~~~CLASS OPPERTUNITY~~~

November 15 - December 30, 2012

The Scottish Highlands: 16th & 17th Centuries

Instructor: Sharron Gunn w/a Sheila Currie


Prereauisite: a love of and an interest in the Scottish Highlands
In the 16th & 17th centuries, the laws and customs of the Scottish Highlands were considered archaic; they were common in western Europe in the High Middle Ages, but had disappeared by the Renaissance. Highland chiefs were still inaugurated, not crowned, in ancient ceremonies and revered by their clansmen as quasi-sacred figures. A Highland assembly for justice in the 17th century resembled a Viking Thing of the 10th or 11th centuries. Secular marriage outside the church was normal. What really frightened Lowlanders and English was the chiefs' ability to raise a small army at little cost to themselves. The Jacobite Rebellions would have been impossible without clan armies. This course shows how life in the Highlands was different from the Lowlands and other parts of Great Britain and how similar to Ireland.
Instructor Bio:
Sharron lives in British Columbia, and teaches Scottish, Irish and medieval history part-time at university. While living over eight years in Europe, she studied the languages and history of Great Britain and France, and has a BA in French and an MA (2nd first degree) in Scottish History and Celtic Studies from the University of Glasgow. She is working on an historical fantasy set in WWII.

To register for this class, please go to the Celtic Hearts Romance Writers web site. www.celtichearts.org and scroll down.

Thank you!
Sarah Hoss

Interview with Author, ADRIENNE CLARK

 

Welcome to Adrienne Clark! Her book, TO DANCE IN LIRADON debuts today! Leave a comment below to be eligible to win a FREE copy!





The Lure of Long Ago and Faraway
One of the most important decisions you make as an author is when and where your story will take place. While some of us prefer to write about the here and now, others, like me, dream of stories set long ago and far away. For me, the past evokes a certain kind of longing and magic that I find more difficult to realize in the present.

When I thought of the story To Dance in Liradon I knew it would take place in medieval Ireland. Although I’ve never been to Ireland (a terrible wrong I hope to remedy in the near future) I’ve always been drawn to Irish mythology. Steeped in legend, rich with beautiful heroines, fierce warriors, heroic battles, and of course, Faeries, few cultures can compete with Ireland’s gift for storytelling. What captivated me most about Irish mythology were tales about the Tuatha de Danaan, also known as the ‘Shining Ones,’ or as I refer to them in my book, the ‘Fair Folk.’

Far from the tiny, winged creatures popular in British culture, Irish Faeries are tall, beautiful, extremely proud and amoral. The more I read about the Tuatha de Danaan, the more I wanted to write about them.

A recurring theme in Irish mythology about the Tuatha de Danaan is the idea of paradise; the land of promise as it is spoken of in some sources. In Faerie land there is no suffering, no disease, and no one ever grows old or inform. Those who enter its enchanted borders are young and beautiful forever.

Of course, nothing is ever quite what it seems. What does it mean to live in this kind of eternal paradise? And how does perfect happiness affect our bonds to one another? In To Dance in Liradon, my heroine, Brigid, must ask these very questions when she lifts the veil that separates human from Faerie. I love naming heroines, and I chose Brigid as a nod to the Celtic Goddess of Fire.

To Dance in Liradon takes place in two distinct but intimately intertwined worlds, Faerie and human. The juxtaposition of these worlds intrigued me, different as light and dark, but like light and dark they define one another. Both have the power to lure and enchant, but in very different ways. The Irish poet W.B Yeats imagined interactions between Faeries and humans as a magnetic pushing-pulling attraction, one for the other.

My story unfolds when Brigid finds herself torn between two worlds and two men as she struggles to understand who she is and where she belongs. It takes courage for a young woman to walk among the Fair Folk, who think themselves the noblest race on earth, and even more courage to find out what to dance in Liradon really means.

Fantasy writers spend many hours creating new and exciting worlds for their readers, and many of them draw on mythological sources. I’ll never forget my visits to Narnia, Middle Earth and Prydain. These books, among others, inspired me to create my own fantasy worlds. But the human world is beautiful too, in all its flawed, imperfect mortality. My hope is that To Dance in Liradon gives readers a glimpse into both Faerie and human worlds, and that they are in some way moved by what they find there.


Website: http://adrienneclarkewriter.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/#!/adrienne.clarke.9

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/AdrienneLClarke



To Dance in Liradon is available at:

http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/



Adrienne Clarke

http://www.adrienneclarkewriter.com/

To Dance in Liradon is now available from Soul Mate Publishing!


When Brigid suddenly finds herself torn between two men and two worlds, her struggle leads her into the glittering, ruthless world of Faerie where she must rescue her true love from a terrible sacrifice or lose him forever.

 

 

Cover Blurb for To Dance in Liradon
Seventeen-year old Brigid O'Flynn is an outcast. A chance encounter with the Faerie Queen left her tainted in the eyes of the villagers, who blame the Faerie for the village’s missing women and children. Desperate to win the village’s acceptance Brigid agrees to marry her childhood friend: Serious, hardworking, Connell Mackenna. But when Connell disappears before their wedding Brigid's hopes are shattered. Blamed for her fiancé’s death, Brigid fears she will suffer the same fate as the other village outcasts, the mysterious Willow Women. Lured into Liradon by their inhuman lovers, and cast out weak and broken, the Willow Women spend their lives searching for the way back into Faerie. When Connell suddenly reappears Brigid is overjoyed, but everything is not as it seems. Consumed by his desire for beauty and celebration, Connell abandons his responsibilities, and Brigid soon finds herself drawn into a passionate, dangerous world of two.


When Brigid discovers the truth behind Connell's transformation she’s forced to choose between two men and two worlds. Brigid’s struggle leads her into glittering, ruthless Liradon where she must rescue her true love from a terrible sacrifice or lose him forever.

Interview with Author, GERRI BOWEN

Please let me introduce you to Author, Gerri Bowen!



Bio:

Gerri Bowen was born in Maryland, and now lives in beautiful South Central Pennsylvania with her family. She loves to read, write, and travel. When she can’t do those things she gets grumpy, but that quickly passes. She likes to garden, although ever mindful of running afoul of a Dennene, lately it is more about planning than actually extending her flower garden. She loves for people to read her books and get 'squees' when someone posts a good review of same.



Blurb: For Love of Gwynneth:

It is 1135, and everything Gwynneth and Richard thought they wanted is put to the crucible.

Gwynneth's innocent desire to spy on her secret love, brother to the man her father says she will wed, spirals out of control when Richard captures her.

All Richard wanted was a quick tryst with a Wood Nymph. He never imagined he would be forced into a marriage. Richard is not pleased. Everything goes wrong, starting with his plans to avenge the deaths of his father and uncle, not to mention that his brother had planned to wed Gwynneth. A powerful baron from the north claims he has a signed betrothal contract between his son and Lady Gwynneth, which the baron intends to enforce. Then there is the matter of his new father-in-law and his unceasing efforts to end Richard’s life. The only good to come from the marriage, Richard finally realizes, is Gwynneth. Then she’s taken from him.

Richard's journey begins to reclaim his wife. For love of Gwynneth.



You may find Gerri and her books here!
www.gerribowen.com

Stories with Humor, The Impossible, and Love

FOR LOVE OF GWYNNETH available NOW

Interview with Author, PAISLEY KIRKPATRICK

A dream: a strongly desired goal or purpose


I've always believed having a dream is very important. In fact, the bigger the dream is, the better it is. Why waste time on mediocre wishes and dreams?

William Blake (1757-1827) (English poet, painter and engraver) is one of the earliest and greatest figures of Romanticism. He emphasized individual, imaginative, visionary and emotional creativity. He privileged imagination over reason in the creation of both his poetry and images, asserting that ideal forms should be constructed not from observations of nature but from inner visions. He declared in one poem, “I must create a system or be enslaved by another man’s.”

When I read William Blake's statement it rang true with me. As authors, we draw from our inner vision, or as we refer to it, our muse. Our imagination gathers information from which we draw our ideas and create our plots. People often ask where I get my ideas. I really have no idea. They just seem to pop into my head and I put them on paper.

I started writing to accomplish a dream -- to write a story. All of the rest has been the cream on top. I am now on my fifth story, and much to my amazement and delight my first story will be published on the 21st of August. Yes, with a lot of hard work and a bit of help from fate, dreams do come true. Mine just happened to have happened on Christmas Eve last year. I always thought I would scream and dance, but no, I sat frozen instead. All I could say was "WOW" in stunned amazement. My husband was asleep, and we never wake a sleeping bear. My critique partners live across the country from me and would probably have been happy to be awakened to hear my good news, but I just couldn't do it at 2:30 a.m. on Christmas morning. Now that I think back on it, having those special moments to myself might have been a good thing. It gave me time to reflect over the last years of working toward this moment.

And, Night Angel is the culmination and beginning of that dream continuing to come true for a long time. Every six months another story in the Paradise Pines Series will be released.

You can find Paisley at:

www.paisleykirkpatrick.com

http://www.facebook.com/marlene.urso


Thanks for stopping by today and visiting with Paisley and I. We hope you enjoyed the interview!

 

 

 

Interview with Author Gerri Brousseau

Today I’m interviewing Gerri Brousseau. Her book, A Pirate’s Ransom is a historical romance and was released on August 22, 2012.



Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

Gerri: Certainly ... here is a little blurp from the book and a little comment by me below.

Despair filled Lady Catherine as she boarded the ship for England, and toward marriage to man she’s never met—the Duke of Devonshire. But the sea is no place for a lady. She’s captured by the Pirate Captain, Edmund Drake and held for ransom; a ransom that has nothing to do with coin. But when she’s stolen from him, he realizes she has captured his heart. She becomes the pawn in a dangerous rivalry between two pirates—the handsome pirate Captain Edmund Drake and his notorious and fearsome opponent, Blackbeard. How far will Captain Drake go to reclaim his prize? Which pirate will decide her fate? And who will pay ... A Pirate’s Ransom?

And ... now I ask you to ponder these questions ... what of the Duke? Will Lady Catherine ever get to London and who the heck is the Contessa Theodora de Lorenzo? Guess you will just have to read the book to find out!


Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?
Gerri: A Pirate’s Ransom is a historical romance. My second novel, which will be available in November of this year is also historical, but it is a time-travel adventure romance, so it provides you with a little bit of a twist. I enjoy writing historical because I like to do research of a time which was stirring in history and then I imagine the struggles and stories of those people living in those times. It is their stories I like to tell.


How did this story come to be?
Gerri: I always had this fantasy of being swept away by a handsome pirate, then the Pirates of the C
aribbean series happened and I fell in love with pirates even more. I thought I wanted to try my hand at creating a handsome rogue. The more I thought about it, the more Captain Drake’s character became real in my mind. Soon the thread of an idea had woven itself into a story I knew I had to tell.



Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?
Gerri: The first novel I ever wrote was “According to Legend” in 2009. I then wrote a second and Pirates was my third. I submitted all three of them to Soul Mate Publishing. Pirates was the first to release and will be followed by According to Legend in November of this year. The second book is presently under consideration and since that time I have submitted a novella. I love writing ... can you tell?




What is your writing routine like?
Gerri: When I get an idea for a story, I usually let it mull around in my mind for a while until it blooms. Then once it does, I jot down a few notes which usually consists of the beginning, turning point and end. I know where I want it to go, but I’m a complete panster so I just sit down and let the characters sort of just tell their story. I’m merely the typist.




What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?


Gerri: I wish I did have help. Pirates is my debut novel, so I’m new at all of this. I did a book trailer (not sure that is doing much to generate sales), I am blogging (thank you so much for hosting me today), I sent a press release to the newspaper, I sent out postcards to friends and family and I’m doing a Meet the Author at my local Barnes & Noble in October. I am also having a contest at my website www.gerribrousseau.com called “Claim the Ransom” where one lucky winner will sail away with a cash prize.




Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?
Gerri: Becoming published is only the first goal. And it is quite exciting. I do have to say, the first time I saw my name in print on the book cover ... I cried. It was a “pinch me, I can’t believe this is really happening” moment. This is only the beginning. I have many more stories to tell.




Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?
Gerri: Yes. I belong CTRWA which is the Connecticut Chapter of Romance Writers of America. The writers there helped me so much by guiding and mentoring. I couldn’t have done it without their help.




What’s next for you?

Gerri: As I said, According to Legend is coming out in November so right now I’m working on edits for that. I have started a new book and I have ideas for many others. Writing ... that’s always what’s next for me.



A little bit about the author.

Gerri was born and raised in Connecticut. She attended Central Connecticut State University, majoring in English Literature. Although she lived on the west coast for several years, she relocated back to her roots and birth place of Connecticut, where she presently resides with her two pugs, Mimi and Milo and her cats, Louise and Harry.

As a young girl growing up in Waterbury, Gerri spent her summers writing stories and often times, together with neighboring girls her age, would present original plays for an audience of their parents. When she moved back to Connecticut, Gerri took a job that required her to commute 4 hours a day by train to and from work. After a year of reading a book a week, she decided to make the time work for her, when one night after a strange dream about a dream catcher, she was inspired to write her first book.


Lest you think all of her time is spent in contemplative pursuits, freefalling out of airplanes gave a whole new meaning to the word "adventure". Yes, a former skydiver who chose to retire from the sport, Gerri assures us that freefall is totally exhilarating and one of the most amazing and thrilling experiences anyone can have. Her energy and zest for life is found in the imaginative and page turning adventures she writes.





Excerpt

My hand rested on the smooth wood of the rail while I watched the moonlight dance upon the waves, the sound of the wind in the sails was almost liberating. I don’t know how long he stood behind me in silence but when I sensed his presence, my backbone stiffened. What was it about this man that riled me so?


He took a few steps closer. “Catherine,” he said in a voice just above a whisper. The deepness of his murmur caused my mind to wander. Why was I picturing him using this tone with a lover? My back stiffened further and I chided myself for allowing my thoughts to wander in that direction. Refusing to face him, I kept my gaze upon the water.


“It would give me great pleasure if you would do me the honor of dining with me this evening.” He seemed to purr.


He inched closer and the heat of his body radiated into my rigid back. Placing one hand upon my shoulder and his lips close to my ear he whispered, “Please.”


The heat of his whisper caressed my ear and the tension seemed to melt away from me. I closed my eyes and tried to swallow the lump in my throat.


“You look truly beautiful this evening, Milady.” His hoarse whisper scorched my neck and goose bumps ran up my arms. He stood so close that when I relaxed, my back nestled against his chest. His body was hard and warm and the intoxicating smell of him made me dizzy. Heat spread through me in a sensation I had never experienced before as his soft lips gently brushed my neck, but my heart nearly stopped when he whispered, “but not nearly as lovely as you looked this afternoon in the mirror.”



How can my readers buy your book?

Readers can go to the publisher’s home page at http://www.soulmatepublishing.com



Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/kindle/dp/B0091PRUTO/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_eos_detail Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-pirtes-ransom-gerri-brousseau/1112651492?ean=2940015206692



Check out my book trailer at: http://youtu.be/3uh_AgiaXqo



You can find more information about Gerri Brousseau and her book, A Pirate’s Ransom by visiting her website, http://www.gerribrousseau.com



or join me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/gerri.brousseau.5



or on Soulmate Authors Group: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com





Just a few questions!



1) What’s your favorite movie? Oh I am addicted to the Harry Potter movies. No matter how many times they are on TV, I always watch them.



2) What is your favorite TV show? Vampire Diaries ... I’m in love with Ian Somerhalder.



3) What is your favorite thing to drink? First thing in the morning, coffee. Or do you mean alcoholic ... that would be a margarita.



4) Who is your favorite author to read? I don’t really have a favorite. I read so many books, probably one per week so I couldn’t really name one.



5) What’s your favorite vacation spot? I loved Paris and dream of going back some day.



6) What’s the best piece of advice you have been given? To believe in myself and my work and to never give up.

Thank you for allowing me to interview you here at Heart of Romance. Good luck to you in your future!!!