The origin of 'The Matchmaker's Mare'

It's hard to believe that it's a week since The Matchmaker's Mare was published! It's also the 5th day of my blog tour. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for organising the tour, and to all the kind hosts on the tour. I really appreciate your support.

I was recently asked how I came to write The Matchmaker's Mare. 

It actually started (like several of my books) as a short story. I had an idea about a white witch and her pony, and that led to wondering what their history was.  Then my publisher put out a 'Call for submissions' for stories featuring 'friendly ghosts'. I immediately thought about my mystical witch and her pony. The heroine changed from a witch, to a matchmaker from the distant past. Gradually the plot began to change and evolve, starting with the young woman, Rhiannon,  fleeing from an arranged marriage. 

The story  had always been set in my native Wales, in an imaginary village, but also in an area near where I used to live. After introducing Rhiannon and her truelove, Sion, it flashed forward to the present time. Gradually the character of Megan began to emerge. (Neither she nor Glyn had been in the original short story.)  I've always loved horses, but despite owning and riding them as soon as I could afford to buy my first horse, I'd never written a full length story featuring horses. They do make an apearance in two of my Science Fiction Romances that form part of The Destiny Trilogy, and my fantasy novella Dancing With Fate, but now was my opportunity to  indulge  my passion, and have them play a  greater role, with my male protagonist being a skilled horseman and trainer. However between working full time and looking after my horses, as well as some personal health issues and  family bereavements, I got no further than a very rough draft. 

A couple of years ago I decided to return to the manuscript. I revised it several times and made a few changes. I  developed my characters more fully,and introduced some supporting characters. Then, after feedback from my beta readers and crit group, submitted it to my editor with my fingers crossed. To my delight, she liked it.  I hope my readers will enjoy it too, it's a short, fairly lighthearted romantic paranormal read, which I hope will leave you smiling.

BLURB

When Megan Johnson inherits an old cottage in the Welsh countryside, she seizes the opportunity to cut ties with her past life, after a broken romance. Her nearest neighbour, a horse trainer, is also something of an enigma. Single dad Glyn Phillips does his best to balance his love of horses and hard work, with his devotion to his son. When he meets his new neighbour, he knows he should resist any attraction. A feisty pony mare which mysteriously appears on his land adds to his problems, but another, larger problem lies ahead. Two matchmaking spirits find their carefully laid plans may not go as smoothly as they hope.

The Matchmaker's Mare on Tour

We're more than half way through my tour with Rachel's Random Resources already! The lovely tour hosts taking part are listed below:

        08-May Jane Hunt Writer (jolliffe01) https://www.instagram.com/jolliffe01/ 

08-May Novel Kicks http://www.novelkicks.co.uk 

08-May iheartbooks.blog  https://iheartbooks.blog/ 

        09-May  Heather Adores Books  https://heatheradoresbooks.com/

        10-May @teaandbooks90 https://www.instagram.com/teaandbooks90 

        10-May bookescapeswithBabsW67 https://bookescapes.home.blog/ 

   10-May Celticlady's Reviews https://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/ 

  11-May TB Honest  www.tbhonest.co.uk 

11-May Tea leaves and Book leaves  https://tealeavesandbookleaves.blogspot.com/ 

  11-May Tizi's Book Review https://tizisbookreview.music.blog/ 

  12-May Read & Tell Reviews Read & Tell Reviews

  12-May Bookish Jottings bookishjottings.com 

  12-May Christian Bookaholic http://www.christianbookaholic.com/ 

13-May Frugal Freelancer https://saratrimble.wordpress.com 

  13-May Leanne bookstagram Instagram.com/leannebookstagram 

13-May ThechantedEmporiumbookshelf 

                         https://theenchantedemporiumbookshelf.wordpress.com /

14-May annette_reads_daily

                        https://www.instagram.com/annette_reads_daily/ 

        14-May   ItaPixie's Book Corner

                            https://itapixie.blogspot.com/ 

  14-May  Staceywh_17

                             www.instagram.com/staceywh_17 

One lucky commenter will receive a download of the book, a 'one of a kind' matchmaker keychain, a bag of Welsh lavender, a set of four heart shaped coasters and a sparkly box containing a luxury chocolate heart.

I will give a second prize of another unique keychain and a download of the book. All you have to do is leave a comment - visit all the bloggers taking part for your best chance of winning - each post will be slightly different and includes different exceerpts, interview and guest posts etc.

THE MATCHMAKER'S MARE is going on tour!

 I am touring with Rachel's Random Resources from today through to 14th May. You can see the lovely tour hosts taking part above, and the links are listed below:

        08-May Jane Hunt Writer (jolliffe01) https://www.instagram.com/jolliffe01/ 

08-May Novel Kicks http://www.novelkicks.co.uk 

08-May iheartbooks.blog  https://iheartbooks.blog/ 

        09-May  Heather Adores Books  https://heatheradoresbooks.com/

        10-May @teaandbooks90 https://www.instagram.com/teaandbooks90 

        10-May bookescapeswithBabsW67 https://bookescapes.home.blog/ 

   10-May Celticlady's Reviews https://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/ 

  11-May TB Honest  www.tbhonest.co.uk 

11-May Tea leaves and Book leaves  https://tealeavesandbookleaves.blogspot.com/ 

  11-May Tizi's Book Review https://tizisbookreview.music.blog/ 

  12-May Read & Tell Reviews www.kellyschuknecht.com 

  12-May Bookish Jottings bookishjottings.com 

  12-May Christian Bookaholic http://www.christianbookaholic.com/ 

13-May Frugal Freelancer https://saratrimble.wordpress.com 

  13-May Leanne bookstagram Instagram.com/leannebookstagram 

13-May The Enchanted Emporium bookshelf 

14-May annette_reads_daily https://www.instagram.com/annette_reads_daily/ 

  14-May ItaPixie's Book Corner https://itapixie.blogspot.com/ 

  14-May Staceywh_17 www.instagram.com/staceywh_17 

One lucky commenter will receive a download of the book, a 'one of a kind' matchmaker keychain, a bag of Welsh lavender, a set of four heart shaped coasters and a sparkly box containing a luxury chocolate heart.

I will give a second prize of another unique keychain and a download of the book. All you have to do is leave a comment - visit all the bloggers taking part for your best chance of winning - each post will be slightly different and includes different excerpts, interview and guest posts etc.

Dr Cushing's Chamber of Horrors - Virtual Book Tour and #Giveaway

Hello lovely reader - apologies for there being no Welsh Myths

this week - we're having a new shower room fitted and between all the mess, upheaval and comforting a confused little dog I just didn't manage it this week. I hope to do better next week.In the meantime, I have something a bit different for you by the prolific author Stephen D Sullivan:

 

DR CUSHING'S CHAMBER OF HORRORS

About the Book:
The monsters aren’t only in the museum!
Despite a lifetime of traveling with their father to collect strange artifacts, twins Topaz and Opal Cushing have never fully believed in monsters or the supernatural. Oh, sure, they share an eerie psychic connection, and their tarot card readings often come true, but… Werewolves? Vampires? Living mummies? None of those could be real. Those legends are just for rubes. Right?

Since the girls’ father has been away, though, strange things have been happening in the family’s little exhibit—and in the waxworks studio that shares their dilapidated Victorian mansion on the outskirts of London. Now, the twins’ dreams of a fun, romantic summer season are turning into a nightmare, and the monsters are running...
Dr. Cushing’s Chamber of Horrors!
Print Length: 437 pages
Publisher: Walkabout Publishing (August 30, 2020)
Publication Date: August 30, 2020
Language: English
ASIN: B08F13XKQG
ISBN-13: 979-8668896547
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y4wjflsh
Barnes&Noble: https://tinyurl.com/y235ejq3
Books-a-Million: https://tinyurl.com/y3kk4qzd
Indiebound: https://tinyurl.com/yyftpkxe


a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the Author:
Stephen D. Sullivan has over sixty published titles to his name and helped create more comics and games than he can either list or remember.

A Scribe award-winner for “Best Novel Adaptation, 2016” with his book Manos: The Hands of Fate, Sullivan lives with his wife in a small town in Wisconsin.
You can contact him via Twitter, Facebook, Patreon, or on his website: www.stephendsullivan.com

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