One Snowy Knight -- a lovely Christmas gift for your romance reader

cover image by Jon Paul Ferrara

Turning back to the man on the ground, she once again had to wipe the gathering flakes from his face.  She attempted to tug him to a sitting position, thinking she could wrap her mantle around them both, and lend him what little body heat she still had.  When she went to lift him, she realized he still had his broadsword lashed crosswise over his back.  Finding the strap’s buckle on the center of his chest, she released it.

Then, froze as the howl came. 

It was close by.  The man groaned as she urgently rolled his dead weight, enough to drag the sword out from under him, and then dropped the leather sheath as she freed the blade.  Holding the sword in her right hand, she used her left to release the clasp of her mantle.  She would need her arms free to swing the sword.  Keeping her eyes fixed upon the trees, she dragged her woolen cape over the man’s unmoving body.

The deep growl sent a chill to her marrow as the threat of the snowstorm had failed to do.  Low tree limbs rustled and then parted as the set of glowing yellow eyes peeked through the wintry foliage.

Swallowing hard, Skena brought the sword up, preparing to swing, and praying she had strength enough to wield the mighty sword true.

Skena stood trembling, from the cold, aye, but more so from dread.  With the specter of famine looming across the land, she feared wolves would soon be a threat they would face.  Foolishly, she had hoped the menace would not come this early in the season.  Swallowing to moisten the dryness in her mouth, she watched the feral eyes narrow on her, judging how much a threat she presented holding the sword.  Plainly, she posed nary a concern to the creature.  Shoulders lowered, teeth bared, he edged forward, a low growl of intent rising deep in his throat.  The animal scented her fear.  Her weakness only emboldened him. 

Keeping her attention on the black wolf, her eyes quickly scanned to see if there were others coming up behind him or circling around.  Where you found one, usually there lurked a small pack.  Her luck holding, thus far no other pairs of bright eyes appeared; no dark forms skulked through the unmoving undergrowth around the dense pine trees. 

“Oh, please let him be a lone wolf,” she offered her wish to the Auld Ones, before whispering dark words to weave a Charm of Protection, drawing upon what little powers she possessed to sustain her through this ordeal.

 Not a small woman, her Ogilvie blood showed in her tall body and strong bones.  Even so, to hold the heavy broadsword—which took years for a man to master—was tiring.  Her arms vibrated; tremors racked her muscles.  A mix of terror and cold.  The winter storm slowly leached all the strength from her body.  She fought against the quaking, still the sword wobbled in her grip.

Baring his fangs, the wolf crept slowly forward, more daring with each step.  Skena had trouble keeping her vision clear.  Falling flakes and those kicked up by the spindrift continued to stick to her long lashes, adding moisture to the tears she valiantly labored to hold at bay.  It was vital to see the wolf when he leapt, in order to time her swing.  She sucked in a hard breath of terror.  The creature was so much bigger than she expected!

“Off with you, evil foal-chû.  You shall no’ be making a meal of this warrior or me.”  She spoke false courage, hoping the sound of her voice might frighten him into backing off.  Instead, his body coiled, preparing to spring.

So intent upon the wolf, Skena hopped slightly when long arms enclosed about her.  Startled and yet unwilling to take her eyes off the black creature, it was several heartbeats before she comprehended the stranger had awakened and was on his feet.  Suddenly, in his strong embrace she was not so scared.

“Be still, my lady.  I lend my strength to your swing.”  The warrior’s cold hands closed over hers.  He leaned against her back; his powerful muscles caused her shaking to lessen.

Skena had little chance for the details of his nearness to filter through her thoughts, for with a feral snarl the wolf leapt at them.  Frozen in terror, she was unable to move, yet she felt the warrior wielding the sword.  Bared teeth snapped close to her throat.  She cried out and then flinched when the great blade caught the beast in the neck.  Blood splattered across her clothing and her face.  Its heat shocked her.  Numb with the horror, she stared at the animal writhing on the ground.  In the gathering darkness, the pooling blood oddly appeared black upon the pristine snow.  The coppery smell set her stomach to roiling; revolted, she choked back rising nausea.  Her grip slackened about the hilt.  

            The knight’s fingers closed tighter around hers.  “Nay, my lady, never leave a wounded animal alive...sometimes, not even a man.  ’Tis when they are most dangerous.  They risk all for they have naught to lose.” 

 

One Snowy Knight, Dragons of Challon, Book 3

Coming July 19 2018  - Print
July 12th for eBook

eBook and Library Quality Tradesize print

http://amazon.com/Snowy-Knight-Dragons-Challon-Book-ebook/dp/B07FBRM8FT


Prairie Rose Publications

#DragonsofChallon #ScottishRomance #MedievalRomance  #Historical Romance

Blessing of Yuletide - Welcoming the Winter Solstice

Winter arrived today just after noon, so the loss of daylight stops and we now begin to see the hours of light wax instead of wane.  The days will grow longer with each passing, and the hint of Spring is on the horizon.

I know this is the first day of Winter, but somehow, this day always felt more in keeping with the old pagan ways of being the midpoint in Winter.  So decorate your Yule tree (yes, it was a Yule trees centuries and centuries before it was a Christmas tree) and think of the promise is holds for a prosperous coming year.

Blessings to all on this Magical Day of hope.

http://www.jonathonart.com/

Book review: One Hot Knight anthology

 

Book review: One Hot Knight anthology

 

Blurb:

Come join us for a medieval collection of wonderful romantic tales that take place during the hottest part of the year with ONE HOT KNIGHT! This unusual offering of summertime stories set between the medieval times of 1100-1300, of hot nights and even hotter knights, will keep you reading long past bedtime.

You’ll be entranced with these five tales of knights and their ladies from some of today’s top medieval authors, as well as some rising stars in this up-and-coming genre.

Lindsay Townsend, Deborah Macgillivray, Cynthia Breeding, Angela Raines, and Keena Kincaid offer you some of the best medieval-themed stories written, filled with romance and intrigue, laced with traditions and celebrations of this rich era.

Prairie Rose Publications is proud to introduce yet another wonderful collection of exciting tales for your reading pleasure. ONE HOT KNIGHT is sure to bring you hours of enjoyment as you read on to find out how these knights and ladies will find their very own "happily-ever-after" endings at this very “hottest” time of year!

My review:

I'm highlighting Deborah Macgillivray's Gambit, Check and Mate story.  

Hmmmm mmmm there's just something about the Dragons of Challon world that Deborah Macgillivray created that keeps me coming back to it and wrapping me up in the feel-goods.

This tale is about Cianna, the Lady of the Isle, finding herself trapped in the hands of Fate as she faces Iain Sinclair, the Black Lord of Dunnascaul (and he's as charming as his name implies), in a bid to save her people. Both have a need that they are drawn to desire the other to supply, however wariness and jadedness tarnish some of that trust. And oh the games and intrigue that follows, in words and in deed, and of the heart, just delightful! (in a I'm so glad I'm experiencing this through a story and not in reality kinda way! haha). I love their strength of character and spark-filled interaction with each other. And the fierceness that Cianna displays to protect what's hers - deep happy sigh - and the way Iain gives Cianna what she needs - beautiful (and fun!).  These two proved why they were the perfect match.

And when my (still pretty sure top) favorite Challon and his woman arrive on scene - cherry on top!

If you're a fan of the Dragons of Challon series, you definitely don't want to miss any of the short stories in the medieval anthologies Deborah Macgillivray is in - they're all based in the same world and just add that much more depth and beauty to it. Plus, even though they're shorter/novella length, they all pack a satisfying punch.

Purchase link:

     

One Perfect Knight - Boxed Set of Six Full Medieval Novels

 Coming December 17th

SIX FULL LENGTH MEDIEVAL NOVELS
for one low price!

ONE PERFECT KNIGHT BOXED SET

 

Your knight in shining armor is waiting to tell his exciting story in this new boxed-set release from Prairie Rose Publications! ONE PERFECT KNIGHT is a fantastic collection of SIX full book-length tales of beautiful medieval ladies and their dangerous men as they discover the magic of love! These exciting stories are sure to capture your imagination as you travel back in time to those romantic days of knights and ladies in medieval times! Handsome warriors, valiant knights, or valorous common men of the day—all will meet their matches with the daring and unusual women they happen to fall in love with, and you won’t want to put this boxed set down until you’ve read the very last story!

Authors Deborah Macgillivray, Lindsay Townsend, Cynthia Breeding, Linda Swift, Keena Kincaid, and Livia J. Washburn spin six incredible novel-length love stories filled with danger, excitement, and romance that will keep you turning page after incredible page until the very end. What could be better than ONE PERFECT KNIGHT? How about six fabulous stories of knights, warriors, and noblemen who want nothing more than to live happily ever after—in love—with the women in their lives?

A RESTLESS KNIGHT—DEBORAH MACGILLIVRAY

Had the music stopped, or had she just ceased to hear it? All she could do was stare into the dragon green eyes. Drown in them. This man was her destiny. Nothing else mattered. Lost in the power, Tamlyn was not aware of the hundreds of other people around them or their celebrating. To her, the world stood still, narrowed, until there was nothing but the star-filled night. And Challon.

THE SNOW BRIDE—LINDSAY TOWNSEND

Beautiful Elfrida is the witch of the woods, and no man dares to ask for her hand in marriage until a beast comes stalking brides and steals away her sister. Desperate, Elfrida offers herself as a sacrifice, and is seized by a man with fearful scars. Is he the beast—or will he save her, as well as the other young women who have disappeared? Sir Magnus, battle-hardened knight of the Crusades, has finished with love, until he rescues a fourth 'bride', the red-haired Elfrida, whose touch ignites a fierce passion that satisfies his deepest yearnings and darkest desires.

CAMELOT’S DESTINY—CYNTHIA BREEDING

The legend of Camelot is born and, with it, bold passions and forbidden desire. Fiery-tempered Gwenhwyfar is chosen by Arthur to be his wife and queen… Seared by the forbidden kiss of Arthur’s most-trusted warrior, Lancelot, Gwenhwyfar is swept into a world of passion, torn by loyalty and love to a husband who betrays her and a man she cannot have. But in a time where good and evil clash, where magic and chivalry reign, love will prove a weapon as powerful as any sword.

MISTRESS OF HUNTLEIGH HALL—LINDA SWIFT

Wait for me… Malcolm Gray asks only one thing of Alice Wykeham when he goes to sea. But ten long years go by, and Alice is forced to marry an elderly lord who is eager to claim her dowry. Malcolm has been shipwrecked and severely injured, but when he heals, he remains nearby in disguise, too late to claim his true love. When Alice discovers the lord is involved in a treasonous plan to overthrow the king, she must do something—it could be the death of her, along with Malcolm, the only man she will ever love…

 

ART OF LOVE—KEENA KINCAID

Abigail d'Alene has been in love with learning all her life, and she now has the means to indulge in her passion. Disguised as a boy, she heads to Paris and the abbey schools that will one day change the world. Shocked by the ineptitude of her masquerade, Alain of Huntly Woods takes Abigail under his protection until she recovers her senses. But her audacity and intelligence spark unexpected passion. When Alain discovers Abigail's uncle plots against the English king, Alain must choose between protecting his king or the woman he loves.

ALURA’S WISH—LIVIA J. WASHBURN

In the fire opals of an ancient treasure live two djinn. Once freed from the stones, these immortal spirits will serve this master's commands. But these djinn also have another purpose—to bring the wearer a true and lasting love… Can a reluctant bride find unexpected happiness with the dark knight, Sir Connor Warrick, she agrees to marry for the sake of honor and duty? The brilliant opals of the exquisite slave bracelet unlock a magic unlike any Lady Alura has ever imagined…and a love more rare than any jewel…

Just a note for my readers -- this version of A Restless Knight is the expanded version for Prairie Rose Publications.  A chance for people familiar with Kensington version to read the longer saga.

Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance

(image USS Shaw Exploding in Pearl Harbor - source: Wikipedia Commons)

There are moments that tend to define a decade or a lifetime.  That single instant when everything stood still and then changed forever, something so momentous occurs to where you can never go back to an innocence of the time before.  In my childhood the 1960s was defined by the death of a young president that held so much promise.  Oh, there were other similar tragedies to follow –– the death of his brother, the assassination of Martin Luther King, but my childhood naive beliefs in life was shattered with Kennedy’s death.  I could never go back.  

911 affected the nation.  The Challenger explosion saw everyone glued to the television in hope, later in grief.  To my mother’s generation that defining moment was Pearl Harbor.  It was odd.  She was a small child when it happened and she didn’t know anyone that was at Pearl Harbor, but the day stayed in her mind, and in some way defined her consciousness.  Every year she would awaken me with the words “It’s December 7th ––Pearl Harbor Day.”  She never spoke of how it changed her, rarely mentioned it other than to say she heard the news on the radio.  Only, she never forgot how the whole nation held its breath and cried, and then how the sorrow and shock turned to anger.

My mum is no longer around to awaken me with that familiar phrase.  She died on December 2, 1987, and was much much too young.  When the anniversary of her death came around this year I was sad, but I chose to remember the good times with her.  Oddly, this day hurts me a bit more, for it was so much a part of her.  Thus, this day I will share a moment of silence in respect for the many who died on this day, and for my mother who never forgot.

A celebrating of lights, fish and a place called Mousehole

My friend Candy and I always celebrate a wonderfully quaint and quirky holiday in Cornwall, England -- Tom Bowcock's Eve.  It's our way of honouring her late sister, Dawn Thompson.  Many of her novels were set in Cornwall, so we remember her and a place she loved so well.

Tom Bawcock's Eve

 is an annual festival, held on 23rd December, in
 Mousehole, Cornwall, near Penzance, England

The festival is a celebration and memorial for legendary Mousehole resident Tom Bawcock. Cornwalls suffers violent storms called flaws, and they can wipe out crops, leaving a small, isolated village in dire circumstances.  During a time of famine in the 16th century, and with Christmas upon them, Tom risked his life by going out to fish during a great mid-winter storm, in a heroic effort to save the people of Mousehole from starving.  Braving the high seas, Tom launched his small boat, and to everyone's surprise, returned with enough fish to feed the whole village.  A true Christmastide miracle.

The legend even inspired a story, The Mousehole Cat available on Amazon.com

During this festival Stargazy pie (a mixed fish, egg and potato pie with protruding fish heads) is eaten, and depending on the weather each year, a celebration of a lantern procession takes place, with singing and dancing along the harbour.  It's simply magical!!!

Stargazy pie

 FOR THE CRUST:

2 1⁄4 cups flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. mustard powder

12 tbsp. unsalted butter

6 tbsp. ice-cold water

FOR THE FILLING:

6 slices bacon, cut into one inch pieces

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1⁄2 cup chicken stock

1⁄3 cup crème fraîche

2 tbsp. English mustard

2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper, to taste|

8 fresh sardines, cleaned, heads attached

3 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and sliced

Instructions

Crust: Whisk flour, mustard, and salt in a bowl. Using blend butter into flour mixture, forming pea-size crumbles. Add water.  Work dough until smooth but with visible flecks of butter. Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour before using.

Filling: Heat bacon in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook until slightly crisp, 5–7 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add butter and onion to pan.  Cook until golden, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in stock, crème fraîche, mustard, parsley, lemon juice, half the egg, and salt; set aside.

Heat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough into a 12” round. Fit into a 9” pie plate; trim edges, leaving 1” dough overhanging edge of plate. Arrange sardines in a clocklike pattern with heads resting along edge of crust. Pour filling over sardines; top with reserved bacon, the hard-boiled eggs, salt, and pepper. Roll remaining disk of dough into a 12” round; cut eight 1” slits in dough about 2” from the edge. Place over top of pie and pull sardine heads through slits. Pinch top and bottom edges together and fold under; crimp edges. Brush with remaining egg and cut three 1”-long slits in top of pie; bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 35–40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

So, if you are ever in Cornwall before Christmas be sure to enjoy this wonderful time!

Happy Bawcock's Eve!!!

Coming Soon - One Perfect Knight -- 6 great medieval novels to keep you warm!

 Coming December 17th -- Six Novels for only $2.99

ONE PERFECT KNIGHT BOXED SET

 

Your knight in shining armor is waiting to tell his exciting story in this new boxed-set release from Prairie Rose Publications! ONE PERFECT KNIGHT is a fantastic collection of SIX full book-length tales of beautiful medieval ladies and their dangerous men as they discover the magic of love! These exciting stories are sure to capture your imagination as you travel back in time to those romantic days of knights and ladies in medieval times! Handsome warriors, valiant knights, or valorous common men of the day—all will meet their matches with the daring and unusual women they happen to fall in love with, and you won’t want to put this boxed set down until you’ve read the very last story!

Authors Deborah Macgillivray, Lindsay Townsend, Cynthia Breeding, Linda Swift, Keena Kincaid, and Livia J. Washburn spin six incredible novel-length love stories filled with danger, excitement, and romance that will keep you turning page after incredible page until the very end. What could be better than ONE PERFECT KNIGHT? How about six fabulous stories of knights, warriors, and noblemen who want nothing more than to live happily ever after—in love—with the women in their lives?

A RESTLESS KNIGHT—DEBORAH MACGILLIVRAY

Had the music stopped, or had she just ceased to hear it? All she could do was stare into the dragon green eyes. Drown in them. This man was her destiny. Nothing else mattered. Lost in the power, Tamlyn was not aware of the hundreds of other people around them or their celebrating. To her, the world stood still, narrowed, until there was nothing but the star-filled night. And Challon.

THE SNOW BRIDE—LINDSAY TOWNSEND

Beautiful Elfrida is the witch of the woods, and no man dares to ask for her hand in marriage until a beast comes stalking brides and steals away her sister. Desperate, Elfrida offers herself as a sacrifice, and is seized by a man with fearful scars. Is he the beast—or will he save her, as well as the other young women who have disappeared? Sir Magnus, battle-hardened knight of the Crusades, has finished with love, until he rescues a fourth 'bride', the red-haired Elfrida, whose touch ignites a fierce passion that satisfies his deepest yearnings and darkest desires.

CAMELOT’S DESTINY—CYNTHIA BREEDING

The legend of Camelot is born and, with it, bold passions and forbidden desire. Fiery-tempered Gwenhwyfar is chosen by Arthur to be his wife and queen… Seared by the forbidden kiss of Arthur’s most-trusted warrior, Lancelot, Gwenhwyfar is swept into a world of passion, torn by loyalty and love to a husband who betrays her and a man she cannot have. But in a time where good and evil clash, where magic and chivalry reign, love will prove a weapon as powerful as any sword.

MISTRESS OF HUNTLEIGH HALL—LINDA SWIFT

Wait for me… Malcolm Gray asks only one thing of Alice Wykeham when he goes to sea. But ten long years go by, and Alice is forced to marry an elderly lord who is eager to claim her dowry. Malcolm has been shipwrecked and severely injured, but when he heals, he remains nearby in disguise, too late to claim his true love. When Alice discovers the lord is involved in a treasonous plan to overthrow the king, she must do something—it could be the death of her, along with Malcolm, the only man she will ever love…

 

ART OF LOVE—KEENA KINCAID

Abigail d'Alene has been in love with learning all her life, and she now has the means to indulge in her passion. Disguised as a boy, she heads to Paris and the abbey schools that will one day change the world. Shocked by the ineptitude of her masquerade, Alain of Huntly Woods takes Abigail under his protection until she recovers her senses. But her audacity and intelligence spark unexpected passion. When Alain discovers Abigail's uncle plots against the English king, Alain must choose between protecting his king or the woman he loves.

ALURA’S WISH—LIVIA J. WASHBURN

In the fire opals of an ancient treasure live two djinn. Once freed from the stones, these immortal spirits will serve this master's commands. But these djinn also have another purpose—to bring the wearer a true and lasting love… Can a reluctant bride find unexpected happiness with the dark knight, Sir Connor Warrick, she agrees to marry for the sake of honor and duty? The brilliant opals of the exquisite slave bracelet unlock a magic unlike any Lady Alura has ever imagined…and a love more rare than any jewel…

Just a note for my readers -- this version of A Restless Knight is the expanded version for Prairie Rose Publications.  A chance for people familiar with Kensington version to read the longer saga.

Check out Author Maggie's Tideswell

 Sometimes it takes a wrong turn to get you to the right place

A bride is sent off into the unknown to marry a stranger on All Hallows Eve, October 31, 1749. What she finds on her arrival is enough to make her skin crawl.
Limping footsteps, blood-curdling screams, smoking torches, and a house on a cliff… A man she only sees in the dark, his breathing labored behind a mask.
“A betrothal is as good as the wedding vows. You cannot leave.”
“Am I your prisoner?”
“You shall stay here until you bear me a child. Then you can stay or go, the choice shall be mine!”

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NF6RT4B

https://wp.me/paKiHp-DY

Am I Here Album release - Mike Duncan -- review

 

After several years, I am glad to be the bearer of great tides—Mike Duncan has released another album!  I have played his Lost For Words album over and over, because it was refreshing, original…and well, great.  But his new one, Am I Here, is even better.  With the passage of time, Duncan has strengthened his gift, his craft, bringing a balanced offering of romantic songs that range from emotional to kicky.  With his unique voice he delivers one powerful performance after another.

He is a true artist, painting on a canvas with masterful strokes, and nowhere is this more evident than in the title track.  I was privileged to hear the original version several years ago, which quickly became my favourite song.  Seriously, if I were marooned on a desert isle and only permitted one song to keep me company it would be Am I here.  It’s a deceptive song that seems to seep into your muscles, your mind, and like a drug alters my mood.  The song works on several levels.  It has a laid back beat that underscores the emotions of a tormented romance; it’s sensual, provocative, it’s painful.  Such deep emotion is threaded throughout the song that is simply haunting.  Since this song came along after the first album, I was dancing with joy when I found it had made the cut this time.

Lost For Words, title track of the last album, is also here, but in a different version.   The original was a ballad, and again such an emotional song.  Anyone in love couldn’t help but be touched with the beauty and power of these lyrics.  Later he recorded another version – a club remix that had a killer beat.  The two versions evoke a remembrance of when Eric Clapton took Layla from solid rock to the laid back acoustical version (which I loved more).  Both stood on their own, drew their own praise.  It was the same with the two cuts of Lost for Words.   The strength of the song is clear in how it’s so amazing in either presentation.   This time, the new production is back to the ballad, but with a broader professional polish.  And again, I am lost to this song.

The most moving song of the group is My X.  A blunt title for a brilliant song.  And again, a song of love.  It is the exposed, raw, pure emotions of a man in love and the love gone sour.  It’s produced to showcase Duncan’s unique voice, and he applies it full force to convey the heartbreak from the true love, of a man fighting for himself and his love, yet senses the hopelessness of it.  You don’t just hear this song, experience it, all the pain regret and anguish, and it plays inside your mind, full of images like the best rock video you ever saw on MTV.  You taste the sheer agony, the desperation, the images of lovers coming together, yet being torn apart, and the overpowering fatal enormity of not understanding why the love cannot work.  Incisively produced, the song packs a wallop.

My second favourite song of all time is also included on the album.  Yes, it’s that good.  Oceans of Time is a dreamy, almost mystic version of love, of need.  Instead of being a song of pain and regret like My X, this is a fantasy.  The man senses a deeper love is out there, he can sense her waiting, and the power that will drive him to fight to find her.  It’s the best side of love, the desire, the full knowledge that someone waits for you, and there is no obstacle that will prevent you from finding her.  Duncan’s voice is never more perfect than in delivering this emotional song.  He hits the notes on all levels.

Also included is a cover of I’m On Fire.  Okay, how dare he cover one of the Boss’ biggest hits?  He dares with his own performance that almost rivals Springsteen.  I know I will get boos and hisses for that statement, but sorry, it’s true.  Upfront, I am a music junkie—I have been rocking in the free world for too many decades.  I love everything from Dmitri Shostakovich’s The Second Waltz to the Kinks’ Well Respected Man, The Brothers Four,  Justin Haywood, Sam the Sham,— lol— John Melancamp, Bon Jovi and everything between.  I love music so much from all eras, that a friend once asked me if I had ever been a disk jockey!    Truly good music is a drug to me.  It can totally alter my mood.  When it works that magic I know it’s good.  I say love a song, love every note, every change in pitch, to the point I basically hate covers.  They just leave me flat.  No one can match or improve on the brilliance of the original, often not even the performer himself.  One of the best is Bon Jovi—his studio tracks are never as good as his live performances.  Duncan is one of the few exceptions to that no cover rule for me.  In I’m On Fire he pays nodding homage to the untouchable talent of Springsteen, yet as I listen to the song, I began to forget the original and it feels new.  Duncan’s version begins to eclipse Springsteen’s version in my mind.  Very hard to do.

The up tempo Everything Is Good makes me want to get up and dance.  The happiness it generates is infectious.  Once again, the song underscores a romance, but a more positive one this go around.  Wonderland (not the Taylor Swift song) it an opening gambit of a romance.  It’s challenging, provoking, pushing the limits of love. The power and force of Duncan’s voice demonstrating his masterful range.  Love You Even More is a mellow enticement to love, with a Michel Bublé style, but, in truth, Duncan’s voice is just a bit sharper, more unique than Bublé.  I have heard him cover Bublé and liked his version better.  It’s Bublé class, but with a raw, edge that makes Duncan special.

Please Love Me is another rock tempo well suit to Duncan’s range.  I recall Sinatra talking about it wasn’t just singing a song, but how you phrased the lyrics. Fiction writing (my area) and song writing has much in common.  Both are another form of poetry, and in both, phasing is so important.  It’s not just the words, it’s the syntax, the flow, the meter and the sound that rolls over you and works magic.  Duncan’s quiet genius is he truly gets that.  The album rounds out with You, a mellow song that strikes a subtle contrast to the other emotional songs.  A perfect edition to a well-conceived album.

In a day, when music seems angry or edging back toward bubble gum, it’s very satisfying to hear an album that is geared for romance in all its forms.  A pleasure from start to finish.  Don’t accuse me of gushing over this album.  Not one word is unearned.  I am just sorry the world hasn’t made the same discovery of Mike Duncan as I have.  If there is one word of criticism—I would have liked to have the original of Am I Here included in the album, since I love both versions!

—Deborah Macgillivray, Internationally Publishing author, and unabashed music junkie.

Am I Here by Mike Duncan Album

Remembering Morgan Galloway on the 70th anniversary of his death

 

70 years ago actor Morgan Galloway died in La Grange, Ky.  His car was stopped on the trail tracks and the train hit him.  He was only 42 years old.  Such a senseless death.

Mike Duncan has a new album coming !!

Mike Duncan - Please Love Me

1ST SINGLE OFF THE NEW ALBUM 'AM I HERE'

Goodbye, Mrs. Peel

 

When one gets to a certain age, you start watching your childhood heroes die.  One by one.  The passing of Diana Rigg hurts more than most.  At a time a little girl was expected to be a housewife, a nurse or secretary, Emma Peel came onto the scene of The Avengers, filling the roll Honor Blackman held before her as John Steed’s partner, his equal.

 She gave little girls a role model that wasn’t the stereotypical female of the 1960s.  She drove fast sports cars, could take care of herself, was talented, smart, a British agent…savvy, beautiful and able to fight like a man.  She made a young girl realize there was an independence out there…

if only you have her daring.  

 And did I mention she wore leather jumpsuits?  WOW.  Her saucy, slightly arrogant attitude saw her through many a situation.  I loved her dearly.  I wanted to be her.  So, this one hurts.

honoring the anniversary of Morgan Galloway's birth

I went to place flowers on Morgan Galloway's grave today. It was odd experience, in someways a distant one since he died before I was born. Only my mum knew and cared for him. I had known about him, how handsome he was my whole life. That he died tragically when he was only 41 years old. This year will mark the 70th year of his death. So tragic that he died at that age. I was surprised to discover he died and was buried just blocks from where I now live. I had a feeling mum would like if I placed flowers on his grave. I took the flowers, a small arrangement I made, not sure how I would feel. I think mum would approved of me honoring him. She always went my grandfather's grave and put flowers there, when the rest of the family hadn't been there is 50 years. I am glad I went. No one else did. There were no flowers on the family headstone. None at the graves of his mother, father, son or his second wife. The stones are showing age as no one comes to scrub them clear. No one cares. It made me wonder if anyone would place flowers on my grave in 70 years. So melancholy was the prevalent air. Yet, I am glad I went and honored him on his birthday.

Book review: A Cat in Jackboots by Deborah Macgillivray

 

Blurb:

He is a hunter...despite being a scion of one of the most respected families of the ton, he enjoys solving the mysteries that life presents...at a price. And he is hot on the trail of a burglar robbing the titled members of London society.

She is saddled with a scatterbrained, matchmaking Grandmother and a retired battman for a butler...and a black cat named Romeo...and carries a world of secrets. One slip and it will cost her everything.

Neither is seeking romance...only sometimes love happens when you least expect it....

My review:

(just gotta throw in here.... doesn't that blurb just give you the feel-good anticipation shivers?  Gotta say, it totally delivered and then some!)

Mighty stories can be found in small packages, and A Cat in Jackboots is a perfect example of this!  If you want a shorter story you can absorb in one setting, but yet close the last page feeling like you're walking away from a full-length story that lingers, this is one to pick up!

I adored everything about this story - from the bit of intrigue and the games played, to from the sparks that flew and the surprises that had perfect timing, to the laughter and the happy sighs, they all weaved together into a delightfully easy and engrossing story - which is just perfect for life lately.  

It's been a long, long time since I've read a regency-era story, and just like with her medieval tales, Deborah Macgillivray delivered an amazing story that I fell hard into and didn't want to leave.  

Purchase link:

an echo from the past....

Sunday was the anniversary of my mum's birthday. 

Since I lost all my photos in the house fire, I was only a few pictures of her to cherish.

A cousin posted them one.  I had never seen it before.  It was a picture of her with me, and being photobombed by gran.  Three generations all in one shot.  Take in 1987, this was six months before she died a liver cancer.  Take at my second cousin, once removed - Dee Dee's wedding.

So it was so wonderful to find this picture taken what seems like yesterday, yet so many years ago.

There is a day that passes I don't miss her.

shots of my porch

Happy Solstice to all

Happy May Day!!

Hoping you are stay safe at home.  The day was beautiful, a fitting welcome to the first day of May.

wishing all a safe and happy Easter