Friday, 18 July 2014

Cover Revealed Today


It's here, so feast your eyes on my wonderful cover. I'm dancing, singing, and hopping around the room. MY HUSBAND'S SIN is revealed, what do you all think? My good friend, author Daniel Kaye, said he could hear my screams miles away and I even managed to shatter his windows! So join in my dance, jump for joy and watch the windows people!

My Husband's Sin is a story about loss but not in a sad way, it is about how people adapt their lives when the worst is thrown at them. We all have heard that the pen is mightier than the sword and in this novel it is shown to be appropriate. Lacey Taylor receives a letter from her Mum, Lillian, destroying all that Lacey believed to be truthful in her life. But what Lillian hadn't bargained for, was the effect her letter would have on her other three children.
And so the story begins, what happens next? Will Lacey and her siblings recover from the amazing revelations or will the Taylor family fall apart?

All shall be revealed on August 22nd when MY HUSBAND'S SIN will be launched by Tirgearr Publishing, Ireland.
Keep tuned in for the launch day when I'll be giving away some prizes and maybe a free copy or two.

Let the party begin!






Sunday, 13 July 2014

My Husband's Sin, Cover Reveal Soon !

I am so excited to tell you, that the book cover for my first novel, My Husband's Sin has finally arrived. I shall reveal it on Friday the 18th July for all to see. I had a lot of input and was consulted each step of the way. It's a tough job, trying to keep everyone happy, so my appreciation for cover designers is huge.
I must thank my publisher, Tirgearr Publishing, for all the hard work they did. My final edits are also completed so it is really coming together now.

My Local Library Where it all Began 
I started writing my novel, each morning in my local library with a close writing friend, author, Daniel Kaye, siting next to me. Daniel worked on his novel I Vladimir, which is also due out in Autumn this year. It has been a wonderful journey and together we have cheered each other on when one of us struggled or was just tired.
But, even though My Husband's Sin, the journey from my pen to the bookshelf is almost there, the writing never stops. Fiction in new genres and play-writing have all entered into my writing life in my library. So plenty more stories to enjoy!

Sunday, 6 July 2014

The Interview

My next guest on my blog is a lady who is so talented, I wouldn't know where to start. I had the pleasure of knowing Patricia when I lived in Dublin. I attended a creative writing course that Patricia was giving in Dundrum, Dublin and I remember the group did not want the course to end, in fact we went back for three terms. On July 3rd, Patricia launched her new book, The Interview. Read on to find out more and enjoy an excerpt of this excellent book.

Patricia O’Reilly comes to writing books via the route of freelance journalism and radio documentaries and plays. She has long been fascinated by Eileen Gray, who is the subject of many of her literary works. Her previous novels, also inspired by real life, include A Type of Beauty, the story of Kathleen Newton (long listed
for Historical Novel Society Award 2012) and Time and Destiny.
In addition to fiction writing, Patricia is a highly regarded creative writing tutor at UCD and elsewhere. She lives in Dublin.




So what is this book, The Interview about?

Paris, 1972. Eileen Gray’s Destiny Screen sells at auction for the highest price ever paid for a ‘modern’ antique. After living reclusively for decades, the spotlight of the international media is trained on her. She is adamant. She will not be interviewed. 

Bruce Chatwin, rising star of Fleet Street and recently appointed to The Sunday Times magazine, charms his way into an interview. During the course of their conversation they recognise parallels between their lives and a connection between their souls.

The interview is never published. Chatwin dies in 1989, taking the secrets of what transpired between them to his grave. In The Interview, Patricia O’Reilly imagines what took place between these two fascinating and enigmatic characters.

Now for a taste of this wonderful novel.
Excerpt:  The Interview - Chapter 16
This is about Eileen Gray’s relationship with Marie-Louise Damien, the daughter of a gendarme and the nightclub singer who took Paris by storm during World War I

In the morning Eileen and Damia rose as late as Eileen could bear, but not before loving and laughing in the rumple of sheets and tangle of pillows, Damia wrestling Eileen until she had her enveloped in her strong white arms, refusing to allow her to go to her workroom. Damia hated mornings and by keeping her eyes shut and the shutters closed over she would pretend it was still night. She only came alive after noon and did not function until she had drunk several extra-strong bowls of coffee. Eileen on the other hand was a dawn riser, and she did her best work either in the early hours of the morning or late at night. As a couple their circadian rhythms couldn’t be more incompatible. They were mismatched in other ways too – more incompatible than compatible – although Eileen determinedly centred on their harmony.
With Damia’s cheetah on a leash, they’d wander along the rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré, stopping off at some fashionable café for coffee. Initially Eileen was embarrassed by the attention they received, and, with bent head, she would retreat into the background. As she was invariably holding the cheetah, she had little chance of remaining anonymous or of distancing herself from Damia’s celebrity status. Damia was so animated and extrovert that it was difficult not to be caught up in her enthusiasm as she dispensed joyous smiles and warm handshakes, assuring everyone within earshot how happy she was to have the opportunity of meeting her public during daylight hours.  
PATRICIA SIGNING AT HER RECENT LAUNCH
Sometimes of an afternoon – when it seemed the sun always shone from a blameless blue sky – they’d drive up and down the Avenue Champs-Élysées with the cheetah stretched across the back seat of the motor and Damia sitting in front with Eileen. With the fringed tail of her scarf flying in the soft breeze and her hand resting on Eileen’s knee. she would sing loudly and teasingly and over-dramatically ‘Tu ne Sais pas Aimer’, and Eileen would smile her secret smile and pretend not to notice.
The avenue was Eileen’s favourite street. She loved its exclusive shops, polite bustle and the lines of clipped horse-chestnut trees along its pavements, and she was intrigued by the source of its name: Elysian Fields, the place of the blessed, according to Greek mythology – ‘La plus belle avenue du monde’ – for her it truly was the most beautiful avenue in the world.
Melting with desire, Eileen tried valiantly to meet her lover’s needs by turning away from her drawing board and sitting for endless hours in endless nightclubs. Commissioning the delightful Paul Poiret, who was the toast of stylish Parisian women, to create brocade outfits suitable for nightlife gaiety, she entered as fully as she could into the spontaneous, crazy escapades that invigorated Damia and drove her act to new heights of passion. Such behaviour was anathema to Eileen. Despite the impulsiveness of her creativity, she was happiest with an orderly life – with punctuality, regular meals and appointments carefully entered in her diary.”
The Interview published by New Island Books is available in all good bookshops;
 from Amazon books

I would like to thank Patricia for visiting today and also to thank her for all the encouragement I received when attending her writing course many years ago. 

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Meet writer Kate Robbins

Today I have the honour of bringing to you a wonderful writer Kate Robbins who released Promised to the Highlander with Tirgearr Publishing recently which is part of The Highland Chiefs series. Below are an excerpt from her book for you to enjoy and a short synopsis of what it is all about in Promised to the Highlander, just to whet the appetites.  I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

Nessia Stephenson's world was safe until a threat from a neighbouring clan forces her to accept a betrothal to a man whose family can offer her the protection she needs. The real threat lies in her intense attraction to the man who arranged the match—the clan's chief and her intended’s brother, Fergus MacKay.
When powerful warlord Fergus MacKay arranges a marriage for his younger brother, William, he has no idea the price will be his own heart. Fergus is captivated by the wildly beautiful Nessia, a woman he can never have.
When the feud between the MacKay and Sutherland clans escalates, Nessia, William, and Fergus all must make sacrifices for their future. Longing and loss, honour and duty. How can love triumph under such desperate circumstances?

Excerpt from Kate's book,

William paced while Fergus leaned back in his chair with his long legs stretched out and his arms crossed over his chest. Stephenson was late, not by much, but enough to make William fidget and Fergus take notice. Their three younger siblings, Freya who was in her sixteenth year, John who was fourteen, and eleven-year-old Stephen, waited as well, all in various states of impatience.
The great hall was large and welcoming with dark wooden beams framing the ceiling and walls. Fergus had counted the eighteen beams along the length of the room about a hundred times. William had worn a permanent path on the wide plank floor in front of the red sandstone hearth beneath the many MacKay hunting trophies. Young John sighed again.
“You know, for a man who isn’t eager to meet his future wife, you’ve got quite a set of nerves there lad,” Fergus said to William.
William straightened his linen shirt and smoothed his tunic as he glared at Fergus. Yet, the comment was absorbed and William ceased his pacing to sit on a chair near the fire. Fergus watched his brother adjust his belt again. The young man wore his usual dress, but had taken greater pains today to perfect his appearance. Fergus glanced down at his linen shirt and leather sleeveless tunic. William’s long hair was tied at his nape while Fergus’s was left hanging loose. Fergus recalled having to take extra pains upon his betrothal. Thankfully, those days had passed and he needn’t overly worry anymore. A young lass would surely find William’s neat, respectable appearance appealing. He hoped so, but before he could dwell on it further a servant entered, announcing the arrival of Thomas Stephenson, his daughter Nessia and several of their clansmen.
William sprang to his feet and crossed the floor in a few quick strides to greet them. He continued to fidget as Fergus sauntered up from behind.
“Thomas! Welcome. We thought we’d have to send out a search party soon.” Fergus led the stout man into the great hall.
“Aye, the road was a bit rough with a wagon in tow.”The man’s brow was streaked with sweat and he looked weary from his travels.
“We’ve had a lot of rains this harvest, there’s no doubting that.” In truth he would have gone searching himself had another hour passed. Earlier that day he’d heard more rumours about Ronan Sutherland. Apparently, the lad had agreed to his father’s suggestion and would commence his campaign in the coming days.
Fergus sensed William stiffen beside him as Thomas began the introductions.
“Fergus, William, this is my brother Neville and these three are my sons, Colin, Robert, and Camden my youngest. And this is my daughter, Nessia.”
Fergus acknowledged each man in turn. When the introduction came to the girl and his gaze fell on her, his breath caught in his throat. With black hair and bright blue eyes, she stood proudly before him with her chin lifted and all the regal confidence of a noblewoman. She displayed no fear or reservation at all, something which was unusual in most men he met, but was more so in a woman. The gentler sex usually cowered before him—not this lass.
Fergus stared at her, his heart drumming hard inside his chest. His guts clenched as if he’d been punched. He had to force himself from moving toward her to touch her hair, which looked like spun silk, for surely it could not be real.
Fergus remembered his brother then, and tore his gaze from her to find William’s eyes wide and his jaw slacked. An unexpected pang ran through him. When he
turned back it was to find her still staring at him, seemingly unabashed for staring openly at a man. A bold one, then. Fergus drew his brows together. What did she want?
To buy Kate's book go to the following links below, 
E-book available at these links.
Now for a bit about the author, who is Kate Robbins?  

Kate Robbins writes historical romance novels out of pure escapism and a love for all things Scottish, not to mention a life-long enjoyment of reading romance.
Kate loves the research process and delving into secondary sources in order to blend authentic historical fact into her stories. She has traveled to Scotland twice and visited the sites described in her Highland Chiefs series.
Her Highland Chiefs series is set in the early fifteenth century during the reign of James Stewart, first of his name.
Kate is the pen name of Debbie Robbins who lives in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada with her man-beast and two man-cubs.


Many thanks Kate for dropping by and wishing you great success with your Highland Chiefs series.