Write What You Know by Mona Karel

 I'm so happy to welcome debut author Mona Karel to my Blog today.  Especially since we not only share a love of writing romance, but also alove of horse riding!

Mona is the author of a soon to be released romance 'My Killer My Love. What a fascinating title, and isn't that cover gorgeous!

Good morning Mona, I think you have a great article for us today! Over to you:


WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW
How many times have we heard this? Write what you know, write from your experiences, and you’ll be able to write with comfort and knowledge.
Yeah, right.

I did write one story from my experiences when I worked in horses. What I actually wrote was loosely based on my dreams of becoming a truly great rider instead of just an above average rider. At one time I probably rode better than 90% of the population. Unfortunately I competed against that other 10%. The story included a dash of Tanya Harding’s debacle along with a fictional ranch in northern New Mexico that was a sort of half way point for retired mercenaries.

What did I know about retired mercenaries? Well, not much except I dated someone briefly who told me he was a mercenary. Personally he was probably a low level assistant to a drug dealer, but he did have a great line of BS. For a while there I thought he would be my one true love, until he disappeared, and I got a call from the girl he’d been staying with while he was in town. I might write this story some day, most likely he’ll show up in a book as a ne’er do well my heroine bumps into, and she thanks him for helping to fine tune her BS meter.

For that matter, what do Urban Fantasy writers know about vampires and werewolves. No matter how hard they might try to convince me, I can’t quite believe Jim Butcher is relating tales of a lost weekend, or even family legend. And even he can’t quite make me believe there is an entire world below Chicago. If we dig below the warlocks and vampires and the White Council, we find stories of solving problems, helping people, and the attempt to do the right thing, no matter how difficult. All of this seeds for the fertile imagination of a writer.

The seeds for "My Killer My Love" came to me while I fought the never ending war against slugs in my Southern California garden. Not having the time for beer baths or copper guards, I reached for the bottle of guaranteed to rid your garden of slimy pests. I knew it was poison, I knew it wasn’t a great long term solution, and maybe that was why I heard a voice in my head asking me if I really wanted to do what I was about to do.

That thought grew into an old stone cottage secluded in an ancient forest. Along came an immortal enforcer, sworn to protect the sacred places of the universe and the woman he has been sent to punish. The woman is reluctant to use the harsh chemicals but pests have taken over the garden since her grandmother died while the woman was badly injured. Thus the story of Mykhael and Kendra. Not only is Kendra heir to the old cottage, she has also inherited the skills and powers of a few special females in her family line. She needs to learn how to use those skills quickly, to help Mykhael protect the forest and discover the true threat.

Where did Mykhael come from? Do I actually know a man with long curling auburn hair and piercing green eyes? Kind of. I "met" Mykhael at a dog show - he showed up in cargo pants, a torn t-shirt and a southern accent that had half the people there swooning. Yes, his hair did cascade down his back in a riot of dark curls, and his upper lip was somewhat bow shaped. He was also one of the nicest and most intelligent person I’ve ever met, and a little uncomfortable with the attention he received. So I’ve never told him he had a second life in the pages of a book.

 Thank you so much, Mona. As a futuristic/fanasy author I certainly agree that if one only wrote what one 'knew' it would be very limiting!

I love how your story grew out of drastic measures to kill slugs - and how the hero of your book evolved and the person who inspired him!

 

Find out more about Mona Kare at her BLOG
and look for the release of 'My Killer My Love' from http://blackopalbooks.com/wordpress/index.php/about/ in May.

 

How Myth Can Drive Romance - by Nell Walton, Author of 'The Bone Trail'

Yesterday I reviewed Nell Walton's moving story 'The Bone Trail'.  Today she reveals how an ancient Native American myth inspired her to write the book..

How Myth Can Drive Romance

One of the core plot elements of my book, The Bone Trail, is based on the Native American (Choctaw) myth of the Wind Horse (http://www.indianlegend.com/choctaw/choctaw_002.htm).  What I love the most about this story is the underlying elements of unconditional love and the healing it can bring.

It is the magical and mysterious Wind Horse, weaving in and out of the story that brings the two of them together and helps them to find healing through love.

 My two main characters in The Bone Trail, Kate Wyndham and Jim Ludlow are both, in their own way, as damaged as the lame boy in the Choctaw story.  Ludlow (a Shoshone Indian horse ‘whisperer’) is a recovering alcoholic, and has also had to come back from a failed marriage and a disastrous career as a lobbyist in Washington.  Kate survived abandonment by her father, and an extremely abusive childhood, and is basically asleep in her life as far as her ability to have a healthy, nurturing relationship with a man. 

The Wind Horse in my mind is a healer not only of people, but also a sentinel and protector of the Earth.  He comes at a time that a mining company has committed what I consider to be “crimes against the Earth” and is instrumental in helping Kate and Ludlow solve the mystery that is the core of the story.

This book is actually based on real events that are occurring in our world today.  I hope it will not only entertain, but also raise awareness of the damage that is being done by extractive industries throughout the world, as well as how we are losing our wild horses in America.

Nell Walton is an avid horsewoman and also owns two wild horses, both of which came from a herd near Elko, NV.  She is also the founder and managing editor of the online equestrian news magazine, The AllHorses Post (www.allpetspost.org/allhorsespost ).  She has degrees in journalism and biology from the University of Arkansas, spent many years as a professional journalist and worked as an intern for former President Bill Clinton when he was governor of Arkansas.  She lives in East Tennessee on a small horse farm with her husband, four horses, one donkey, two cats and two dogs.  The Bone Trail is her first novel.

Find Nell at:

http://www.allpetspost.org/allhorsespost/

www.allpetspost.org/TheBoneTrail

Twitter: nellwal

Facebook:  All Horses Post

The Bone Trail on Facebook

Thank you so much, Nell.  I really loved reading your book - and thank you for sharing this legend and for drawing attention to the persecution of the beautiful American mustangs.

Artist:  Emilie Touraine

‘As long as the wind blows and the prairies grow, 

love will have the power to move the earth' 

(c)Leanin' tree cards

The Bone Trail by Nell Walton

The opening sentence of Nell Walton's book 'The Bone Trail' is one of the most intriguing hooks I've read for a while: It begins  'On the afternoon of the last day of Lindy Abraham’s life…'

 Lindy Abraham and Julia Evans, advocates for wild horse preservation, and investigators for the Wild Horse Squad,  set out to discover what is really going on behind an unscheduled, clandestine roundup and road block set up by the Bureau of Land Management. What they discover shocks and horrifies them - dying and dead horses, seemingly poisoned. Before they can report their findings, however, the two women mysteriously disappear.

Kate Wyndham, ex eventer, still grieving over the loss of her horse, Manny, is assigned to investigate the women's disappearance and soon  finds herself immersed  in a tangled web of lies, deceit, greed and a massive cover-up by corrupt BLM operatives and the all-powerful St. Martjin Mining Company.

Together, she and Jim Ludlow, a handsome and charismatic Shoshone, with a gift for helping traumatized horses, set out to uncover the truth of what happened to the two missing women, and the plight of the mustangs.  Along the way they find themselves growing more and more attracted to each other, as they learn to heal each other's pain.

My Review

This story, inspired by actual events that occurred in northern Navada, works on several levels. It is a mystery, a thriller, and a romance, with strong supernatural elements..  First and foremost though, it highlights the threat to the survival of the North American mustang and the  parallel between their plight and that which the Native American Indian has also had to endure in the past, and still does to a certain degree.

I have to be honest and say that there is are some profanity in the book which I felt was not  necessary, and not really in character, but this did not prevent me from wanting to continue reading. The two lead characters are strong and likeable, but both Kate and Jim hide wounds, Jim is a recovering alcoholic, after a failed marriage; Kate bears the scars of a childhood spent knowing she was unwanted and that her mother resented her, followed by the death of her stepfather whom she adored, and the loss of her beloved horse. Thrown together by their joint concern for the mustangs, they face life threatening danger as they delve deeper and deeper into what they suspect is a massive cover-up.

The hero, Jim Ludlow is every woman's ideal man, despite his past  slide into alcoholism. As well as sizzling good looks, he has charm and courage and is the perfect partner for Kate, who refuses to be bullied by officialdom and whose courage and determination match his own. The dramatic and exciting events are relieved by the occasional touch of humour and the mystery is heightened by the appearance of a  'phantom' horse at key points in the story.

The thrilling climax will have you on the edge of your seat, but the battle is still not over and events culminate in a  beautifully described scene which is both eerie and poignant.

As a UK author and reader, I have long admired the Native American Indians and their respect and reverence for their environment and the animals that share it with them. I think Nell brings this across in her book very well in her descriptions of Jim and his close-knit and supportive Native family.

An ardent horse lover myself, I found parts of the book hard to read, but to skip these pages one would  be guilty of metaphorically 'burying one's head in the sand'. It is a sad fact that these beautiful and iconic horses are being rounded up and sold for horsemeat for no other reason than that they are 'in the way'. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read 'The Bone Trail' and sincerely hope Nell Walton's book will help heighten awareness and strengthen the fight to prevent the destruction and possible extinction of America's feral horses.

The Bone Trail is available online at Amazon.com
and at Smashwords

I hope you'll come back tomorrow when Nell will be talking about how an ancient Indian legend inspired her to write this story.

I received a complimentary copy of The Bone Trail by Nell Walton from Pump Up Your Book Promotions as part of the tour. No payment was offered or accepted for the review which is the honest and unbiased opinion of the author of this blog.

Feeding the Imagination - Traci Bell

 
I'm delighted to welcome Traci Bell to my Blog today.  Traci's Fantasy Romance 'Entangled' was released on 1st April.  We'll have an excerpt later, but first, draw up a chair, make yourself at home, take a sip of mead and a chunk of chocolate and enjoy what Traci has to say about 'Feeding The Imagination.'
Over to you Traci

In high school, I attended a banquet where my fellow classmates awarded me with a gag award.  The award was a picture of the moon.  They gifted me with this prestigious award because my mind was always in space.

Fast forward *!$#%@ years and not much has changed. (Pardon the characters, my mind refuses to acknowledge the passage of so much time.)

Being a writer, I’m often asked where I get ideas for my stories.  My answer - EVERYTHING gives me ideas.
For example, I read an article several years ago that described how in the weird world of quantum physics, two linked particles can share a single fate, even when they’re miles apart.  Being a romance author, my mind ran with the idea of two lovers being linked, sharing a fate, and feeling a connection, even when they’re miles apart.  The end result is my fantasy romance, Entangled.

I have a friend who loves Ghost Hunters.  LOVES IT.  She talks about it at work.  Subsequently, my current WIP has a ghost searching for redemption.

I took my kids to school the other morning, and I watched a mother walk with her daughter across the school yard.  What if I wrote about a single mother who walks her daughter to school every day?  What catalyst might happen to make the mother miss such an important part of her daily routine?

Sometimes I observe the driver in the car next to me at stoplights.  On the way home yesterday, I saw a man talking heatedly into his cell phone.  I wondered what he was discussing.  Maybe an argument with a spouse?  A business deal about to fall through?  A defiant teen son or daughter on the other end of the line?

For years, I thought my imagination was just a guilty pleasure, a place my procrastinating mind ran to when I had to do a particularly undesirable task, or where I would escape the everyday.  Now I know differently – my imagination feeds my passion.  Here is one of my favourite quotes:

“Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.” ~ Lauren Bacall
So tell me - what feeds your imagination?

Bio:

Traci lives near Dallas with her husband, children, and clumsy but lovable 75 lb. boxer named Rowdy. She enjoys reading and writing fantastical or paranormal stories with a twist, where supernatural elements serve as metaphors for the actual struggles people face every day. An avid romance reader, she believes happily-ever-afters do happen in real life, if one is willing to work for it. You can learn more about Traci on her website http://www.tracibell.net

Her fantasy romance, Entangled, is published through Crescent Moon Press and is available in print and e-book versions through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Blurb:

When divorced teacher Cassie Miller dreamt about meeting her soul mate, her happily-ever-after didn't include threats of abduction to a parallel world to help him save his people from imminent destruction.

Alexos de Werner, exiled prince of a land now under Republican rule, is searching for the woman that can help stop the disasters devastating his home province of Ennis, in his world of Caedmon.  Alex will do anything to save his people, even if they don't want his help.

Unnerved by the connection she feels with Alex and the new abilities awakening inside her, Cassie refuses Alex's request for help as ludicrous.  A demonstration of his otherworldly abilities convinces Cassie her only choice is to help him.

Once on Caedmon, Cassie must learn to trust Alex and accept her gift before Ennis is lost.  Can she open her heart and mind and become the student instead of the teacher?

Excerpt:

Cassie returned to her classroom and made her way to her desk, pushing chairs back under desks and putting away supplies as she crossed the room. She sat at her computer and decided there was enough time to work on next week’s lesson plan before she had to pick up her friend, Grace, from the cancer center at four-thirty.

The computer screen blurred, and Cassie rubbed her eyes.

When she opened them, a gray mist filled her vision, just like it had in her dreams the night before.

Not this again.

Unable to stop herself, Cassie ran through the mist, now a dense, billowing fog, just like she’d done before. The moisture clawed at her, stinging her skin. She sensed another presence, but the faster she ran, the more the darkness squeezed her, making it harder for her to breathe…

Cassie blinked, startled.

The classroom. Her computer. All was as it should be. 

She ran her hands over her face. The urgency with which she ran, even though only in her mind, made her pulse race like a metronome gone haywire. She swallowed. Glanced at the clock. Four-ten.

She’d lost almost forty-five minutes that time.

The trances were getting worse.

Papers she needed to grade in one hand, purse and bag in the other, she ran from the classroom and bolted out the side entrance to the elementary school, attempting to stuff the papers into her bag as she did so. She missed, and papers scattered across the sidewalk.

She bent to gather them up. The sudden stop and drop caused her vision to black out. Blood rushed to her head, a squalling white noise in her ears.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, afraid she might pass out.

“Are you all right?” a rich, masculine voice with a strange accent asked her.

Everything inside of Cassie came to attention at the sound of the voice, all of the strange sensations inside of her hit a crescendo and just… stopped. The compression in her chest eased, replaced by a sudden sort of knowing.

She opened her eyes, both curious and afraid.

A man crouched down beside her. He breathed heavy, as though he’d been running. Hazel eyes, framed by dark brows, reflected her own astonishment. A five o’clock shadow softened his square jaw and framed lips that were not too thin, nor too full. His black hair was just a tad too long, the ends curling slightly against his forehead.

Cassie stood. Wonder—and a deep sense of rightness—cleansed the anxiousness and restlessness from her body. She knew this man before her. Was connected to him on some fundamental cellular level.

How quick was her progression from crazy to certifiably insane.

He stood when she did. Well-built, he wore brown boots, blue jeans, and a red long-sleeved button down cotton shirt. Despite his casual dress, power radiated from him.

“Do I know you?” she asked.

http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/Entangled.html

Monday's Words-DANCING WITH FATE IS AVAILABLE AGAIN!

Not your usual Monday's Word post I know, but I thought I'd cheat a little today as I'm rather excited.

I love legends and mythology, and when, a few years ago, I was contracted to be one of nine authors to each write a story about one of the Greek muses, for The Wild Rose Press, I decided to merge a few other legends with the Greek mythology and send my muse, Terpsichore to 5th Century Celtic Wales.

The series was published in 2008 and and having regained my rights I'm re-publishing the story.  I've made a few changes to the original novella and have republished it with Smashwords, complete with a spanking new cover designed by my dear friend and crit partner, the talented author Miss Mae.  I can't stop looking at that cover, it portrays the mystery and seductiveness of my heroine, who has a penchant for bathing in waterfalls, perfectly, while hinting that she has a spark of mischief as well. (Please be patient with me while I ramble on, I have a special offer for my faithful readers at the end of this post)

As a horse lover, I had to include a couple of horses in the story.  One is Harri, my black Welsh cob and the other is my much loved little endurance mare Sal, who sadly passed away three years ago at the grand old age of 34

A fellow Muse Author Masha Holl made this lovely picture of Terpsichore and Sal


How about a blurb? I hear you ask - OK, here it is:

When Terpsichore, the Greek Muse of Dance, is assigned to revisit 5th Century Wales, and help the people regain their love of dancing, her task seems simple enough. She is unaware there is a hidden agenda. Before she can return to Olympus, her path crosses that of the mysterious Myrddin, and her heart is lost.

But Myrddin is promised to another. His mind is set on the dangerous task that lies before him, and the woman he has sworn to save. Nevertheless, he cannot deny the growing attraction between him and the beautiful stranger he meets along the way.

Terpsichore and Myrddin face a deadly force that threatens to part them forever. Is she destined to lose the only man she has ever truly loved? Is there nothing she can do to save him? Finally, when all seems lost, in desperation she finds herself DANCING WITH FATE. 

Special Offer 

To Celebrate, I'm offering an introductory discount of 30% off the normal price.  To take advantage, you'll need to join Smashwords  at http://www.smashwords.com/

(Don't worry, it's free and  quite painless)

Then go to:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53249

and at the checkout enter the code XX58M

Easy!  I'm keeping the offer open until Wednesday so you have a couple of days to get your copy.

(Rating sweet to mildly spicy)

ISBN: 978-1-4580-1111-4

The Cougar and her vampire - Cynthia Asuaga

 Please welcome again author Cynthia Asuaga, Today we're featuring her book 'The Cougar and Her Vampire,' which released on Monday.

Synopsis

Payton Fleming is a real estate agent living in Miami Beach, Florida, looking for a quiet resort to get away from the chaos of a recent divorce, the death of her best friend, and a serial killer attacking real estate agents.  She finds an advertisement for a resort in Crete, Greece, which calls to her.  Her adventure at the resort brings more than she expected—a young man with a story to tell.  She’s concerned with their age difference, but Payton knows there is something else he is keeping from her.

Christian MacKenzie is an entrepreneur in the hospitality and entertainment business, owner of luxury resorts and nightclubs around the world.  And a vampire.  His rival and former friend, Ian McAlester, threatens to take him down and ruin his business.  Seeking rest and relaxation to clear his head and get back on track, he escapes to his favorite resort in Crete, and meets his Greek goddess, a mysterious beauty rising from the pool water one night after his evening jog.  He fears she will reject him because of what he is. When his rival threatens to take it all away, Christian will have to save her.   Will their love survive all the obstacles along the way and in the end . . . Will The Cougar get Her Vampire?

STORY EXCERPT

“Maybe,” he said, wondering over the nervousness he sensed in her. “Why don’t you tell me more about yourself? I want to know the real Payton. What makes you laugh? What makes you cry? What makes you happy?”

“You know I’d have to think about that for a bit. No one has ever asked me in quite that way before.”
“Really? Are you happy being with me right now?” he asked.

She looked up at him. “You sly devil. You made me fall right into your little trap. Yes, I am actually. This is a happy moment, while it lasts anyway.”

“You don’t think you can be happy with me forever?”

“C.J., you know I have reservations about us because of our age difference. You’ve shown me how the geographical distances could be overcome.” She smiled coyly at him, and then continued, “The age difference is still a problem.”

“Not for me, Payton.”

“Of course, you can say that. Except for me, age is a problem. I have to live with the difference staring back at me every day from the mirror.” She paused, took a deep breath, and continued. “I’ve been married three times, and all three of them left me for younger women. The most recent divorce is still raw, which is one of the reasons I’m here in Elounda. He left me for a twenty-something bimbo. I can’t compete with younger women anymore. They left me! How am I supposed to recover from that?”

Her revelation dumbfounded him. For a moment his lips moved but no words came out. She didn’t wait for him to answer as tears welled up. Turning away, she ran into the villa, the tears flowing freely.
Following her, he grabbed her by the upper arm.

“Payton, stop. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” He embraced her tightly, his arms around her shoulders and waist. Could he be wrong about doubting her intentions? Reading her mind came more difficult the more emotionally attached he became. He sensed her sincerity, which confused him more. “C’mon back and let’s talk.” He ushered her back to the chaise lounges situated around the pool. They sat down and silence weighed heavy in the air for a few moments.

“I’m here to listen, if you want to talk. No judgments. I told you the first day I met you, I would listen, and I sincerely meant what I said.”

A few more silent moments passed.

“I’m sorry. I’m such an emotional wreck lately. I came to this resort to clear my head about my recent divorce and other things going on in my life. Then, I met you and got sidetracked. Everything has happened so fast, I’m having a little trouble processing what’s happening between us right now. I told you I have baggage, and you didn’t need to get involved with me.”

“You don’t have more baggage than I do. Trust me, I think we all have problems, but in different degrees. So what if you were married to three idiots masquerading as decent men. I’d be willing to bet that each one of your ex-husbands were narcissistic pretty boys—they were into themselves and what they wanted and didn’t give a rat’s arse what you wanted in life. They didn’t care what made you happy. I bet they didn’t want children, either, did they?”

Payton’s head snapped back slightly from his question. “How’d you know? No, they didn’t. They all said we had to enjoy each other before we could bring another life into the world. Except I did want a child. By the time I married Demetrius, he decided he was too old to have children and had a vasectomy before we got married. I should have known something wasn’t right when he had the procedure done without discussing anything with me. By doing that, I see now I couldn’t trust him, but I was in denial, I suppose.”

“Payton, I would never treat you like that. I find you to be a smart, beautiful, intriguing woman, and no younger woman could come close to comparing to you. Yer life experience alone is sexy as hell to me. You’ve seen all the young women here at the resort. I’m attracted to you, no one else, now or ever.”

“How can you make a statement like that? You are so young, and you have your whole life ahead of you. When I’m old and gray, you’ll still be an attractive, handsome, virile man wanting to have sex, and not with a wrinkly, dried-up cranky old woman. How are you going to feel then?”

“Payton, if I love you, nothing else matters. We will find a way to make this work. I can guarantee you, I won’t be boring, and I promise I’ll be gentle.” He gave her a smile and moved closer to her.

“Gentle, like last night, right?”

“Aye, you caught me humor?”

“Yes, are you trying to tell me to stop being so serious about this?”

He brushed back a few tendrils of her hair that had fallen out of her ponytail while he told her, “Aye, my beautiful goddess, life is too short to fret over this age difference between us. Be honest with me, Payton, be honest with yourself. If you want our relationship to work, you have to let go of the hurts from yer past. They’re holding you back.”

“You’re right, I do have to let go. I can’t let the men of my past ruin the men of my future.” She lifted her chin and made a gesture toward him.

“What do you mean by men? I hope to be the only man in your future.” He dropped his voice to a low, rich pitch, filled with a seductive promise for more than casual talk.

“How can you talk about loving me after only knowing me a couple of days? I’m nothing special, especially for someone like you.”

“Do you believe in love at first sight?”

“No, not anymore. I told you three marriages kind of ruined that ‘let’s live happily ever after’ fairy tale for me.”

“I do believe. I knew the moment I saw you.”

 

Cynthia resides in Orlando, Florida, the land of magic, surrounded by the treasured gems in her life, a caring, loving husband, dutiful and loyal daughter, and precious, delightful granddaughter.  Oh and not to forget her mischievous Yorkshire terrier, Thumper.

Cynthia was a “Navy Brat” calling a different port home every couple of years—from Southern California, to Boston, to Florida. She developed wandering feet and diverse interests and passionately incorporates those experiences into her stories, bringing characters to life, and eloquently sharing the vivid images of her mind with her audience.

Cynthia recently collaborated with her husband on a manuscript titled, My Life As a Dog. Check out Mike's other works at his website: http://mikearsuaga.weebly.com  He has a series called Subspecies, with the first book scheduled for release with MuseItHotPublishing, May 1st. 
You can contact Cynthia by  email at: cynmar19@yahoo.com

If you missed the interview with Cynthia about 'My Life As dog' you can catch it HERE:

Kate Hamilton talks about her Gothic Comedy Romance - Blood Line

I'm delighted to welcome fellow Brit, Kate Hamilton, to my Blog today.
Kate lives in beautiful Scotland and is a talented painter as well as writer. More about that a little later though. First, let's hear about 'BLOODLINE':

 Kate Hamilton designed the cover for her ebook BLOOD LINE, a Gothic comedy romance which is available on Amazon.

BLURB:
Heroine Lauren MacBreach should have listened to the wise advice of her angel, Cidriel and come away with him thus avoiding a fate worse than death. But she turns him down and is catapulted into a hilarious adventure in the Scottish Highlands.

Is she to be a bride or a blood sacrifice - or both?

Only her angel can save her. She is his first case.

But does he, and if so how?

If you like a lighthearted, funny romance with a very clever, subtle ending read BLOOD LINE.

" The characters are one of the strongest points of the book. Hamilton has an incredible sense of character voice and behavior that allows Lauren and Cid to jump off the page. I adored Cidriel and often found myself eagerly awaiting his next appearance. In addition, the book is rich with Scottish culture and custom, bringing the setting to life. As Lauren explores the castle of Tomindoul and the surrounding villages and islands, the reader feels as though they are following every winding staircase and corridor along with her." J.Rainey. Amazon review.

 Excerpt from 'BLOODLINE'

I was heading for the door when it opened and a tall, slim, elegant woman, immaculately dressed in tweeds, pushed her way into my room. 

   ‘Dahling. We meet at last.’ Clasping my hands she held me at arms length and looked me up and down. ‘Lovely. Quite lovely. Your photographs certainly don’t do you justice.’

   ‘My photo - ?’

   ‘Excellent. Excellent. You had a good journey, I presume?’ She didn’t wait for an answer, but swept on. ‘Now it will take a little time to adjust. But you are so young and the young adjust quickly do they not?’

   Perhaps. But somehow I didn’t think age came into it.

    ‘That rather depends if I want to.’ I replied, feeling my temper rise. ‘Oddly enough I thought that there was still such a thing as free will in the western world.’

   She swept the comment away with her hand and launched herself down on the sofa. ‘Come and sit by me, my pet. I can see you are somewhat disorientated. ‘

   I did as I was told. The alternative was to be downright rude and as far as I could see it might be wiser to go along with her for the moment. I might learn all I needed to know from her.

   She took my hands in hers. ‘Now, first of all you need to know a few things, I expect.’

   I nodded.

   ‘Well, dahling, it may surprise you to know that we are related. Yes, really. Isn’t that something special. I am your cousin. I was baptised Euphemia. Frightful, isn’t it. But everyone calls me Mia. And that’s what I want you to call me. Now before anything else I must tell you I have your morning all organized ahead for you. No, I won’t hear of it. A little newcomer left all on her own would never do.’

   ‘But - I -.’

   ‘No buts, only goats butt. Lauren, I believe we are going to be the very best of friends. First we shall go on the Grand Tour. Would you like that. Of course you would.’

   I don’t believe in just meekly following along. After all I had a right to explanations. It looked like I had no choice and I would at least learn the layout of the place.

   Or that’s what I thought. I had not bargained to be taken at a trot through so many rooms, up staircases, down long corridors til I was completely disorientated. I have a feeling she did it on purpose. All the time she talked and I was breathless trying to keep up. She must have been extremely fit. Her dark hair, which was tightly bound in a knot and her waxen oval face showed no signs of the hasty runaround she was treating me to. She veritably sprinted up those spiral staircases. I came puffing and panting in the rear.

   Finally she came to a small door which opened up onto the battlements. We must have been hundreds of feet up from the sea which boiled over the rocks a giddying distance below.

   ‘Sheer drop, don’t you know.’

   ‘Yes. I gathered that.’

   ‘Best view in the country up here. We command all you can see.’

   ‘We?

    ‘The family. The McBreach’s. This is Tomindoul.’

   I gaped over the wild hills that came down right to the seashore. The woods surrounding the castle gave way to barren hillsides. There was a clear view across the sea to a number of islands in the misty distance. Seabirds wheeled, crying to one another. The wind was wild. If I was in the mood for a guided tour I could have quite enjoyed the view.

   Mia was waxing eloquent behind me. The drop was dizzying. Generally I’m not too bad with heights but this was a stunning drop. I wasn’t paying attention I suppose. Ancient history doesn’t naturally appeal. So it was with quite a shock when I heard her voice up close. I was grasping the rail. Not that it was particularly secure. Her hands were on the rail beside mine. I suddenly felt her warm breath. Smelt her perfume.

   ‘And this will be the fate of the next Bride of Tomindoul.’ Her voice hissed in my ear as my heart lurched into my mouth and she pulled my hand from the rail and shoved me over.

   I screamed so hard my throat almost burst. I blinked down through eyes that were squeezed shut and felt the ground coming up toward me. Everything swung into slow motion. I was aware of the sickening wrench on my armpit as my hand took the strain of the weight of my body. My feet scrambled to find a hold on the side of the tower. I must have breathed a prayer.

   I knew my fingers were rapidly going numb. I only had so much time then they were going to freeze completely and lose their grip. I would be hurled to the rocks below. Dashed on the hard surface and washed out to sea. I kicked as hard as I dared with my legs willing myself to gain a foot hold. Then I knew I was slipping. My fingers were letting go. I was holding on by a thread I dared not scream again.

  Then my fingers finally lost their grip and I felt two motions at once. The upward rush of the air as I plunged, and strong arms catching my feet, my body, my head as I was propelled back up onto the doorway and left standing with complete astonishment. Reeling with shock.

   ‘I thought I heard someone screaming. It wasn’t you by any chance was it?’

   I whirled round to find a thickset man in an army uniform. His steel grey eyes looked concerned. He didn’t wait for a reply. ‘I’d come down if I were you. That railing needs mending. Not too safe.”

   I glanced back at the railing. There was a feather balanced on it. A feather pure and white. Like one I had seen before. I slipped it in my pocket and followed the army guy at a safe distance.

Wow! 

That's what ther call a 'cliffhanger'! Great excerpt, Kate.

Kate Hamilton had her stories read out in school and tried her first play when she was eight.

She decided to become a writer as a definite act rather than falling into it, or 'doing it all her life.'

She had the luxury of time and opportunity, devouring 'How To' books on the craft of writing. She discovered the best way was to read other authors and her studio became awash with books as she read everything from Dickens to Norah Roberts, Wodehouse to Tolstoy.

She studied American, Scottish and English Literature as part of her 

M A at Aberdeen University.

Kate lives in an art studio very near the heart of the beautiful city of Edinburgh. A few minutes walk in various directions will take her to the birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the pub which Robert Loius Stevenson frequented as a student, the homes of Alexander McCall Smith and Ian Rankin and the very famous coffee shop where a certain book was written. 

When she is not writing she is playing classical piano, painting in oils, or visiting the grand houses and castles in the Scottish countryside in her sports car.

She paints on location and also loves painting flowers in her studio.           

This is a recent painting.

Tulips

 Kate loves to laugh, believing that laughter is the best medicine and that looking on the bright side (even in situations that can appear pretty dismal) is one of the keys to a successful life.

She loves and very much admires the writing of P G Wodehouse. Her favourite humourous novel is 'Cold Comfort Farm.'

Try as she might to write a 'dark' novel, her talent as a comic writer keeps bubbling up to the surface.

"The characters simply emerge from the aether and writing becomes a dictation as they speak. The fact that they can be uproariously funny is their responsibility."

Kate thoroughly enjoys researching a novel. This can take her to one of the many libraries in the city, or on location to a house or a castle.

Her novel 'BLOOD LINE' includes such a location. The Island of Shee - the Fairy Island - is an actual island in Scotland with a ruined monastery, although it goes by another name.

Abbotsford

Kate has used Abbotsford in two novels she has written. Abbotsford is the beautiful stately home of Sir Walter Scott.

Kate likes to combine her artistic skills in designing her own book covers. 'Although I am a proponent of paper books and love to browse in the many second hand book shops here in Edinburgh, and have a lovely library, I have appreciated publishing 'BLOOD LINE' as an ebook in that it has given me a greater say in the final product.'

Her current writing is a comedy romance with a Regency setting called "CONCILIATION." She plans to use one of her paintings to depict the heroine, Lady Cecily, on the book cover.

 CONCILLIATION

A comedy Romance by Kate Hamilton.

 When Captain Reginald Randall returns from the Battle of the Nile he is unprepared for the news his mother gives him . . .

   . . .  "    His lips were white. ‘Yes Mother. I understand.’

   ‘And there is another matter. A further matter.’

   His breathing came slowly. He had not stirred. Nor made any movement. A butterfly flew down from the wisteria and for a moment alighted on his wrist, it’s wings opening and closing.

   ‘Go on.’

    ‘There is a condition. You may remember it when your father was very ill. James’ marriage.’

   ‘No. I was at sea.’

   ‘So you were. Well, if you recall Clarissa and James were married as he inherited the title, as it is a condition of the inheritance that the Baronet have a wife.’

   ‘And if not?’

   ‘This title cannot be bestowed on another.’

   ‘In that case you mean it is unconditional.’

   ‘For you as rightful heir it is your obligation to be married.’

   Reginald sat like a stone. Without movement. He was extremely pale. His lips still white.

   Lady Randall shifted in her seat, determined to face him squarely. An inexplicable calm came upon her as she drew from a hidden, inner strength.

‘The title requires that the heir succeeds as a married man.’

Reginald held up his hand. As he did so the butterfly lifted its wings and took flight over the restless waters of the fountain pool.
      
Visit Kate Hamilton's blog at http://www.kate-hamilton.co.uk

All content is copyright (c) kate hamilton 2011

I wish also to thank Lyn so very much for inviting me today.

And thanks so much for being my guest, Kate, it's been a real pleasure hearing all about you and your work..