Cate Parke's Blog, page 4
May 29, 2014
A Love Story
This is a snapshot of me and my wonderful guy on the day we wed, forty-three years ago today.Here's to all the kisses and all the laughter we've shared. We've traveled many miles during our lives and the journey together has been breathtaking.
Here's to us, Gregory!
May 28, 2014
I'm visiting Babette James today!
Where would you visit, if you had the chance? Would you pick the current time or a different one? I know my answer—but I’d like to learn yours.I’m visiting Babette James and the sunny garden on her blog site today. I’m sharing a few of my favorite places and the inspiration behind my new #historical #romance, Dreams Within Dreams.
You'll visit parts of the #Scottish Highlands of Argyllshire in the book. There you’ll meet my gorgeous kilted hero, follow him through densely wooded glens and up craggy mountainsides on a stag hunt, and inside beautiful Inveraray Castle, you’ll hear the Great Northern pipes screaming Baile Inneraora.
Visit me at http://babettejames.com/2014/05/28/interview-with-cate-parke-author-of-dreams-within-dreams/ (Sh-h—I’ll tell you a little secret. Leave me a comment for a chance to win an Amazon gift certificate in my giveaway!)
~Cate
May 22, 2014
RELEASE DAY!
It's release day for Dreams Within Dreams! I hope you'll enjoy this story even more than Richard Berkeley's Bride. Richard has won his treasure, but storm clouds on the horizon threaten his very life. Visit Amazon. com and your other favorite online bookstores to grab a copy for yourself.
May 15, 2014
Blog Tour Final Day
It's true. I've had such fun. Today I'm at Fall into Reading Reviews with Alexandra Berkeley, my heroine. Stop by and read a few things about her you've never known! Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway while you're there! #BtGPromotions #historical #romance #tmpress
May 13, 2014
I'm at May 10, 2014
Whew! I'm visiting May 8, 2014
It's Blog Tour--Day 4. WOW!
I'm at two places today. My first stop is Melissa Keir's lovely blog. My 2nd stop is Deep In the Heart of Romance. Don't forget the prize giveaway!#BlogTour #Giveaway #tmpress
May 7, 2014
Today is Day 3 or my Blog Tour!
Welcome BACK! Today is Day Three of my blog tour with Bridging the Gap Promotions. I'm at Harlie's Books today and having a terrific time! Come join me. Here's the link: http://www.harliesbooks.com/posts/excerpt-of-richard-berkeleys-bride-by-cate-parke-wa-rafflecopter-giveaway/. To be eligible to win prizes, take a look at my blog post below for details. I hope you win!
May 5, 2014
Cate's Blog Tour!
I'm starting a blog tour at Bridging the gap promotions today! I hope you'll join me...and Richard and Alexandra, too, as we make the rounds this week. As an added bonus, leave a comment on my last blog post, Like my Facebook Author Page, follow me on Twitter, Like my Amazon Author page, follow Bridging the Gap Promotions, add Richard Berkeley's Bride to your Goodreads shelf (here's mine), you win may win copies of either Richard Berkeley's Bride or Dreams Within Dreams, your choice! (Of course it means waiting until the week of May 18th to receive that particular prize. So-o sorry, but that's when it will be released.) Remember, Dreams Within Dreams is the second book in a series. You'll want to have read Richard Berkeley's Bride first. Anyway, winning involves accumulating points.
Excited? I am!
Here's the Rafflecopter link. Whoever has the most points at the end of the tour wins the prizes. I'll post the winners on my blog next week.
May 1, 2014
May Day, Bhealltaine, Cyntefyn--Which is it?
It's May! Who cares??? It's finally May! The snow is gone for another year, the sun is shining, the temperatures are warm, and the earth is awakening. It's May--that lustiest of months!When you were small, did you ever deliver a May basket to a neighbor or family member? I did. It's a charming practice.
May Basket Here's a pretty May basket, in case you wondered what I mean. Mothers help their offspring select someone to receive the basket, and help compose and assemble the contents. Once completed and ready for delivery, the children creep up the front steps of their recipient's home, trying for all their worth, to stifle their giggles, place the basket on the door handle, knob or latch, knock on the door or ring the bell. Then, they run from the scene at full tilt and hide themselves in the shrubbery to watch the person's face when they see their pretty gift.
Have you ever danced around a May pole after sunset on a village green? Do you know what a May pole is? Here's an example. Isn't it pretty?Do you know where the custom comes from? Mostly, they're found in Germanic and Celtic countries of northern Europe. Nobody knows where they originated, but most agree they're a continuation of the reverence for sacred trees. Some view them as having phallic symbolism. Whoa, baby! That's some big, um-m, rod. These things could be as tall as trees! Which they were. The original ones were trees that had been stripped of all but their top leaves. John Cleland's controversial novel, Fanny Hill records, “...and now, disengag'd from the shirt, I saw, with wonder and surprise, what? not the play-thing of a boy, not the weapon of a man, but a maypole of so enormous a standard , that had proportions been observ'd, it must have belong'd to a young giant."
The earliest recorded evidence comes from a Welsh poem written by Gyffydd ap Adda ap Dafydd during the mid-14th century, in which he described how people used a tall birch pole at Llanidloes in central Wales.
Pairs of boys and girls (or men and women) stand alternately around the base of the pole, each holding the end of a ribbon. They weave in and around each other, boys going one way and girls going the other and the ribbons are woven together around the pole until the merry-makers meet at the base. 
Belenos Celts have long celebrated the first day of May as Bhealtainn, the day the god Belenos, the horned god of the woodlands and the Great Mother are united in sacred marriage. The lusty month, May is a time for drinking mead wearing bright colors, including green, gathering flowers and celebrating the dawn of each new day. The color green, worn at this time, honors the earth mother. This is the month during which trial marriages, called handfasting, are made for a year and a day. On May Day young men use commonly to runne into woodes at night time, amongst maidens, to set bowls. So much as I have heard of tenne maidens whiche went to set May and nine of them came home with childe. ~ Unknown 16th century chronicler.
And there you have it.
