in such a large organisation there were people of all ages and walks of life, many of them strong and vibrant characters, and many powerful human-interest stories.
Her debut novel, The Consolation Prize, the first in a trilogy entitled The Kirklochy Chronicles, was published in March of this year by Clochoderick Press, which had arisen from her home town of Paisley’s bid to become City of Culture. Fiona also regularly performs her work at local spoken word events.
You can connect with Fiona on Facebook and Twitter
I’ve recently finished reading The Consolation Prize and enjoyed it very much for its wonderful setting and descriptions of the Scottish Highlands, as well as its cast of interesting characters. A feel-good escape for summer! Fiona also used her artistic skills to design the cover and some lovely cards illustrating the Highland scenery.
The Consolation Prize
Londoner Heather McAndrew has a funky flat, a plum job, a glitzy social life, great friends and, best of all, she has ad exec, Aidan.
When Aidan betrays her and returns to his ex, she is heartbroken and takes refuge in her great aunt’s cottage in her second home: the village of Kirklochy in the Scottish Highlands. Heather settles into a tranquil existence, returning to her first love, painting.
But her new home is full of intrigue and tangled relationships. Heather is drawn to two very different men: troubled artist, Sean, and childhood friend, Euan. But Sean is in love with his late wife’s memory and Euan with his stunning, bitchy actress girlfriend. Will Heather find true love, or will she forever be the consolation prize?
Thank you for writing a post for my blog, Fiona. All the very best with your first novel and its successors!
Fiona’s Writing Inspiration
I was lucky enough to grow up in a house full of books. My dad had literally (in the original sense of the word) thousands – he even had a bookcase in our downstairs loo. Sometimes, one or other member of the family would get carried away, having plucked a book from the nearest shelf, and spend a couple of hours in there. My mum was a primary school teacher, and encouraged us to read, so I’ve loved books since childhood, and ended up studying English Literature at university. During this time, I was inspired by some writers whom I particularly enjoyed to try it for myself – I’ve always been drawn to novel writing, rather than short stories or poetry.
The inspiration for my series, The Kirklochy Chronicles, arose from a jokey conversation with a writer friend. We asked ourselves if we had it in us to write a Mills & Boon book (I suspect that the answer to this question is a resounding “no” – and that it is very much harder than it would seem). However, the idea of writing a romance must have appealed to me, as, one Saturday afternoon, I sat down at my PC and typed the first chapter of what would become The Consolation Prize. I was doing it just for enjoyment, and found myself putting in some touches of humour. To my surprised pleasure, my writer's group liked it, even the men, I think because it was light hearted and good fun. Much lighter, and it could float away on a strong breeze.
The story is about a heartbroken young woman, Heather, who runs away from London to the Highland village of Kirklochy (which, unfortunately, is fictional, but, if it existed, would be near to Ullapool). Heather had spent all her summer holidays there as a child, with her dad’s family, and sees it as a place of refuge. This was inspired by my own father, whose family was from Tarbert Loch Fyne and who loved the Highlands – so we would go there every year as children. The setting is important as Heather finds it soothing and healing and begins to enjoy a simpler lifestyle.
After I had finished the first book, a friend suggested that I write a sequel, again based in Kirklochy, and this became Do Not Disturb, which is set in a hotel, and brought in some new characters while retaining some of the original cast. My rule is that, once someone has met Mr (or Ms) Right, his or her story is told, and it is another character’s time to find love.
This second book ends with Lewis, who has been something of a bad boy, leaving the village for London in disgrace. I get my own back on him in the third book of the trilogy, A New Flame, and he goes on an emotional as well as a physical journey, where he falls deeply in love and must become the man whom his beloved wants and deserves.
Look forward to reading the next two in the series, Fiona!
The Consolation Prize is available in e-book on Amazon UK and Amazon US at an introductory price of 99p (99c) just now.
Fiona has been an avid reader since childhood and studied English Literature at the University of Glasgow. She is an active member of a local writer's group and has had work included in two anthologies. Her job, in HR in social work services, provided much inspiration: in such a large organisation there were people of all ages and walks of life, many of them strong and vibrant characters, and many powerful human-interest stories. Her debut novel, The Consolation Prize, the first in a trilogy entitled The Kirklochy Chronicles, was published in March of this year by Clochoderick Press, which had arisen from her home town of Paisley’s bid to become City of Culture. Fiona also regularly performs her work at local spoken word events.
You can connect with Fiona on Facebook and Twitter
July 5, 2018
Summer Seas in Scotland
Although I'm not a summer person and have to endure the heat (worse this year than usual in Scotland!), I absolutely love the water whether swimming in it, paddling in the waves, sitting and contemplating its beauty, or walking around a loch. Since we've not been able to go far this past month or so, I've been looking at some of the photos I've taken in various parts of Scotland so I'll share a few here in case you haven't been to a coast or beach yet!
Look out for the new occasional feature I'm going to start on the blog soon where I'll be introducing a writer now and then, from debut novelists, to writers of shorter work, or someone well published but new to my blog.
Hope you're not too warm where you are.
Rosemary
P.S. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments on my previous post - my husband was so touched.
Look out for the new occasional feature I'm going to start on the blog soon where I'll be introducing a writer now and then, from debut novelists, to writers of shorter work, or someone well published but new to my blog.
Hope you're not too warm where you are.
Rosemary
P.S. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments on my previous post - my husband was so touched.
June 30, 2018
In Praise of the NHS
I’ve had a break from blogging for a couple of weeks and thought I’d return to it with a rather different post since the 70th anniversary of the NHS has coincided with my husband needing hospital treatment.After being diagnosed with prostate cancer around two years ago, we were happy for husband to be monitored as it was a low enough level to hopefully remain static for many years. However, after biopsies, scans and regular PSA blood tests, it was evident the cancer was on the move.
Courtesy of PixabayFast-forward to a few months ago, and a nail-biting wait for the results of a bone scan to confirm it had not spread outside the prostate. Thankfully, husband was given a date for the full operation which could go ahead. It is now almost four weeks since he went through the mill (a 4 to 5 hour operation) and lived to tell the tale! He’s not without discomfort and extra ‘baggage’ that he can’t wait to be rid of, but he is healing well as far as we can tell.During these past couple of years, we have been full of praise for the care and attention he’s received from the health service, both where we used to live in the west of Scotland and the current hospital near Edinburgh. Nothing has been too much bother, from the regular blood tests, to the medical procedures, to the dedicated cancer nurse specialist at the end of the phone.Some might think he escaped from hospital too soon after the operation, as we’ve had to attend to all his after-care ourselves, but most people tend to get on better in their own home and we had an emergency number to phone in case of any problems (not needed). He has two more scheduled hospital appointments and will no doubt receive regular checks in case any further treatment is required. Like me, he works from home so is able to resume his travel consultancy to some extent while I get back to writing. An unexpected side effect of this lengthy recuperation at home has been our closeness after forty plus years of marriage. For the first two weeks, I was curtailed from my usual gallivanting while helping with hubby’s care, but it’s been a pleasure. He keeps thanking me for being patient, but I’ve been relieved he’s still around! Of course, it’s frustrating at times and he’s still a little restricted but we’ll get there and can look forward to planning a short holiday eventually.So, thank you NHS and all the dedicated staff who provide such free expert medical care and attention, allowing so many patients to look forward to a future.Rosemary
June 9, 2018
Taking a Break
I'm having a short break from the blog for the next week (or thereabouts) while my husband recuperates from a major operation. It's like having a holiday at home so I'm going to make the most of it with him - apart from being nurse, gardener, cook and chief homemaker, for the moment at least. It's lovely having time to chat to each other and I'm so grateful I still have that opportunity.
Thank you to all who supported the launch of my summer novella, Venetian Interlude - it's been very well received and is now also available in print. I'll use a little of the time to update and organise my files and get ready to continue with my next novel. Sometimes, we just need a little space, although no doubt I'll pop into Facebook and Twitter every now and then!
Rosemary
Thank you to all who supported the launch of my summer novella, Venetian Interlude - it's been very well received and is now also available in print. I'll use a little of the time to update and organise my files and get ready to continue with my next novel. Sometimes, we just need a little space, although no doubt I'll pop into Facebook and Twitter every now and then!
Rosemary
June 1, 2018
Launch Day for Venetian Interlude!
This is the first time I have had a book on pre-order so it seems a little strange that my new summer novella is only released today!
I do hope you might be able to join in the fun on Facebook but I'll post some items on here as well at some point. Meanwhile here's the cover and blurb.
Venetian Interlude
Scottish art historian Livy arrives in Venice for a short break before picking up a cruise. The last person she expects to meet is Seb, the handsome half Italian, half Scottish guy she first met and fell for at university before their worlds diverged. Then after a gap of several years, they met for the second time three years ago at a friend's wedding before parting again.
Now, Livy is still single and Seb is even more appealing and apparently unattached, both happy to renew their long friendship. But their unexpected meeting in Venice convinces Livy he is the only man she cannot forget. Will it be third time lucky for their relationship? Or will their lives diverge again after their Venetian interlude?
Amazon UK; Amazon US
The best way to arrive is by motor boat towards Piazza San Marco!
Venice is a popular location for films - this is one of the creepier ones, Don't Look Now! Please don't give away the ending if you've seen it...
Plenty of narrow alleyways and canals in Venice for darker films!
A more uplifting film set in Venice is the 1950s Summertime, with Kathryn Hepburn and Rozanno Brazzi - this is a little scene where they first meet at what is probably Caffe Florian!
Here a couple more of my photos.
I do hope you might be able to join in the fun on Facebook but I'll post some items on here as well at some point. Meanwhile here's the cover and blurb.
Venetian Interlude
Scottish art historian Livy arrives in Venice for a short break before picking up a cruise. The last person she expects to meet is Seb, the handsome half Italian, half Scottish guy she first met and fell for at university before their worlds diverged. Then after a gap of several years, they met for the second time three years ago at a friend's wedding before parting again.
Now, Livy is still single and Seb is even more appealing and apparently unattached, both happy to renew their long friendship. But their unexpected meeting in Venice convinces Livy he is the only man she cannot forget. Will it be third time lucky for their relationship? Or will their lives diverge again after their Venetian interlude?
Amazon UK; Amazon US
The best way to arrive is by motor boat towards Piazza San Marco!
Venice is a popular location for films - this is one of the creepier ones, Don't Look Now! Please don't give away the ending if you've seen it...
Plenty of narrow alleyways and canals in Venice for darker films!
A more uplifting film set in Venice is the 1950s Summertime, with Kathryn Hepburn and Rozanno Brazzi - this is a little scene where they first meet at what is probably Caffe Florian!
Here a couple more of my photos.
May 28, 2018
Ten Questions on Portobello Book Blog!
I'm honoured to be featured on the lovely Portobello Book Blog today where I've tried to answer Ten Questions about me or my writing!
I was also delighted to have my essay about The Yellow Wallpaper published on the Thresholds site after being longlisted in their recent competition.
Getting organised for the launch party of Venetian Interlude on Facebook on Friday 1st June - please join in if you can! The novella is only 99p (99c) on pre-order until after the launch.
Hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather.
Rosemary
I was also delighted to have my essay about The Yellow Wallpaper published on the Thresholds site after being longlisted in their recent competition.
Getting organised for the launch party of Venetian Interlude on Facebook on Friday 1st June - please join in if you can! The novella is only 99p (99c) on pre-order until after the launch.
Hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather.
Rosemary
May 22, 2018
Summer Novella on Pre-order!
I'm delighted to reveal the cover for my new sweet novella, Venetian Interlude! It is now available to pre-order from Amazon at the special price of 99p (99c) until just after its release on 1st June.
Venice is one of my absolute favourite places and I've been wanting to set a story there for ages. I have so many photos that remind me of its fascination to so many people and I'm grateful that I've visited a few times, including actually staying there for five days.
Here's the blurb for anyone who might be interested in this book!
Olivia (Livy) arrives in Venice from Scotland for a short break before picking up a cruise. The last person she expects to meet is Sebastian, the handsome half Italian, half Scottish guy she first met and fell for at university before their worlds diverged. After a gap of several years, they had met for the second time three years ago at a friend's wedding before parting again.Now, Livy is still single, Seb is even more appealing and apparently unattached, and both are happy to renew their long friendship. But their unexpected meeting in Venice convinces Livy he is the only man she cannot forget. Will it be third time lucky for any kind of future together? Or will their lives diverge again after their Venetian interlude?Launch Party
Please join me for the launch party for Venetian Interlude on Friday 1st June which will officially be on Facebook, although I'll post some of the photos and so on here as well. I'm hoping everyone will get involved, posting photos or entering the fun competitions.
Meanwhile, grab the chance to pre-order the book from Amazon from today before the price goes up! You won't be charged until it drops onto your kindle on 1st June.
Amazon UK; Amazon US and also available from Amazon worldwide.
Look out for my newsletter in the next day or two.
Rosemary
Venice is one of my absolute favourite places and I've been wanting to set a story there for ages. I have so many photos that remind me of its fascination to so many people and I'm grateful that I've visited a few times, including actually staying there for five days.
Here's the blurb for anyone who might be interested in this book!
Olivia (Livy) arrives in Venice from Scotland for a short break before picking up a cruise. The last person she expects to meet is Sebastian, the handsome half Italian, half Scottish guy she first met and fell for at university before their worlds diverged. After a gap of several years, they had met for the second time three years ago at a friend's wedding before parting again.Now, Livy is still single, Seb is even more appealing and apparently unattached, and both are happy to renew their long friendship. But their unexpected meeting in Venice convinces Livy he is the only man she cannot forget. Will it be third time lucky for any kind of future together? Or will their lives diverge again after their Venetian interlude?Launch Party
Please join me for the launch party for Venetian Interlude on Friday 1st June which will officially be on Facebook, although I'll post some of the photos and so on here as well. I'm hoping everyone will get involved, posting photos or entering the fun competitions.
Meanwhile, grab the chance to pre-order the book from Amazon from today before the price goes up! You won't be charged until it drops onto your kindle on 1st June.
Amazon UK; Amazon US and also available from Amazon worldwide.
Look out for my newsletter in the next day or two.
Rosemary
May 19, 2018
New Sunday Snippet
Regency Wedding DressesThis week for my Sunday Snippet, I’ve chosen a short section from what was my first published novel, Dangerous Deceit. Set in the Regency of 1813, I was reminded of it by the Royal Wedding today as some of it takes place in the town of Windsor!
Here’s the blurb:
Lydia Hetherington is uninterested in society balls or marriage, until her brother's friend, Lord Marcus Sheldon, rides into her life to unseat her from her horse and unsettle her heart.
An undercover spy for the government, Sheldon is equally unsettled by Lydia.
Complicated by a French spy, her friend's unrequited love for Lydia's brother, James, and a traitorous villain, Lydia gradually finds her emotions stirred by Lord Sheldon. But what is his relationship with the beautiful Lady Smythe and his part in an old scandal?
Snippet
Lydia swung round, expecting to see Agnes after all, only to find Lord Sheldon surveying her with what looked like admiration tinged with concern. She grabbed the discarded dress and held it in front of her, feeling the hot flush creep up her neck and face.
“Oh, I do apologise, Miss Hetherington.” The deep voice sounded less apologetic than Lydia would have liked. “I was certain this was the room I was directed towards. Pray forgive me.”
Lydia forgot her blushes as she saw the amusement in his eyes and was determined to remain unconcerned. “Think nothing of it, my lord. I am used to strange men bursting into my room uninvited. Did not James bring you up?”
Amazon UK; Amazon US
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