Elizabeth Ellen Carter's Blog, page 7

The Case of the Unfaithful Scriptwriter

It’s Christmas and yet another Christie adaptation. But don’t count on the BBC bringing a faithful adaptation. That’s not the way we do things in 2018.

I read in the paper today that TV script writer Sarah Phelps, who has written the adaptation to Agatha Christie’s ABC Murders make a rather incredible observation – Christie would have included sex, drugs and swearing in her novels – ‘if only it had been acceptable’.

What a load of tosh!

‘She was a dispensing chemist. There was a woman who knew the difference to life and death that a grain of morphine could make,’ she said.

‘Don’t tell me this woman is a stranger to controversy, that she is a stranger to blood and guts.’

Well, duh. Christie was a nurse during the First World War and indeed her pharmacological experience is evident in many of her novels – weed spray, strychnine, arsenic… There’s been an entire book written on her use of poisons.

The fact that she was no stranger to blood and guts is very likely the reason why Christie wrote works that fall into the realm of cozy mysteries.

She told this week’s launch of her dramatisation that Miss Christie ‘may never write a lot about sex and swearing and drug taking, but I am sure she would have if she could.’

Really? What prevented her?

Society? I hardly think so.

Christie worked in the era where hard-boiled fiction flourished. Noir and exploitation crime novels also existed in abundance during Christie’s lifetime. If she had wanted to write in that style, she would have done.

There is only one Hercule Poirot, n’est pas?

A more likely scenario is that Christie, shaped by the horrors of the First World War eschewed the vulgarity of sex* and swearing on the pages of her stories in favour of crime and murder mysteries with a clear cut morality – the villain is always caught.**

The ABC Murders has been described by David Suchet (the best and definitive Poirot) as his favourite Poirot mystery.

And no surprise. It’s a fascinating drama with a striking villain but I do have concerns about this adaptation, the first of which is the casting of John Malkovich as Poirot. He is not as Christie describes him (neither was Peter Ustinov) for that matter.

Also of concern is how political revisionism rears its ugly head in which the screenwriter conflates Trump and Brexit with the pre-World War II rise of ex-Labour MP Oswold Mosley and British Union of Fascists.

Viewers will see parallels between 1930s fascism and Brexit Britain, the show’s writer has said.

“Hercule wasn’t born in Britain but made Britain his home during the First World War. In the 1930s, things were very much like they are now. The British Union of Fascists started to gain real traction in a really shocking way that people perhaps don’t know about.

“The language of it is exactly the language of Brexit and Trump. It’s all the same. Economically everything falls apart, with divisions sown and people looking for a scapegoat.”

The original works by Agatha Christie (original & unrestored) depicted at left. At right, the BBC adaptation of the ABC Murders.

Many commenters on the Telegraph piece point out that, ironically, a European Union was the goal of Oswald and the British Union of Fascists as evidenced by their Europe A Nation manifesto.

Regardless of what you think about that issue – and nothing you read from me here should infer my opinion on the topic one way or another – those adapting great literary works should bring fresh light to the story as it exists, not as one wishes it to be.

Like changing the villain.

It’s one of the things screenwriter Phelps seems to relish:

She admits cheerfully that she has changed the ending of Ordeal by Innocence: “I have done a bit of a number on it because it’s one of those books where people talk a lot but nothing much happens.”

Does she worry at all about purists complaining? She snorts. “Oh purists. Anything that’s purist is deeply problematic to me – I think it’s a philosophy that’s dangerous whether applied to books or to larger considerations of policy and philosophical thought.

“I don’t give a bollocks about people saying it has to be pure. No, it doesn’t. If you want a pure adaptation, go and get someone else to do it.”

Historical revisionism of past works – whether it be comic books or great literature of the world – must stop. It is akin to cultural vandalism. If one wishes to examine issues through a particular lens, then why not create you own art to do it?

Amy Glynn from Paste Magazine sums the issue up brilliantly:

But it’s freakin’ Agatha Christie. A heavily adapted, well-known, canonical writer of popular fiction whose work you have probably seen, read, or felt the influence of if you are at all culturally literate. So, let us once again ask a couple of questions: What is up with the near-pathological urge to produce endless (endless) modernized remixes of works that have already been adapted for stage and screen (in some cases many times) when there are oceans of untapped, spankin’-new content ripe for the treatment? And is anyone concerned about the specific trend in how these old chestnuts are being adapted? Because without undue spoilers, “This version is significantly darker than the original” would be putting it mildly—and apolitically. Which leads to yet another question: What are the assumptions or motivations of the writers doggedly producing the Abnormal Psychology Alternative Literary Canon? I mean assumptions with regard to audiences. This is not rhetorical: I seriously want an answer. I realize I am much more likely to get screeners for a version of Rear Window where Jimmy Stewart is a pedophile than an answer, but still, I do want one. Because I am starting to feel rather patronized.

Please do read the entire piece because it’s brilliant.

I see a distinct difference between the BBC current crop of revisionist Christie adaptations and the truly wonderful and original takes on Pride and Prejudice which have cropped over recent times for two reasons:

1. An adaptation from one medium (a book) to another (the screen) infers that what is in the book will be, where practicable, seen on the screen. To my mind, that is why David Suchet’s Poirot series will forever be the definitive version. Sure, some small licence were taken for adaptation for the screen, but on the whole, the series was faithful to the original works.

2. Not one of these Pride and Prejudice literary adaptations/variations/sequels is pretending to be an actual adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

If Phelps gave Ordeal By Innocence or the ABC Murders an original name and credited it as ‘inspired by’, or ‘based on’, then this wouldn’t be an issue.

It probably wouldn’t get made either…

Which makes this crop of Christie adaptations, a very expensive piece of taxpayer-payer funded, propagandistic, fanfiction with the unearned cachet of riding on the coattails of someone infinitely more talented.

 

*Okay, many of my romance reading friends might be a little offended at me describing sex as vulgar, but I’ll point out that I mean it in the context of cozy mysteries. In romance, sex is a logical conclusion of the character and plot development. It is exploration of the most intimate of human relationships to which the Happily Ever After is the goal. In the case of cozy mysteries, the focus is on the crime, the suspects and identifying the villain. That characters have affairs, or maybe newlyweds, or having their first kiss during the course of the story does not require a long exposition on what happens in the bedroom  – that is merely a distraction from the plot and serves no purpose.

**With the exception of Curtain. Hercule Poirot’s last case in which **spoiler alert** Poirot, aged and dying, himself executes summary judgement when the world’s greatest detective realises he cannot get enough evidence to bring the villain to trial **end spoiler**.

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Loving Literary Cats

There is something about cats and books which go together.

The peaceful enjoyment of reading has something of a symmetry with the many hours cats spend sleeping or quietly watching the world go by. Domestic cats’ frenetic hour or two of activity a day is also mirrored by sudden bursts of human activity (usually a sign that guests are due over and it’s time to tidy up!)

I had great fun writing about Mog, the heroine cat in The Promise of the Bells which was my Regency take of the classic legend Dick Whittington and his cat. Much of her behavior was modeled on the various cats I’ve owned over the years, especially the current pair who are litter mates (same litter siblings).

Here’s one of my favourite scenes with Mog:

Catherine shook her head. Her hair was one long dark plait over her shoulder. Richard closed his eyes pretending to relish another sip, but he knew that if he looked at her, the long-dormant feelings of love would return and his heart couldn’t risk it.

“I may not know much about the law, but I do know a barrister does not accept cases, and only acts on the instructions of a solicitor and father’s solicitor refuses to do so,” she said. “Silas Kincaid is a powerful man, and well-liked by those who don’t know him as well as we do. I cannot afford to pay for another solicitor.”

Mog meowed, bumping first against Catherine’s shin and then his own.

“I’ve applied for dispensation to do both,” said Richard. “It’s not an uncommon course of action, but I want to make sure I have a solid brief of evidence.”

The cat became ever more demanding as her calls for attention were ignored. Finally, she took matters into her own paws and jumped up onto the desk, nearly scattering the neatly ordered stacks of paper.

“Mog! Get down!”

The calico bounded from the desk and raced from the room. Catherine swept up the cup and saucer before it tipped off the desk. Richard lunged forward to protect the precious pile of evidence. Poor Vincent started awake with a cry.

Richard took half a step and could see where Mog paused in the hall, licking her chest as though the chaos was none of her making. He looked down with a sigh at the mess and picked up a paper at random, not knowing where to begin.

Then he saw it.

Exposed by Mog’s mad scramble, was a set of documents which had arrived by messenger this afternoon from Monty Street.

Richard might have overlooked them entirely, focused as he was on tracking down on the men who had signed their names as shareholders, that a couple of sheets pinned together of densely packed numbers might not have been examined closely, but a shorter note on top was written by Monty. It featured a name that stood out – Tyrswick.

Mog was not just named so because it was a common and generic shortform of Moggie; she was named for Judith Kerr’s gorgeous cat Mog who was a staple of children’s book libraries for years.

In fact, I have a copy of Mog’s First Christmas which we bring out every year and of course who could forget the delightful Sainsburys Christmas ad of 2015.

That had me thinking of other favourite literary cats and their film adaptations.

Aslan – the heroic Lion in the Narnia Chronicles.

via GIPHY

The Cheshire cat – the grinning feline in Alice in Wonderland.

via GIPHY

The Cat In The Hat – teaching children to read for generations.

via GIPHY

Cat – She was lovely in Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. An Oscar winning performance if there ever was one.

via GIPHY

Who is your favourite? Let me know in comments below.

Find The Promise of the Bells on Amazon.

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Love’s Great Adventure – Christmas edition

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There’s going to be a few hours’ delay, but Love’s Great Adventure’s December / Christmas edition is on its way!

This is the first anniversary of the magazine and I’m so humbled and thrilled by the positive feedback we’ve received.

My darling husband and production editor does such a wonderful job to bring the magazine to life each edition and he has some exciting plans for 2019!

But now to this edition:

Merry Christmas from two dozen of your favourite authors
Victoria Vane solves the mystery of the Mantua
Erin Grace’s Christmas Favourites
The Lady’s Maid’s Secret Part V
Christmas puzzles and fun
Interview – Christmas? Bah humbug! Kit Hardacre counts the reasons why he’s not looking forward to Christmas.

If you’re a member of my book club, you get each magazine delivered into your email in box each quarter.

If you’re not a member, what are you waiting for? It’s free! And you’ll get exclusive news and met some other wonderful authors.

Did you know you can see back issues of Love’s Great Adventure? You’ll find them here.

And do check out my 2018 advent calendar it has lots of gifts for you!

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Going Home – A Fine Chance Christmas Story

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I’m so thrilled to be part of the Bluestocking Belles 2018 Christmas anthology, Follow Your Star Home.

They are beautiful, original stories, but we decided that we wanted to do something more, so each of us have an extra little story for you.

Mine takes place in 1921 during Robert Fairmont’s two year journey from Toronto, where he found the magic ring, back to San Francisco where his future and his destiny lay.

I hope you enjoy this tale as well as those by the remarkable Bluestocking Belles.

Check them out:

Sherry Ewing
Rue Allyn
Lizzi Tremayne
Jude Knight
Amy Quinton
Nicole Zoltack
Caroline Warfield

December 1921

You’re going home

You’re going home

You’re going home

You’re going home

The four beat rhythm of the rolling train had lulled Robert Fairmont to sleep a hundred miles back. But he awakened as the train slowed to manage a wide sweeping corner.

He had dreamed of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate, the precipitous streets and bustle of the city where one could walk six blocks and hear a dozen different accents.

Home.

You’re going home

You’re going home

Even the long wail of the train whistle seemed to cheer him on.

He’d been on the road for nearly a year and had got no further than Iowa. Perhaps it was Nebraska now.

Robert wasn’t be certain. He had hopped a lift on the freight train with three other men two days ago, other hobos like him – bearded and dishevelled – who had risked their lives to hitch a ride on the moving train. None of them could afford the fare and all of them had places to be.

Robert sat up, resting against the edge of the door – one of two open either side of the car – and watched the blur of green from the trees as they went by. He savoured the warmth from rising sun, which caught and reflected on the gold signet ring on his right hand.

He knew he was foolish to wear it openly but last night he was close to the edge of despair, destitute and hungry. The ring reminded him of why he started his journey from Toronto all those months ago.

What a foolish young man he’d been all those years ago. He couldn’t remember what he had argued with his father about. War had a habit of changing a man – reorienting his priorities. What he had seen on the battlefields of France would haunt him for a lifetime.

He wanted to go home back to the large mansion townhouse on Nob Hill, back to the life of privilege and wealth he’d so carelessly scorned. Robert would ask for forgiveness and, if nothing else, at least that side of the ledger would be squared.

You’re going home

You’re going home

The hypnotic sound of the train threatened to lull Robert into another doze. Movement caught his eye but he was not quick enough. One of the men grabbed his arm.

“What do we have here, then boys?”

With his free arm, Robert swung a punch into the man’s middle and pulled his arm free. When he turned, two other men had taken his satchel and were rummaging through his meagre belongings.

“He’s hard up like the rest of us, Jim,” said one man, aged in his late forties judging by the grey in his hair.

“Not a nickel,” the other man confirmed.

Jim was a big man, two inches taller than he was. While Robert was no slouch, he knew from his time in the army there was a time to fight and a time to walk away.

“There’s that fancy ring of yours,” the large man growled, rubbing his gut from where the punch connected.

Robert glanced down at it. It was gold with a multi-pointed star on its flat face. He picked it up off the street in Toronto. He’d handed it in to the police instead of pawning it. Three months later, it hadn’t been claimed, so it was his.

He’d seen it as some sort of omen, a sign, a small Christmas miracle. God knows he needed it then and it needed it now.

“Hand it over.”

“No.”

Three against one were bad odds.

Robert dove for his satchel as the train slowed further. He snatched it from one of the hobo’s hand and leapt through the other side of the freight car’s open door without thought for what lay on the other side.

He fell heavily on the stone ballast and slid down an embankment into the midst of a lightly wooded forest. His clothes ripped at the knees and at the seam of his sleeve. It was his last good shirt.

He breathed in the frigid winter air scented with cedar from the trees around him. Robert threw an arm over his eyes to shield them from the sun and laughed bitterly. How ironic that he, heir to the Crusader Shirt enterprise, had no more decent clothes.

Merry-damn-Christmas!

Well, there was nothing for it. If he journey was not to end here, freezing and starving to death alone in the wilds, he would have to get moving. Robert got to his feet, every joint aching and swung the pack across his back. If he kept following the rails in the direction of travel, he’d surely come to a township.

After a walking a mile he heard the unmistakable sound of chopping wood. It sounded some distance off. Perhaps it was a logging camp? If so, he could work a while until he’d earned enough to continue his passage westward.

Light streamed through the trees as the afternoon wore on. The warmth of the day ebbed as clouds closed in the sky. The winter chill touched parts of his flesh still bruised and raw from the leap from the train. Robert felt hunger gnawing, but worse still was the thirst. He smelled smoke and picked up his pace. The sound of chopping, the smell of smoke… habitation had to be nearby!

Robert entered the clearing. He saw a small wooden cottage with smoke drifting from a stone chimney. A woman, youngish with dark brown stood before the wood pile, she raised a axe high above her head and heft it on a log, a splinter flew off but otherwise appeared undamaged.

“Mama!”

A child, no older than four ran from the house.

“Come on baby girl, time to round up the chickens and get them inside. There’s going to be snow tonight.”

The little girl called out, “chook, chook, chook” and entered the little henhouse and through the open door. Robert saw her scatter a measure of corn and, as if on cue, four hens emerged from their hiding place and ran towards their shelter.

“Can I help you, mister?”

The voice that called to him was not a friendly one. Robert turned his attention back the woman. She was lean and her working clothes, a pair of men’s trousers rolled up to the ankle and a large flannel shirt which swamped her frame. She brandished the axe like a weapon. He knew what he must look like and could not blame her.

“I came off the train a mile or so back,” he called across the clearing. “Is there a town or a village nearby?”

“Cedar Creek is ten miles farther, but you’re not going to make it before nightfall.”

Hell! Robert fought to quell his disappointment. Perhaps he should have just stayed on the ground back where he fell and died.

“Can I spend the night in your barn? I’ll finish the chopping the wood for you.”

The woman looked uncertain for a moment before nodding once decisively.

Robert felt it safe to approach. The woman placed the axe on top of the wood pile and backed towards the house.

He wearily dropped his pack and examined the chore ahead, paying no attention to the woman or the child, who asked her mother about him in hushed tones.

It felt good doing something physical after days of inactivity in the freight car. The exertion added to aches from his fall but he no longer cared, keeping his attention on chopping the pile of logs until they were usable for the fireplace.

By the time Robert had stacked the last of them under the shelter of a lean to, the sun had settled low into the west.

He eyed the barn and imagined it was Palace Hotel in San Francisco with its stained glass dome and crystal chandeliers.

“Hey Mister!”

The woman’s harsh call brought him back to reality.

“Bring in an armful of that timber and you’ll get a meal.”

That was incentive enough.

He got as far as the mudroom when the woman held out her arms for the timber. Robert thought he should say something, offer to carry it into the house, but this woman seemed to pride herself on her self-sufficiency.

The outside of the cottage might have looked weather-worn but from what he could see, the inside was neat and well-kept. On a bench a large jug of steaming water and a bowl waited for him.

The woman stood in the door way barring entrance to the kitchen where the aroma of something delicious was cooking on the stove.

“They your best clothes?” she asked.

Robert nodded.

“Wait there,” she ordered and closed the connecting door. In the weak lamplight he opened his pack and found his shaving kit and began to wash. If he could manage it, he would try to shave without cutting himself.

It would feel good to be clean again. Robert stripped down to his trousers and washed his upper body. The woman opened the door and hesitated before turning her head. In her arms were folded garments that smelled of cedar.

“Here. These belonged to my late husband.”

“Thank you,” he said, taking them from her. “You never told me your name.”

“You never told me yours,” she countered.

“My name is Robert… Bob Quinn.”

Robert used the name on his identity papers and stencilled onto his army-issue duffle bag. It had been his mother’s maiden name and he used it to enlist in Canada. He wouldn’t call himself Fairmont until he attempted to reconcile with his father.

“My name is Mrs. Green. Eliza Green.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Green, your kindness is truly appreciated.”

The woman closed the door and left him to finish washing. After he did so, and changed into the new clothes and knocked on the internal door to the kitchen.

He stood at the threshold, waiting for approval, wanting some of the delicious stew he could smell and it was mixed with something else.

Robert glanced down at the ring. It was a dress rehearsal of sorts. If he could show himself worthy of being welcomed to this woman’s table, then perhaps he may be welcomed at his table at home.

The door opened and Eliza Green appraised him.

“Come in if you’ve washed your hand.”

Already seated was the little girl, her legs swinging beneath her.

“This is my daughter Melanie.”

Formal manners instilled in him as a boy came back. He gave her a bow.

“Dinner’s ready, you just sit yourself down.”

“Thank you again for helping a stranger,” he said, choosing the chair closest to him.

“Well you know what they say, ‘some have entertained angels unawares.’.”

Eliza set down bread and a large bowl of stew in front of him then returned to the stove to

The meal passed in uncomfortable silence, Eliza Green wary of him and little Melanie taking a cue from her mother.

The food was delicious and he nearly wept with gratitude when Eliza refilled his bowl for seconds without asking.

“Do you read, Mr. Quinn?” little Melanie asked.

“I do.”

“It’s Christmas Eve, will you read us the Christmas story? Papa used to.”

Eliza glanced away. Robert  felt the rawness of her grief.

“I’d be glad to.”

Eliza left the cozy little room and returned with a big black Bible and set it before him.

He opened up the book and found his way to the Gospel of Luke and began to read.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

After a while, Eliza put her daughter to bed and returned to the table and place a cup of black coffee before him.

“Mr. Quinn, if you’ve got nowhere else to be in a hurry, I could use a hand around here for a few months until my brother and his wife arrive in the spring.”

“Two prayers were answered today, Mrs Green,” said Robert. “I’m glad to stay until spring.”

The relief on the young woman’s face touched him deeply.

“Thank you. You were the answer to a prayer. A miracle,” she whispered, fighting back emotion, “I couldn’t pay much more than room and board, but it might be enough to get you the next stage of your way home.”

The signet ring on his finger glinted in the lamplight.

Yes, he was going home, but not tonight.

The post Going Home – A Fine Chance Christmas Story appeared first on EE Carter.

The Ultimate Book Lover’s Advent Calendar

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What an amazing year it’s been and I’m so grateful to the many wonderful people I’ve met at home and overseas – friends, readers and wonderful authors – all too many to mention.

As this is the season of giving, I’ve teamed up with some wonderful authors to present:

The Elizabeth Ellen Carter and Friends 2018 Advent Calendar

Each day between December 1 and 24 (in your local time zone), the numbered door will open with a message and a gift.

If you’ve come to the calendar part way through the month, fear not! It just means you get to open lots of doors all at once.

Once again, that you for your tremendous encouragement and kind words during the year, it means the world to me.

I’d like to wish you love, joy and many hours of wonderful reading.

With love,

Elizabeth

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Meet Rosemarie and Harry from The Last Post in Follow Your Star Home

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The 2018 Bluestocking Belle’s anthology

Follow Your Star Home is a very special anthology by The Bluestocking Belles.

We were given an interesting brief.

 It had to be a Christmas story
It had to be about 20,000 words

And it had to feature the following elements

A ring (which you can see on the cover)
A sword
An Arabian horse
A sailing boat, and
A prodigal returns story

Our imaginations ran wild and the result is Follow Your Star Home.

So to have a little bit of fun, I’ve asked my follow Belles to show of their fantasy film casting skills and share a little more about their story.

My next guest is Caroline Warfield.

Tell us the name of the story and a little background about the hero and the heroine you’ve created for Follow Your Star Home.

The Last Post takes place in 1919. My hero is ready to go home and take the woman he fell in love with during the war with him—if only he can find her.

Harry Wheatly grew up in Saskatchewan, the only son of a lawyer and his wife in a quiet household but spending summers on has maternal grand parents farm. He was in university when the call to arms —and disappointment in love—drove him to enlist. The horror of trench warfare quickly killed the thrill of glory and drove him nearly to despair. He had run out of hope and metaphors for brown before he found his Rosemarie in 1916. She and her son became his beacon of hope until the troops finally pushed into Belgium and then were withdrawn to Wales after the armistice.

Rosemarie Jacques married young and lived to regret it. When her husband died in the war leaving her with only one treasure, a tiny boy, she trudged on alone.  Harry surprised her with joy she never expected to experience again. The war, however, came all the way to the gates of Amiens forcing her to flee. She sent Harry a letter telling him where to find her, but she never heard back. Now the war is over and she still hasn’t heard from him. She fears he has forgotten.

If you could cast any actor and actress into the role of your hero and heroine (it could be current stars or Golden Years of Hollywood legends), who would you pick?

Eddie Redmayne has played a wide range of parts. I believe he has the strength to show Harry’s courage while still showing his intelligence and sensitivity.

The heroine was much harder. She has to be frail on the outside, but with a core of great strength. I’m thinking perhaps a young Isabelle Adjani or Juliette Binoche as she appeared in Chocolat.

What does this Season mean for your hero and heroine?

For both of them the holidays mean a longing for home. Harry dreams of his grandmother’s kitchen—the smell of cinnamon, and the laughter of family.  If wants above all to be back there with Rosemarie at his side. Rosemarie loves the crèche and services at the great cathedral, both signs of love and family to her.

Short excerpt from The Last Post

Rosemarie is startled by a knock on her cottage door.

Who on earth would come out here? Who knows I’m here? She put an ear to the door warily, but jumped back shocked when the doorknob moved. She took a step further back as the door slowly opened.

He stood bathed in the light of sunset, his eyes full of joy. “Rosemarie! Thank God. I was afraid some stranger—”

She cut off Harry’s words when she threw herself into his arms, stood on tiptoe, and covered his mouth with hers. His arms clamped around her, one hand slipped under her bottom, and he lifted her off the ground to deepen the kiss. When she pulled back to take a breath he let her slide to her feet but kept her in his arms. Still unable to speak, she ran her fingers over his face as if to verify he was her Harry. He kissed her fingers when they touched his lips.

“You’re here,” she breathed at last. “How?”

“I didn’t think you’d be here,” he said at the same time.

She pulled him in and shut the door, both of them talking at once. He hugged her again and kissed her thoroughly while her heart sang. Thank God, thank God, thank God.

When they moved to the rocker and he pulled her into his lap, they began to tell their separate stories of travel, confusion, and longing, with frequent interruptions for questions and repetition punctuated by kisses. Words gave way eventually, and kisses took their place.

FYSH buy links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2E0WbrL
iBooks: https://apple.co/2ObkLLj
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2E26lbw
Nook: https://bit.ly/2y0SJbd
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2BY6p9t
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2BXHfrC
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2zTvJMy
Smashwords: https://bit.ly/2zTlesL

Social Media for Warfield

Website http://www.carolinewarfield.com/
Amazon Author http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Warfield/e/B00N9PZZZS/
Good Reads http://bit.ly/1C5blTm
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/carolinewarfield7
Twitter https://twitter.com/CaroWarfield
Email warfieldcaro@gmail.com
Newsletter: http://www.carolinewarfield.com/newsletter/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caroline-warfield

 

Follow Your Star Home is out now – Order here.

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Meet Geoffrey and Merryn from Season of Honor in A Night Of Angels

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A Night of Angels is a very special anthology by your favourite Dragonblade authors.

We were told to let our imaginations take flight.

 It had to be a Christmas story
It had to be about 20,000 words, and
It had to tie in with one of our existing series

And with so many wonderful authors writing in so many fabulous time periods, you’re sure to find something heartwarming in A Night of Angels.

So to have a little bit of fun, I’ve asked my follow authors to share a little more about their Christmas story and how it ties in with their series.

My next guest is Alexa Aston.

Tell us the name of the story and a little background about the hero and the heroine you’re revisiting for A Night of Angels?

My contribution to this collection is Season of Honor, an extension of my 10-book Knights of Honor series. It features my anchor couple, Geoffrey and Merryn de Montfort, and tells the story of their first Christmas together. It’s a take on the original Christmas story, with a unknown young woman giving birth in the de Montfort stables to a babe who will bring much joy to a certain couple at Kinwick.

What is it about this particular couple and their story that drew you into writing a Christmas story for them?

When I originally wrote Word of Honor, Geoffrey and Merryn’s love story, I hadn’t planned for it to be part of a series. Something touched me deeply, though, about this couple and their timeless romance. I wanted to see Geoffrey and Merryn’s love story continue over time. The best way to do so was to let this book serve as the start of a series about the de Montfort family. Eventually, I gave this loving couple six children—and all of them marry for love with the soul mates they find through their adventures throughout the series.

When I was given the opportunity to contribute a Christmas story to this holiday collection, I had just wrapped up the series, never thinking I’d write for Geoffrey and Merryn again. A Night of Angels gave me a chance to revisit them at a time early in their marriage, when they spent their first Christmas together.

What is it about the Holiday/Christmas season, do you think, that draws together family and friends?

I think Christmas is a time for reflection and showing an abundance of love to those closest to us, which includes not only our family but our friends (who often become family to us).

What does this Season mean for your hero and heroine?

For Geoffrey and Merryn, they are living the miracle of finally being together. They were cruelly separated less than a day after they spoke their wedding vows and lived apart almost seven years, not knowing if the other were alive. When Geoffrey is finally able to return to Merryn, they have become different people—but their love for another is still deep and abiding. It’s a struggle, but they realize they’ve grown stronger as individuals because of their long separation. Now they’re back together, they’re even stronger since they can depend upon one another.

So in Season of Honor, this is the first Christmas they’ll spend together, with their twins. Merryn is pregnant with a new babe and they are enjoying daily life at Kinwick, living and loving.

Short excerpt from A Season of Honor

“Is that what I think it is?” Geoffrey asked. “Are you quickening?” He brought a hand to her belly and placed his palm flat against it. The subtle kick came again.

“’Tis our babe,” Merryn confirmed.

He nuzzled her neck. “I missed this before. I didn’t know what it would be like.”

Merryn heard the wonder in his voice.

“A babe is a gift from God. To think, a life we made together now grows inside you, coming to life.”

He kissed his way down her nose and throat, between the valley of her breasts, his lips coming to rest against her belly.

“Do you hear me, little de Montfort?” he asked softly. “I am your father. You’re safe inside your mother, the best mother in all of England. Mayhap the world.”

Waiting, the fluttering kick occurred again and Geoffrey kissed the spot. “We are waiting for you, your mother and I. Your sister and brother. All of Kinwick. You are a babe conceived in love. One born of not only passion but the belief your mother and I have in one another. We cannot wait to see you.”

He kissed her belly once more and then gave her a soft, lingering kiss before pulling the bed curtain aside.

“Do you know how much happiness you bring to me?” Geoffrey asked.

“Hopefully, as much as you give me,” Merryn replied.

Series buy links + social media

Rise of de Wolfe (prequel to The Knights of Honor):

Word of Honor: http://amzn.com/B01LYK7C7R

Marked by Honor: http://amzn.com/B01MR9R868

Code of Honor: http://amzn.com/B06X6K3456

Journey to Honor: http://amzn.com/B07118ZCNM

Heart of Honor: http://amzn.com/B075189R82

Bold in Honor: http://amzn.com/B078R8683T

Love and Honor: http://amzn.com/B07CNJ9GZ4

Gift of Honor: http://amzn.com/B07DQSMD74

Path to Honor: http://amzn.com/B07G9MJLZY

Return to Honor (releases tomorrow—get it today for only 99 cents): http://amzn.com/B07JVLSYHC

 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://alexaaston.com/

Newsletter Sign-Up: http://madmimi.com/signups/422152/join

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexaAston

BookBub Follow: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alexa-aston

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/alexaaston

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15846438.Alexa_Aston

Email: alexa@authoralexaaston.com

A Night of Angels is out now – Order here.

The post Meet Geoffrey and Merryn from Season of Honor in A Night Of Angels appeared first on EE Carter.

Meet Jade and Thomas from One Last Kiss in Follow Your Star Home

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The 2018 Bluestocking Belle’s anthology

Follow Your Star Home is a very special anthology by The Bluestocking Bells.

We were given an interesting brief.

 It had to be a Christmas story
It had to be about 20,000 words

And it had to feature the following elements

A ring (which you can see on the cover)
A sword
An Arabian horse
A sailing boat, and
A prodigal returns story

Our imaginations ran wild and the result is Follow Your Star Home.

So to have a little bit of fun, I’ve asked my follow Belles to show of their fantasy film casting skills and share a little more about their story.

My next guest is Sherry Ewing.

 

Tell us the name of the story and a little background about the hero and the heroine you’ve created for Follow Your Star Home

My contribution to the Bluestocking Belles’ box set, Follow Your Star Home, is One Last Kiss. Thomas, lately of Berwyck Castle, has been waiting a long time for his story to appear. He was first seen as a secondary character in my debut novel, If My Heart Could See You. Torn from his home at Lennox Castle at a young age when his father loses faith in him, he ends up at Berwyck and attempts to forget about his Scottish heritage. Jade Calloway is your typical modern day woman, or maybe not so typical. Lost in the foster care system, she has only a few people she trusts enough to call friends. Little did she know that a trip to San Francisco, California, along with a ring that magically appears would throw her back into medieval times.

2. If you could cast any actor and actress into the role of your hero and heroine (it could be current stars or Golden Years of Hollywood legends), who would you pick?

That’s a tough one but let’s go with Colin O’Donoghue, who I just loved as Hook in Once Upon a Time, and Scarlett Johansson because she does an outstanding job with the character she plays in the Avenger movies.

3. What does this Season mean for your hero and heroine?

The holiday season for my characters are filled with a sense of awe and bewilderment. They are both attempting to deal with the fact that Jade has been pulled from her time in the future to be with Thomas. They feel the connection between them instantly and know what a miracle they have before them.

Short excerpt from One Last Kiss

“Your name is Thomas,” she stated the obvious and finally took a seat opposite him, but she perched on the edge of her chair, at the ready to take flight if the need arose.

Thomas leaned back, attempting to appear calm when he was anything but composed, especially when he espied his ring upon her finger. “Aye, I am Thomas Kincaid, lately of Berwyck, and you are one of those future women who continues to plague this place.”

“How do you know that?” she questioned, afore reaching for the jug of wine and pouring a cup. She offered him the chalice, and when their hands briefly touched, tingling sensations ran up his arm.

“We have met afore in my dreams. I will assume the same holds true for you since you knew my name as well.”

“Yes… I have dreamed of you, too,” she whispered afore standing to pace the length of the room. “How is this even possible?”

Thomas shrugged, but he watched her every move, expecting her to disappear from view. “One does not tend to question such a gift, or so I have heard from the others who came afore you.”

She cocked her head to one side as though reliving some memory. “A gift or a curse?” she whispered, afore she crossed her arms and placed her hands beneath her underarms as though hugging herself.

“I would prefer to think on it as a gift and certainly nary a curse that you are here with us.”

“I am a long way from home, Thomas,” she murmured, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Series buy links + social media

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2zDeMGa

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2y0SJbd

iBooks: https://apple.co/2ObkLLj

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2E26lbw

Smashwords: https://bit.ly/2zTlesL

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2BXHfrC

CA: https://amzn.to/2zTvJMy

UK: https://amzn.to/2BY6p9t

About Sherry Ewing:

Sherry Ewing picked up her first historical romance when she was a teenager and has been hooked ever since. A bestselling author, she writes historical and time travel romances to awaken the soul one heart at a time. When not writing, she can be found in the San Francisco area at her day job as an Information Technology Specialist.

Website & Books: www.SherryEwing.com
Bluestocking Belles: http://bluestockingbelles.net/
Hearts Through Time: http://heartsthroughtime.com
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TrWtoy
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sherr...
Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/SherryEwingA...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadsco...

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sherry.ewing
Pinterest: http://www.Pinterest.com/SherryLEwing
Tumblr: https://sherryewing.tumblr.com/
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/Sherry_Ewing

Sign Me Up!

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Follow Your Star Home is out now – Order here.

The post Meet Jade and Thomas from One Last Kiss in Follow Your Star Home appeared first on EE Carter.

Meet Aisla and Caibre from A Wish For All Seasons in Follow Your Star Home

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The 2018 Bluestocking Belle’s anthology

Follow Your Star Home is a very special anthology by The Bluestocking Bells.

We were given an interesting brief.

 It had to be a Christmas story
It had to be about 20,000 words

And it had to feature the following elements

A ring (which you can see on the cover)
A sword
An Arabian horse
A sailing boat, and
A prodigal returns story

Our imaginations ran wild and the result is Follow Your Star Home.

So to have a little bit of fun, I’ve asked my follow Belles to show of their fantasy film casting skills and share a little more about their story.

My next guest is Rue Allyn.

 

Tell us the name of the story and a little background about the hero and the heroine you’ve created for Follow Your Star Home

My novella is titled A Wish for All Seasons and is part of the MacKai family saga begun in Knight Protector.

A Wish for All Seasons is a reunion story and the basic info on the tale is: The last thing Caibre MacFearann wants is to return to Scotland let alone be forced to stay there. But the chance to rekindle the lost love of his youth is too tempting to resist. However, Aisla MacKai refuses to listen until her clan’s fate and a royal decree force Aisla to give him a chance.

 

If you could cast any actor and actress into the role of your hero and heroine (it could be current stars or Golden Years of Hollywood legends), who would you pick?

I have a really hard time with this type of question because each actor/actress brings different qualities to each role. Just think for example how many great actors have played Mr. Darcy, how many great actresses have played Elizabeth Bennett. Why must I choose just one of each, and if could choose more than one, where would the list end? I’d almost prefer to ask the readers who they would cast as Aisla and Caibre.

 

What does this Season mean for your hero and heroine?

Home, hearth, family and hope are the cornerstones of this holiday for both Aisla MacKai and Caibre MacFearann.

Excerpt from A Wish For All Seasons

She tumbled backward. Immediately clansmen surrounded her, and the man, who could only be her supposedly dead brother. MacKai gray eyes were so called because the color matched the hue of storm-dark seas in Dungarob Harbor. The color bred true through generations of MacKais and no one not a MacKai had eyes quite that shade of gray.

“Steafan?” She reached for him.

Murmurs circled the room. “Impossible. Risen from the dead. Alive?”

“Aye, I’m alive.” croaked a familiar voice. “I seem to have made it home at last.” At which point his eyes closed, and he slept as if he’d never wakened.

“Prepare the master’s chamber, immediately,” ordered Aisla.

“But Miss Aisla the laird’s been dead these . . . .”

A glare silenced all protests. “All of you listen to me. This man may look like a stranger, but the eyes do not lie. He is my brother, Steafan, your laird. The tale of his death at sea is obviously wrong. Now prepare his chamber and yourselves to serve him as is only right, for every MacKai in Dungarob owes living and allegiance to him.”

Satisfied that her brother was as well cared for as could be, she turned to examine the man with the MacFearann badge and received a second shock. All the joy at Steafan’s return fled before the certainty that she’d been cursed. What evil had she done to bring Caibre MacFearann to Dungarob?

 

Follow Your Star Home is out on November 4 – pre-order here.

Belles’ Social Media

Website: http://www.bluestockingbelles.net

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BellesInBlue

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bellesinblue/

The post Meet Aisla and Caibre from A Wish For All Seasons in Follow Your Star Home appeared first on EE Carter.

Meet Helen and Robert from A Fine Chance in Follow Your Star Home

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The 2018 Bluestocking Belle’s anthology

Follow Your Star Home is a very special anthology by The Bluestocking Bells.

We were given an interesting brief.

 It had to be a Christmas story
It had to be about 20,000 words

And it had to feature the following elements

A ring (which you can see on the cover)
A sword
An Arabian horse
A sailing boat, and
A prodigal returns story

Our imaginations ran wild and the result is Follow Your Star Home.

So to have a little bit of fun, I’ve asked my follow Belles to show of their fantasy film casting skills and share a little more about their story. And I’m going to kick it off

And so, without further ado…

Tell us the name of the story and a little background about the hero and the heroine you’ve created for Follow Your Star Home

A Fine Chance is the most modern setting in the series – early 1920s San Francisco. It’s rather odd how everything 20th century still seems so modern – even though my story is set 96 years ago!

I think we can thank the movies for that. All of sudden we can see and hear people who were born more than a century ago. In the backgrounds of these films, we can see what furniture they had, what clothes, what ornaments…

Imagine living in 1922 and seeing moving sound and footage of people who lived in 1826! How might that change the way we see the past?

In A Fine Chance, Robert Fairmont is a wealthy young man estranged from his father. He lives home under bitter circumstances, but time has matured him. Robert has seen a bit of the world now and understands his father a lot better. He wants to return home to see if there is any hope of reconciliation.

My heroine, Helen Watson is a no-nonsense career girl but with a good heart. When she meets “Bobby” a man who appears to be on his uppers, she arranges to get him a job at the factory where she works. Little does she know that “Bobby”‘s father actually owns the company and her act of kindness is the chance Robert needs to make amends.

If you could cast any actor and actress into the role of your hero and heroine (it could be current stars or Golden Years of Hollywood legends), who would you pick?

I had a lot of fun picking my actors.

What does this Season mean for your hero and heroine?

For Robert, Christmas is a time of new beginnings and second chances. For Helen, it is a season of goodwill to all men.

Excerpt from A Fine Chance

He stepped into the foyer, and he might as well have been transported back in time. Nothing. Nothing had changed!

A series of tall narrow windows spilled light onto the crisp white and navy linoleum tiles. A selection of Crusader Shirts were grouped by style – working men’s shirts, business men’s shirts and formal attire displayed on tailor’s dummies. Overhead, suspended from the ceiling were three long matching advertising banners with the company slogan.

You’re on a winner with Crusader.

A sinuous oak staircase rose up each side and over the double-wide and double height doors that led to the factory floor.

Somewhere in the distance the noon lunch siren sounded.

“Well, if you’re going to keep bumping into me, we should be properly introduced.”

Robert looked down.

“Helen of Troy!” he grinned. “I had no idea you worked here!”

Several heads turned their way and he was delighted to see her blush.

“You may as well call me by my real name.” She stuck out her hand business-like, Robert didn’t waste any time taking it. “Helen. Helen Watson.”

She looked at him, clearly expected him to reciprocate. He swallowed around his own name, though he wasn’t sure why did so.

“R… Bob. Bob Quinn,” he said, giving the name he had enlisted under – his mother’s maiden name.

The smile returned. “Well Bob Quinn, I take it you are here to see someone?”

Robert searched Helen’s face for any sign that she knew exactly who he was. She did not.

“Um, I was hoping that…” Damn! Why had he suddenly become so tongue tied?

With a gentle touch to his elbow, Robert followed Helen to an olive fabrikoide banquette.

“You’re looking for work?” she asked kindly.

Robert had no idea what made him nod his head, but he did it anyway.

“Can you start tomorrow?”

“Sure,” he said, finding his voice. His one word answer was worth it to see her smile.

“It’s a warehouse job, not very exciting, but the fellas have been short-handed since Marco left. And,” she said, leaning in and squeezed his hand, “it will keep you out of the cold.”

“You’re very kind to me Helen,” he answered, conscious of her hand in his. It felt nice… right.

Follow Your Star Home is out on November 4 – pre-order here.

The post Meet Helen and Robert from A Fine Chance in Follow Your Star Home appeared first on EE Carter.