BOOK QUOTE WEDNESDAY #bookqw

Hello my lovelies. Today I'm participating in #bookqw. The idea is that a word is given for each week of the month and authors post a quote from one of their books, containing that word, on a Wednesday. This week's word is 'NIGHT' and this is a snippet from my forthcoming sweet paranormal romance, the matchmaker's mare, which will be released on 5th May. (Cover coming soon, watch this space!) 

Her father’s harsh words rang in her head and a shiver ran through her, which had nothing to do with the chill NIGHT air. “It is all arranged. You will marry Gwynfor Pryce. We have already agreed on the marriage settlement and the wedding will take place a week today. There will be no more argument.”

Be sure to check out the other quotes, there are some great ones out there in many different genres.

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THE MATCHMAKER'S MARE - A snippet release date: 5th May 2025

I'm getting very excited about the forthcoming publication of my paranormal equestrian romance,

THE MATCHMAKER'S MARE on 5th May 2025 and I'm participating in #bookqw, so thought I'd share my posts here. The idea is that a word is given for each week of the month and authors post a quote from one of their books, containing that word, on a Wednesday. Last week's word is 'JUMP' and this is a snippet from my forthcoming sweet paranormal romance, which will be released on 5th May. (Cover coming on 19th March!) This is actually a longer snippet than the one I posted on Wednesday, I hope you enjoy it.

Megan inherits a little cottage in Wales. One evening, after she finishes work, she thinks she sees a shadowy figure in the window. 

She tried to stop her hand trembling as she turned the key in the lock. She cautiously pushed open the door, wondering what she could use as a weapon if she disturbed an intruder.She swallowed hard, her heart thudding and a slight feeling of panic rose and tightened like an elastic band around her chest. She switched on the light and gazed across the hall to the dining room. The door into the room remained closed, as she had left it. She could see no sign of anything being disturbed. She knew she hadn’t left any windows open and had locked both the front and back doors securely. Logic told her no-one could have broken in without there being some sign of damage, and everything looked fine. 

Ty Gwyn and the nearby village lay in a peaceful, rural area. She’d never seen anyone wandering around at night, nor felt uneasy about living there alone. The cottage being located out in the sticks as most people would call it, had never been a concern for her. In fact, she welcomed the peace and tranquillity after the hustle and bustle of the city. So why was she now JUMPing at shadows?

Cover Reveal - 19th March 2025

Welsh Myths: The dragon of Penmynydd:

 Hello my lovelies

As always, I hope you're staying well and keeping warm in this chilly UK weather! I have a dragon legend for you this week. (Of course as you probably know, the dragon is Wales' emblem and is featured on the Welsh flag.) Many dragons in fiction are noble, friendly creatures, not so much the one in this tale - here is the tale of the dragon of Penmynydd:

 

Not far from the manor farm of Penhesgyn, near Penmynydd on the island of Anglesey,  a dragon dwelt on the banks of the river Braint. A soothsayer in the area foretold that the heir to the manor would be killed by the dragon. Hoping to keep him safe,the lord of the manor sent the boy away to England. For several years the young man stayed far away from Wales in the safety of England.  Eventually a brave local lad slew the dragon by putting a polished cauldron in the bottom of a pit.

Seeing its own reflection. and believing it to be a rival, the dragon fought the reflection it until it was exhausted, whereupon the youth killed the dragon and, amid much rejoicing, the locals buried its body.

Elated by his new freedom to return to his homeland, the heir came back to the manor,  but insisted on seeing the body of the dragon. As soon as the carcass was exhumed, he kicked the head of the dragon which had caused his exile, but one of the dragon's poisonous fangs penetrated his boot and went into his foot, killing him instantly. Thus the prophecy was fulfilled.

 

(Serve him right - he should have been a lot more careful and not tried to take his revenge on the poor, dead creature!) 😉

 

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A snippet from The Matchmaker's Mare - coming 5th May

I'm participating in #bookqw. The idea is that a word is given for each week of the month and authors post a quote from one of their books, containing that word, on a Wednesday. This week's word is 'YOUNG' and this is a snippet from my forthcoming sweet paranormal romance, which will be released on 5th May. (Cover coming soon, watch this space!) 

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share!
I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

The Welsh Atlantis

Hello dear readers! It's been a while since I've posted here - I have been really busy and will have exciting news soon. 

In the meantime  I would like to repeat another Welsh legend for you today - I posted this story a while ago so please bear with me if you've read it before. Did you know that Wales has its own Atlantis?

The town of Aberystwyth, where I grew up, and lived most of my life, overlooks the beautiful Cardigan Bay, where dolphins and porpoises play with canoeists and surfers.

 According to legend, there was once a prosperous, low lying kingdom, known as Cantre'r Gwaelod, which stretched along the coast where now the waves lap against the sandy shores.The kingdom was a community of merchants and princes and comprised sixteen thriving cities.

In order to protect the kingdom from the sea, a number of steep embankments were built, with gates, or sluices which were only opened if water was needed to irrigate the fields, and kept closed at high tide.

The Prince Gwyddno Garanhir ruled over the land, and he  delegated the working of the sluices to the control of a man called Seithennin,  described as a notorious drunkard. (Probably not the best choice for the job, one thinks.) One night he became so inebriated he forgot to close the sluice gates and the sea poured through, drowning the kingdom which vanished forever beneath the waves of Cardigan Bay.  At times of danger it is said the bells ring out from the ocean's depths. A famous folk song 'The Bells Of Aberdovey' supposedly refers to the legend. 

About seven miles along the coast from Aberystwyth, between the town and Aberdovey, lie the old fishing villages of Borth and Ynyslas, Every winter, after storms have scoured away the surface of the sand, at low tide large areas of peat appear, littered with tree stumps and fallen tree trunks. Radiocarbon dating suggests these trees died about 1500 BC. The remains of the ancient forest were especially evidenta few years ago, when fierce storms swept along the coast, causing much damage and uncovering fresh areas of peat. And in 1770, Welsh antiquarian scholar William Owen Pughe reported seeing sunken human habitations about four miles off the Cardiganshire coast, between the rivers Ystwyth and Teifi.

So perhaps the idea of a submerged kingdom may be more than just a legend, after all.


I  hope you've enjoyed hearing about today's legend.  Do you know any other legends which bear a similarity to 'Atlantis'?

Afua - review and spotlight

Afua is a promising acolyte of the Shanta Order, on the densely forested planet of Nuafri.

She volunteers to educate orphans – her lively ophanti – every ninth day. When one of her wards goes

missing in a dangerous area full of sinkholes and deadly fauna, Afua knows the authorities won’t do anything about a single lost child.

Luckily for the orphan, Afua will.

She is armed only with her knowledge of wildlife, and implanted augmentations that can sometimes deter attacks. But she is not alone. The sentient, insect-like Dooga she has bonded with, named Akalie, will follow her anywhere, despite being heavily pregnant.

An unforgettable Amazofuturist adventure about compassion, courage, and finding your way in life.

Purchase Links

https://books2read.com/b/Afua

https://www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/collections/vendors?q=Organic%20Apocalypse

About Karl Drinkwater

Karl Drinkwater writes dystopian space opera, dark suspense and diverse social fiction. If you want compelling stories and characters worth caring about, then you’re in the right place.Karl lives in Scotland and owns two

kilts. He has degrees in librarianship, literature and classics, but also studied astronomy and philosophy. Dolly the cat helps him finish books by sleeping on his lap so he can’t leave the desk. When he isn’t writing he loves music, nature, games and vegan cake.

Social Media Links –

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Karl is on Bluesky 

https://bsky.app/profile/karldrinkwater.bsky.socialWebsite / 

About Christoffer Petersen

Christoffer Petersen lives in a small forest in Jutland, in southern Denmark. He hasn’t always been Danish; in fact, he borrowed his pseudonym surname from his Danish wife, Jane. Chris writes all kinds of stories in different genres, but is best known for his crime books and thrillers set in Greenland.

While living in Greenland, Chris studied for a Master of Arts in Professional Writing from Falmouth University. Chris graduated with a distinction in 2015. He has been writing full-time since January 2018.

Website / Newsletter

MY REVIEW

A highly original and sometimes moving short novella, set on a unique, jungle planet. Afua is a compassionate and courageous young acolyte who really cares for the orphans she teaches every ninth day. She does not hesitate to go in search of one of them when  he goes missing. Her little companion, Dooga, s not only extremely loyal but just as courageous, if not even more so. as Afua herself.

Some of the scientific inventions in this fascinating futuristic adventure story are not only amazing but seem quite feasible; the informed, logical way they are described enabling one to accept them without question. I thoroughly enjoyed this short read, which has some very poignant moments, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an unusual science fiction adventure with memorable characters. (5 stars)

For insider news and subscriber-only info, sscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me occasionally,  - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share!

I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join