Cathrina Constantine's Blog, page 67

Celebrate the Small Things

Thank You Vikki at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. C'mon join in the fun!

We had a houseful of guests for a surprise birthday party for my son. And...

This past week was loaded with Floridian's!! My extended family came for a Northern visit. My niece had a blast playing in the snow, and I loved her rosy cheeks and giggling squeals of delight!
That picture was taken before it snowed 20 more inches!

What are you Celebrating?

The Ghosts of Aquinnah by Julie Flanders

I am honored to have on my blog today a remarkable author, Julie Flanders with the release of her second book:

Blurb:
A brilliant flash of light transcends through time.
Another freezes a cloaked figure within a frame of salty mist as waves crash against a rocky shore. Her harrowing expression shadows the beacon to a pinprick.
By the next blaze, she is gone. Only the lighthouse remains.
Hannah’s eyes blink in step with each heartbeat. Images of her deceased parents and Martha’s Vineyard explode like firecrackers inside her mind.
She shakes her head.
For weeks this eerie woman dressed in nineteenth century garb has been haunting my webcam, but tonight she stared into my soul.
Why? ...
Who is she? ...
Casting aside months of research on historic lighthouses, Hannah drives to the coast and boards a ferry.
What is the strange connection she has to this mysterious woman suspended in time?
Hannah finds out.
But, it’s not at all what she expects ...
Hannah unravels a century old murder.
Buy The Ghosts of Aquinnah at:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords ~ Ink Smith Publishing
Excerpt:
1884Stella pushed back the green wool curtain and stared out the window of the Mayhew home at the steadily falling snow that had covered the cliffs in a downy blanket of white. Hearing a groan behind her, she let her hand fall and turned back towards the bed in the corner of the room. She walked to the bed and picked up a cloth from a basin of water on the bedside table before sitting down next to her patient. She squeezed the excess water from the cloth and rested it gently on the young man’s forehead. “Mamaí,” he moaned, as his hand clasped sheets soaked with his own sweat. He continued to repeat the word as if it were a prayer, never once opening his eyes. Stella wondered what he was saying, if anything. Perhaps it was merely the gibberish of a feverish man. But the word sounded a bit like “mammy” or “mommy” to her, and she couldn’t help but think that the man was simply crying out for his mother.“Poor thing,” she whispered as she took the now hot cloth from his forehead and soaked it again with cool water. She dabbed at his face and chest before returning the cloth to his forehead. She had no idea what else to do for him.  She got up from the chair and walked back to the window as the sounds of the fierce wind outside the lighthouse mingled with the soft moaning of her patient. The snow was coming down harder and it was now impossible to see the ocean beneath the cliffs through the curtain of white that covered the sky. There was no way Josiah would be making it back to Gay Head today. The keeper’s brick house, which was damp and chilly even on a warm summer day, was freezing now. The winter cold seeped into the core of the cottage and chilled Stella to her bones. Stella shivered at the chill coming through the old window and picked up her blue shawl from the foot of her patient’s bed. She wrapped it around her tightly, grateful for the warmth it provided. Stella had knitted the shawl herself but she’d never been able to knit as well as her mother. Her mind drifted back to another shawl of dark blue wool that her mother Alma Hammett had knitted for Stella when she was a child. And to the nor’easter that had swept over the island some years ago and left her family stranded inside their Chilmark farm. She and her parents had gathered around the fireplace of their home, snuggling as close to each other as possible for warmth. Stella’s dog Maxwell curled at her ankles, warming her feet with his thick fur. She had wrapped her thick shawl around her and leaned against her father’s strong shoulder as he read aloud from the family Bible. Stella could hear the deep and soothing voice of her father Charles as he read the ancient words of the Old Testament. She could see her mother get up from her chair to make coffee to warm the three of them as the fire crackled in the hearth. The patter of ice hitting the window of the Mayhew cottage jerked Stella back to the present. She wrapped her shawl tighter around her and returned to the chair next to her patient, who had kicked his blankets off of his body and was now shivering from cold. But he was quiet at least, and appeared to be sleeping. Stella pulled the blankets back up and tucked them gently around his shoulders. She listened to the howling wind outside and ached for the parents that haunted her memories. She chided herself for dreaming of the past. Her parents were gone and nothing she did could bring them back. She was a Winslow now, not a Hammett. And she was alone. 
There was no one to keep her warm in the cold. There was no one to comfort her at all.
Author Bio:
Julie Flanders is a novelist and freelance writer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a life-long love affair with the ocean and has spent more summer vacations than she can count on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. When not writing, Julie can be found reading, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and watching too much television. She is an animal lover and shares her home with her dog and cat.
Find Julie at:
Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads 

Dream Destination & Celebrate Blog Hop

Thanks to Lexa Cain and her new release Soul Cutter & Julie Flanders and her new release Ghosts of Aquinnah for this Dream Destination Blog Hop. Please head over to their blogs and enter the Rafflecopter for plenty of remarkable prizes.

My Dream Destination is Prague, Czech Republic:  
Nearly 25 years ago, demonstrators in Prague staged the "velvet revolution," a series of peaceful protests that helped bring down the communist regime. Since emerging from the somber shadows of one-party rule, the City of a Thousand Spires has become one of Europe's hippest travel destinations — a cosmopolitan city where culture buffs and pleasure seekers mingle happily in chic cafés and Gothic cathedrals. Whether you're sleeping at a former monastery turned five-star hotel or dancing in a onetime nuclear bunker, you'll quickly realize that in Prague, the unconventional is conventional: after all, this is Bohemia. Here's how to make the most of your stay.




Charles Bridge Commissioned by King Charles IV in 1357, Prague's most stunning bridge spans 16 arches and is lined with 30 Baroque statues of religious figures. The bridge's 1,700 ft. (520 m) of cobblestone are used for wholly temporal purposes, however. Each afternoon, painters and hot-dog vendors fight for space with — and custom from — the hordes of tourists who are themselves elbowing one another for the best views of the Vltava River. If you arrive at dawn, you'll beat the crowds and enjoy a glorious sunrise.


Serious beer drinkers should head straight to this 550-year-old institution to sample its infamous X-Beer 33. The dark, bittersweet lager ferments for six months in an oak barrel and has an alcohol content of 11.8%, making it the strongest brew in the Czech Republic. Be sure to line the stomach with hearty specialties like larded roast beef in sour cream with white bread dumplings — and remember to pace yourself. U Medvidku Beer Hall and Restaurant


  Zizkov Prague, Czech Republic
When the sun sets, venture east to Zizkov, a former industrial suburb and the epicenter of Prague's rough-and-tumble nightlife. More than 300 bars dot the neighborhood's 2 square miles (5 sq km), which almost certainly represents the highest per capita concentration of drinking venues in any district in Europe. Leave your fancy dress at home. Zizkov is a place of convivial dives, replete with beer served in plastic cups.
Prague Castle, Hradcany, Prague, Czech Republic Roughly the size of seven football fields, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Built and renovated during 13 centuries, the complex includes churches, gardens, alleyways and royal residences that would take days to appreciate. Don't miss the St. Vitus Cathedral. In addition to Art Nouveau stained-glass windows and a wooden depiction of the crucifixion, it houses treasures like the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk — a blinding two-metric-ton vault that is held up by an army of silver angels.


Old Town Square

Despite a number of foreign invaders, Prague's Old Town Square has remained virtually untouched since the 10th century. Today's marauders consist largely of tourists who congregate to eat alfresco while admiring a hodgepodge of architecture — including the Rococo Kinsky Palace, the Gothic Tyn Cathedral and the Baroque St. Nicholas Church, to name a few. An ever-changing cast of musicians, protesters, dance troupes, punks and vendors make the square as colorful as the buildings that surround it.

Well what do you think? The City of Prague was spared the blitzkrieg of World War II. I love the Old World and would dearly love to travel to the Czech Republic one day.




Today is also Celebrate the Small Things Hop thanks to Vikki at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. Join in the fun!

I'm keeping this short: I'm Celebrating Life, My Family, and My Online Friends!!

Lexa & Julie's Dream Destination Blog Hop

Thanks to Lexa Cain and her new release Soul Cutter & Julie Flanders and her new release Ghosts of Aquinnah for this Dream Destination Blog Hop. Please head over to their blogs and enter the Rafflecopter for plenty of remarkable prizes.

My Dream Destination is Prague, Czech Republic:  
Nearly 25 years ago, demonstrators in Prague staged the "velvet revolution," a series of peaceful protests that helped bring down the communist regime. Since emerging from the somber shadows of one-party rule, the City of a Thousand Spires has become one of Europe's hippest travel destinations — a cosmopolitan city where culture buffs and pleasure seekers mingle happily in chic cafés and Gothic cathedrals. Whether you're sleeping at a former monastery turned five-star hotel or dancing in a onetime nuclear bunker, you'll quickly realize that in Prague, the unconventional is conventional: after all, this is Bohemia. Here's how to make the most of your stay.




Charles Bridge Commissioned by King Charles IV in 1357, Prague's most stunning bridge spans 16 arches and is lined with 30 Baroque statues of religious figures. The bridge's 1,700 ft. (520 m) of cobblestone are used for wholly temporal purposes, however. Each afternoon, painters and hot-dog vendors fight for space with — and custom from — the hordes of tourists who are themselves elbowing one another for the best views of the Vltava River. If you arrive at dawn, you'll beat the crowds and enjoy a glorious sunrise.


Serious beer drinkers should head straight to this 550-year-old institution to sample its infamous X-Beer 33. The dark, bittersweet lager ferments for six months in an oak barrel and has an alcohol content of 11.8%, making it the strongest brew in the Czech Republic. Be sure to line the stomach with hearty specialties like larded roast beef in sour cream with white bread dumplings — and remember to pace yourself. U Medvidku Beer Hall and Restaurant


  Zizkov Prague, Czech Republic
When the sun sets, venture east to Zizkov, a former industrial suburb and the epicenter of Prague's rough-and-tumble nightlife. More than 300 bars dot the neighborhood's 2 square miles (5 sq km), which almost certainly represents the highest per capita concentration of drinking venues in any district in Europe. Leave your fancy dress at home. Zizkov is a place of convivial dives, replete with beer served in plastic cups.
Prague Castle, Hradcany, Prague, Czech Republic Roughly the size of seven football fields, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Built and renovated during 13 centuries, the complex includes churches, gardens, alleyways and royal residences that would take days to appreciate. Don't miss the St. Vitus Cathedral. In addition to Art Nouveau stained-glass windows and a wooden depiction of the crucifixion, it houses treasures like the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk — a blinding two-metric-ton vault that is held up by an army of silver angels.


Old Town Square

Despite a number of foreign invaders, Prague's Old Town Square has remained virtually untouched since the 10th century. Today's marauders consist largely of tourists who congregate to eat alfresco while admiring a hodgepodge of architecture — including the Rococo Kinsky Palace, the Gothic Tyn Cathedral and the Baroque St. Nicholas Church, to name a few. An ever-changing cast of musicians, protesters, dance troupes, punks and vendors make the square as colorful as the buildings that surround it.

Well what do you think? The City of Prague was spared the blitzkrieg of World War II. I love the Old World and would dearly love to travel to the Czech Republic one day.

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and many others who garner support for us neurotic writer's.  Alex's awesome co-hosts this month are Julie Flanders, Heather Gardner, Kim Van Sickler and Elsie is Writing . Join in this wonderful blog.

I have to admit the month of November had plenty of editing insecurities. My angst came into play with editing the sequel to Wickedly They Come. I tend to vacillate over each sentence and paragraph. When I get flustered I procrastinate by juggling between social media sites. Thoughts start riding around in my head like "What makes me think I can write?" or "I can't do this."

With the onset of the Holidays, I've had very little time to manage any editing. Since stepping away from my ms, I feel somewhat relaxed. And now I'm getting antsy and can't wait to start the editing process again. Maybe I just needed a good break. 

I'm looking forward to a blissful month of December. Not the rush and chaos which seems to run in our veins at this time of year. I wish everyone a Blessed and Merry Christmas !

Love, Cathrina

Prah & Constantine Review: Murder at Honeysuckle Hotel

Welcome to another Prah & Constantine Review. This month I picked Murder at Honeysuckle Hotel by Rose Pressey.

Rose Pressey has created a sweet murder mystery which takes place in the small town of Honeysuckle.

It's quite a shock when a store clerk, Raelynn Pendleton, discovers a ninety-year-old woman has bequeathed the beautiful Victorian house to her,  just for being nice.
Recently divorced and barely managing to make ends meet, Raelynn comes up with the brilliant idea of converting the house into a hotel.
Prior to getting everything in order, she discovers a dead body in the back yard and the mystery begins.

When you live in a small town such as Honeysuckle, tongues will wag. And poor Raelynn is seen as the murderer even before an arrest is made. The sheriff is quite a hunk and believes in Raelynn's innocence. However, she's determined to exonerate herself and in the process refurbish the old Victorian house into a hotel. 

I enjoyed Rose Pressley's funny passages in regards to Raelynn's predicaments throughout the book, and at the very end she gives the reader some tips on decorating on a budget.

Now hop over to check out Nana Prah's Review.


The Blurb:
It's summertime in Honeysuckle, and everyone is lazing in the shade with a tall glass of lemonade. Everyone except Raelynn Pendleton. She's stuck working at the local store to make the rent while her no-good ex-husband lives it up with a floozy.

When she inherits a Victorian house, Raelynn jumps at the chance to turn her life around. How can she afford the upkeep on such a huge place? Simple. She'll run it as a hotel. Problem is, she has no experience and the décor dates back to the Dark Ages. She'll have to use her secret talent for turning junk into treasure or she'll never snag an overnight guest. 

But before the new Honeysuckle Hotel even opens for business, Raelynn discovers the body of a young woman in the garden. As a newcomer in town, Raelynn is blamed for the murder. She's fired from her job, which could mean she'll lose the house. The only way to save Honeysuckle Hotel is to find the real killer - with or without the sexy Sheriff Kent Klein. 

One way or another, Honeysuckle will be buzzing.



Due to my chaotic December schedule Nana has agreed on a January hiatus. The Prah & Constantine Review will return in February. Thank You, Nana!

Celebrate the Small Things

It's time to Celebrate the Small Things! Check out Vikki at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author and join in the weekly Celebrations!

The day after Thanksgiving I'm stuffed full of family love and goodness!

And the Celebration continues today with a plate overflowing with delectable leftovers!

What are you celebrating this week?

A Day to Give Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving from My House to Yours!

Things the go bump for the Holidays

Coming December 14th from Black Opal Books: A Collection of Short Paranormal Stories for the Holidays This Holiday Collection is loaded with short stories by gifted authors. Here are a few blurbs: Wings of Change by John R. Beyer:
He believed there might be a second chance at a new beginning with the woman her loved. It took a tragic accident to test that belief to its limit and to shed light on the question" What future lies beyond the grave?

An Unexpected Blessing by Bonnie Vaughan:
Why should she help a hungry stranger? She didn't even want to celebrat the holidays now that her mother was gone.

Making Spirits Bright by Debbie Christiana:

Spookie Millane is a loner. Her only companions—the nearly departed—souls who seek her out before they die for help with one last request. But on a cold December day, a startling visit from the almost dead may change her life forever.
WRAPPED IN SHADOWS by Jami grayThe magic of the holidays can be hell… Celebrations abound during the holidays, but this Christmas an engagement celebration goes horrifically wrong.  What appears to be a simple murder/suicide hides a vicious surprise. The type of gift Raine and Gavin, elite member of the Kyn, didn’t want humans to unwrap, because revealing the monsters in the shadows isn’t the way to spread holiday cheer. Palomino Man  by Julia Joseph:
 Demons don’t scare Miriam Kazin.  Aggravatingly cute men do.
Young but tough, Miriam isn't afraid to be alone.  In fact, she prefers it.  Between her unorthodox job and raising her two younger sisters, her life is already all she can handle—until she stumbles across the path of a fellow demon fighter, Shadrach, while patrolling a remote area of New Mexico.
Suddenly, Shad is popping up everywhere—usually in Miriam’s way—and it’s all she can do to keep him from disrupting what little peace she’s got in life.  When she finds avoiding him impossible, Miriam discovers the one thing that truly scares her—love.  
The Ghost of Christmas Present by Melissa Groeling  Some things always find their way back to you… Colin’s girlfriend is expecting a ring this Christmas. While he has no known reason not 

.

Celebrate the Small Things

Welcome to Celebrate the Small Things. I love this hop and thanks to Vikki for making it all possible. You can find her at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. Join in the Celebration here.

I had my second book signing in the city at Talking Leaves Book Store. And I had a nice surprise waiting for me. A young journalist from The Buffalo Rising Blog was there to interview me. This was an impromptu interview so I was slightly taken aback. However, the young man did a brilliant job of making me look good, and the article was so long and wonderful!!

I'm happily venturing to Amish Country to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to spend the weekend with my son. I miss him terribly and I can't wait to see him. 

What are you Celebrating this week?