A Story is Born by Sherrie Hansen

Author Sherrie Hansen stopped by to share her latest 

BOOK BLAST!

Take it away, Sherrie!

The second I stepped out of the car and looked out over the tree-covered hills and valleys surrounding Loch Carran, Scotland, I knew I’d found the setting of my next book. It wasn’t just the beautiful view and the amazing pine trees, firs and wildflowers that lined the banks of the lake – it was the abandoned ferry station that led to nowhere, and the little strip of houses between the shoreline or Loch Carron and the steep hill behind. It was the soft, smooth, tartan wools woven with such intricate colors at the local woolen mill.

I’ve already started working on Golden Rod, the Wildflowers of Scotland novel that was born along that day in early June. It’s gotten me thinking – what is it about a place that reaches out and grabs a person’s attention and makes them want to spend a lifetime – or at least a book-life – there? I think the thing that first made me fall in love with St. Conan’s Kirk on Loch Awe, the setting of Wild Rose, my first Wildflowers of Scotland novel, was the fact that it was so over grown and tucked off the beaten path that we almost missed it. The quirky, eclectic architecture mirrored Rose Wilson’s personality perfectly; its lofty, stunning, reverent, holy feeling gave rise to Pastor Ian MacCraig.
The rainbow-colored waterfront reflected in the waters of Tobermory Bay, Isle of Mull,

Craigievar

was the first thing that drew me to the setting of Blue Belle, but it was the castles – Glengorm, Duart, and Torosay – that made me want to stay. A Spanish galleon that went down in the bay in 1588, fully loaded with gold, that’s supposedly never been recovered, cinched the deal.

There are a million reasons to love Eilean Donan Castle. The backdrop for Shy Violet was born of a lone bagpiper playing in front of the castle, a pirate boat docked offshore, and the absolutely delicious Castle Pâté I had for lunch on the day we visited.

Rabbit Hill Lodge, in my new release, Sweet William, is an actual inn (renamed to protect the innocent) we happened upon on the road from Loch Ness to Dorney. There was just something about the stone fence and the gate, and the pretty little tables all set for dinner that grabbed my attention. It didn’t take long before Lyndsie and William were in the kitchen, living out a real life episode of Chopped.

I thought maybe Sweet William was where my fascination with Scotland would end, but we returned to Scotland in June, and not unsurprisingly, toured two castles whose stories will become a part of my next book, Golden Rod. The first was Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire, whose Green Lady is said to haunt its halls to this day.  The second was Craigievar, a castle riddled with legends, including one that says the eldest son will never inherit.

Skye view

There’s also a farm in a valley, deep in the Isle of Skye, that beckons to me, and a seaside village, and a wee boothie surrounded by pastures dotted with sheep. One day, they may become a novel called Mountain Laurel, or Seaside Daisy, or who knows? Sometimes it’s a building, or a story, or even a name that captures my fancy. And a story is born.

Sherrie’s new release is Sweet William available HERE 

He’s a real sweetheart. She’s a wee bit tart. When Minnesota farm boy,
William McKnight, and sassy Scot, Lyndsie Morris, are forced to work
together in the kitchen of Rabbit Hill Lodge, the atmosphere is as charged
as an episode of Chopped. Will someone get cut, or will they find a recipe
that works? Things just start to get spicy when an angry bull butts his
way into the picture, and Lyndsie has to decide if she loves William more
than everyone and everything she holds dear.

Sherrie at Fyvie Castle

More About the Author
Twenty-five years ago, Sherrie Hansen rescued a dilapidated Victorian house from the bulldozer’s grips and turned it into a B&B and tea house, the Blue Belle Inn. Sherrie and her husband, Mark, who is a pastor, divide their time between two different houses, 85 miles apart. Sherrie writes murder mysteries and novels whenever she’s not working at her B&B or trying to be a good pastor’s wife. Her contemporary romantic suspense novels include Night and Day, Love Notes, and Thistle Down, Wild Rose,
Blue Belle, Shy Violet and Sweet William, her Wildflowers of Scotland novels.

You can see what Sherrie's up to at:
https://www.facebook.com/BlueBelleInn

http://sherriehansen.wordpress.com/

www.BlueBelleInn.com or www.BlueBelleBooks.com
https://twitter.com/SherrieHansen
https://www.pinterest.com/sherriebluebell/
http://www.amazon.com/Sherrie-Hansen/e/B007YXQJ4W/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

SPARK, a Book Where Dragons and Horses Mix

Front Cover

Horses have been an irrational hobby of mine since childhood. I have a black & white photo somewhere of me riding a pony when I was 4 or 5. I had the biggest smile on my face. I think I was riding around the ring, somewhere in New Hampshire, and I was in heaven. Over the years, I have ridden horses in and around my Long Island, NY neighborhood, thanks to a neighbor who allowed the local kids to muck out the stall and lead the horses through the woods. I twice attended horse camp in Connecticut, and even went on a trail ride with my new husband while honeymooning on Prince Edward’s Island in Canada. I have collected ©Breyer Horse Models ever since I started earning an allowance, and now I include horses as characters in my brand new series, Clan of Dragons.

My latest release is Spark, the first book of the series. Spark is a Scottish paranormal romance full of dragons, shifters, pirates, wolves, and Scottish villagers on the island of Skye. The timeframe is somewhere in the early fifteenth century, and revolves around three dragons who happen to be brothers. They

Back Cover with Horse...Click to enlarge

have a big problem…the lack of female dragons. One brother likes to shift into a white wolf to run through the forests, and another turns into a huge antlered red stag. The youngest has not tried to shift into anything. Seems he has plenty of fun flying over Skye’s Black Cuillin Hills as a purple dragon. However, to get close to a human female, to see if they might be compatible, he shifts into a horse and winds his way into her life. Sometimes a writer has to follow the advice that says “Write what you know,” but writing paranormal romance means I can take that much farther. 

Smoke, the second book in my Clan of Dragons is already available for pre-order and will be released October 7th. I go a little out of my comfort zone by making the middle dragon one who enjoys shifting into a white wolf. The third book in the series, Smolder, follows their heartbroken older brother, a red stag-shifting dragon, who lost his mate and unborn babe to a hunter's arrow. 

Spark Buy Links:   Amazon    Amazon Can   Amazon UK   Amazon Aus

Smoke Buy Links: Amazon    Amazon Can   Amazon UK   Amazon Aus

  

 

Just Wait For Me-a new book by author Dawn Marie Hamilton

I invited fellow author Dawn Marie Hamilton to stop by and share with my readers her latest book, Just Wait For Me, which she released on August 10, 2016.

 

The Book Blurb:

 

The third match in the Fae Queen's challenge is in play. Will fae magic change Stephen and Jillian's destiny?

In the chaotic aftermath of the battle of Flodden, an injured Highland warrior makes a vow to a twenty-first century lass cast back in time by a meddling, matchmaking faerie. Stephen MacEwen promises to find a way to send her forward to her own time. But is that an oath he'll want to keep after finding love in Jillian O'Donnell's arms? And after saving Stephen's life, will Jillian want to go?

No matter what the lover's decide, Stephen's wife--a woman who acquired the title through deceit--and an old enemy attempt to destroy the couple's chance for happiness. Only with the help of Fae allies can Stephen and Jillian overcome and earn their reward--everlasting love.

 

 

The Cave of the mysterious Gray Women was introduced in the first book of the Highland Gardens series and developed upon, with inspiration from Smoo Cave near the village of Durness in Scotland, in 'Just Wait For Me'. Here is an except at the Caves from Stephen's point-of-view shortly after Jillian traveled back in time to 1513 and wasn't yet aware of her exact whereabouts...

 

    Of a sudden, Jillian jerked her feet up onto the shelf where she sat. Wrapping arms tightly around her legs, she stared into the water with a frown.

    “What is wrong?” Stephen asked, sliding closer.

    “Something brushed over my feet. Are their snakes in the water?”

    Her horrified expression made him chuckle. “Nae. Just wee toothless fish.”

    “Oh. Like the garra rufa that nibble away dead skin from your feet when you get a fish pedicure at one of the fancy spas in Asheville.”

    “I dinnae ken about that, but the fish in this pool will not hurt you.”

    She dropped her feet deeper into the water and smiled. “Tickles.”

    “Aye. Does.” He sounded like the village idiot.

    “I’m lost. The children told me the Gray Women would help me find my way to a phone or to a town where I could call my brother, but they keep disappearing. Do you know where I can go to make a call?”

    “The women come and go. Mysteriously.”

    “Why are you here?”

    “To heal.”

    “What happened?”

    “Ach. ’Tis a long story.”

    “You’re Scottish. Right? You sound a lot like my business partner’s husband, Patrick MacLachlan. He’s originally from Scotland.” She shook her head, making her braid bob. “Of course, you wouldn’t know him. Sorry. I tend to ramble when I’m nervous.”

    “I dinnae wish to make you uncomfortable.” She kenned Patrick!

    She smiled, and Stephen had to rub an achy spot near his heart. He didn’t ken whether it was because she affected him so or because she kenned Patrick. He missed his cousin terribly.

    “So? About a phone?” she persisted.

    “Phone? Is that something of your future time?”

    Her eyes narrowed, brow furrowed. The look clearly stated she believed him simple in the head. He might strive to be underestimated by an opponent in battle, but he didn’t like the lass thinking poorly of him.

Buy Link:  AMAZON  

More about Dawn Marie Hamilton

 

Dawn Marie Hamilton dares you to dream. She is a 2013 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist who pens Scottish-inspired fantasy and paranormal romance. Some of her tales are rife with mischief-making faeries, brownies, and other fae creatures. More tormented souls—shape shifters, vampires, and maybe a zombie or two—stalk across the pages of other stories. When not writing, she’s cooking, gardening, or paddling the local creeks with her husband. Connect with her:

 

Blog     Twitter     Facebook    Goodreads    

Amazon     Google+     Pinterest 

Nancy Lee Badger Presents: Author Josie Riviera

Josie Riviera stopped by to share some interesting insights into her latest novel, Seeking Patience, which was released August 2nd. Take it away, Josie!

Exploring the fascinating culture of the Romany. (Gypsies)

“Gadje Gadjensa, Rom Romensa.”

This is a Romany (Gypsy) saying that means “Gadje with Gadje, Rom with Rom.”

So what is a gadje? A gadje in the Romany language means “not one of us.” Many Rom prefer to not allow outsiders (us) into their lives. It’s no coincidence that in my hours, days, and months of researching the Romany for Seeking Patience, little information was available. Odd, because the Rom have lived in many places throughout the world for centuries. They’re a widely-traveled people. Yet there is little written history regarding their origins, although recent evidence points to an emigration from India 1500 years ago.

I believe the reason there is little information available is because the Rom simply prefer it that way. They are a proud people who keep to themselves. And they are nomads, forever on the move, traveling by horse and wagon in caravans. 

It is no secret that the Rom have suffered persecution, prejudice, exclusion, and discrimination for centuries. The “Gypsy” stereotype includes a criminal, fortune-teller, blacksmith, thief, and musician, a dark-complexioned, shadowy figure. But why do so many of us harbor this unfair prejudice? Perhaps because of the Rom’s nomadic existence, lack of a solid religious belief, and exotic clothes and lifestyle. Their dialect is distinct and related to Sanskrit. Their tradition is oral, for they didn’t have the luxury of building libraries.

One belief shared by all Rom is cleanliness. Mahrime means unclean or polluted. To avoid mahrime, clothes covering the top half of their body are washed separately from clothes on the bottom. Certain parts of the female body are considered unclean, and doctors are sometimes avoided because they deal with illness. And, a Rom can become polluted by being too close to a gadje.

Blurb for SEEKING PATIENCE:

Do people prove their worth by strength, or by character?

Half-Romany, half-English lord, he lives a perilous Gypsy life … until a sweet English rose saves his life, and perhaps his soul. Widowed by a cruel husband, she's given up all hope of love. Brought together in peril, they dare to reach for a brighter future together.

Luca Boldor, Romany leader, lives a nomad’s life in Regency England with his Gypsy caravan. Believing his noble father abandoned him at birth, he refuses to acknowledge his English blood, or live a settled life. But when a vicious attack by a rival leaves him bleeding on an English lady's doorstep, he has no choice but to accept her help. Her gentle faith stirs his heart in a way he has long denied.

Lady Patience Blakwell, widowed countess, lives in near poverty. Her husband's heir uses threats to keep her from demanding her rightful inheritance. With a few faithful servants, she exists quietly in the country, only her faith keeping her strong … until the day a bold, handsome Gypsy collapses in her hall. He's unlike any man she's ever known, and she'll confront any subterfuge to keep him safe.

But when a secret from Lady Patience's past emerges, Luca must face his own past, or lose her and all hope of love. Will this strong man humble himself to open his heart for his lady?

Travel back to Regency England for this sweet, inspirational romance—get your copy of Seeking Patience today!

Here are the buy links for 

SEEKING PATIENCE:

Amazon     Itunes/Apple

Nook      Kobo

Josie Riviera on a camel

More About the Author

Best-selling author Josie Riviera writes Historical, Inspirational, and Sweet Romances. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband.They share their empty nest with an adorable Shih Tzu who constantly needs grooming and an old house forever needing renovations.

Sign up for her blog and subscribe to her newsletter on her website to receive a FREE EBOOK: josieriviera.wordpress.com and “Like” her Author Facebook Page 

Also Connect with her here:

Facebook     Twitter     Instagram    Pinterest

Blog Tour and Giveaway has BEGUN!

I am a guest on the blog 

'The Creatively Green Writer at Home Mom' 

as I kick off my Bewitching Blog Tour 

promoting my latest release

SPARK, Clan of Dragons Book #1

Please stop by to read up on my article MEN IN KILTS and enter my Scottish Blanket & goodies Giveaway! Find it all right HERE

*I will be appearing on several blogs over the next two weeks, all with a chance to win a great prize package

And the Winner is...

A 'Stew Pot', ButterSCOTCH candy,

Purple Jelly Beans, and a Celtic Bookmark

*Continental USA only. Other will win Nancy's backlist ebooks 

You may enter using one or all of these methods 
(You NEVER have to do them all!)

Amazon         AmazonCanada    

AmazonUK     AmazonAUS     

And add me to your Goodreads Bookshelf    

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SPARK Clan of Dragons Book#1 is Out!

August 4th is a spiritually powerful day for anything 'purple' which is why I choose it as the day to release the 1st book in my new series, Clan of Dragons. 

To celebrate all month, I will have various GIVEAWAYS going on and the first is below. 

I will post Scottish words on my Facebook Author Page HERE all Day August 4th, asking that you repeat it in a comment. While there, will you please 'LIKE' my page?

Another comment I am looking for is the answer to "Where in the book might you find this black dragon icon?"

i will post more questions, but you can also have a chance to win by signing-up for my newsletter or tweeting about the giveaway. Easy Peasy! 

Want to win a Great Prize? Enter before midnight EST August 7th and you could win my Scottish Goodies.
No purchase necessary, but I would love you to purchase my new ebook.

Buy Links:

Amazon         AmazonCanada    

AmazonUK     AmazonAUS     

And add me to your Goodreads Bookshelf    

A 'Stew Pot', ButterSCOTCH candy,

Purple Jelly Beans, and a Celtic Bookmark

*Continental USA only. Other will win Nancy's backlist ebooks 

You may enter using one or all of these methods 
(You NEVER have to do them all!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway