Marlow Kelly's Blog, page 26
October 18, 2014
The Mystery of Dunmore Cave
The entrance to Dunmore Cave I first heard about Dunmore Cave in County Kilkenny, Ireland two years ago while watching an episode of Cities of the Underworld on the History Channel. The fact that stuck in my head was that 1000 people were believed to have been massacred in the cave, in 928AD or 930AD depending on which version of the Irish annals you read. Gothfrith, grandson of Ímar, with the foreigners of Áth Cliath, razed Derc Ferna—something unheard of from ancient times - From the Annals of Ulster
The besieging of Derc Ferna and its taking in which one thousand men die. – From the Chronicon Scotorum
(Derc Ferna is the ancient name for Dunmore Cave.)
Now I have to wonder what the archeological evidence says. I mean if a thousand men were slaughtered there would be some material left behind; bones fragments, axe heads, or a chunk broken from a sword blade. There would be something as it's almost impossible, especially in the early medieval period to eradicate the mess made by slaughtering a thousand people. So what does the evidence tell us?
It seems that the cave is littered with bones. Some are animal bones and many of the animals were believed to have been eaten by other animals. Cut marks and burns on the remainder of the animal bones point to their being butchered by humans. Proof that people lived and ate in the cave.
And what of the bodies? In 1973 the remains forty-four people were discovered within the cave most of them women and children. There are no signs of violence on any of the skeletons. So what killed them? It’s believed they hid in the cave during the attack. The Vikings then lit fires at the entrance to the cave and suffocated them.
But a new look at the evidence is questioning this belief. Most of the objects found in the cave have been of Viking origin.
A silver penny similar to those discovered in the cave In their paper: Recent Archeological Discoveries in Dunmore Cave, County Kilkenny: Further Questions Regarding Viking Activity at the SiteAuthors Marion A. Dowd, Linda G. Lynch and Margaret McCarthy list some of the finds:
A collection of Viking material, including nine silver coins dating to around 930 AD, were found during excavations in the cave in 1973 (Drew and Huddart 1980, 17). In 1999, a second collection of Viking material - though of later 10th century date - was discovered at the site including 14 Anglo-Saxon silver pennies, a silver penannular arm-ring, hack silver, strap tags and 16 conical-shaped objects woven from silver wire.
Of particular interest to me are the silver coins because the native Irish didn’t use coins to trade. Coins were used by the Vikings. Could this be a Viking grave and were the objects recovered grave goods. I don’t know that that answers the whole question, because if that was the case then where are all the men?
There have been suggestions that the Vikings lost their silver and coins when they attacked, but there is no evidence of violence in the remains so that can’t be the whole answer either.
But there obviously can’t have been a thousand people killed within the walls of the cave. So where did that number come from? It seems that there were two ringforts nearby and the massacre took place there with survivors fleeing to the cave.
(At this time I’ve been unable to discover the name or exact location of the forts. If you have some information about them I’d love to hear it.)
It’s unfortunate that science has not provided us with any definitive answers when it comes to what actually occurred in the cave and the origins of it’s inhabitants. Perhaps archeologist of the future can discover more about the identities of the bodies in Dunmore Cave.
Do you have a history mystery? If you do I’d love to hear about it.
October 15, 2014
Book Blast - Law of Attraction by Darlene Fredette
Determined to win back Christina, Steven will take the law into his own hands...even if he has to play dirty. 
Available from
The Wild Rose Press
Giveaway Draw:
Be sure to drop by my website during the month of October to enter an awesome giveaway to celebrate the release of Law of Attraction!
Lawyer Christina Crawford has a successful career and stable financial future, but is it enough? Her world is disrupted when a routine divorce case means working with a man she never expected—or wanted—to see again. During their first meeting, she can't deny a connection still exists. Her head warns her to run, but her heart yearns to stay.
Steven Mitchell is ruthless in the court room, but outside those doors, his easy charm, good looks and unlimited stream of female companions gives him an unscrupulous reputation. Six years ago Christina saw beyond his façade, but the emotions she evoked scared him and he pushed her away. Now he wants a second chance and he is determined to get her back...even if he has to play dirty.
Excerpt:
Heart pounding in her chest, she closed the door behind him. Wearing her best business face, she returned to this disastrous meeting and sat. Christina drew in a deep breath, and a measure of control was restored. She picked up her pen and flipped open the case file. “So, according to these documents, your client is contesting the divorce?”
Steven reached across the table and snatched the pen from her hand. “What’s the rush, Christina? We haven’t seen each other in years. There’s a lot of catching up to do.”
She clenched her teeth together, barely parting her lips as she spoke. “We have nothing but this case to discuss.”
“Come on, don’t be like that.” He leaned back in his chair, frowning. “You’re not still holding a grudge, are you? What happened was so long ago. I hoped we could start fresh, as friends.”
“Are you freaking serious?” She glared an icy stare. Forget a slow death by high heel. She’d get more pleasure strangling him with her bare hands. “You accused me of misconduct, had me fired, and now you want to be friends?” Her heart thumped a rapid beat in her ears. “You’re out of your mind.”
About the Author:
An avid reader since childhood, Darlene loved to put a pencil to paper and plot out stories of her own. She writes heartwarming contemporary romances with a focus on plot-driven page-turners. When Darlene isn’t writing, editing, or reading, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and Yellow Lab.
Contact links:
Web Blog: http://findingthewritewords.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarleneLF
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarleneLF
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/DarleneLF
Available from
The Wild Rose Press
Giveaway Draw:
Be sure to drop by my website during the month of October to enter an awesome giveaway to celebrate the release of Law of Attraction!
Lawyer Christina Crawford has a successful career and stable financial future, but is it enough? Her world is disrupted when a routine divorce case means working with a man she never expected—or wanted—to see again. During their first meeting, she can't deny a connection still exists. Her head warns her to run, but her heart yearns to stay.
Steven Mitchell is ruthless in the court room, but outside those doors, his easy charm, good looks and unlimited stream of female companions gives him an unscrupulous reputation. Six years ago Christina saw beyond his façade, but the emotions she evoked scared him and he pushed her away. Now he wants a second chance and he is determined to get her back...even if he has to play dirty.
Excerpt:
Heart pounding in her chest, she closed the door behind him. Wearing her best business face, she returned to this disastrous meeting and sat. Christina drew in a deep breath, and a measure of control was restored. She picked up her pen and flipped open the case file. “So, according to these documents, your client is contesting the divorce?”
Steven reached across the table and snatched the pen from her hand. “What’s the rush, Christina? We haven’t seen each other in years. There’s a lot of catching up to do.”
She clenched her teeth together, barely parting her lips as she spoke. “We have nothing but this case to discuss.”
“Come on, don’t be like that.” He leaned back in his chair, frowning. “You’re not still holding a grudge, are you? What happened was so long ago. I hoped we could start fresh, as friends.”
“Are you freaking serious?” She glared an icy stare. Forget a slow death by high heel. She’d get more pleasure strangling him with her bare hands. “You accused me of misconduct, had me fired, and now you want to be friends?” Her heart thumped a rapid beat in her ears. “You’re out of your mind.”
About the Author:
An avid reader since childhood, Darlene loved to put a pencil to paper and plot out stories of her own. She writes heartwarming contemporary romances with a focus on plot-driven page-turners. When Darlene isn’t writing, editing, or reading, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and Yellow Lab.
Contact links:
Web Blog: http://findingthewritewords.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarleneLF
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarleneLF
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/DarleneLF
October 11, 2014
The loudest sound ever heard.
Two thirds of the island was destroyed. The loudest sound in recorded history occurred when a volcano in Indonesia named Krakatoa erupted. It started on 26th August and continued through 27th August1883. The explosion was so loud that sailors 40 miles away suffered from perforated eardrums.
I want to share some of the facts and figures with you.
Earthquakes were felt in the region for years before the event.
Early eruptions started in May 1883
A series of forceful eruptions started on 26th August and intensified on 27th August. An explosion on 27th August at 10.02am was heard 4653 km (3000 miles) away on Rodriguez Island, which lies on the other side of the Indian Ocean.
Barographs (An instrument that records air pressure) recorded the change in air pressure around the world and continued to record changes for five days.
Ash radiated into the atmosphere and fell on ships 6000 km away.
Tsunamis devastated the region. There are reports of waves as high as 40 meters. Killing over 36,000 people, mainly on the islands of Sumatra and Java.
Global temperatures dropped and became chaotic. They did not return to normal until 1888.
This rock expelled from Krakatoa landed 40 km away on Java I’ve always been fascinated this event. It was the worst volcanic eruption in recorded history. Although there have been similar events. In 536 a volcano under Lake Ilopango, in Central America, erupted. It had global consequences and is believed to be the catalyst that plunged Europe into the Dark Age.If The Krakatoa event were to happen today the effects would be even more devastating. Air travel and shipping would be disrupted worldwide. But more importantly, there are over 200 million people living in Java and Sumatra today, a significantly larger population than one hundred and thirty one years ago.
I hope to uncover some survivor stories for a future posts. I want to put a human face to the data. This will help me truly understand the cataclysmic events of 1883.
October 8, 2014
Book Blast - Hell's Bounty by Kayden Claremont
Hell's Bounty Available
October 10
The Wild Rose Press Hell’s Bounty
Book One of the Heaven and Hell Series
Raven Hart, a succubus bounty hunter for Hell, is on a hunt. With her query in sight, she hits a brick wall, or rather the very hard chest of a giant sexy man. She might have lost the prize for now, but she's a winner when the hottie wants to get physical.
Marcus Dionysius, a Nephilim working for Heaven, has one mission—to prevent Hell’s beauty from stealing souls meant for the higher plane. But he soon realizes he’s met his sexual match. She’s naughty enough to tempt his senses, but her innocence means he can’t walk away when she needs him most.
Working together to discover who’s snatching souls from Heaven, they realize the true danger is falling in love.
Excerpt
“So all of this, you becoming my partner, was just a ploy to kill me?”
“Stop you.”
She looked him in the eye. “You just said you were sent to take me out. We both know that means to kill me. So why are you lying now?”
Marcus stood and then sat down on the bed beside her. The instant he took a breath, her luscious scent fill him, aroused him. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily succumb to her allure and not get the job done. He’d never experienced such lust before and needed to feel her pussy squeezing around his cock. He wanted to press her down against the bed, strip her, and fuck her. Hard. “Look, I’m not lying. I don’t believe for one minute that you knew the captain was setting you up. But I still have a job to do. Help me prove your innocence.”
She took a deep breath and her breasts quivered. Her hard nipples budded against her blouse, as if inviting him to claim them. She shook her head. “I don’t know.” Her voice cracked. “You don’t know who gave the orders or you don’t know how to help me?” She looked up at him, her eyes filled with doubt and terror.
Marcus placed his hand on her shoulder and was surprised when she leaned into him. “Both.” she whispered, as if afraid of the answer.
Kayden Claremont’s Bio
Kayden loves sexy, well-crafted stories of lust and love. Her sensuous style drives the characters in lustful romps.
Hell’s Bounty is her first publication with The Wild Rose Press.
Kayden is a member of Romance Writers of America, Toronto Romance Writers; Kiss of Death Chapter, Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter.
When she’s not at her day job she’s crafting more tales of love and crime or spending time with her husband and children.
She lives outside Toronto with her husband.
Visit her at:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kayden.claremont
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaydenClaremont
Blog: http://kaydenclaremont.wordpress.com/
October 1, 2014
Book Blast - Some Other Child by Sharon Buchbinder
Purchase from
All Romance Ebooks
The Wild Rose Press Amazon
Between the responsibility for the care of her injured mother and straightening out her muddled finances, public health researcher Sarah Wright hasn't a minute to herself, much less time to repair a fractured romance. After a much loved aunt goes missing, Sarah is convinced it's a kidnapping but the police refuse to investigate. Former fiancé Dan flies to Sarah's side to help—and it looks like things might come back together for the two of them—until Sarah is arrested for her aunt's murder. As evidence stacks up against her, Sarah must find the real culprits as well as unravel decades old family secrets along the way.
Excerpt
A short time later, Dan opened the door to the hotel room. “After you.”
The cats stared at Sarah from the couch, eyes glinting in the low light. A galley kitchen to the right was set up with cat and dog bowls and a vase of flowers sat on the end of the counter.
“For me?” She put her arms around him and gave him a fierce hug. He hugged her back and just as she turned her face up for a kiss, her phone rang. The Caller ID showed Baltimore County.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I think I’d better take this.”
“Where are you?” Officer Mike said. “I need to talk to you.”
“I have nothing to say to you except this: Go to hell!”
Dan stared at Sarah. “Who is it?”
“Watch your language,” Officer Mike said.
“Watch yourself. I trusted you, Mike. You put me in jail. What kind of justice is that?”
“I need to speak with you in person.”
“Sarah—” Dan said.
“Get a court order or arrest me.” Sarah shouted. “This is harassment. I told you my aunt was missing and you did nothing, except to say she was an adult. The next thing I know you’re accusing me of murdering her. Have you looked for her housekeeper, or the creep in the white van that tried to run me down? What about the people who tried to drown me?” She took a long shuddering breath. “You’ve done nothing, nothing and nothing. It was easier to pin the supposed murder on me so forgive me if I say I don’t trust you.”
“Dr. Wright—”
“I’m in mourning. Don’t bother me.”
Sarah slammed the phone shut, leaned back against the door, slid to the floor, and sobbed.
Dan knelt down in front of her, lifted her chin, and looked her in the eyes. “You should have let him talk you, Sarah.”
She pulled away and glared at him. “I thought you were on my side. Are you against me, too?”
“No, but you don’t seem to be thinking clearly,” he said. “Next time, see what he has to say before you start yelling.”
“You’re a great Monday-morning quarterback.”
He looked stung. “What are you talking about?”
“You always have a better way to do something. No matter what, I can’t ever do anything right, can I? But you, Mr. Perfect, you have the One Right Way. Your way. Maybe it’s time we just accept the fact that I’ll never be good enough for you. Go ahead. Walk out. It’s what you’re good at.”
“I’m a perfectionist? How about you, Ms. Control Freak? Your life is completely unmanageable and there’s nothing you can do about it. The only thing you can control is you. Not your mother, not Aunt Ida, not the police, not the criminals. You and I are a lot more alike than you want to believe. We both want it our way, because we’re smart, and we think we know what’s right.”
Sarah opened her mouth to argue, but before she could speak, he pulled her into his chest and kissed her hard on the lips.
When she pulled away, he said, “I am not leaving you. You can kick, scream, shove, and push me away all you want, but I’m not going anywhere. We have a second chance to make things right in our lives. How many people can say that? We’ll get through this. Together.”
She collapsed into his arms and sobbed. “I’m sorry, so sorry.”
“Shhh,” he said and held her tight.
The cats climbed onto her lap, and Winston leaned against her. “Dan?”
“Yes?”
“I’m squished. Can you help me up?” As Dan helped her to her feet she sniffled and said, “I really missed you. I even missed our fights.”
“I missed making up,” he said sliding his arms around her waist. “Why don’t you show me how much you missed me?”
She pulled on his tie and began walking backward toward the bathroom.
Where Sharon Buchbinder and Some Other Child can be found on the Internet
Book Trailer for Some Other Child
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdHHFzaN2Ao&feature=youtu.be
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sharon.buchbinder.romanceauthor
Website/Blog http://sharonbuchbinder.com/blog/
September 27, 2014
The Contrast Between Rich and Poor in Fourteenth Century England
As some of you may know, in August I dragged my family to England for a vacation, and then I dragged them to castles and museums. (I’m so mean.) Anyway, I had the good fortune to tour the restored apartments of Edward I at the Tower of London. A few days later I visited a peasant’s cottage at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum.
I thought it might be helpful if I shared some of my photos with you. Edward I ruled from 1239 until his death in 1307 and the cottage is dated from 1310 so these pictures will give you an idea of the disparity between the rich and poor in the same period.
First, I’ll show you the king’s apartments. You’ll notice the walls are plastered and painted with a delicate ornate pattern. There is glass in the windows. Lead glass was commonly used in the living quarters of most castles, but only on the windows that faced into the bailey. Edward had his own personal chapel with stained glass windows, where he would have heard mass. His bed was luxurious even by today’s standards and the curtains would have been drawn, while he slept, to keep in the heat. He also has a fireplace in his bedroom with a chimney. The earliest known hearth with a chimney, in England, dates from 1185, but they weren’t commonly used until 15th or 16th Century.
The peasant lived in misery. The family would have slept together on the floor sharing blankets and body heat to keep the cold at bay. All the fixtures are basic and serve a purpose. Every minute of the day would have been taken with providing for the family’s meager needs. You’ll notice the rustic furniture, pieces of wood hammered together to meet their basic requirements. There is also a storage area in the roof beams. This would have been safe from rats and other vermin, and is a reminder of the hardships these people faced on a daily basis. It also reminds me of the nursery rhyme ‘Rock a Bye Baby.”
I hope you enjoyed my pictures.
Marlow
I thought it might be helpful if I shared some of my photos with you. Edward I ruled from 1239 until his death in 1307 and the cottage is dated from 1310 so these pictures will give you an idea of the disparity between the rich and poor in the same period.
First, I’ll show you the king’s apartments. You’ll notice the walls are plastered and painted with a delicate ornate pattern. There is glass in the windows. Lead glass was commonly used in the living quarters of most castles, but only on the windows that faced into the bailey. Edward had his own personal chapel with stained glass windows, where he would have heard mass. His bed was luxurious even by today’s standards and the curtains would have been drawn, while he slept, to keep in the heat. He also has a fireplace in his bedroom with a chimney. The earliest known hearth with a chimney, in England, dates from 1185, but they weren’t commonly used until 15th or 16th Century.
The peasant lived in misery. The family would have slept together on the floor sharing blankets and body heat to keep the cold at bay. All the fixtures are basic and serve a purpose. Every minute of the day would have been taken with providing for the family’s meager needs. You’ll notice the rustic furniture, pieces of wood hammered together to meet their basic requirements. There is also a storage area in the roof beams. This would have been safe from rats and other vermin, and is a reminder of the hardships these people faced on a daily basis. It also reminds me of the nursery rhyme ‘Rock a Bye Baby.” 
I hope you enjoyed my pictures.Marlow
September 24, 2014
Book Blast - Cinderella & Prince Dom
Available at:
Wild Rose Press (Amazon link available here)
KINDLE NOOK KOBO
IBOOKS
Jaimie Newberry is jobless, her rent is due, and her cat just died. On top of that, she was accused of embezzling before she was fired. When her friend invites her for a weekend of kinky fairytale role playing, she agrees to go as Cinderella. What has she got to lose when sex with a handsome prince is involved?
CEO Bryce Langston needs to know if Jamie is innocent of embezzlement or just very clever. He arranges for her to be his weekend sub but soon realizes the pretty scullery maid is naïve to the BDSM lifestyle. As her prince and her Dom, he intends to not only learn the truth but to make sure she has a fantasy come true.
Excerpt
Bryce spotted his Cinderella entering the parlor below. The ruffles of her skirt swirled playfully around slender thighs, and the low cut of her simple top revealed a nice swell of breasts. Deep inside, anticipation hummed, and not just for learning the truth. Annie had been gone five years now, and while he hadn’t been celibate during those long years, he hadn’t participated in the games he hosted either. This would be his first.
And only because he needed to know the truth.
Jaimie had uncovered an embezzling ring in one of his accounting firms. Her boss implicated her, her files backed the man up, but as he’d found out, the man himself had proved to be a liar, and the leader in the group of employees caught.
Lucy, his personal assistant, swore Jaimie was innocent, that she was the one who’d discovered the theft, then been fired because of it. The fact Jaimie had blown the whistle lent her story credence, as did the files she gave Lucy to give to him, all dated before she’d been fired. He’d hired auditors, and they thought she was innocent. But he wouldn’t know until he spoke to her. A study of her employment files indicated the woman was smart. She could easily have done what she did to make herself look innocent and then gotten out before being caught.
“Does it matter if she is as guilty as the others?”
Bryce nodded. “Yes. If she was part of it, I’ll press charges. No one steals from me.” He’d already gotten confessions out of the rest of his employees and fired those who were supposed to oversee that department. Fools were more concerned with their ladder climbing and brown-nosing instead of doing their job.
Determining Jaimie’s level of involvement was unfinished business. Was his Cinderella truly innocent, or had she been framed? He couldn’t find any money trails leading to her bank accounts, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have money squirreled away elsewhere, under another name. No, he needed to know for sure.
Glorie laughed low in her throat. “My, your little playmate looks ready to bolt, and it’s not even midnight.”
Bryce narrowed his eyes. Glorie was right. Jaimie was staring at some of the costumes with mouth agape. He couldn’t see her eyes but imagined they were wide with shock. Even from where he stood, he could see her face was flushed with embarrassment. She took a big gulp of her champagne then grabbed Lucy by the arm. Though he couldn’t hear the conversation, it was clear his sub was having serious doubts.
Rocking back on his heels, he grinned. From the questionnaire, he knew Jaimie was new to this world, and he was looking looked forward to introducing her to some light BDSM.
Contest Link
Enter my Celebrating Cinderella’s Release from my website. Prizes (Once Upon A Dom tote bag, mug and other goodies) and pictures at: http://sydneystclaire.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Author Bio
Sydney St. Claire is the pseudonym of Susan Edwards, author of 14 Historical Native American/Western/Paranormal romances and the author of the popular "White" Series. During her career, she has been nominated for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Western Historical and Reviewer's Choice Best Book Award.
Sydney loves writing and sharing stories of love, happiness and dreams come true with her readers. She credits her mother for her writing as she was encouraged to read as a child and preferred happy endings which meant romances were her favorite genre. When the writing bug bit, she followed the sensible advice to “write what you know” and has been writing and publishing her stories since!
Sydney takes her readers into the world of erotica romance where her characters come together in explosive passion as they solve life's problems and find true love along with the best sex our hero and heroine have ever experienced.
Sydney resides in California. Her office is quite crowded with two small dogs at her feet, another huge girl in her recliner and five cats to keep her company while she writes. Three cats always insist on beds on her desk, barely leaving enough room for her monitor and keyboard. Life gets fun when all five insist on supervising...
When not writing, she enjoys crafts of all sorts including quilting, sewing, cross-stitch and knitting. Knitting and crochet are her current passions. She and her husband of 30 + years are avid gardeners. He takes care of the veggies, and Susan is in charge of the 'pretties'. Her medicine wheel garden is in a contact state of war: flowers vs. weeds. Sadly, right now the weeds are wining...
Camping, fishing, biking and hiking (when not hot) are other outdoor pursuits she and her husband enjoy. She is of course, an avid reader and hates cooking and housework. While writing, she listens to a wide variety of music, including Neil Diamond, Celtic, Native American, New Age, Classical, and mood music (bagpipes and howling wolves drive my family nuts). Her current favorites are Blackmore's Night and David Lanz.
Sydney’s Links
Trailer: http://youtu.be/v3w5k5XvkLw
Email: Sydney@sydneystclaire.com
Website: http://sydneystclaire.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sydneystclaire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydneystclaire
Blog: http://sydneystclaire.wordpress.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/sydneystclaire
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sydneystclaire/
September 20, 2014
My Connection to Ceci by JM Stewart
I’ve recently been chatting to my fellow authors about research. What kind of research do they do? Do they research characters? Or build their characters from their own experience?
My old writing partner and very gifted author, JM Stewart, shared this poignant, heartfelt, and touching account of how she created her heroine in her latest book – Risking it All
The heroine of my latest release, Risking It All, and I have a lot in common. I originally began writing Kyle and Ceci’s story over ten years ago. In fact, the story was originally published in shorter form by a small press, under the title Staking His Claim. When I first started writing Cecelia’s story, I didn’t intend for her to get quiet so much of me. But, over the years and the many revisions this book has gone through, I started to realize that she and I were quiet a lot alike. She suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And so do I. I suffer from PTSD from some ugly things that happened to me as a child.
Ten years ago, back when Risking It All was a work-in-progress I called Crossing the Line, something in my life had triggered my PTSD. For six years, I became lost in my disorder. I call it flashback hell, because that’s what it was for me. Life became about trying to make it day to day. Sometimes hour to hour. For me, everything was a trigger. Something as simple as something my husband said to me when we were arguing could send me off to another time and place, and I’d find myself reacting. Took me a while to learn when I’d hit a trigger. There for a while, I was on three medications and seeing a psychiatrist and a therapist just to make it through the day.
Which is funny. Because growing up, and even long after I’d moved away from that place, I just thought that stuff was normal. I wouldn’t have told you my life was any different from anyone else’s. Which, on doing some research for another book coming up in March (Someone to Rely On will be releasing from Crimson Romance somewhere around March 2015), I learned is actually the norm for abused children.
And those are the small details I tried to include in Ceci’s story when I did the revisions for the book. So, a lot of what you’ll read in Ceci’s story comes from personal experience rather than research. Ceci’s nightmares, for example, are based on my own experiences with the same. Mine aren’t as realistic as hers. That little bit comes from what little research I actually did on her story.
Another place where Ceci gets bits and pieces from me are her flashbacks. For those scenes, I tried to put into words what it’s like for me when I experience one. Flashbacks aren’t always visceral. It’s not always like going back and reliving a certain time or place. Sometimes it’s a remembered emotion or sensation. And those are the things I tried to put onto the page for her.
For example, in the book, Ceci is going through her grandmother’s belongings when she comes across a necklace. There’s something familiar about the necklace that reminds her of her nightmares, something haunting about it she can’t put her finger on.
Ceci also feels a longing for the past she can’t remember. It pulls at her. So when she has her nightmares, she wakes with a sadness, a grief, she can’t explain. She only knows she feels as if she misses the people in her dreams. Or, in the beginning, when she comes to Kyle needing something as simple as not being alone for the night. To sleep in his bed while he’s at work. Sometimes, for me, it’s as simple as having something of my husband’s close, something with his smell on it. Which is the way it works for Ceci as well in that particular scene.
Her loss of memory is also mine. I have very little memory of the first 7-10 years of my life. I did recover a few memories, as does Ceci in the end, and recovering them happened a lot the way I described it for Ceci.
I don’t know about you, but when I read a book now, I find myself wondering where the line is/was for the author. How much was research and how much of themselves did the author put into their book? What about you? Do you like knowing how much of the author went into a book?
Buy link (the page contains all the links to all major retail sites): Penguin
She’s everything he wants…
For years, Kyle Morgan has hidden his true feelings from the gorgeous girl next door that he grew up loving and protecting. But when she shows up at his apartment in the middle of the night, desperately needing comfort and support, his iron will begins to waver…
…and the only thing he can’t bear to lose.
Kyle was always the big brother Cecelia Anton never had, but suddenly her goofy best friend has become a sexy man she can’t keep her thoughts—or hands—off of. As their deep connection melts into uncontrollable desire, Ceci is willing to put it all on the line for a shot at true love. Only Kyle is keeping a terrible secret about Ceci’s past that could destroy not only their lifelong friendship but their happily-ever-after…
Excerpt:
“You want the truth? You really want to know how I feel about you, what you do to me?” His frustrated tone mocked her as his hands slid down her back. He cupped her bottom and tugged hard, grinding his hips against hers. The hard length of his arousal pressed into her belly, showing her exactly how she affected him.
A soft gasp escaped her as her intentions blew up in her face. Every inch of her trembled as a lethal dose of intense, undeniable desire snaked through her, coiling low in her belly.
“I don’t know how to be any more honest than this.” He dipped his head and brushed his lips over hers, whispering against her mouth. “You drive me crazy. Every time you look at me, touch me. Do you have any idea how hard it was to lie in bed with you Friday night? To hold you so close I felt your heartbeat but not be able to touch you like this?”
His hot mouth skimmed across her jawline, and he nipped at her earlobe. “I almost lost my mind tonight, seeing you dance, watching you watch me. You look at me like that, too, you know. Like you want me, and it makes me crazy. Then you had the nerve to wrap your arms around me. I appreciated it when you told me we’d always be friends. I was afraid I’d really screwed this up. But your breasts against my back and your hot breath on my neck are equal parts bliss and torment.”
Bio:
JM Strewart is the author of passionate, heartfelt contemporary romance. She’s a wife, a mother, a spiritualist, and lover of puppies, and happily addicted to coffee and chocolate. She lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest with her husband, two sons, and two very spoiled dogs. She’s a hopeless romantic who believes everybody should have their happily-ever-after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her obsession.
You can find out more about JM or her books here: Website /Blog /Twitter /Facebook
My old writing partner and very gifted author, JM Stewart, shared this poignant, heartfelt, and touching account of how she created her heroine in her latest book – Risking it All
The heroine of my latest release, Risking It All, and I have a lot in common. I originally began writing Kyle and Ceci’s story over ten years ago. In fact, the story was originally published in shorter form by a small press, under the title Staking His Claim. When I first started writing Cecelia’s story, I didn’t intend for her to get quiet so much of me. But, over the years and the many revisions this book has gone through, I started to realize that she and I were quiet a lot alike. She suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And so do I. I suffer from PTSD from some ugly things that happened to me as a child.
Ten years ago, back when Risking It All was a work-in-progress I called Crossing the Line, something in my life had triggered my PTSD. For six years, I became lost in my disorder. I call it flashback hell, because that’s what it was for me. Life became about trying to make it day to day. Sometimes hour to hour. For me, everything was a trigger. Something as simple as something my husband said to me when we were arguing could send me off to another time and place, and I’d find myself reacting. Took me a while to learn when I’d hit a trigger. There for a while, I was on three medications and seeing a psychiatrist and a therapist just to make it through the day.
Which is funny. Because growing up, and even long after I’d moved away from that place, I just thought that stuff was normal. I wouldn’t have told you my life was any different from anyone else’s. Which, on doing some research for another book coming up in March (Someone to Rely On will be releasing from Crimson Romance somewhere around March 2015), I learned is actually the norm for abused children.
And those are the small details I tried to include in Ceci’s story when I did the revisions for the book. So, a lot of what you’ll read in Ceci’s story comes from personal experience rather than research. Ceci’s nightmares, for example, are based on my own experiences with the same. Mine aren’t as realistic as hers. That little bit comes from what little research I actually did on her story.
Another place where Ceci gets bits and pieces from me are her flashbacks. For those scenes, I tried to put into words what it’s like for me when I experience one. Flashbacks aren’t always visceral. It’s not always like going back and reliving a certain time or place. Sometimes it’s a remembered emotion or sensation. And those are the things I tried to put onto the page for her.
For example, in the book, Ceci is going through her grandmother’s belongings when she comes across a necklace. There’s something familiar about the necklace that reminds her of her nightmares, something haunting about it she can’t put her finger on.
Ceci also feels a longing for the past she can’t remember. It pulls at her. So when she has her nightmares, she wakes with a sadness, a grief, she can’t explain. She only knows she feels as if she misses the people in her dreams. Or, in the beginning, when she comes to Kyle needing something as simple as not being alone for the night. To sleep in his bed while he’s at work. Sometimes, for me, it’s as simple as having something of my husband’s close, something with his smell on it. Which is the way it works for Ceci as well in that particular scene.
Her loss of memory is also mine. I have very little memory of the first 7-10 years of my life. I did recover a few memories, as does Ceci in the end, and recovering them happened a lot the way I described it for Ceci.
I don’t know about you, but when I read a book now, I find myself wondering where the line is/was for the author. How much was research and how much of themselves did the author put into their book? What about you? Do you like knowing how much of the author went into a book?
Buy link (the page contains all the links to all major retail sites): Penguin
She’s everything he wants…
For years, Kyle Morgan has hidden his true feelings from the gorgeous girl next door that he grew up loving and protecting. But when she shows up at his apartment in the middle of the night, desperately needing comfort and support, his iron will begins to waver…
…and the only thing he can’t bear to lose.
Kyle was always the big brother Cecelia Anton never had, but suddenly her goofy best friend has become a sexy man she can’t keep her thoughts—or hands—off of. As their deep connection melts into uncontrollable desire, Ceci is willing to put it all on the line for a shot at true love. Only Kyle is keeping a terrible secret about Ceci’s past that could destroy not only their lifelong friendship but their happily-ever-after…
Excerpt:
“You want the truth? You really want to know how I feel about you, what you do to me?” His frustrated tone mocked her as his hands slid down her back. He cupped her bottom and tugged hard, grinding his hips against hers. The hard length of his arousal pressed into her belly, showing her exactly how she affected him.
A soft gasp escaped her as her intentions blew up in her face. Every inch of her trembled as a lethal dose of intense, undeniable desire snaked through her, coiling low in her belly.
“I don’t know how to be any more honest than this.” He dipped his head and brushed his lips over hers, whispering against her mouth. “You drive me crazy. Every time you look at me, touch me. Do you have any idea how hard it was to lie in bed with you Friday night? To hold you so close I felt your heartbeat but not be able to touch you like this?”
His hot mouth skimmed across her jawline, and he nipped at her earlobe. “I almost lost my mind tonight, seeing you dance, watching you watch me. You look at me like that, too, you know. Like you want me, and it makes me crazy. Then you had the nerve to wrap your arms around me. I appreciated it when you told me we’d always be friends. I was afraid I’d really screwed this up. But your breasts against my back and your hot breath on my neck are equal parts bliss and torment.”
Bio:
JM Strewart is the author of passionate, heartfelt contemporary romance. She’s a wife, a mother, a spiritualist, and lover of puppies, and happily addicted to coffee and chocolate. She lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest with her husband, two sons, and two very spoiled dogs. She’s a hopeless romantic who believes everybody should have their happily-ever-after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her obsession.
You can find out more about JM or her books here: Website /Blog /Twitter /Facebook
September 17, 2014
Book Blast - Heart Shifter by Charlotte Copper
Available at
Amazon
TWRP Mitch Mingan has chosen to remain a bachelor; he doesn’t want anyone else to suffer his destiny. But when his cousin Ken dies leaving behind twin boys, it is up to Mitch to ensure his nephews are ready for what lies ahead. Inviting Ken’s widow Sarah and the boys up for the summer seems like a perfect start.
For Sarah, a summer up north is the perfect opportunity for her sons to get to know their father’s family. It’s also a chance for Sarah to learn the truth behind why her husband left his childhood home at such an early age. What she doesn’t count on is falling for their handsome host. She also doesn’t count on finding out the family legacy: Mingan means wolf!
Excerpt
Sarah stood to leave. “Mitch, can I ask you a personal question?”
“Shoot,” he replied.
“Have you ever been married?”
“No. I’m what you would call a lone wolf, I guess.”
She shivered as a breeze blew off the bay, across her wet, naked back. “May I ask why?”
He appeared thoughtful as he sipped the cabernet. “My life is too…complicated. A woman would have to put up with a lot around me. I don’t think it would be fair and I’m not sure I’m worth it.”
Nothing since she arrived at the camp caused her to think negatively of Mitch. She could not begin to guess what drove the wedge between the two cousins. The man who invited her up here, played with her sons, cooked a great steak, and was very easy on the eyes, appeared to have a lot to offer. Any woman would be lucky to find such a man to spend her life with. Even one night.
Forbidden territory, Sarah. But she couldn’t help herself. Quickly she got out of the hot tub. She wrapped a towel around her torso and picked her wine glass off the deck.
She opened the door and then stopped, turning around.
“You know, Mitch, I don’t think you give yourself enough credit,” she said before she continued into the cottage.
Author info:Charlotte Copper lives in Stouffville, Ontario - that is in Canada, eh - with her husband, daughter, and two part-time step-daughters. When she isn't working at her full-time job or driving her daughter around for volleyball, Charlotte likes to craft, read, go to the movies, and, of course, write. Charlotte admittedly tries to juggle far too many balls at once while working on a series of (mostly paranormal) romance stories. Charlotte hopes to have all of the stories published some day because, as a romance writer, she believes in happy endings! You can visit her website at http://charlottecopperauthor.com or contact her at charlottecopper.author@gmail.com
Contact Info:
Email: charlottecopper.author@gmail.com
Website: http://charlottecopperauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlotte.co...
Twitter: @CharlotteCopper
You can also check out Charlotter on Pinterest. Follow Charlotte Copper's board Releasing 09/17/14 - Heart Shifter on Pinterest.
September 13, 2014
The Aftermath of the Black Death
I would like to thank the two historians at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum for this post. They made it clear to me that daily life of the medieval peasant improved significantly after the Black Death.
Before the plague, in 1348, England was vastly overpopulated which suited the landlords perfectly. They had an abundant source of cheap labour to work their fields for little or no pay. Each peasant was obligated to work his master’s land for at least three days a week. Then he still had to cultivate his own meagre portion of land hoping to grow enough to feed his family.
It’s known that there was a climate change at the beginning of the fourteenth century which resulted in colder winters and wetter summers. Between 1315 and 1322 crops failed and people starved. And yet the nobility who owned the land still demanded their taxes and labour. By and large, generosity towards the peasant class seems to have been non-existent.
So how did the Black Death of 1348 change all this? It will come as no surprise that the plague hit the peasant class the hardest. They were, after all, the poorest, most malnourished members of society. It’s estimated that approximately 50% of the population died, most of them from the peasant class. In some areas the death toll was even higher.
The Black Death. Image dated 1411
Medieval Parliament c.1327 In fact, it killed so many people that there was hardly anyone left to work the land. For the first time those on the lowest rungs of society had a bargaining chip. Instead of working for their lord they could go and work for another landowner and demand a better wage. The nobility fought back. In 1351 they past an act of parliament that stated;
“It was lately ordained by our lord king, with the assent of the prelates, nobles and others of his council against the malice of employees, who were idle and were not willing to take employment after the pestilence unless for outrageous wages, that such employees, both men and women, should be obliged to take employment for the salary and wages accustomed to be paid in the place where they were working in the 20th year of the king's reign [1346], or five or six years earlier; and that if the same employees refused to accept employment in such a manner they should be punished by imprisonment, as is more clearly contained in the said ordinance.”
The Peasants Revolt 1381 It failed. Wages rose and with it the standard of living for the common man. Because so many of its educated clerks had died Parliament was forced to pass a statute, in 1362, stating that all pleas should be heard in English. This is the moment when English replaced French as the official language of England. I imagine it also made the legal process more accessible to the ordinary man.
Before the plague English society was divided into three main groups; the nobility, the church and the peasants. After the Black Death with the increase in commerce and wages there emerged a class of merchants and yeoman farmers; people who weren’t nobility, but who weren’t peasants either. These were the landed freemen; they were a class of society that hadn’t been seen in England before. They were, what I would call, the beginnings of a middle class.
Within a generation of the Black Death preachers like John Wycliffe and John Ball started to spread their message that all men were created equal.
John ball is quoted in the medieval document The Froissart Chronicles as saying;
“Ah, ye good people, the matter goes not well to pass in England, nor shall not do so till everything be common, and that we be all united together and that the lords be no greater masters than we. What have we deserved or why should we be thus kept in serfdom? We be all come from one father and one mother, Adam and Eve. How can they claim to prove that they be lords more than us, save by making us produce and grow the wealth that they do spend?”
Commoners listened and thanks to their new social freedoms, garnered after the Black Death, they seemed to have a new confidence when it came to demanding their rights. In 1381 The Peasants Revolt swept through England. The revolt itself was a reaction against over taxation caused by the Hundred Year’s War, but it was a revolt for commoners and led by commoners, the first of its kind in English history, and something that would’ve been unimaginable a hundred years earlier.
For me this idea that all men are created equal is the beginning of democracy in England. Not that democracy or the middle class were new ideas even in the medieval period. Greek philosopher Aristotle said,
“The most perfect political community must be amongst those who are in the middle rank.”
And scholars today believe that to maintain democracy you need a strong middle class. In England the middle class was born out of the suffering and devastation that was the Black Death.
To quote H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds
“By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth.”
We have paid for our democracy with millions of lives, not just those who have died for an ideal, but also those who suffered and died so that the ideal of equality could be formed.
Before the plague, in 1348, England was vastly overpopulated which suited the landlords perfectly. They had an abundant source of cheap labour to work their fields for little or no pay. Each peasant was obligated to work his master’s land for at least three days a week. Then he still had to cultivate his own meagre portion of land hoping to grow enough to feed his family.
It’s known that there was a climate change at the beginning of the fourteenth century which resulted in colder winters and wetter summers. Between 1315 and 1322 crops failed and people starved. And yet the nobility who owned the land still demanded their taxes and labour. By and large, generosity towards the peasant class seems to have been non-existent.
So how did the Black Death of 1348 change all this? It will come as no surprise that the plague hit the peasant class the hardest. They were, after all, the poorest, most malnourished members of society. It’s estimated that approximately 50% of the population died, most of them from the peasant class. In some areas the death toll was even higher.
The Black Death. Image dated 1411
Medieval Parliament c.1327 In fact, it killed so many people that there was hardly anyone left to work the land. For the first time those on the lowest rungs of society had a bargaining chip. Instead of working for their lord they could go and work for another landowner and demand a better wage. The nobility fought back. In 1351 they past an act of parliament that stated;“It was lately ordained by our lord king, with the assent of the prelates, nobles and others of his council against the malice of employees, who were idle and were not willing to take employment after the pestilence unless for outrageous wages, that such employees, both men and women, should be obliged to take employment for the salary and wages accustomed to be paid in the place where they were working in the 20th year of the king's reign [1346], or five or six years earlier; and that if the same employees refused to accept employment in such a manner they should be punished by imprisonment, as is more clearly contained in the said ordinance.”
The Peasants Revolt 1381 It failed. Wages rose and with it the standard of living for the common man. Because so many of its educated clerks had died Parliament was forced to pass a statute, in 1362, stating that all pleas should be heard in English. This is the moment when English replaced French as the official language of England. I imagine it also made the legal process more accessible to the ordinary man.Before the plague English society was divided into three main groups; the nobility, the church and the peasants. After the Black Death with the increase in commerce and wages there emerged a class of merchants and yeoman farmers; people who weren’t nobility, but who weren’t peasants either. These were the landed freemen; they were a class of society that hadn’t been seen in England before. They were, what I would call, the beginnings of a middle class.
Within a generation of the Black Death preachers like John Wycliffe and John Ball started to spread their message that all men were created equal.
John ball is quoted in the medieval document The Froissart Chronicles as saying;
“Ah, ye good people, the matter goes not well to pass in England, nor shall not do so till everything be common, and that we be all united together and that the lords be no greater masters than we. What have we deserved or why should we be thus kept in serfdom? We be all come from one father and one mother, Adam and Eve. How can they claim to prove that they be lords more than us, save by making us produce and grow the wealth that they do spend?”
Commoners listened and thanks to their new social freedoms, garnered after the Black Death, they seemed to have a new confidence when it came to demanding their rights. In 1381 The Peasants Revolt swept through England. The revolt itself was a reaction against over taxation caused by the Hundred Year’s War, but it was a revolt for commoners and led by commoners, the first of its kind in English history, and something that would’ve been unimaginable a hundred years earlier.
For me this idea that all men are created equal is the beginning of democracy in England. Not that democracy or the middle class were new ideas even in the medieval period. Greek philosopher Aristotle said,
“The most perfect political community must be amongst those who are in the middle rank.”
And scholars today believe that to maintain democracy you need a strong middle class. In England the middle class was born out of the suffering and devastation that was the Black Death.
To quote H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds
“By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth.”
We have paid for our democracy with millions of lives, not just those who have died for an ideal, but also those who suffered and died so that the ideal of equality could be formed.
